- News and Events
- Program Area Updates – Information Bulletin Archive
- Calendar
- Blog
- Conferences & Workshops
- In the Spotlight
- Using Plants to Sustain Military Ranges
- Sonar Key to Detecting Underwater UXO
- Monitoring and Mapping Coral Reefs
- EPA-Approved Protocol for Range Characterization
- Robotic Laser Coating Removal System
- MetalMapper
- Understanding cis-DCE and VC Biodegradation
- Eliminating Cr from Medium Caliber Gun Barrels
- Predicting Responses to Landscape Changes
- Applying Statistics and Modeling to UXO Discrimination
- Composites with Low HAP Compounds
- Perchlorate-Free Flares Undergo Qualification Testing
- Recovering Energy from Landfill Gas
- Modeling Underwater UXO Mobility in Reef Environments
- Understanding the Behavioral Ecology of Cetaceans
- Forecasting the Effects of Stressors on At-Risk Species
- Advanced Signal Processing for UXO Discrimination
- Reducing Emissions for Jet Engines of the Future
- Assessing Vapor Intrusion at Chlorinated Solvent Sites
- Passive Sampling of Contaminated Sediments
- Leveraging Advanced Sensor Data to Clean Up UXO
- Source Zone Architecture Key to DNAPL Remediation
- Biopolymers Maintain Training Berms, Prevent Contamination
- Rare-Earth Corrosion Protection Mechanisms
- Cold Spray Technology for Aircraft Component Repair
- Ecological Research Supports Training at Camp Lejeune
- Loss of Permafrost – Impact on DoD Lands in Alaska
- Converting Solar Energy to Electricity and Heat
- ASETSDefense Workshop on Sustainable Surface Engineering
- Forward Operating Bases: Water and Waste Management
- Evaluating Matrix Diffusion Effects on Groundwater
- ES&T Features In Situ Sediment Remediation
- Erosion Resistant Coating Improves Engine Efficiency
- Optimizing Boiler Efficiency Through Combustion Control
- Climate Change Adaptation: Enhanced Decision Making
- Adapting Energy-Efficient Heat Pumps for Cold Climates
- Workshop on Sustainable Surface Engineering Advances
- Ecological Forestry & DoD’s Carbon Footprint
- Munitions Classification in the Hands of Production Firms
- Intelligent and Energy-Efficient LED Street Lighting
- ESTCP Partners with EPA on Watershed Management
- White House Energy Security Blueprint References ESTCP
- Success Classifying Munitions in Wooded Areas
- Evaluating Technology Performance at DNAPL Sites
- ‘Flyer’ Improves OB/OD Air Emissions Measurement
- Identifying Research Needs for Underwater Munitions
- Success Classifying Small Munitions at Camp Butner
- Managing Military Lands in the Southwest
- Partnering to Advance Munitions Classification
- ‘Flyer’ Improves OB/OD Air Emissions Measurement - Preview
- Sonar Identifies Underwater Munitions in Gulf Study
- Protective Coating Improves Jet Engine Fuel Efficiency
- Assessing Pacific Island Watershed Health
- New Insights Into Tracking Contaminants in Bedrock
- ClimaStat Technology Improves HVAC Efficiency
- Innovative Plating Process for Beryllium Alternatives
Adapting Energy-Efficient Heat Pumps for Cold Climates
An air-source heat pump optimized for cold climates reduced the energy used for heating military barracks by nearly 20 percent during an ESTCP demonstration at Camp Atterbury, a National Guard base in southern Indiana. Further commercialization efforts are now under way with a national HVAC manufacturer based on the success of this demonstration.
This successful demonstration will help the Department of Defense (DoD) expand the use of air-source heat pumps to the northern half of the United States. Cold Climate Heat Pumps (CCHPs) are less expensive to operate than an electric furnace and are cost competitive with fossil fuel combustion sources of heat. The technology also has the potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions because the pumps are powered by electricity that could come from renewable sources.
A joint university and industry team—Purdue University, Trane, Emerson Climate Technologies, Danfoss, and Automated Logic Corporation of Indiana—collaborated on the design and field demonstration of the heat pump. The testing was conducted in barracks buildings typical of the small- to medium-sized buildings encountered on military bases. Each building was approximately 6,000 ft2 and constructed of cinderblocks. The barracks were roughly 50 years old but had recently been updated with insulation, a sheet metal roof, and a new central HVAC system. Both buildings had two zones using separate heating and cooling equipment, which allowed for a direct comparison of the CCHP technology to the original HVAC system that used a gas furnace.
Field measurements from this first full-scale field demonstration of the CCHP technology showed a 19% reduction in energy use and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, but no savings in operating costs due to the currently low price of natural gas. Performance objectives for comfort, ease of installation, and maintenance were met.
The field demonstration success has led to a new partnership with Unico, Inc. of St. Louis, Missouri, to move the CCHP technology toward full-scale commercialization. Further improvements in CCHP performance are anticipated. Implemented in small commercial or residential buildings in cold climates, CCHPs can help DoD meet its goals to reduce energy use.
Related Resources
Webinar Series
Promoting the transfer of innovative, cost-effective and sustainable solutions.
