Green Heating Comparison Guide
Air-to-air heat pump
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Air-sourced heat pumps provide year-round heating and cooling for a single room or an entire house. They are powered by electricity and use a refrigerant to move heat into (winter) or out of (summer) a house. Read the Fact Sheet.
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Air-to-water heat pump
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These work similarly to the air-to-air heat pumps except they use water, instead of air, to distribute heat or cold air. They can sometimes be installed to use existing radiators or baseboards.
Ground-source heat pumps
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These transfer heat between the ground and the house. In the summer, they can be run in reverse to provide cooling to the house. Ground-sourced heat pumps are the most energy-efficient way to heat a home or building and they can also replace hot water heaters. Sufficient yard area is required to install the pipes.
Radiant floor heating
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These systems supply heat directly to the floors which then radiates out to warm the room. They are more efficient than baseboard or radiator heating. While there are several design choices, the most effective are hydronic which move the heated water through under-floor tubes.