Whether it’s building enclosures, energy use, or indoor environmental quality, long-term monitoring provides essential insights that inform better decisions, processes, and recommendations. As scientists and engineers, we rely on this data to guide practical, evidence-based improvements across the built environment.
Between 2019 and 2020, RDH was retained by FortisBC, BC Hydro, and the Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Low Carbon Innovation to install monitoring equipment, collect data, and report on the field performance of 26 air-source heat pumps in 24 homes across Vancouver Island and the southern interior of British Columbia. Results from the study showed that the heat pumps generally performed in line with expectations for ASHRAE Climate Zones 4 and 5. However, extrapolating their performance to colder climates was not feasible due to the region-specific outcomes of the study.
While the British Columbia study provided valuable insight into heat pump performance under local conditions, its findings are not broadly applicable to colder regions. A wide range of variables—such as equipment type, make and model, installation quality, occupant behavior, operation patterns, and regional climate—contributed to the measured performance. These influences made it clear that additional studies would be needed to evaluate heat pump behavior in other settings with different installation practices, operating conditions, utility rates, and heating fuel options.
In 2023, the Yukon Government’s Energy Branch engaged RDH to conduct a second phase of this research. Our team installed monitoring equipment on 19 heat pump systems across 18 homes in Whitehorse, Haines Junction, and Tagish. This phase encompasses various system types, including centrally ducted, ductless mini-split, and air-to-water heat pumps, and will collect performance data from 24 systems over 24 months (Fall 2023 to Fall 2025). In addition to monitoring the systems themselves, we collect supporting data, including indoor and outdoor temperatures and humidity, sub-metered electric heating loads, and more.
This ongoing research will provide a clearer understanding of how heat pump systems function in cold climates, supporting informed decisions about their use in northern communities.
For more information about this research:
Air Source Heat Pump Pilot Project – Technical Report, Winter 2020-21 (Yukon.ca)
In-Situ Performance of Cold Climate Air-Source Heat Pumps in British Columbia (ASHRAE Cold Climate Conference, 2023)
BC Cold Climate Heat Pump Field Study (RDH Report, 2020)
