Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems

Lower your heating and cooling costs with improvements to existing systems or upgrades to new, more efficient technologies 

How It Works

Heating and cooling are the largest energy expense for businesses. By properly maintaining equipment or upgrading to higher-efficiency HVAC systems, you can improve your building’s energy performance, especially when combining them with an effective building envelope. For an existing system, preventive maintenance and tune-ups can extend the life of your equipment. Tune-ups should occur one or two times a year and can be completed by trained staff or an outside contractor.

If your HVAC system is more than 10 years old or is reaching the end of its useful life, consider upgrading to a newer, more energy-efficient model. You will need to understand your heating and cooling loads to ensure you purchase a system properly sized for your building.

Clean Heating and Cooling Systems

For the greatest efficiencies and savings, consider clean heating and cooling options, such as heat pumps. Heat pumps offer a cleaner alternative to conventional HVAC systems and can provide up to 100 percent of your heating and cooling needs. 

There are two main types of heat pumps: air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps. Air source heat pumps transfer heat between a building and the outside air. They use around 50 percent less electricity than electric resistance heating and are available in ducted or ductless models called mini-splits.

Ground source heat pumps (also known as geothermal heat pumps) achieve greater efficiency by harnessing the relatively constant ground temperature for heating and cooling buildings. They can be designed as a single building system or a district heat pump system that serves multiple buildings. District systems can be a solution for campuses, residential complexes, and neighborhoods to improve efficiency and reduce costs by leveraging economies of scale.

Programs and incentives, including Inflation Reduction Act tax credits are available for businesses, commercial buildings, and multifamily buildings ready to upgrade to energy-efficient HVAC systems, including heat pumps.

How You Benefit

• Lower your operating costs through reduced heating and cooling expenses
• Improve employee productivity and comfort with better climate control and air quality
• Decrease maintenance and repair time by extending the life span of your equipment
• Reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to a cleaner community

When You Should Consider It

Improvements or upgrades to HVAC systems may be good for your business if you are:

• Experiencing issues with efficiently heating or cooling your building
• Making upgrades to your building envelope
• Managing HVAC systems that are more than 10 years old
• Undergoing a renovation or new construction project
• Trying to obtain or improve a green building certification for your building

You Might Be Interested In

HVAC upgrades, such as installing clean heating and cooling systems, can improve your bottom line and futureproof your business against volatile global energy markets. Explore financial and technical support opportunities available to businesses for making HVAC and complementary energy improvements, including:

• Community Heat Pumps Pilot Program: Learn how community thermal energy networks can address the heating and cooling needs of new construction projects as well as retrofits of existing buildings and campuses.
• Energy Programs and Incentives: Explore federal, New York State, and utility programs offering financial and technical support for businesses.
• Flexible Technical Assistance (FlexTech) Program: Complete an energy study of your building, with NYSERDA cost-share support, to identify and evaluate opportunities to reduce energy costs and incorporate clean energy into capital planning.