Do heat pumps work in Alberta? The hot air on home-heating tech
Global News
It is an increasingly hot item in a climate war, dividing our country by both geography and politics. But do air-to-air heat pumps work in Alberta?
The humble heat pump is a fairly simple concept. And for the Bailey family, it was a fairly simple decision — all part of downsizing and reducing their environmental footprint after their kids moved out.
They had explored the idea of installing air conditioning for their new Calgary infill home, but learned, for a few thousand dollars more, a heat pump would also provide savings in colder months.
“It was clear that it was going to pay off very quickly,” said Kirk Bailey, a long-time Calgarian, now retired after a life-time career in the energy industry.
Air-to-air heat pumps are the most common type used in Alberta, especially in cities where digging into geothermal energy is generally more complicated.
Instead, air-to-air heat pumps use thermal energy from the air, capturing it with the help of a refrigerant: compressing it for heat and expanding it to cool.
The system can reverse in the summer months — a big benefit in places where climate change is quickly turning air conditioning from a luxury item to a necessity.
Justin Giroux, the owner of Calgary-owned HVAC company Airology, worked in Eastern Canada before moving to Calgary and had plenty of experience with installing heat pumps before moving here.
“There’s been a big push for them in the last five years or so,” said Giroux. But the systems are much less popular on the prairies.
A chemical engineer out of the University of Calgary is piloting what she says is a more efficient, cleaner lithium extraction process.
The World Health Organization has authorized the first mpox vaccine for children, a decision experts hope will help make immunizations more widely available.
California's public health department reported a possible case of bird flu in a child with mild respiratory symptoms, but said there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission.
The AER says the company must report any hazards that present a risk to public safety or the environment.
Trump nominated Oz as administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Howard Lutnick as his next U.S. commerce secretary, who would oversee tariff policy.
Bird flu has spread far and wide, infecting a range of species like chickens, skunks, cows, foxes and polar bears. But it's the pigs that have experts on high alert.
The CFIA has recalled E. coli-tainted carrots, following a U.S. health warning about the contaminated produce linked to one death and dozens of illnesses.
Health Canada said there was an issue with the braking system of the Stokke YOYO baby stroller, sold between August and October this year.
These editorial stories and interviews will focus on the people, companies, research, and innovations leading the environmental and sustainable movement in B.C.
Bennett had just returned from the school run last week when she found the mom and a baby raccoon unconscious, with one of the babies sleeping on the furniture.
B.C. health authorities have announced the first case of a human avian flu infection acquired in Canada, with the teenage patient in critical condition in hospital.