New Energy-Efficient HVAC Installations Modernize Low-Income Housing

The West Plains Housing Authority (WPHA) in Missouri has partnered with Johnson Controls to launch a modernization project set to begin in the fall of 2024. The project aims to enhance low-income housing units, and one of the ways it’s achieved is by the addition of new HVAC systems.

“The West Plains Housing Authority’s project demonstrates the power of a holistic approach to infrastructure upgrades,” said Julie Brandt, president, Building Solutions North America, Johnson Controls. “Rather than an incremental approach in addressing aging infrastructure, the WHPA will make comprehensive upgrades that will transform resident living spaces, cut carbon emissions, and achieve substantial annual savings.”

The key upgrades that will enhance the comfortability of its residents include energy efficiency enhancements, infrastructure improvements, and new HVAC installations. According to a press release put out by Johnson Controls, the energy efficiency enhancements are to include upgrading and replacing outdated HVAC units with heat pump heating and cooling systems, UV-reflecting window film, water-saving fixtures, low-flow toilets, and LED lighting. Improvement to the infrastructure will come from installing floor-by-floor isolation valves to make building maintenance easier and less disruptive for residents. Additionally, new heat pump heating and cooling systems will be added in spaces without existing systems.

“The comprehensive upgrades to the 273 low-income housing units include new HVAC units, such as heat pump terminal air conditioner units in WPHA’s towers as well as heat pump split systems in duplexes and single-family homes,” Brandt said.

According to Johnson Controls, the company worked with WPHA to secure funding for the project. These included grants/rebates from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), utility savings from the Small Rural Frozen Rolling Base Program (SR-FRB), and a low-interest loan from a Green Fund lending program.

The initiative, which includes 101 single-family and duplex units, along with two apartment towers, aims to reduce carbon emissions by 32% and decrease water consumption by 40%. The savings are estimated to be $200,000 annually.