Heat Pumps vs Furnaces
March 7, 2024
To: KAS2716 Strata Council
From: David H. Arsenault MBA
Re: Gas and Electricity (heat and air conditioning)
Background:
The purpose of this document is to review and discuss heating and cooling systems in the Strata Community. The document provides some context and understanding of the mechanical infrastructure of the strata heating/air conditioning systems.
Understanding the equipment
Heat Pumps (160 Lakeshore( P2) and 75 Martin (P3)
A heat pump is a heating and cooling system that moves heat from one place to another. A heat pump uses heat from the air outside, transfers it to a liquid refrigerant, and pumps the refrigerant to a coil or heat exchanger inside the unit’s heat pump. Air then blows across a coil that is either heated or cooled before dispersing through the rooms in the home. Each heat pump has a refrigerant in its system and uses electricity to activate a compressor to cool water during the summer to produce air conditioning, A fan distributes this cool air to duct work in the unit.
Furnaces 100 Lakeshore (P1)
A furnace is a forced hot air heating system connected to duct work throughout the unit. The 100 Lakeshore furnaces use natural gas to heat a burner. The heat from the burner then transfers to a heat exchanger. A large fan blows air across the heat exchanger, creating heated air that then disperses throughout the home to heat the individual rooms.
The efficiency of the equipment:
Heat Pumps (160 Lakeshore (P2) and 75 Martin P3)
Heat pumps use small amounts of electricity to move heat from one space to another. This makes them very energy efficient—to a degree (literally). In frigid winters in colder climates, these systems must work much harder to generate enough heat to warm the room. This makes them less efficient, or even insufficient, compared to furnaces.
The heat pump works in temperatures below freezing, though they are less efficient, and it can also, remove heat from within the home during the warmer months, exchanging it for cooled, conditioned air.
Furnaces (100 Lakeshore (P1)
Furnaces use an energy source to create their own heat. Comparatively speaking, natural gas is the most efficient of the options, however, it’s less efficient than a heat pump under normal conditions. But the fact that a furnace creates its own heat makes it a better option for colder winters.
The durability of the equipment
Heat Pumps (160 Lakeshore (P2) and 75 Martin P3)
Heat pumps generally have a lifespan of 15 years. However, reaching this lifespan does take regular maintenance. The pumps, refrigerants and other components may need replacing along the way. Replacement costs are around $7,000 to $9,000. Heat pumps should be serviced annually, and filters should be changed on a regular basis.
Furnaces (100 Lakeshore (P1)
Furnaces are generally less complicated than heat pumps, and as such, they can last longer. In general, a well-maintained furnace can last up to 20 years before the homeowner may need to replace it. Replacement costs are around $5,000 - $7,000. Furnaces should be serviced annually, and filters should be changed on a regular basis.
Heating and Air Conditioning distribution throughout Lakeshore Towers
Heat (100 Lakeshore)
- The Strata Corporation provides heat to all hallways and common space in 100 Lakeshore. This system distributes hot air through the P1 Make Up Air (MUA) system on the P1 rooftop for the hallways, as well as the parkade MUA, the two barbeques at the pool and the Incola roof top unit. This system is a gas system and is paid by all strata owners.
- All 100 Lakeshore units have their own furnaces and hot water tanks (gas fed) P1 owners pay for the gas to supply energy to their furnaces.
Air conditioning (100 Lakeshore)
- The Strata Corporation provides air conditioning to all hallways and common areas via a chiller situated on the roof top of P2. This system uses a compressor with fans to cool treated water that is vented though pipes to the P1 hallways and common areas. A virtual frequency drive located in the P1 mechanical room functions as distribution mechanism for the P1 building. All strata owners pay for this air conditioning.
- Cool water for air conditioning is supplied to each P1 strata lot furnace and each furnace uses a blower fan to provide cool air within the unit.
- The Strata Corporation provides cooled water to all furnaces at approximately (40 degrees) for air conditioning this water is cooled by a chiller located on the rooftop of P2 and pumped via a loop to all furnaces in P1. Gas is not needed in the summer as an electric fan blows cool air into the unit. All owners pay for this supply of treated cold water via the Strata’s electrical bill. During the summer this chiller works full time to provide enough cold water to support air conditioning for 100 Lakeshore. (this is really an inefficient system as the pipe to supply that water is over 200 feet)
Heat and Air conditioning (160 Lakeshore and 75 Martin)
- The Strata Corporation provides heating to 160 Lakeshore and 75 Martin through a building loop heated by gas to all residents’ heat pumps. The building loop heat pump is driven by an electrical pump and distributed through a number of branch loops to each unit.
- All individual unit heat pumps operate by electricity with a compressor to heat or cool the unit.
- The 160 Lakeshore and 75 Martin HVAC systems distributes air to the hallways through a rooftop MUA.
- Gas fed boilers (3) provide building with domestic hot water.
- Gas fed boilers also provide heated water (67- 72 degrees) through a circulation building loop for residents’ heat pumps.
- All Heat pumps in 160 Lakeshore and 75 Martin are driven by electricity which triggers a compressor to heat or cool the water to produce the heating or cooling of air to the unit. All P2 and P3 strata lot owners pay for electricity to the heat pumps to heat and cool the circulation loop water in the heat pump unit and fans blow across heated or cooled coils to distribute the heat and air conditioning to the unit.
- All unit heat pumps have a refrigerant in their system to facilitate cooling
- Note: Heated Parkade – Strata Corporation pays the cost of approximately $1,080 per month for 8 months, and all owners pay for the heating of the P1 parkade. While this cost has been described as a “perceived benefit” the cost associated with this heating of the P1 parkade is significant and If all P1 owners paid for this expense this would mean that P1 owner would need to compensate the Strata Corporation, $28.42 per P1 unit per month. The P1 parkade is exclusive to P1 owners.
P3 - Heating and cooling runs at an average cost of $111 (per month) or $0.88 per square meter (126 m2 unit)