Ductless Heat Pumps for New Construction Single Family | Regional Technical Forum Regional Technical Forum

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Ductless Heat Pumps, commonly referred to as "DHPs" or "mini-splits", are becoming more common in the Northwest for both retrofits and new construction. This measure, specific to single-family residential new construction, applies to Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. (To learn more about the specific measure applications by state, see the bottom of the page.) 

All measure applications are currently considered Planning due to outstanding research questions on:

In-situ energy savings of DHPs in single-family new construction; andRates at which DHPs, high efficiency water heaters, and other technologies are used to meet or exceed Northwest building codes.WorkbookLatest Version Residential New Construction Ductless Heat Pump v2.3 Residential New Construction Ductless Heat Pump v2.3 Approved by the RTF July 2018. Post-QC workbook. Date Sep 26, 2018Version number  2.3 Past Versions

version	date	document
2.1	Jun 20, 2018	ResNewConstructionDuctlessHeatPump_v2_1.xlsm Post-QC workbook. Approved March 2018.
2.0	Apr 4, 2018	ResNewConstructionDuctlessHeatPump_v2_0.xlsm Workbook version approved at the March 2018 RTF meeting. Undergoing QC.
1.1	Apr 5, 2017	ResNewConstructionDuctlessHeatPump_v1_1.xlsm QC review complete.
1.0	Dec 14, 2016	ResNewConstructionDuctlessHeatPump_v1_0.xlsm Original savings workbook. Currently undergoing QC.

Supporting Documents RTF Research Strategy for DHP for New Construction RTF Research Strategy for DHP for New Construction Residential SF Existing HVAC v4 Residential SF Existing HVAC v4 DHP for New Construction SEEM Runs v2.3 DHP for New Construction SEEM Runs v2.3 DecisionsLatest decisionDecision detailsDecided January 20, 2021 RTF Meeting: January 20, 2021 Extend Sunset Date

Extend the sunset date for the DHP in New Construction UES to June 2021.

Decided July 18, 2018 RTF Meeting: July 17-18, 2018 Adopt Measure Updates

Adopt the updates as proposed for the Ductless Heat Pump for Single Family New Construction measure:

keep the Category at Planningkeep the Status at Activekeep the Sunset Date at January 31, 2021Decided March 27, 2018 RTF Meeting: March 27-28, 2018 Adopt measure updates

Adopt the updates for the Ductless Heat Pump for Single Family New Construction UES measure:

Keep the Category at PlanningChange the Status to ActiveChange the Sunset Date to January 31, 2021Update DHP costs consistent with the Tacoma new construction studyLook at RBSA II for our assumed percentages for HVAC types in the baseline and for incidence of non-electric heating in DHP homes - and report back to the RTFDecided November 9, 2016 RTF Meeting: November 9, 2016 Approve measure analysis with direction for further research

•Adopt the energy savings and cost analysis for the DHP for New Construction Single Family UES measure 
---(adjust tank location based on newer homes in RBSA, adjust costs based on updated data, and add a UEC for OR with DHP and HPWH)
• adopt the Research Strategy, as proposed
• set the measure category to Planning, status to Under Review 
• set the sunset date to November 30, 2021

Decided February 17, 2016Direction for subcommittee

Staff to work with a subcommittee to define the new construction market for DHP considering issues such as ducting, home UA, gas availability, and fuel switching studies. Create options for elligibility and baseline assumptions and related research.

Decided September 22, 2015 RTF Meeting: September 22, 2015 Allocate resource to measure development

Allocate staff resources towards developing a Residential LED Fixture UES Measure and a Residential DHP for New Construction UES Measure.Under the assumption that there is no timeframe for completing the work.

Decided October 15, 2013 RTF Meeting: October 15, 2013 Direction for further analysis

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.

Small/rural checklistLatest Version August 2018 Residential DHP for NC Small/Rural Checklist August 2018 Residential DHP for NC Small/Rural Checklist Date Aug 13, 2018State Specific Applications Oregon

For Oregon, the measure requires an HSPF 10 or greater DHP in addition to a high efficiency water heater that complies with Conservation Measure Option D of the 2017 Oregon Residential Specialty Code. Current Oregon code requires builders to select ONE Conservation Measure from a list in order to meet the energy efficiency code. Both DHPs and high efficiency water heaters are on the Conservation Measure list; therefore, this measure requires that BOTH these measures be installed in order to ensure that the home exceeds minimum energy efficiency code requirements.

Idaho & Montana

For Idaho and Montana, the measure requires an HSPF 10 or greater DHP be installed in the main living area of a new single-family home. The current unit energy savings assume a "single-head" DHP (with supplemental zonal electric resistance heat), but "multi-head" systems are also allowed.

Archived Documents DHP for New Construction SEEM Runs DHP for New Construction SEEM Runs v2.0 Archives ELCAP Conservation achievements An advisory committee of: Northwest Power & Conservation Council ©2021 Regional Technical Forum. All Rights Reserved. randomness