Design of a hybrid space heating system for residential buildings in cold climate regions

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Natural gas forced-air furnaces are the major heating sources for single-family, duplex and row houses in**Alberta. However, the energy efficiency of furnaces is normally low. Air source heat pump (ASHP) technology**is widely accepted for the merits of energy-saving and environmental protection in the mild climate zone.**However, the efficiency of ASHP decreases with temperature. An electrical resistance heater is used as a**backup to meet home's heating needs in extremely cold weather. However, in places like Alberta, obtaining one**unit of heat from electricity costs 2-3 times more than from natural gas, leading to that the utility bill and GHG**emissions from home operations do not go down. The principle of a hybrid space heating system is to let an**ASHP work in mild days while using natural gas furnaces in cold days. There is an immediate demand for**building industry to make a hybrid space heating system feasible for residential applications in cold climate**zone. In this regard, the proposed project aims to provide a technical solution by (1) determining of the critical**temperature to switch between ASHP and furnaces in order to minimize the utility bill and GHG emissions in**home operations; and (2) right sizing the ASHP and furnace hybrid system for different types of residential**buildings.