PORTLAND, Ore. — The NW Ductless Heat Pump Project, an initiative of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) in collaboration with local utilities, named its 2011/2012 Contractors of the Year for the states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. The winners are First Call Jewel, Idaho Falls, Idaho; Formula Fabrication, Libby, Mont.; Automatic Heat Service & Installation, Eugene, Ore.; and Advanced Energy Management, Tacoma, Wash.

Each year, in collaboration with its regional utility partners, the NW Ductless Heat Pump Project selects one Contractor of the Year from each of the four states in the region. Winning companies are qualified as Master Installers, and have completed the highest number of ductless heating and cooling system installations in their state.

According to the NEEA, a ductless heat pump is an energy efficient, easily installed primary heating and cooling system for electrically heated homes, heating rooms evenly at a fraction of the cost of baseboard or wall heaters. Since 2008, the NW Ductless Heat Pump Project, in partnership with Northwest utilities, the Bonneville Power Administration, and Energy Trust of Oregon, has worked with local contractors to install more than 14,000 ductless heating and cooling systems in the Northwest, at a savings of 49 million kWh per year. That is enough electricity to power 4,400 average homes each year.

Currently, 92 utility partners in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington are offering customer rebates on ductless systems, up to $1,500, often covering 30-50 percent of the cost of an installed ductless system, said the NEEA.

For more information, visit http://goingductless.com.

Publication date: 04/09/2012