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Ductless Heat Pump for Forced Air Furnace SF and MH

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Work Products

UES Measures Standard protocols list Demand Response Technologies Supporting Documents Propose a measure or standard protocol Proposed measures and status Whole Building Efforts

Subcommittees

  • Commercial HVAC
  • Connected Thermostats
  • Demand Response
  • Duct Sealing
  • Guidelines
  • Heat Pump Water Heaters
  • Implementers Group
  • Modeling
  • Natural Gas
  • New Homes
  • Non-Residential Lighting
  • Operations
  • Refrigeration
  • Research and Evaluation
  • Residential HVAC
  • RTF Policy Advisory Committee
  • Small and Rural Utilities
  • Weatherization
  • Whole Building
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UES Measure

  • Ductless Heat Pump for Forced Air Furnace SF and MH

Ductless Heat Pump for Forced Air Furnace SF and MH

At a Glance

Category 
planning, proven
Status 
active
Fuel type 
electric
Sector 
residential
Applications 
HVAC
Sunset date 
Mar 31, 2026

This measure is the addition of a ductless heat pump (DHP) to an existing home with a central electric forced air furnace (EFAF).  The DHP has a higher coefficient of performance (COP) than an EFAF and uses less electricity to provide the same amount of heat.  Typically, the DHP is used to offset some or most of the heating load otherwise met by the EFAF.  However, this measure specification does not include a control strategy, nor does it preclude homes with significant supplemental fuel use.

Heating zone three of the measure was deactivated in 2018.  As of 2021, new BPA evaluation data prompted a re-evaluation of heating zone 3. Following RTF review of the new data, heating zone 3 was adopted with a planning status due to large remaining uncertainties and small sample sizes.  The associated research strategy outlines two research objectives.  These research objectives could be completed through a billing analysis and site visit/survey or other methods that achieve the following objectives :

  1. Estimate the energy consumption change for single family and manufactured homes, separately, that install a ductless heat pump to augment/displace the usage of their pre-existing electric forced air furnace.
  2. Estimate the presence, usage (pre/post), and impact of air conditioning (AC) and supplemental fuels in the treatment and control groups along with any other related changes that would affect consumption in the post period relative to the pre-period.

The measure remains proven for heating zones 1 and 2.  

Workbook

Latest Version

Residential Ductless Heat Pump on Forced Air Furnace v5.2

File Residential Ductless Heat Pump on Forced Air Furnace v5.2
Approved at Sept 2025 RTF meeting. QA complete.
Date 
Dec 30, 2024
Version number 
5.2

Past Versions

version date document
5.0
Sep 24, 2024
File Residential Ductless Heat Pump on Forced Air Furnace v5.0
Approved at September RTF Meeting. Undergoing QA.
4.1
Aug 14, 2023
File Residential Ductless Heat Pump on Forced Air Furnace v4.1
Based on an RTF decision at the July 2023 meeting, this version includes minimum HSPF2 levels to be met by qualifying units that do not have a HSPF rating. Updated cost effectiveness using procost version 5.08
4.0
Apr 18, 2022
File Residential Ductless Heat Pump on Forced Air Furnace v4.0
Updated with 2021 Plan cost effectiveness methodology
3.1
Nov 01, 2021
File Residential Ductless Heat Pump on Forced Air Furnace v3.1
Approved at the September 2021 RTF meeting. QC complete.
3.0
Sep 29, 2021
File Res Ductless Heat Pump on Forced Air Furnace v3.0
Approved at September 2021 RTF meeting. Currently undergoing QC.
2.1
Dec 07, 2018
File Res Ductless Heat Pump on Forced Air Furnace v2.1
Workbook for measure approved at September meeting, post-QC review. No significant changes from version 2.0.
2.0
Sep 25, 2018
File Res Ductless Heat Pump on Forced Air Furnace v2.0
Measure workbook approved at the September 2018 RTF Meeting. Pre-QC.
1.6
Dec 15, 2017
File ResDHPonFAF_v1_6.xlsm
Measure specification revised to allow the installation of a short duct run minisplit in lieu of the ductless heat pump.
1.5
Dec 02, 2016
File ResDHPonFAF_v1_5.xlsm
QC review complete.
1.4
Jun 29, 2016
File ResDHPonFAF_v1_4.xlsm
Updated to 7th Plan format and assumptions. Currently undergoing QC.
1.3
Jan 04, 2016
File ResDHPonFAF_v1_3.xlsm
Delivery verification checklist added
1.1
Apr 23, 2015
File ResDHPonFAF_Provisional_v1.0.xlsm
Currently undergoing QC
1.0
Jan 29, 2015
File ResDHPonFAF_Provisional_v1_PROPOSED.xlsm
Original savings workbook.

