Air source heat pumps (ASHP) are an efficient electric heating and cooling option for homes. When properly installed, an ASHP can deliver 1.5 to 3 times more heat energy to a home than the electrical energy it consumes. This is possible because a heat pump moves heat rather than generates heat.  An ASHP extracts heat from outdoor air, even in cold weather, and uses that to heat a home. In the summer, an ASHP works in reverse transferring the inside heat to the outdoor unit. Both ductless and ducted ASHP systems have the capacity for single and multi-zoning.

Key takeaways from contractors regarding their perceptions of heat pump technology for space conditioning and factors they consider when recommending this technology are as follows:

• Contractors see the benefits of heat pump systems now and in the future; however, not all are convinced that switching to an electric system is always the best option for a homeowner.
• Existing home specifications such as ductwork, fuel source, electrical service heat pump location, insulation, air tightness, and the presence of solar, determine whether a contractor will recommend a heat pump system.
• Key concerns among contractors include costly electrical panel upgrades, location and space for equipment, cold climates, lack of familiarity with technology, high electricity rates, customer callbacks, refrigerant leaks, and permitting processes and costs.
• Contractors report that most customers are aware that ASHPs exist but lack technical knowledge and often hold misperceptions about the technology.

Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) rely on the fact that the underground temperature remains a fairly consistent temperature throughout the year—warmer than surface temps during the winter and cooler than surface temps during the summer. During the winter, a GSHP extracts heat from the ground and transfers warm air into the home. During the summer, heat is extracted from a home and transferred to the ground. The ground, in other words, acts as a heat source in winter and a heat sink in summer. Ground source heat pump can reduce the energy consumption from 20-50% in cooling mode and 30-70% in heating mode when compared to conventional HVAC systems.

Key takeaways from contractors regarding their perceptions of heat pump technology for space conditioning and factors they consider when recommending this technology are as follows:

• Contractors see the benefits of heat pump systems now and in the future; however, not all are convinced that switching to an electric system is always the best option for a homeowner.
• Existing home specifications such as ductwork, fuel source, electrical service heat pump location, insulation, air tightness, and the presence of solar, determine whether a contractor will recommend a heat pump system. For recommending GSHPs specifically, contractors also consider cost, equipment space, impacts to landscape appearance, and installation (drilling) noise concerns.
• Key concerns among contractors include costly electrical panel upgrades, location and space for equipment, cold climates, lack of familiarity with technology, high electricity rates, customer callbacks, refrigerant leaks, and permitting processes and costs. For GSHPs specifically, contractors are also concerned with the availability of drillers, geological issues, length of time to install, environmental regulations, lot size, and recent certification and permitting changes implemented on vertical bore drillers.

The heating of pools and spas has a significant environmental and energy demand footprint. Historically, natural gas fired heaters have been the preferred pool heating method; electrical resistance heating has been much less prevalent. Solar pool heating units have also been adopted by the residential sector, accompanying the rise in rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays. In the early 1980s, manufacturers began to offer heat pump pool heaters (HPPHs) as an energy efficient electrical heating option for pool owners.

HPPHs, powered by electricity, have a fan that draws warm heat in from the outside and circulates the air through an exterior evaporator air coil. The outside air temperature should be above 45ºF for the HPPH to work efficiently. The cooler the outside air they draw in, the more energy they use. HPPHs do not generate heat; they simply capture and exchange heat. Refrigerant located within the evaporator coil absorbs the heat and transforms it into gas, which is then pumped through a compressor. The compressor increases the heat of the gas and passes it through the heat exchange condenser. The water in the pool is heated when the condenser transfers the heat from the hot gas to the pool water that is circulating through the heater. The heated water is then returned to the pool.

Key takeaways from contractors regarding their perceptions of heat pump technology for pool heating and factors they consider when recommending it are as follows:

• Perceptions of the current state of the market were mixed with half of respondents providing a negative view and half expressing optimism. Respondents who provided a positive outlook of the market were those who installed units in municipal utility service territories. Evidently, municipal utility areas have a stronger market for HPPHs due to the lower electricity costs in these territories. In contrast, respondents in IOU service territories report less HPPH market activity and suggest that the activity in these areas is limited to homes with solar PV either already installed or planned to be installed soon.
• Installers perceive HPPHs as more energy efficient than standard natural gas pool heaters.
• Installers identify pool size and customer usage habits as primary considerations when recommending HPPHs. Other considerations include availability of fuel types, customer budget, space availability for equipment, and whether PV is installed.
• Contractors expressed concerns regarding HPPH technology including performance in low humidity and cooler regions, location suitability due to space requirements, length of time to procure a HPPH, and the need for an electrical sub-panel upgrade.
• Contractors perceive HPPHs to provide operational cost savings, be quieter than standard pool heaters, and have much longer warranties than other types of units.