July 17, 2019
Residents at Cedar Crest Apartments in Blacksburg, Virginia enjoyed an ice cream social this summer to celebrate and learn about their new heat pumps and smart thermostats. Using weatherization funds, Appalachian Power funds, and a partnership with Trane, Community Housing Partners (CHP) Energy Solutions replaced the HVAC systems at Cedar Crest with new, energy efficient heat pumps.
The new HVAC systems include single-stage, dual-stage, and variable speed systems and give Energy Solutions and researchers at Virginia Tech an opportunity to measure the effectiveness of the different types of units. CHP also installed air sealing, insulation, and other efficiency measures.
The project is an example of a collaboration between CHP’s Energy Solutions and Asset Management divisions that saved money and improved the lives of CHP residents. CHP received more than $260,000 from federal sources and $260,000 from Appalachian Power and saved more than $600,000 on the cost of the new HVAC systems. Cedar Crest residents will not only enjoy more comfortable temperatures but also save on their utility bills.