U.S. Government Selects Industrial R744 Heat Pump As ‘Next-Generation’ Building Technology
The U.S. General Service Administration (GSA), a government agency that supports other federal agencies, has shortlisted a CO2 (R744)-based heat pump from Likido as one of nine “next-generation” building technologies.
These technologies will move to the pilot demonstration stage under GSA’s Green Proving Ground (GPG) program in an effort to reduce the carbon emissions of government buildings and seek net-zero alignment across its real estate portfolio.
Likido, a U.K.-based R744 heat pump manufacturer of systems deployed in industrial, commercial and domestic settings, is a wholly owned subsidiary of U.S.-based Dalrada Financial.
The pilot of the Likido ONE heat pump will take place in Escondido, California, to determine if the R744 heat pump will increase the efficiency of both heating and cooling using a natural refrigerant in commercial buildings. The heat pump is set to operate in the range between -22 and 250°F (-30 and 121.1°C).
Other American-made technologies that were chosen to move forward to the field-trial under real-world conditions are:
- a hydronic additive to improve the heat transfer of water;
- a lower cost building automation system (BAS);
- a simplified design for HVAC dehumidification; and
- window film to increase window thermal performance.
The GPG program targets innovative technologies that promise to drive down operational costs in federal buildings and promote market transformation.
The U.S. Department of Energy will support the development of these field tests under its High Impact Technologies (HIT) Catalyst program to streamline the adoption of solutions with significant energy savings and greenhouse gas reduction potential.