Heating and Cooling for Nonprofits
- Space heating and cooling accounts for up to 50 percent of all energy use in nonprofit facilities.
- Combined with whole-building measures, nonprofits should consider tuning up, upgrading, or right-sizing their heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment.
- High-efficiency HVAC systems can be optimized for specific operations, are quieter, and require less maintenance than outdated models.
GAP
The GAP program periodically opens to nonprofits for clean energy upgrades linked to reducing carbon output. CGLIHC will alert partners when a new GAP opportunity opens up.
CGLIHC Projects
New Heat Pump System for Catholic Charities
CGLIHC assisted Catholic Charities in securing a new heating system for their multi-service program in Southbridge, Massachusetts. CGLIHC assisted in writing a GAP III application to replace their old heating system with a brand new heat pump system that will reduce costs and eliminate carbon emissions once completed!
Department of Energy Resources (DOER)
Heating Emergency Assistance Retrofit Task Weatherization Assistance Program (HEARTWAP) provides heating system repair and replacement services to low-income households.
The program is administered by a network of local agencies, in most areas the same agency that administers the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). HEARTWAP contracts with heating system service companies to complete the work for eligible households.
Air source heat pumps
Air-source heat pumps are a common item many HVAC contractors will install. They are a key strategy to changing to electric heat/cooling, and many rebates exist to ensure their affordability. Coupled with solar, heat pumps are the primary way to lower costs because of their efficiency, and lower carbon output.
- Air-source heat pumps are up to 400 percent more efficient fossil-fuel heating components.
- Provides heating and hot water from the energy stored in the air or ground
- Harvests environmental energy transfers around three to four times more energy
Heat pump water heaters (HPWHs)
Heat pump water heaters are an energy-efficient heating technology with several benefits listed below.
- “Shifting from an old and inefficient furnace or boiler to an air-source heat pump generates significant energy-cost savings because the electric option is up to 400 percent more efficient than its fossil-fuel counterpart.” Source
- Heat pump water heaters produce hot water by moving heat in the air to water in the tank.
Seasonally Adjusted Heat Pump Rates
Don’t miss out on the savings of seasonally adjusted heat pump rates.
Insulating hot water pipes is very advantageous.
- Energy efficiency
- Insulating hot water pipes can reduce heat loss, so your water heater won’t have to work as hard to maintain a consistent temperature. It can increase water temperature by 2°F–4°F compared to uninsulated pipes. This can result in energy savings and lower utility bills.
- Faster hot water delivery
- Insulated pipes can help reduce the time it takes for hot water to reach your faucets and shower heads, which can be especially helpful in larger homes. This means you don’t have to wait as long for hot water, again saving water and costs.
- Reduced risk of pipe freezing
- Insulation can help prevent hot water pipes from freezing during cold weather, saving you the stress of dealing with burst pipes and water damage.
HEAT Loan financing
Loan details
- 0% interest loan
- 7-year term
- Up to $25,000
Eligible efficiency measures (authorization required)
- Program-eligible weatherization
- Specified pre-weatherization barriers (up to $10,000)
- ENERGY STAR certified replacement windows (must be done in conjunction with weatherization, if weatherization is recommended)
- Residential batteries enrolled in ConnectedSolutions
- Heat pumps
- Heat pump water heaters