Boston Uses Window Heat Pumps to Decarbonise Public Housing
- brg_news_room
- Oct 8
- 1 min read
USA: The Boston Housing Authority is launching a pilot project to install small window heat pumps by San Francisco-based startup Gradient in a 50-year-old, 100-apartment building for elderly residents. The units, which fit in a window, provide heating and cooling for spaces of around 500 square feet, replacing inefficient electric-resistance systems without the need for extensive renovations required by centralised heat pump installations. The project is funded through a state programme that supports energy efficiency improvements via a surcharge on utility bills.
Window heat pumps are increasingly used in US public housing as a faster and lower-cost alternative to centralised systems. The Boston initiative is expected to cost $5,450 per unit, compared with $40,000 for centralised systems in smaller housing complexes. Similar projects in New York City include the installation of Gradient and Midea America units, with plans to expand to tens of thousands of apartments. The approach supports Boston’s 2023 directive to decarbonise public housing by 2030 and offers a scalable solution for reducing reliance on fossil fuel heating in government-owned multifamily buildings.
Source: Live Mint
