Even though modern heat pump technology is more than sufficient to provide heat to any building in the United States, some barriers to adoption remain. 

Ian Shapiro, a mechanical and aerospace engineering professor at Syracuse University, shared his thoughts about the impacts of outdated perspectives and pushback from the traditional energy industry. 

As Facilities Dive reported, heat pump adoption has been growing because of how the appliances improve building efficiency and reduce pollution. However, there are still common misconceptions about heat pumps and resistance from oil and gas companies. 

With TCD's HVAC Explorer, and partners like Palmetto, you can learn more about heat pumps and find the right model and installer for your budget and household needs.

"There [are] old worries," Shapiro said. "Forty years ago, we had single-speed heat pumps that could not keep up in the cold weather, and I think we're still paying the price for that bad experience. … There [are also] issues with fossil fuel companies and utilities spending a ton of money because they don't want to give up their sales of oil and gas."  

Additionally, Shapiro pointed to workforce training issues in the industry, noting that more education on heat pumps is needed to prepare professionals for installations. He said there's a "big business opportunity" for contractors who learn heat pump systems to meet the growing demand. 

Shapiro's insights are helpful because they explain why heat pumps have been somewhat slow to catch on despite their many benefits. Homeowners who have gotten ahead of the curve have already found that heat pumps significantly reduce their energy costs. 

Not only do heat pumps help slash monthly energy bills, but they also protect homeowners from rising energy costs and boost resiliency during extreme weather. 

One common argument against heat pumps is the upfront cost. However, Palmetto offers a $0-down HVAC leasing program to help you lower your energy costs by up to 50%. Palmetto's HVAC leases start at just $99 per month and come with 12 years of maintenance.

Palmetto also has a free app that you can use to unlock $5,000 in rewards to spend on home upgrades. 

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Meanwhile, Shapiro is committed to educating building owners and facility managers about the benefits of heat pumps to promote widespread adoption. He's also leveraging a Department of Energy grant tied to commercial building energy audits to help educate technicians about heat pumps. 

"Everyone is interested in reducing what they have to pay in their monthly bills, whether you're a homeowner or a factory," Shapiro said.

To learn more from Shapiro, check out his "Pathways to Electrification" interview with Urban Green Council.

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