Research Strategy

Latest Version

Research Strategy: Ductless Heat Pumps in Forced Air Furnace Homes UES and New MF Homes and HVAC UES

File Research Strategy: Ductless Heat Pumps in Forced Air Furnace Homes UES and New MF Homes and HVAC UES
Approved by RTF Nov 2024
Date 
Dec 4, 2024
Supporting Documents
File RBSA2 Heating Load and Supplemental Fuel Analysis
Sep 24, 2018
Workbook that compiles data from the RBSA II regarding home heating system types, supplemental fuel usage, and annual electric heating load estimates from VBDD analysis of billing data.

Decisions

Expand All Decisions

Latest decision

Decision details

Decided 
October 16, 2024
RTF Meeting

Approve Measure Updates

Decision Details

Approve the addition of a tax credit identifier with the associated cost implications for the DHP for Electric Forced Air Furnaces Manufactured and Single-Family Homes UES as presented.

Decided 
September 17, 2024
RTF Meeting

Approve Measure Updates

Decision Details

Approve the DHP for Electric Forced Air Furnaces (Single Family and Manufactured Homes) UES as presented, and:
-Keep the Category at Proven for HZ 1 and 2 and Planning for HZ 3
-Keep the status at Active
-Set the sunset date to March 31, 2026. 

Decided 
July 18, 2023
RTF Meeting: July 18, 2023

Adopt measure changes

Decision Details

Adopt the minimum HSPF2, SEER2,and EER2 specifications as presented for the following UES measures as an interim solution until these measures are next updated and a longer-term approach agreed upon:
DHPs for Zonal Heat SF
DHPs for Zonal Heat MH
DHPs for Multifamily
DHPs for Forced Air Furnace SF and MH
ASHPs Upgrades and Conversion MH
ASHPs Upgrades and Conversion SF
High Efficiency Central AC

Decided 
September 21, 2021
RTF Meeting: September 21-22, 2021

Approved Measure Updates

Decision Details

Adopt updates to the DHP for Forced Air Furnace in SF and MH UES as presented and: 

  • Keep the Category at Proven for HZ 1 and 2, 
  • Set the Category to Planning for HZ 3,
  • Keep the Status at Active, 
  • Set the sunset date to September 30, 2024.
Decided 
September 18, 2018
RTF Meeting: September 18-19, 2018

Approve Measure Updates

Decision Details

Approve the updates to savings and costs for the Ductless Heat Pump for Forced Air Furnace UES measure as presented, but

  • Modify HSPF specification to 9.0
  • Deactivate HZ3 measure applications

and

  • Change the Category for HZ1 and HZ2 applications to Proven
  • Keep the Status at Active
  • Set the sunset date to September 30, 2021
Decided 
March 27, 2018
RTF Meeting: March 27-28, 2018

Extend measure sunset dates

Decision Details
  • Extend the sunset  date for the Walk-In Evaporator Fan ECM Motor Controllers  to May 31, 2018
  • Extend the sunset  date for the Commercial Smart Plug Power Strips UES to September 30, 2018
  • Extend the sunset  date for the Ductless  Heat Pump for Forced Air Furnace  SF and MH UES to November 30, 2018
Decided 
March 15, 2016
RTF Meeting: March 15, 2016

Sunset date extension

Decision Details

Extend the sunset date for the Ductless Heat Pump for Forced Air Furnace (SF and MH) UES measure to March 31, 2018.

