Midea Spearheads Development of Innovative Electric Window Heat Pump Units for NYC Public Housing Facilities
New York City is leading the charge to advance building decarbonization and improve occupants’ comfort with a public-private initiative called the “Clean Heat for All Challenge” spearheaded by New York City Housing Authority, New York Power Authority and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. By leveraging NYCHA’s portfolio of 2,198 residential buildings, “Clean Heat for All” is designed to spur innovation and growth of new technologies and support the goals of New York State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and the New York City Climate Mobilization Act, which both call for a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from buildings by the year 2030.
Midea was designated as a primary partner to develop and deliver innovative electrification solutions that can better serve the heating and cooling needs of existing multifamily buildings and help expedite the transition away from fossil fuels.
Under New York City Local Law 97, which is part of the New York City Climate Mobilization Act, NYCHA must cut greenhouse gas emissions from its over 300 housing developments with 177,000 apartments by 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2050, and three quarters of its emissions come from old heat systems that run on natural gas. Knowing how critical it is to reduce carbon emissions, the state found an equitable and transformative way to implement new innovations with the scale and speed to achieve its ambitious carbon-reduction goal.
The seven-year contract for Midea calls for the development and delivery of 20,000 cold climate packaged window heat pump units – devices that support the city’s move away from natural gas and toward more efficient energy sources. The window heat pump units, which Midea is developing for NYCHA, will enable rapid, low-cost electrification heating in multifamily buildings by reducing or eliminating many of the cost drivers inherent to installing existing heat pump technologies in apartments, including electrical system upgrades, lengthy refrigerant piping and through-wall drilling and penetrations. Over the next year, NYPA will work with Midea to develop the proposed heat pump technology for testing and demonstration. NYPA will then collaborate with NYCHA to install pilot units in designated public housing before moving forward with the widespread installation throughout the following years.
The company will be collaborating with numerous government agencies, including the Department of Energy as part of its “Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge” initiative launched in 2021 to make this technology an attainable reality.