Award Number: DE-EE0008183CX(s) Applied: A9, B5.1Buildings Technologies OfficeLocation(s): FLOffice(s): Golden Field Office
Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance
August 3, 2017
Estimated Read Time min
Using Supplemental Mini-Split Heat Pumps to Improve Comfort and Efficiency in Low-Load Existing Homes
Award Number: DE-EE0008183
CX(s) Applied: A9, B5.1
Buildings Technologies Office
Location(s): FL
Office(s): Golden Field Office
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to provide federal funding to the University of Central Florida Board of Trustees to investigate a low-cost space conditioning upgrade solution that can effectively manage reduced loads in existing homes without short-cycling or loss of humidity control.
Activities associated with the proposed project would include the evaluation of the space conditioning thermal distribution data from ten field sites from a previous study, installation of supplemental mini-split heat pumps in three additional study homes and evaluation of energy savings and comfort, installation of an automated central-system controller in the three new sites, and completion of end-of-life simulations and economic analysis. Installation of the mini-split heat pumps would require an outdoor unit located on a small concrete pad and a ductless indoor fan coil located on an interior wall connected with refrigerant lines and electrical connections. A condensate drain line would also be run to the outdoors. An integrated controller would be installed to operate both the existing central heating/cooling system and the mini-split system. No other physical modifications or ground disturbing activities would be required and no change in the use of the home would result from project activities. No modifications to permits or new permits, additional licenses and/or authorizations would be necessary for proposed project activities. Field test site locations for the three additional study homes where new mini-split systems would be installed have yet to be determined but would be selected from a pool of approximately 30 homes for which the recipient already has existing data that was collected under a previous DOE award. None of the potential homes in the pool are either historic or eligible for listing as historic on the National Register of Historic Places, therefore DOE has determined there would be no impacts to historic properties as a result of project activities. DOE does not anticipate any impacts to resources of concern due to the proposed activities of the project.