Decided 
September 22, 2015
RTF Meeting: September 22, 2015

Approve measure update

Decision Details

Adopt the delivery verification guidance, and related specification refinements, as presented for the following measures:

  • Agricultural Irrigation Hardware
  • Agricultural Lighting – Area Lights
  • Agricultural Stock Watering Tanks
  • Agricultural Variable Frequency Drives – Potato/Onion Shed;
  • Commercial Appliances – Clothes Washers
  • Commercial Cooking Equipment – Combination Ovens
  • Commercial Cooking Equipment – Convection Ovens
  • Commercial Cooking Equipment – Fryers
  • Commercial Cooking Equipment – Hot Food Holding Cabinets
  • Commercial Cooking Equipment – Pre-Rinse Spray Valves
  • Commercial Cooking Equipment – Steamers
  • Commercial DHW – Efficient Tanks
  • Commercial DHW – Showerheads
  • Commercial Grocery – Anti-sweat Heater Controls
  • Residential Heating/Cooling – DHP for FAF in SF and MH
  • Residential Heating/Cooling – DHP for Zonal Heat MH
  • Residential New Construction – Slab Insulation
Decided 
May 12, 2015
RTF Meeting: May 12, 2015

Approve measure update

Decision Details

Adopt the delivery verification guidance, and related specification changes, as presented for the following UES measures:Single Family Existing HVAC measures; Residential Clothes Washers; Residential Clothes Dryers; New Construction ENERGY STAR WA; New Construction ENERGY STAR OR; Refrigerator/Freezer Decommissioning; School Weatherization; Grocery ECMs for Walk Ins; Industrial and Agricultural Green Motor Rewind; Grocery Door Gasket Replacements.

Decided 
March 17, 2015
RTF Meeting: March 17, 2015

Approve measure update with direction for future analysis.

Decision Details

Accept the research strategy for the Residential Existing MH and SF Ductless Heat Pumps for Electric Forced-Air UES measure, and set the measure Category to 'Planning', Status to 'Active' and sunset date to March 2016.

The 1-year sunset date is intended as a check-in on the research plan process, not a revisit of the measure workbook. Since the check-in process (with the R&E subcommittee) is new and still under development, the RTF was not comfortable with a longer sunset date.

Decided 
January 21, 2015
RTF Meeting: January 21, 2015

Approve measure update

Decision Details

Approve the measure definition, savings, life, cost, and research plan for the Residential Existing MH and SF Ductless Heat Pumps for Electric Forced-Air UES measure to:Provisional category;Under Review status (to finalize the research plan);with a sunset date of April 2015.Round savings to 2 significant digits.

Decided 
October 15, 2013
RTF Meeting: October 15, 2013

Direction for further analysis

Decision Details

Use Option 3 in estimating the savings for residential heating system and weatherization measures, and that the RTF delegate a decision on the definition of the “full measure package” to a subcommittee.

Decided 
May 21, 2013
RTF Meeting: May 21, 2013

Direction for SEEM calibration

Decision Details

Approve SEEM 94 as calibrated for single family houses (using model A in today's presentation). The validity of the calibration should be reviewed by May 31, 2016 with any new data that become available.

Small/rural Checklist

Latest Version

December 2017 Residential DHP on FAF v2 Small/Rural Checklist

File December 2017 Residential DHP on FAF v2 Small/Rural Checklist
Checklist corresponds to changes approved at the December 2017 RTF Meeting.
Date 
Dec 5, 2017

Past Versions

version date document
Jan 29, 2015
File ResDHPonFAF_SRR_Checklist.xlsx

Archived Documents

  • Research Strategy July 2015
  • Research Plan Presentation March 2015
  • Research Plan January 2015

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