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Reducing Emissions in Home Heating and AC

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Consultation has concluded

heat pump fan next to outdoor wall of home

Project Update, October 2021: Results of the survey are now available! Click here for more information and to access the survey report .


The City of New Westminster has committed to bold climate action by 2030. In 2019, New Westminster City Council declared a Climate Emergency, which commits the City to reducing GHG emissions across the community in alignment with the targets set out by the International Panel on Climate Change.

To support its climate action objectives, the City is considering undertaking a heat pump pilot program to help make it easier for residents to install heat pumps in their homes. This would help reduce emissions from residential homes in New Westminster.


What’s a heat pump?

A heat pump is part of a heating and cooling system and is installed outside your home. Like an air conditioner, it can cool your home, but it’s also capable of providing heat. In cooler months, a heat pump pulls heat from the cold outdoor air and transfers it indoors, and in warmer months, it pulls heat out of indoor air to cool your home. Heat pumps are powered by electricity and transfer heat using refrigerant to provide comfortable indoor temperatures all year round. Because they handle both cooling and heating, homeowners may not need to install separate systems to heat their homes. Heat pumps do not burn fossil fuel like some furnaces do, which also makes them more environmentally friendly.


Aren’t heat pumps only possible / practical for single detached homes?

Heat pumps aren't just for single detached homes. Just like with air conditioners, there are various types of heat pumps out there. You can definitely use a heat pump for heating and cooling in your apartment, townhouse, or condo. If you're a renter, in most cases you will require permission from your landlord / property owner to install a heat pump. Likewise, if you are a townhouse or condo owner you likely require permission from your strata council.


Objective of pilot program

This initiative will trial the effectiveness of a potential heat pump program that will be delivered by the City’s Energy Save New West program and help address barriers to heat pump adoption in our community.


Community Engagement

The City is seeking to develop a deeper understanding of local residents’ perspectives when it comes to home retrofits and climate change, to inform effective implementation of a potential heat pump program. Obtaining a shared understanding of homeowners’ attitudes towards air conditioning will enable us to campaign sensitively and respond to our residents’ needs as we work towards increasing heat pump adoption. Information collected through this engagement will also help inform potential scaling-up of the heat pump pilot over the long run.

A community survey was open from September 1 - 13, 2021. Survey results are now available here.

Project Update, October 2021: Results of the survey are now available! Click here for more information and to access the survey report .


The City of New Westminster has committed to bold climate action by 2030. In 2019, New Westminster City Council declared a Climate Emergency, which commits the City to reducing GHG emissions across the community in alignment with the targets set out by the International Panel on Climate Change.

To support its climate action objectives, the City is considering undertaking a heat pump pilot program to help make it easier for residents to install heat pumps in their homes. This would help reduce emissions from residential homes in New Westminster.


What’s a heat pump?

A heat pump is part of a heating and cooling system and is installed outside your home. Like an air conditioner, it can cool your home, but it’s also capable of providing heat. In cooler months, a heat pump pulls heat from the cold outdoor air and transfers it indoors, and in warmer months, it pulls heat out of indoor air to cool your home. Heat pumps are powered by electricity and transfer heat using refrigerant to provide comfortable indoor temperatures all year round. Because they handle both cooling and heating, homeowners may not need to install separate systems to heat their homes. Heat pumps do not burn fossil fuel like some furnaces do, which also makes them more environmentally friendly.


Aren’t heat pumps only possible / practical for single detached homes?

Heat pumps aren't just for single detached homes. Just like with air conditioners, there are various types of heat pumps out there. You can definitely use a heat pump for heating and cooling in your apartment, townhouse, or condo. If you're a renter, in most cases you will require permission from your landlord / property owner to install a heat pump. Likewise, if you are a townhouse or condo owner you likely require permission from your strata council.


Objective of pilot program

This initiative will trial the effectiveness of a potential heat pump program that will be delivered by the City’s Energy Save New West program and help address barriers to heat pump adoption in our community.


Community Engagement

The City is seeking to develop a deeper understanding of local residents’ perspectives when it comes to home retrofits and climate change, to inform effective implementation of a potential heat pump program. Obtaining a shared understanding of homeowners’ attitudes towards air conditioning will enable us to campaign sensitively and respond to our residents’ needs as we work towards increasing heat pump adoption. Information collected through this engagement will also help inform potential scaling-up of the heat pump pilot over the long run.

A community survey was open from September 1 - 13, 2021. Survey results are now available here.

Consultation has concluded

Do you have questions about the potential heat pump program, or home energy retrofits more generally? Enter a question here, and we'll aim to respond within 5 business days. If we think your question may be of interest to others, we'll post your question and our response here. 

Thanks for taking the time to ask questions!

  • Share What incentives are being considered as part of this program and when would the become available to residences. Would there be different incentives for townhomes, condos, and single family homes? Is it possible to see the draft for the program? on Facebook Share What incentives are being considered as part of this program and when would the become available to residences. Would there be different incentives for townhomes, condos, and single family homes? Is it possible to see the draft for the program? on Twitter Share What incentives are being considered as part of this program and when would the become available to residences. Would there be different incentives for townhomes, condos, and single family homes? Is it possible to see the draft for the program? on Linkedin Email What incentives are being considered as part of this program and when would the become available to residences. Would there be different incentives for townhomes, condos, and single family homes? Is it possible to see the draft for the program? link

    What incentives are being considered as part of this program and when would the become available to residences. Would there be different incentives for townhomes, condos, and single family homes? Is it possible to see the draft for the program?

    Cd1000 asked about 3 years ago

    Thank you for your question. The pilot program will trial the effectiveness of a 'one stop shop' service model and is intended to be implemented in the 2022 calendar year (subject to council approval). The pilot will initially focus on single-family homes but it is hoped that the lessons learned will inform the development of a potential future program that will support retrofitting townhomes, condos, and multi-family buildings. The program will be designed to fully integrate with existing rebates / incentives that are on offer by the Province through the CleanBC program and/ or their other industry associations or partners. A draft of the program will be included as an item at our October 18th Council Meeting.

  • Share Any research/evaluation about the impact of air conditioner to the environment and the neighborhood? I would like to see the justification of installing cooling system for 1 or 2 hot days a year. on Facebook Share Any research/evaluation about the impact of air conditioner to the environment and the neighborhood? I would like to see the justification of installing cooling system for 1 or 2 hot days a year. on Twitter Share Any research/evaluation about the impact of air conditioner to the environment and the neighborhood? I would like to see the justification of installing cooling system for 1 or 2 hot days a year. on Linkedin Email Any research/evaluation about the impact of air conditioner to the environment and the neighborhood? I would like to see the justification of installing cooling system for 1 or 2 hot days a year. link

    Any research/evaluation about the impact of air conditioner to the environment and the neighborhood? I would like to see the justification of installing cooling system for 1 or 2 hot days a year.

    dave.butler asked about 3 years ago

    Thank you for your question. Heat pumps are generally more energy efficient than air conditioners. Heat pumps also have additional benefits in that they can both heat and cool homes, improve thermal comfort, help reduce emissions, and maintain better indoor air quality. For more details regarding the benefits of heat pumps, please visit the CleanBC website. With future climate projections anticipating more frequent heat waves over the next few decades, heat pumps will play a key role in helping maintain thermal comfort in homes and buildings. This will also help mitigate the risk of heat exposure for our vulnerable residents.