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On July 15, APGA sent a letter to the Department of Energy (DOE), supporting Stone Mountain Technologies’ (SMTI) funding application to build and demonstrate a heat pump tailored for commercial water heating and simultaneous space cooling. The product to be developed will be applicable to a wide variety of buildings that simultaneously require hot water and space-cooling, including restaurants, hotels, college and military dormitories, and correctional facilities in all climates. Initial estimates expect two to three-year paybacks for building owners, which bodes well for rapid market acceptance, as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment is replaced much faster in commercial applications versus residential buildings.

Many APGA members are familiar with other SMTI projects, especially in their partnership with the Gas Technology Institute (GTI). This project is another example of an effort that aligns with APGA’s goals of increased end use of natural gas, as well as DOE’s goals for energy and cost reduction for commercial building operators. Updates on this project and other DOE research will be provided to APGA members as appropriate.

For questions on this article, please contact Stuart Saulters of APGA staff by phone at 202-464-2742 or by email at ssaulters@apga.org.