An experiment to swap steam radiators for eco-friendly, electric heat pumps at a Queens public housing complex has yielded promising results, nearly two years in.
The New York City Housing Authority in July 2023 installed the first electric-powered heat pumps in 12 apartments at the Woodside Houses in Queens, as THE CITY previously reported, and then installed more in another dozen apartments for a total of 72 heat pumps across two buildings.
Compared to the steam heat generated by natural gas, the heat pumps yielded more than 87% in energy savings and just about halved energy costs, according to an analysis by NYCHA.
Tia Cheng, who lives at the Woodside Houses with her grandmother, described the heat from the window-mounted heat pumps as “more consistent and comfortable” than what she got from the radiators.
“They’re definitely a lot better than the old ones,” Cheng, 24, said. “With the old ones, you really can’t control it and sometimes there’s no heat on really cold days — but when it gets warmer, sometimes the heat finally comes, but it’s too hot, and you have to open the windows.”
By the fall, NYCHA expects to install heat pumps as the sole heating source in a full building at Woodside, and will subsequently expand heat pumps to the remaining 19 buildings in the complex — and eventually in buildings on other campuses.
“We are focused on finding ways to decarbonize our buildings and increase our resilience to climate hazards that are going to be affecting us more and more,” said Siobhan Watson, senior director of sustainability at NYCHA, during a January event. “But all of that work is done in the context of that primary mission of increasing housing quality and serving our residents.”
The pumps provide heat by pulling warm air in from the outside, and provide cooling by working in reverse. Typically, they are more efficient than window air-conditioning units and boilers, which combust fossil fuel on site to produce heat — the reason that buildings in New York City are the largest source of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions in the city.
‘Much Better Than the Steam Heat’
In 2021, NYCHA, along with the New York Power Authority and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, launched a contest for companies to develop a custom heat pump that could be installed for under $3,000 and without disruptive, time-consuming upgrade work.
Midea America, a company based in New Jersey, won a contract for 20,000 pumps, while the California-based company Gradient won another for 10,000 units. Essentially, NYCHA leveraged its buying power to spark innovation and make this new kind of product available in the market.
Some residents at the Woodside Houses — who had dealt with heat outages over the years — were skeptical of the change at first. Many didn’t like that the heat pumps, which are about the size of a dishwasher, seemed enormous. But they warmed to the appliances, saying they appreciated how the heat pumps kept their homes cool during the sweltering summers and cozy during the winters.
Resident Hector Rivera, whose home was outfitted with heat pump units made by Gradient, said although he and his wife experienced a few issues with the pumps — a unit leaked and another wasn’t heating enough — the technicians corrected the problems quickly. And he wouldn’t go back to the radiators, which he said were unsightly.
The window units were “much better than the steam heat because you have individual controls in each room,” he said. “Steam heat tends to dry your vocal cords and it can cause more sore throat issues.”
Woodside Houses resident Hector Rivera displayed photos on his electric heat pump, Feb. 24, 2025. Credit: Samantha Maldonado/THE CITY
In a different building where 12 apartments were outfitted with heat pumps by Midea, Roseline Vieira said her units “worked perfect,” and warmed her space so well that sometimes it got too hot.
“When I want to lower it, I can lower it,” she said. “There’s a button you can press so the cats cannot mess with it.”
The key to understanding whether the heat pumps were actually successful — and whether they could be widely deployed — was if they could keep homes warm once the winter set in. Into the second winter since NYCHA first installed the pumps, and the agency concluded they could adequately heat the apartments.
Tammy Reyes, president of the Woodside Houses Tenants Association, said no one complained about the heat, and that she was excited for the pumps to expand to all the apartments at the complex.
“Bringing this here to Woodside is a major thing for me because my executive board and the residents here, we love the fact that it’s bringing us a step up in the world,” Reyes said.
Typical heat pump systems act like a central air conditioner and furnace, combined. Those systems may require costly and disruptive installation processes, including upgrading a building’s electric system and cutting into walls. Installing a heat pump system like that in a NYCHA apartment would cost about $38,000, whereas the window heat pump units — which plug into a wall outlet and take about two hours to install — cost about a third as much, according to NYCHA.
Other buildings — and renters — could use the window-mounted heat pumps to more easily decarbonize, said Punit Shah, vice president of buildings at Bright Power, which is working with several buildings looking to slash their emissions and upgrade their heating systems.
“Any solution that does not require an electric upgrade is already one leg up because you are already looking at a lower cost,” he said. “Electrification is certainly the path forward and one of the most impactful ways to reduce carbon emissions as we move away from fossil fuels.”
Representatives for both Gradient and Midea said anyone can purchase the units, which are available for sale for $3,800 and about $3,000. Customers interested in purchasing a unit could be eligible for a federal tax credit and state rebate.
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