“High-end residential HVAC helps increase energy efficiency, as well as provides comfort and reliability for homeowners,” said Brandy Powell, general manager and vice president, residential air conditioning at Emerson Commercial & Residential Solutions. “Offering greater connectivity and control over home comfort, high-end HVAC helps homeowners better maximize efficiencies to reduce and manage energy consumption and improve comfort throughout each zone of your home.”

She also explained that heat pump solutions are increasing in popularity — especially in regions where regulations are being used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, since heat pumps offer efficiency and an environmentally-friendly option to burning fossil fuels.

She said that when looking at high-end HVAC systems, homeowners should look for solutions that provide greater comfort, reduce noise, and increase connectivity.

“Moreover, high-end HVAC solutions not only improve system efficiency but also improve the health of occupants indoors,” she said. “Bringing fresh, clean air indoors can help reduce the risk of infection and help improve the health and wellbeing of occupants.”

Powell also said that homeowners should look for systems that connect with smart thermostats that can improve comfort and temperature control as well as search for systems with predictive and remote monitoring to aid service and maintenance. Modulating compressors in the systems can also be used to match the output of the system to the load of the building.

Intelligent Thermostats

By offering a homeowner more control of the temperature of their home, intelligent thermostats can improve both energy management and comfort.

THERMOSTAT TIME: Dave Quam, global connected services director at Resideo, said that the right thermostat will have high interoperability with other smart products in the home.

“Smart thermostats offer homeowners simple control of their most important appliance — their heating and cooling devices,” said Dave Quam, global connected services director at Resideo. “Now more than ever, consumers are looking for their homes to be efficient and comfortable, and they use home automation to deliver that efficiently/seamlessly.

Whether using their phone or voice control, smart thermostats can help deliver the right temperature to the right room at the right time.”

This technology also aids the contractor, as it gives another solution to meet homeowners’ needs.

“As homes become smarter, so too are HVAC business operations,” said Quam. “HVAC service professionals are increasingly integrating IoT and better data into their daily operations, helping to simplify operations, offer value-added differentiated services, and ultimately enhancing the consultative dialogue with their customers.”

Quam said that contractors should ensure that the thermostats they sell to their customers will have high interoperability with other smart products in the home, and that the products have a customer support staff that can ensure the thermostats are installed quickly and function as expected.

Electrification

Electrification offers another way for energy use to be managed in the home. Paul Sammataro, owner of Samm’s Heating and Air Conditioning, said that electrification frees the homeowner from pricing that is subject to fossil fuel market fluctuations. There is no concern of carbon monoxide poisoning, he said, and since there is no vent or gas piping, there is a reduced cost for an electric system installation.

He explained that the HVAC industry is trending toward electrification in the future.

“Utility rebates, government programs, and code requirements will drive the move to electrification,” said Sammataro. “Gas/oil systems installed in new buildings will start to diminish and trend toward all electric.”

He said that until fossil fuel pricing increases substantially, he does not believe that 100% electrification will lower utility costs unless consumers are installing high SEER/HSPF.

Solar

Devin Cooley, president of SunTrac USA, explained that concentrating thermal panels can harness the sun’s energy to lessen the load on an air conditioner’s compressor, which, in his experience, lowers cooling costs in a home by an average of 40%. BTUs from the sun are captured by the solar panels’ concentrators, which track the sun’s movement across the sky, and are piped into the refrigerant cycle of the HVAC system. Renewable technology is typically installed in the Sunbelt states — running from California to the Carolinas and south — in areas experiencing long summers, high temperatures, and high humidity.

“We’re tackling the largest energy hog of the home, which is the a/c,” said Cooley. “Our technology will also integrate easily with smart home automation.”

He explained that hybrid climate systems can add value that contractors can sell to customers, while also not being a product that would detract from their normal business competency. Integrating solar technology does not require any specialized personnel, processes, or equipment. At SunTrac, Cooley said it takes a two-day course to train an HVAC company in how to service and install its hybrid climate systems.

Zoning

Dick Foster, president of ZoneFirst, said that he likes to begin conversations about zoning by relating it to light switches in a home.

IN THE ZONE: Zoning can have health benefits, as people have a greater control over their bedroom, where they can ensure the temperature is ideal for healthy sleep.

“You’ve got a light switch in every room in your house,” he said. “You wouldn’t put one light switch in for your entire house, but you do for your heating and cooling. Think of what your electric bill would be if you had to turn all of your lights on and off with one switch.”

Foster said that contractors have an excellent opportunity to sell a benefit that will serve homeowners, but some shy away from it because they try to sell solely on price. However, he explained that people are willing to spend money to save energy and they value comfort, as demonstrated by the fact that people have zoning in their cars. This can even have health benefits, as people can have a greater control over their bedroom, where they can ensure the temperature is ideal for healthy sleep.

“Low-voltage wiring and airflow are two critical things contractors need to know in order to put in zoning,” said Foster. He explained that if contractors do not have the proper skills necessary, zoning companies like ZoneFirst can help contractors get trained until they feel confident handling zoning systems.