“Now you’re cooking with gas” is a slogan that was started in the 1930s by the natural gas industry to sell gas-powered stoves and ovens. Though natural gas still has its place in the kitchen, it doesn’t have to be the go-to energy source anymore for the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning that restaurants need. Trends toward reducing carbon emissions in the United States and globally have led many commercial kitchen operators to seek electric alternatives such as the air-source heat pump. Perhaps the new 21st-century slogan in restaurants and kitchens will be, “Now you’re heating and cooling with air-source heat pumps.”

Electrification and Decarbonization

Decarbonization means eliminating or reducing the burning of carbon. It goes hand in hand with electrification, which means using technology that consumes electricity rather than consuming fossil fuels directly. The electrical grid does burn carbon for some of its energy. However, the U.S. is working to have an increasing amount of electricity be generated by renewable-energy sources like wind and solar power, with the goal of having the whole grid be carbon-free by 2035.

Also by 2035, the U.S. Department of Energy wants commercial buildings to reduce carbon emissions by 65%. Because commercial buildings account for 12% of all carbon emissions in the U.S., this will be a big boost for decarbonization. Using electric options, like heat pumps, instead of natural gas boilers or furnaces to heat buildings is an important part of this plan. There will be many more tax incentives to use electric cooling and heating equipment in the future, as well as more regulations requiring the use of this equipment.

Using Air Source Heat Pumps to Decarbonize a Building

An air-source heat pump (ASHP) in a building is a rooftop unit that harnesses energy from ambient outdoor air to heat or cool an indoor space. There are also geothermal heat pumps that do the same thing with energy from the ground, but the amount of land these require can make them an impractical choice for buildings in crowded cities or suburbs.

Compared to a rooftop unit powered by natural gas, which is the most commonly used heating and cooling solution in a commercial building, ASHPs provide up to a 50% reduction in energy costs and carbon emissions. They can also be over three times more efficient than electric resistance heat due to their ability to draw energy from the environment rather than just from electrical power.

ASHPs also provide both heating and cooling, reducing the need for separate components. Looking ahead, the Department of Energy estimates an aggregate savings of $5 billion in utility bills once their goal for increasing the use of ASHPs in commercial buildings is met.

Getting the Most Out of an Air-Source Heat Pump

In the past, air-source heat pumps tended to struggle at low outdoor air temperatures. But thanks to improvements in ASHP technology, an ASHP can be used through the winter in most parts of the United States. Accurex’s dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS) with air-source heat pump technology can comfortably deliver heat with outdoor temperatures as low as 0° Fahrenheit. If the temperature drops lower, the building will need a secondary heat source. This could be electric resistance heat, hot water coils, or a gas furnace.

This secondary heat source would also be used during defrost mode. Defrost mode happens when the ASHP is in heating mode and its outdoor coil frosts up. The ASHP then directs heat toward the outdoor coil to defrost it, cooling the supply air to the indoor space. This can result in a temporary loss of comfort for the people inside. Having a secondary heat source come on at those times will keep building occupants comfortable while preserving the energy benefits of using an ASHP as the heating and cooling source most of the time.

An Accurex representative in your area can give you more information about how to customize an air-source heat pump to get the best results in a restaurant or kitchen. They can also discuss how to take advantage of government rebates and other incentives for using electricity rather than gas to heat and cool buildings. It’s always nice to save a little while saving the environment as well.