Residential and commercial buildings play a significant role in the energy consumption sector. Buildings account for approximately more than 30 percent of total energy consumption which proves that energy management in buildings should be prioritized. One of the energy-efficient and cost-effective solutions in energy management is utilizing thermal energy storage. The main benefit of Thermal Energy Storage (TES) is to overcome mismatch between energy generation and energy use. This research is based on the concept of supplying multi-family houses space heating and cooling demands by implementing water-source heat pump which is connected into a buried sensible seasonal storage tank.

Eliminating or minimizing the defrost penalty of air source heat pumps will increase their energy efficiency and their market penetration. Preliminary research suggests that coating the outdoor coil of a heat pump with an icephobic coating will lead to reduced (or delayed) frost accumulation and defrosting requirements. Additionally, the coatings may allow faster shedding of ice and shorten the defrost duration. Prior research in nanotechnology has shown that a normal layer of polymer with particles for surface texture approximately 10 to 20 microns thick impacted the heat transfer characteristics of a metal substrate.

Most U.S. homes are heated by natural gas, particularly in the Midwest and Northeast. Over 80% are heated by warm-air furnaces which range in efficiency from 80% to 98% AFUE. Recently, higher efficiency “condensing” models have saturated the market, particularly in Northern states, and shifting federal standards will further drive adoption of “condensing efficiency” heating equipment. Looking ahead, an emerging class of gas-fired heat pumps could continue this drive towards high-efficiency gas heating. The authors review findings from a recent development and demonstration of a residential-scale gas heat pump (GHP) for space heating, including results from laboratory and field evaluations.