Application of air-source heat pump (ASHP) technology for residential buildings in Canada

Abstract

The air-source heat pump (ASHP) is a relatively new, highly efficient technology which has been proven to be a feasible alternative in mild temperature climates. However, an ASHP’s application tends to be limited by outdoor temperature in cold climate zones. This study was intended to explore the feasibility of ASHPs in conjunction with traditional furnaces to serve as an innovative energy efficient method for heating homes in Canada. The goal was to quantify the cost and emissions savings of an ASHP hybrid heating system as compared with a furnace-only system for a residence in three Canadian cities. A prototypical residential building with a hybrid heating system was generated for heating load calculations. The theoretical analysis included the determination of the outdoor-temperature-dependent heat loss rate from the residence and heat supply rate of ASHPs. The building model has proved to be useful for further analyses, while the feasibility of the hybrid system has been determined to be highly region dependent.