Electrifying Hard-to-Heat Buildings

While there are established and feasible means to electrify space heating for many low heat load buildings like residential buildings, offices, and retail stores, all-electric solutions for high heat load buildings such as laboratories, research and development buildings, and hospitals continue to present challenges. Emerging products and strategies in the air-to-water heat pump, heat recovery and exhaust-source heat pump market are creating viable solutions to meet the majority of the annual sensible heating demand with efficient electrification. Combined with energy efficient building systems and envelopes, this can achieve >90% reduction in annual fossil fuel consumption for building heating.

Session Chair(s): 

Event Time: 

Thursday, May 6, 2021 - 11:30am to 12:30pm

Room / Location:

CEU Information: 

AIA 1.0 LU/HSW
BPI 1.0 hour
Mass. CSL 1.0 hour Energy
4.5 credit-hour packets available from PHIUS, RESNET, and Mass. CSL

Learning Objectives:

  • Develop strategies for mechanical designers, design teams, building owners and architects to approach the question of efficient electrification.
  • Illustrate the challenges of pathways towards all-electric buildings in cold climates, in particular those with higher heating loads
  • Explore technologies available to meet the demands of a hard to heat building
  • Weigh the pros and cons for a holistic and informed design decision-making process

Session ID: 

BOS21-610