The Future of Heating: Window-Mounted Heat Pumps
Inefficient Heating Methods of the Past
Our current heating methods, such as furnaces and boilers, are inefficient and harmful to the environment. Furnaces burn toxic, planet-warming gas, while boilers in large cities like New York often burn oil or gas to heat water or produce steam for radiators. Even electric-resistance space heaters, although more efficient, can lead to high utility bills if overused.
The Climate Nerd’s Favorite: Heat Pumps
For decades, climate enthusiasts have praised the efficiency of heat pumps. These devices can extract heat from outdoor air and move it inside, even in freezing temperatures. Heat pumps can replace gas furnaces in homes with central ducting systems, or ductless models can be mounted on walls.
New York City’s Window-Mounted Heat Pump Experiment
New York City is now testing an even more powerful type of heat pump for urban dwellers: window-mounted units. In 2022, NYC launched a pilot program to install window heat pumps in 30,000 apartments by 2028, with the goal of having heat pumps account for 65% of residential heating, AC, and water-heating shipments by 2030.
The Efficiency Advantage of Heat Pumps
Fully electric heat pumps are inherently more efficient than fossil-fuel heating systems because they move heat instead of generating it. They can be up to five times more efficient than electric-resistance heaters. A study published in the journal Energy found that if everyone in the US switched to heat pumps, residential sector emissions could be reduced by 36 to 64 percent.
Per-Room Temperature Control and Energy Savings
Window-mounted heat pumps allow users to control temperatures on a per-room basis, rather than relying on a building-wide system. This can lead to energy savings of about 20 percent, according to Vince Romanin, CEO of Gradient, as users only heat and cool the rooms they need.
“There’s a massive difference in the amount of heat that our system is putting out when a user asks for heat to be comfortable versus a radiator which dumps tons of extra heat into the room.”
Positive Feedback from New York City Housing Authority Residents
The New York City Housing Authority reports that residents are generally satisfied with the window-mounted heat pumps, particularly the ability to control temperatures. The units also provide clean, efficient cooling in the summer, benefiting those who previously lacked air conditioning.
“The heat pumps allow NYCHA to move away from natural-gas-based steam heating systems and are also two to six times as energy efficient as these systems.”
Shaan Mavani, chief asset and capital management officer of the Housing Authority, emphasizes the energy efficiency of heat pumps compared to the agency’s current natural-gas-based steam heating systems.
Inverting the Usual Pattern for New Energy Technology
New York’s window-mounted heat pump initiative is making this technology accessible to regular people, rather than just wealthy early adopters. Climate economist Gernot Wagner of the Columbia Business School notes that this relatively cheap, simple, and plug-and-play technology works well in century-old public housing buildings.
Overcoming Hurdles for Urban Apartment Dwellers
One potential challenge for urban apartment residents is the shift in operational costs from landlord-paid central heating to renter-paid electricity for heat pumps. However, the New York City Housing Authority is addressing this issue by ensuring that 90 percent of its residents in master-metered buildings do not pay individual electric bills. For the remaining 10 percent, the agency plans to introduce a utility allowance to prevent increased expenses.
A Model for Other Cities
The New York City Housing Authority’s heat pump plan could serve as a model for other cities looking to switch multifamily buildings to more efficient heating systems. However, each city will need to consider its unique mix of building types, local codes, heating and cooling needs, and construction and utility costs.
The Future of Heat Pumps
As heat pump technology continues to evolve and become more efficient, it is expected to become increasingly affordable. Gernot Wagner emphasizes that heat pumps are a prime example of a technology that will only improve and become more cost-effective over time, making them a crucial component in the transition away from gas and oil heating.
4 Comments
Why not turn every NYC window into a mini power plant with those heat pumps? Let’s get futuristic!
Exploring the vertical jungle for eco-friendly solutions, who knew
Heat pumps in windows, NYC’s quirky solution to going green while living in a concrete jungle!
In NYC, where space is a luxury, even windows are getting a green makeover with heat pumps!