Experience the Comfort of Clean Heat

See Firsthand How the Efficient, Emission-Free Technology Works at a Location Near You

Uneven temperatures. Increased humidity. High energy bills. These are some of the telltale signs it’s time to upgrade a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

Homeowners, small businesses, and property owners considering an HVAC replacement may have come across heat pumps in their search. The dual heating and cooling equipment has been surging in popularity for its efficiency and enhanced comfort, outselling gas furnaces for two consecutive years.

With any major purchase though – better yet new technology – having the opportunity to try it out firsthand and speak with customers about their experiences can help answer questions and assuage skepticism. Experience Clean Heat does just that: connect New Yorkers with local businesses and public spaces to see, feel, and experience how heat pumps deliver year-round comfort.

Here’s a look at where to find Experience Clean Heat locations, plus how buildings with heat pumps can participate and practical tips for property owners and homeowners looking to make the switch.

Hear From Local Businesses and Organizations About Their Heat Pump Experience

More businesses, buildings, and homes are converting to heat pumps every year. Besides their comfort benefits, like precise temperature control and dehumidification, heat pumps can save on energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Here’s what several New York small businesses and public facilities had to say about their experience with clean heating and cooling.

“My motivation for installing a heat pump was mainly to help save on energy costs,” says Britt Young, Owner of The Sweetish Chef. Prior to Experience Clean Heat, visitors to the Ballston Spa bakery may not have immediately noticed the mini-split unit tucked above the cabinet on the right-hand wall. But today, signage highlights the equipment and why the business opted to invested in a cleaner, healthier way to heat and cool. Since installing a mini-split air source heat pump at the bakery, Young has made the switch at home, too, adding that “it’s an all-electric home and the baseboard heating was so expensive.”

Next door, Tree Huggers Childrens Apparel’s warm and welcoming window display invites customers into a cozy and comfortable interior that’s heated and cooled with an air source heat pump. According to Stacy Quinn, Founder of the apparel retailer, “I enjoy that the unit is quiet, efficient, and that I can set it at one temperature for consistent heating or cooling.” Quinn’s prior retail location was heated with a forced-air gas furnace. When comparing the two locations, Quinn notes that “the utility bills were staggering in the winter and the savings with this unit are significant.”

Experience Clean Heat signage depicting the geothermal heat pump system at Springville Center for the Arts.

Mini-split air source heat pump at The Sweetish Chef.

Taghkanic Climate Smart Task Force members highlighting the Town Hall’s air source heat pump installation.

Mini-split air source heat pump and promotional signage at Tree Huggers Children’s Apparel.

Mini-split air source heat pump system inside Taghkanic Town Hall.

Previous Next

Since Sustainable Sundry in Ballston Spa added educational signage about their heat pumps, Owner Amber Chaves has received an influx of questions from customers, namely inquiries about whether the equipment heats and cools the entire space. “We give a resounding ‘Yes!’, and this always surprises people,” says Chaves, adding that it often opens the conversation with customers about how heat pumps can be a part of their sustainable living efforts. According to Chaves, “switching to a heat pump has been a great decision for our business, providing long-term energy savings and reducing our carbon footprint.”

Visitors to Springville Center for the Arts in Western New York can witness how clean heating and cooling can be integrated into historic buildings. The 19th-century, Late Gothic Revival-style building was originally built as a church with conventional heating systems but is now equipped with geothermal heat pumps for year-round heating and cooling. “As we sought to renovate this former church built in 1869, not only have we made it a comfortable space in summer and winter, but we’ve eliminated our entire gas utility bill,” says Seth Wochensky, Executive Director at Springville Center for the Arts.

In the Hudson Valley, the Town of Taghkanic has retrofitted their town hall and highway garage with heat pumps. According to Betsy Albert and Doug Craig, members of Taghkanic’s Climate Smart Task Force , the air source heat pump system “heats up and cools down more quickly than the previous oil-fired furnace and window AC units.” The heat pumps have delivered year-round comfort, even maintaining an interior temperature of 68 degrees on a day when outside temperatures dropped to -14 degrees. Converting to heat pumps helped the Town of Taghkanic earn bronze certification through the Climate Smart Communities Program for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from municipal operations.

More on New York’s Clean Energy Transition

Continue reading about statewide and local efforts to advance New York’s clean energy economy.

• Transforming Brownfields for a Greener Future: Learn about New York’s work to advance renewable energy development on former industrial sites and underused spaces.
• New York Leads the U.S. on Community Solar: New York’s two gigawatts of community solar provides equitable access to renewable energy for a variety of customers.
• New York Schools Are Going Green: Here’s how one Upstate New York school district is promoting best-in-class energy management and creating healthier learning environments.
• Towns Advancing Clean energy and Efficiency: Municipalities across New York are leading by example in reducing emissions and adopting clean energy in their communities.