Decarbonization Through Electrification With YORK® HVAC

In simple terms, decarbonization is nothing more than reducing the amount of greenhouse gasses (GHG) released into the atmosphere that result from the burning of fossil fuels. And it’s important enough that over 150 governments around the world have committed to reducing carbon emissions by 2030. But how do you prioritize the right decarbonization solutions, and what makes the most sense? The key is to address both operational and embodied carbon through improved energy efficiency, electrification and low-GWP refrigerants.

Key to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is the switch from burning fossil fuels to a reliance on more renewable sources, such as wind, solar and geothermal. In the built space, this includes replacing traditional, fossil fuel-burning sources of space and water heat with electrically powered alternatives – namely, high-efficiency heat pumps.

Using heat pumps to keep buildings warm, instead of traditional boilers and furnaces, could cut global CO₂ emissions by 3 gigatons per year if implemented worldwide. Today’s models are 2.2 to 4.5 times more efficient than gas furnaces, and recent advances, such as multiple or variable-speed compressors, let heat pumps work in cold conditions that once caused problems¹.

¹ https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/sustainability/our-insights/innovating-to-net-zero-an-executives-guide-to-climate-technology

Heat pump technology is gaining momentum as a critical, clean-energy alternative fossil fuel source for efficient facility heating and cooling. YORK® has been at the forefront of high-efficiency heat pump innovation and is introducing a growing range of energy-efficient electric heat pump solutions.