EXEC. SUMMARY: Variable Speed Heat Pumps as Air Conditioner Replacements
Cold climate air source heat pumps (ASHPs) offer an opportunity to significantly electrify residential heating loads in virtually any location when paired with supplemental heat sources. Centrally ducted variable speed heat pumps (VSHPs) are only traditionally available in the U.S. when installed with brand-matched air handlers or furnaces. As a result, VSHPs require a complete replacement of existing air conditioners (ACs) and furnaces, but a full system replacement can be too expensive for many single-family homeowners.
To bridge this gap, a new VSHP product class has come to the market, and it can reduce the installation costs of upgrading to VSHPs at the time of AC replacement. This executive summary provides results from a ComEd funded study of this product class. CEE researchers found that beyond appropriate sizing, thermostat selection and configuration proved critical for optimizing customer savings.