Document offers guidance on heat pump deployment for multifamily housing

ICAST (International Center for Appropriate and Sustainable Technology) has released a resource guide to help multifamily owners and managers, policymakers, utilities, energy efficiency program implementers, and others advance the deployment of VHE heat pump HVAC and water heaters in multifamily housing.

The focus of the guide is on multifamily properties, but it can be applicable across the spectrum of buildings, from single-family homes to commercial buildings.

The guide includes:

Fact sheets on VHE technologies
White papers on industry best practices for deploying VHE solutions in the multifamily sector and policy guidelines to promote VHE deployment
Research on market, policy, and regulatory barriers to VHE deployment in multifamily housing and recommendations for overcoming those barriers
Case studies that showcase VHE system deployments
Information on ICAST’s work to train individuals in the design and installation of VHE technologies

VHE heat pumps can help reduce utility bills, cut carbon emissions, and preserve and improve affordable housing. Mass deployment of VHE solutions can benefit the power grid, create local jobs, and stimulate local economic development.

The U.S. is ill-prepared to provide adequate housing for the growing ranks of older people, according to a report from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. Over the next decade, the U.S. population older than 75 will increase by 45%, growing from 17 million to nearly 25 million, with many expected to struggle financially.

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