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 High-efficiency HVAC systems can be optimized for specific operations, are quieter, and require less maintenance than outdated models.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 III
GAP III is a statewide heating grant newly opened up for housing nonprofits. It used to just support water authorities, etc.
Catholic Charities improvements
CGLIHC assisted Catholic Charities in securing a new heating system for their multi-service program in Southbridge. 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)
“This Program Opportunity Notice (PON) is committed to providing grant funding for decarbonization retrofits of existing low- or moderate-income residential buildings. Projects must seek to implement energy efficiency measures and decarbonize heating, cooling, and/or hot water systems, as further provided below. Additionally, projects must demonstrate a long-term commitment to providing affordable housing to low- or moderate-income residents, as further provided herein.” See the PDF for additional information
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)
“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 (HPWHs) are an energy-efficient heating technology with several benefits listed below.
Heat pump water heaters produce hot water by moving heat in the air to water in the tank.
Insulating hot water pipes is very advantageous.
- It can increase water temperature by 2°F–4°F compared to uninsulated pipes.
- 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. 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 showerheads, 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.