from Carol in Wisconsin Dells, WI:
#764
We are wanting to install a split system with heat pump in a condo we own but must get the board association approval. I would like to know if you have some statistics regarding efficiency of the system over wall A/C and electric baseboard heating that I could present to them to argue in favor of allowing the improvement.
There is a considerable amount of saving opportunity here.
The criteria for an ENERGY STAR® qualified room air conditioner with a capacity greater than 20,000 British thermal unit (BTU) per hour, has a 9.4 energy efficiency ratio (EER). Electric strip heat has a coefficient of performance (COP) of about 1.0.
By comparison, an ENERGY STAR qualified heat pump will have an EER of 12.5 and a COP of 2.6. Heating efficiency is measured in heating season performance factor (HSPF). An HSPF of 8.2 is equivalent to a COP of 2.6. This makes the heat pump over 30 percent more efficient for cooling and over 150 percent more efficient than your electric strip heat for heating. This means a considerable savings on the heating side, as well as better comfort on the cooling side.
Please note that while cooling performance will be remain essentially unchanged over the air conditioning season, the heating performance will go down as outdoor temperatures go down. It will never fall below a COP of 1.0 but may need to be turned off at temperatures below freezing.
Published Friday, April 09, 2010