Heating Up

IDEAS FOR BUILDERS & RENOVATORS

HVAC industry addressing mounting challenges as 2030 targets loom

BY TED McINTYRE

IN EARLY NOVEMBER, StormontDundas-South Glengarry MPP Jim McDonell, in partnership with Enbridge and Ontario Minister of Energy Todd Smith, announced that the residents of the Glendale subdivision of South Glengarry, near Cornwall, will have access to natural gas for their home heating needs within four years.

Funded through the Natural Gas Expansion Program (created under the Access to Natural Gas Act, 2018), the project will see $2,352,112 allocated by the Province to expand natural gas service to approximately 77 homes and businesses in the community.

“Affordable home heating is on the way,” announced Minister Smith.

At the same time, the federal government was signing on to the Global Methane Pledge, which aims to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030. Natural gas is mostly methane, which has “more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over the first 20 years after it reaches the atmosphere,” according to the Environmental Defense Fund in Washington, D.C.

And therein lies the dilemma: weaning off natural gas when it’s an inexpensive means of heating many Ontario homes—particularly at a time when the provincial government is coming up short in supporting energy-efficiency assistance programs. In its annual Canadian Provincial Energy Efficiency Scorecard, released in

November, Carleton University-based research organization Efficiency Canada again ranked Ontario fourth among Canadian provinces and territories, noting that it has slid behind in several metrics. “We are now seeing the impact of reductions in energy efficiency ambition and programming resulting from the ministerial directives that replaced the previous Conservation First Framework. Total program spending per capita for all fuels is now roughly half what it was two years ago.

“In 2017, Ontario led the country in electricity savings,” the report continues. “This scaling back of ambition on electricity and natural gas efficiency programs is perplexing, as a recent 2019 integrated efficiency potential study identified significant cost-effective savings potential for both fuels, across the residential, commercial and industrial sectors.”

The dead of winter is a sobering time to consider the numbers. According to Natural Resources Canada, “space heating accounts for more than 60% of the energy consumption in the average Canadian home.” It’s also “the single biggest energy end-use in Canada and the country’s second-largest contributor to GHG emissions.

“Hybrid heating reduces energy consumption and GHG emissions by relying on the heat pump at moderate outdoor temperatures and during offpeak times, when it is cheaper to heat with the heat pump,” NRCan adds. “Then the system switches to a natural gas furnace in cold temperatures and at peak times.”

GETTING FIT

Mike Martino is among those stressing the need for such a bridge between the current reliance on gas and the eventual zero-carbon goal for new homes in 2030 and existing homes in 2050. “I’m not really seeing all-electric taking over yet—not in Ontario. The way to go is hybrid systems—high-efficiency gas furnaces with heat pumps,” suggests Martino, who founded Vaughan-based Martino HVAC in 1987.

Martino knows what his customers want and what they need better than most—from builders and contractors to consumers. His Google Review rating of 4.8 of out 5 is an inordinately high number for a company with more than 350 reviews in the HVAC field.

“Carbon tax is only going to increase as we move along, so folks may as well do it right and do it now,” Martino says. “You’ll use less gas and get higher efficiency on heating, but also get the return on the carbon tax savings.”

Martino is particularly high on the Daikin Fit heat pump (pictured on the previous page). “The SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating of up to 18 is very high. It works with lower temperatures into early winter. It’s very quiet and very efficient, with a streamlined design.”

The Daikin Fit system is aptly named—designed to fit from a physical sense as well as from a comfort and heating efficiency standpoint. Featuring a side discharge, this smart HVAC system doesn’t compromise on comfort, while connecting to ducted solutions traditional to the unitary market (combining heating, cooling and fan sections in one package). In a market saturated with expensive high-tiered inverters, it provides a premium midefficiency unit at an affordable rate.

Ideal for zero-lot-line homes, roofs, walls, terrace areas and multi-storey locations that would typically require a crane, the sleek, lightweight, lowprofile outdoor unit offers solutions that a traditional cube style cannot.

Its inverter (variable-speed) compressor reduces energy consumption by up to 30% or more, compared to traditional fixed-speed systems, making slight adjustments to the compressor’s speed depending on weather conditions. That means it reaches the desired temperature faster and maintains a more constant temperature compared to traditional on/off systems that frequently start and stop.

Other features include Daikin’s Blue Fin Coat for a long condenser coil life

Low-profile and quiet, with multiple installation options, Napoleon’s NS18 heat pump and air handler is an all-in-one heating and cooling system. It’s able to heat a home in temperatures as low as -30C and cool it in temperatures as hot as 54C, the widest operating range in the category, the company assures.

and reliability, and ease of service and maintenance, thanks to its quick-toaccess side panel.

YEAR-ROUND OPTIONS

Napoleon is also standing out with the NS18 heat pump and air handler. This new series is an all-in-one heating and cooling system for year-round comfort—100% heat in the winter and 100% cool in the summer.

“It is a versatile and efficient system that will require less maintenance while delivering the ultimate in-home comfort, no matter the weather outside,” says Christian Romeroll, HVAC, Managing Director of Napoleon.

The heat pump has newer, more efficient technology that features a variable inverter compressor and vapour injection technology to heat a home in temperatures as low as -30°C and cool it on sweltering days as hot as 54°C—the widest operating range in the category, Napoleon assures. It also operates on electricity, helping homeowners reduce their carbon footprint and energy costs without sacrificing comfort.

