juneau’s undergoing a heating revolution.
Ground source heat pumps have been making their way into commercial and institutional buildings in Juneau starting with AEL&P’s new headquarters in 1996. Installations in recent years include the Dimond Park pool, the airport, the Auke Bay school, the Johnson Youth Center, and the Forest Service lab, as well as a number of private residences. These heat pumps are called “ground source” because heat collected by liquid circulated through a buried loop is compressed and used to heat the buildings.
But the recent surge in heat pumps comes as “air source” heat pumps, which take and compress heat from the air, like a reverse refrigerator, using a technology that has become vastly more efficient since the first models in the 1980s. Local businesses estimate that they have installed at least 150 residential air source heat pumps in the last two years. A recent large scale example is the new 42 unit Volunteers of America housing complex in Douglas. Air source heat pumps can heat larger buildings as well; for example IGA Foodland recently converted to them, and the owner told the Alaska Climate Action Network, according to a press release from the organization, that they have resulted in significant savings. UAS recently asked for bids to add an air source heat pump to the freshman dorm, the release adds.
Juneau has also helped pioneer “sea water source” heat pumps with the system that heats the Ted Stevens NOAA lab. An exciting new proposal would use a sea water heat pump system to power a downtown Juneau heating district, supplying hot water to buildings throughout the downtown area.
Why all the interest? First and foremost is that heat pumps lower heating costs. They can provide the same amount of heat as electric baseboard systems for a third to a quarter the cost, allowing many homeowners to recoup their initial investment in three to 10 years. Air source heat pump systems are versatile, and can be installed relatively easily even in older homes. They can also be relatively inexpensive — ranging from $3,000 to $12,000. Other important reasons for their popularity are the low cost of maintenance, reduced hazards and pollution from fossil fuels, and a reduced carbon footprint. The report “Air Source Heat Pumps in Southeast Alaska” goes into depth: http://www.cchrc.org/air-source-heat-pumps-southeast-alaska.
Funding for heating system conversions is available from AHFC’s Home Energy Efficiency program and from loans from local banks.
Find out more about this technology and how it can save money and make Juneau more carbon free at http://www.alaskaclimateaction.org/.
