Finding a home comfort system that balances reliability with sustainability has been a long-standing consumer pursuit. Now, a multifunctional heating and cooling system is poised to stop that search.
In a society that increasingly values eco-consciousness—a PwC survey found that 50% of consumers weigh environmental factors in their purchasing decisions, and that number is only expected to rise—it’s only natural that everyday staples (like utilities) are viewed through the same lens. Add in the global discussions around fossil fuels and climate change, and you’ll find a marketplace ready for a cleaner alternative.
That’s where heat pumps come in. Working as an all-in-one system, electric heat pumps pull heat in from the outdoors in winter, and push heat out from the indoors in summer. So homeowners don’t need to install two separate systems for heating and cooling, and they don’t need to worry about adding to their gas bill—a particular concern as global energy prices continue to rise.
Electric heat pumps are a greener alternative to burning fossil fuels—and they deliver more than clean energy. An International Energy Agency (IEA) report found that heat pumps’ higher efficiency means higher savings: roughly $300 annually for American consumers. They’re also more reliable than a standard HVAC system, tending to last longer and requiring less maintenance.
The only catch? That same report points out that heat pumps can be more costly to install than a natural gas system, which creates a potential entry barrier for those who aren’t willing or able to make that investment upfront. Some, like IEA Executive Director Dr. Fatih Birol, say that government subsidies are the push needed: giving homeowners the opportunity to install heat pumps without a cost-prohibitive lump sum payment.
That’s the strategy behind the award-winning Great Indoors campaign that Mower helped create with National Grid. By framing heat pumps as a homeowner’s best choice for energy efficiency and home comfort, we were able to garner over 27 million impressions across National Grid’s Massachusetts and New York footprint. And we drove about 734,000 visitors to the National Grid website—an average of 2,729 per day. The impressive results support existing research surrounding heat pump installations: an ISO New England forecast predicts 669,000 new systems in Massachusetts by 2030, while a VEIC report forecasts an aggressive—but reachable—goal of two-thirds of New York homes using heat pumps by the same year.
In their work to bolster adoption, National Grid, offers more than product knowledge. Their program promises technical support assistance during the installation process, and financial assistance to help consumers make the switch—offering rebates for heat pumps and for weatherization improvements to help them function even more efficiently.
Clean energy technology is quickly rising to the top of consumers’ lists of must-haves—and heat pumps are ready as the perfect solution.