The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) contracted with Cadmus to complete the 8thMarket Progress Evaluation Report (MPER) for the Ductless Heat Pump (DHP) initiative. This report presents the findings of research conducted between January and July 2019. The approach to this MPER differs from previous MPERs by providing a holistic look at the program’s history and evaluating DHP initiative readiness to exit the market and transition to Long-Term Monitoring and Tracking (LTMT). Specifically, the study provided a summative story of the initiative; documented the current state of key market progress indicators (MPIs); and identified distinct diffusion indicators to track in LTMT.
Key research activities included interviews with stakeholders and supply chain partners, a stakeholder workshop, an online installer survey, and a brief call down survey of HVAC installers across the region. Findings from this MPER suggest that the market for DHPs in the Northwest will continue to transform without direct support from NEEA. However, gaps remain in NEEA’s understanding of installer practices and the market for DHPs in cold climates. Continuing to track DHP costs in LTMT and DHP sales will be critical for indicating signs of backsliding in the market.
View the DHP MPER #8 addendum on Cold Climate Installer Research