Low-profile and quiet with multiple installation options, the NS18 blends into the background. It features a multi-speed Constant Torque ECM blower motor and a fully insulated cabinet design with an integrated filter rack to facilitate tool-less door access. And it requires zero clearance, whether it’s mounted vertically or horizontally, enabling it to be installed easily in closets or alcoves.

The NS18 Series is also compatible with any standard heat pump thermostats, smart thermostats or smart home systems working on 24V.

FASTER, EASIER INSTALLATION

When it comes to moving that air around, Venmar Ventilation is addressing the trades shortage with its time-saving innovations.

“They’re missing 1 million contractors in the U.S. and 100,000 in Canada, so anything we can do to help the cause is important,” says Patrick Beloin, Director of Product Marketing at Venmar Ventilation.

Venmar’s new Flex DC series of

Switching Over

HVAC operators need to embrace the challenge

There’s a long way to go before the deadlines for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions arrive, but some Ontario’s HVAC contractors and manufacturers are going to need help transitioning.

“There is skepticism within our membership about the challenges of reducing carbon and replacing natural gas with all-electrified forms of heating,” concedes Martin Luymes, V.P., Government and Stakeholder Relations with the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI). “By 2030 we won’t be putting gas appliances in new homes anymore. I’ve talked to a few contractors who are well on their way to making the necessary changes, but many have a hard time accepting that reality.”

Affordability is a factor for consumers, Luymes notes. “There are airsource heat pumps that work remarkably well, even in very cold Canadian temperatures, but they’re quite expensive to purchase up front, relative to gas furnaces. Grant programs like Canada’s Greener Homes will help move customers, but unless they’re presented with the longer view on fuel cost trends and carbon-pricing impacts, they can be hard for our members to sell, even with incentives attached. Some members are asking, ‘Why can’t we also offer hybrid heating systems, hooking up a heat pump to an existing natural gas furnace that will extend the life of that gas furnace—something we can implement in the short term at a more attractive price point, while still reducing consumers’ energy bills and carbon footprint?’ It a conversation we’re now having with the government.

“With the growing number of retiring tradespersons, there is a double whammy for contractors, though,” says Luymes. But HRAI is working on a workforce development plan to help with the transition.

When it comes to converting existing homes to low-carbon options, there’s another bottleneck, Luymes explains. “There currently aren’t enough energy evaluators to deliver on the promise of the Greener Homes program, let alone what might come in the future. Like some other programs, Greener Homes requires pre- and post-home energy evaluations to be done to qualify for grants. The number of evaluators licensed to do this is growing, but it will take time to satisfy demand.”

As these programs go forward, “we also need businesses that can deliver comprehensive energy solutions for homes—dealing with not just the mechanical systems, but the whole building envelope,” Luymes stresses. “It can be difficult for a homeowner to undertake a home reno project after an evaluator says you need to add insulation, weatherstripping and new windows, and that you need to replace your furnace with a heat pump. It may be the right advice, but the customer might have a limited budget and no ability to manage such a complex project. With multiple options presented, they might just pick one—or none—of the options and get a less-than-ideal result. This means that in addition to evaluators who can identify the best options for improving home energy performance, consumers will need companies that can manage and deliver the comprehensive solutions needed under one package price, ideally with long-term financing options to help manage the costs. This is also something HRAI is working on with our members.”

Exhaust fans “can be installed in the room—you don’t need to go into the attic to change it. That’s a gamechanger, saving a lot of time for contractors,” explains Beloin, whose company has also introduced SurfaceShield to the Canadian market, which kills mould and bacteria on its exhaust fans.

The ceiling-mounted Energy Starcertified Broan AE50-110DC Flex DC Series 80 CFM Exhaust Bath Fan— yes, it’s a mouthful—features foldable mounting ears and the company’s EZ Duct connector for easy installation. New duct damper technology provides a tighter seal, resulting in reduced warm and cold air backdrafts. It’s also very quiet and energy efficient, while operating at a selectable CFM (cubic feet per minute) range of 50-80-110.

Venmar is also reducing installation and repair time with its new AI Series of air exchangers. “They’re 15-20 minute installs, meaning an extra install a day, and less training for companies having to hire on the fly,” Beloin notes. “It’s as easy to set up as an alarm clock. This takes away one of the most challenging steps of installing an HRV/ERV—the balancing portion, which is required to be code-compliant. The system has been trained to balance itself. You set it on an LCD screen. Input the CFM that you want, the numbers of air exchanges per hour, and you’re done. You don’t need to use that magnehelic differential pressure gauge tool, which can be a painful process, and move the damper to get the perfect adjustment.

“It’s also a gamechanger for inspectors, who needed to go through the same steps. Now they can just look at the screen!”

Simpler installation results in greater consistency in the installer’s work, Beloin points out. Auto balancing sets a reliable initial configuration in all dwelling types, and self-adjustment ensures the unit operates at optimal performance levels throughout its lifetime, meaning fewer call-backs.

“Another great thing about having that platform is that we’re able to provide products just for Ontario or California or Quebec, which all have different codes and legislation.” OHB

Easy and quick to install, Broan’s NuTone SurfaceShield exhaust fan features antimicrobial virus-killing light, as well as an everyday white light perfect for task lighting. Its powerful ventilation, meanwhile, offers effective protection against bacteria, mould and fungi growth.

Designed with contractors in mind, Venmar’s AVS N Series air exchanger features Venmar’s Virtuo Technology, which saves up to 20 minutes on installations, promising “the fastest installation in its class.”