The League of Women Voters (LWV) brought this question to the final forum in their conservation series, Thursday.

Mike Daniels, senior advisor with Auer Steel & Heating Supply Company, gave a detailed rundown of the most energy efficient options for temperature regulation in homes. Daniels has been in the HVAC business for 48 years

In terms of energy efficiency, he said air-source heat pumps were become popular due to their energy efficiency. However, not everyone was aware of the advantages of heat pumps.

Daniels said his goal was to clear the air about how these systems worked and dispel misconceptions. One of the big misconceptions was in the name. Daniels said he prefers calling heat pumps a reverse cycle air conditioner because it works the same as an air conditioner, but it can transfer heat two directions.

The League of Women Voters held a student art contest based on conservation. For the contests, LWV gave students a prompt to imagine a future environment a person would want to live in and how to influence others to share that goal. Dylan Swingford (right) took 3rd; Jack Stoner (left) placed 2nd and Brayden Malcolm finished first. All three students attend River Bend Education District.

Heat pumps can transfer heat into a home or transfer heat out of a home. They effectively do everything an air conditioner can do, but they also have potential to bring heat into a home during winter.

Daniels said heat pumps have always been popular in the southern United States, which have milder winters. In places where the temperature rarely gets below freezing, the heat pump could effectively serve as an electrical heater.

In cold states like Minnesota, heat pumps were less popular because they cannot provide adequate heating once the temperature drops below freezing. However, when a heat pump is paired with a gas furnace the dual systems can compensate.

If installed properly, the dual heat pump furnace system could be automated. The heat pump operates during mild cold. If the temperature drops below freezing, the furnace can take over heating.

Daniels said the dual system setup is extremely efficient. Most home furnaces are designed to run at lower temperatures. He said running a gas furnace is mildly cold weather forces it cycle too often and in inefficient; however a heat pump works best in mild weather.

The League of Women Voters held a student writing contest based on conservation. For the contest, LWV gave students a prompt to imagine a future environment a person would want to live in and how to influence others to share that goal. New Ulm High School student Grace Barie won the contest for her poem titled "Imagine."

The other advantage to using a heat pump is electric efficiency. Heat pumps run on electricity and can create heat at three times the rate of traditional gas furnaces.

As an example, Daniels said a gas furnace could produce 3,4000 BTUs of heat off one kilowatt (kW) of energy. The heat pump will transfer the equivalent of 10,000 BTUs from the same kW of energy.

Despite the efficiency of air-sourced heat pumps, the general public is not necessarily aware of the options.

“Typically a consumer is only buying these products twice in a lifetime,” Daniels said. The life expectancy of most heating and cooling units is between 15 and 20 years. “If you only buy something twice in a lifetime, most consumers don’t know what to ask.”

His hope is housing contractors are providing the different heating/cooling options to customers buying homes and presenting the different options. However, most new home constructions are designed with the lowest entry level product. This typically means a single stage furnace and single stage air conditioner.

“There are way more options given on countertops, faucets and doorknobs,” Daniels said.

He believed if consumers were offered comparisons on utility bills. “Maybe you could afford a better house if an air source heat pump, lowering utility bill.”

Though new residential homes are sticking to the air conditioner/furnace model, Daniels said new apartment buildings seem to be embracing the heat pump/furnace hybrid model.

The cost of installing heat pump systems is another factor their slow adoption. The cost is around $2,000 higher than the traditional air conditioner furnace, but this is changing.

Daniels said recently the federal government has offered tax credits to cover the cost difference in installing air source heat pump. Some local communities offer additional rebates. The tax credits and rebates are part of the drive to push the United State to greater energy efficiency.

This was the final LWV energy conservation forum. Throughout the forum series, the LWV held a special writing and art contest. For the two contests, LWV gave students a prompt to imagine a future environment a person would want to live in and how to influence others to share that goal.

The winner of the writing contest was New Ulm High School student Grace Barie for her poem “Imagine.”

The art contest had three winners with poster art. Dylan Swingford took 3rd, Jack Stoner took second and Brayden Malcolm finished 1st.