From Affordable Housing Finance:
New York City is making a big push to change the way it heats its public housing units.
State and local leaders have pledged an initial $70 million investment in the development and production of 30,000 new heat pump units for use in the city’s public housing buildings, a move that transitions the homes away from using fossil fuels.
It also positions the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) to be an early adopter in the new technology while giving residents a modern system of heating and cooling that they can directly control.
Heat pump technology provides cooling and heating from a single unit by moving heat between the indoor and outdoor spaces depending on the season. The process is achieved through the refrigeration cycle, which can be up to four times more efficient than traditional heating systems, such as boilers, which rely on on-site combustion of fossil fuels to produce heat, explained officials.
However, heat pumps are difficult to install, particularly in occupied units. As a result, many operators prefer to delay electric conversion in favor of in-kind replacement of fossil fuel systems.
The new commitment is part of the Clean Heat for All Challenge, an initiative spearheaded by NYCHA, the New York Power Authority (NYPA), and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The program aims to develop an electrification product that can better serve the heating and cooling needs of existing multifamily buildings and hasten the transition to fossil-free heating sources.
Read Affordable Housing Finance's article "NYCHA to Pilot Cutting-Edge Climate Technology."