Sustainable HVAC Solutions for Multifamily Communities

Advanced technology offers efficient and flexible options for single-family and multifamily heating and air conditioning solutions.

Building new rental housing that’s intended to be more affordable for a variety of residents —from teachers and healthcare workers to retirees and recent graduates—requires creative thinking. For long-term success, developers need to develop homes that incorporate sustainable features to keep utility payments manageable and the homes resilient.

VISION House Hickory Grove, a built-to-rent community developed by Rob Howard, president of Howard Building Science, in partnership with Green Builder Media, showcases prefab modular construction. The units are intended to be affordable, energy efficient and resilient.

Located in Hickory, North Carolina, the net zero carbon homes are intended to align with the Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home standard and the “FORTIFIED Home” resilience certification. The homes will be certified to use up to 50% less energy under applicable program criteria than code-built homes and include solar and storage for energy independence.

Several companies committed to sustainability, including LG Electronics, joined the VISION House Hickory Grove project to demonstrate advanced solutions for providing middle housing with potentially lower long-term costs.

“We’re participating in VISION House Hickory Grove because it’s an opportunity to demonstrate the performance, efficiency and low-emission benefits of LG’s inverter heat pump solutions in a real-world, high-performance home,” says LG Electronics USA Senior Vice President Steve Scarbrough. “Our advanced and flexible HVAC solutions use low-GWP refrigerants and smart controls to help reduce energy use and emissions.” Several products, including the Inverter Heat Pump Water Heater, are ENERGY STAR® certified, which supports savings through utility rebates and tax credits.

Innovative Products for a Multifamily Setting

While VISION House Hickory Grove is a multifamily community with 12 units in four buildings, LG Electronics offers heating, ventilation and air conditioning, water heating and building management solutions for both residential and commercial applications. Their products and systems are suitable for individual residential homes, small to large multifamily communities and large-scale industrial developments.

“We’re expanding our all-climate heat pump lineup and efficiency ratings to help meet state and regional targets for heat pump adoption and building decarbonization,” Scarbrough says. “Additionally, many of our products are ENERGY STAR® certified, which may help save energy and money. Looking toward the future, we’re focused on home decarbonization, refrigerant transition and smart grid integration. LG offers cold-climate heat pumps, R-32 refrigerant and advanced technology.”

In the U.S., LG’s Air Conditioning Technologies division, based in Alpharetta, Ga., provides a portfolio of energy efficient products to help reduce energy consumption, increase efficiency and potentially lower lifecycle costs compared to traditional HVAC systems.

VISION House Hickory Grove will include multiple LG products, including:

• Heat Pump Water Heater: LG’s InverterHeat Pump Water Heater is an energy-efficient alternative to traditional water heaters, providing a solution for domestic water heating in residential applications. The LG inverter compressor operates quietly. The water heater has two heat sources: two heating elements and an inverter heat pump.

• Multi F Heat Pump: The LG Multi F heat pumps are outdoor units compatible with both ducted and duct-free indoor solutions for residential and light commercial use.

• Mid Static Ducted Unit: LG’s Mid Static Ducted unit is a versatile climate control solution for residential and light commercial applications, offering a balance of airflow flexibility and installation adaptability. Configured for medium-length duct runs with moderate static pressure, it supports horizontal or vertical installation (MA chassis only; vertical kit ABDAMA0 required) and convertible rear or bottom air intake for layout flexibility.

• High Efficiency Wall Mount (Indoor): LG’s High Efficiency Wall Mount systems, available in three capacity levels, are ENERGY STAR® and ENERGY STAR Cold Climate-certified. They are intended to provide efficient, reliable year-round heating and cooling under appropriate operating conditions.

• Single Zone Heat Pump (Outdoor): The LG R-32 Single Zone High Efficiency outdoor heat pump pairs with the indoor unit to provide efficient, reliable heating and cooling for single-zone applications.

Sustainability Commitment

LG’s brand mission, "Innovation for a Better Life,” places a high priority on sustainability. “We are updating processes to help reduce carbon emissions, rethinking product lifecycles to reduce waste and introducing new innovations to foster sustainability,” says John I. Taylor, senior vice president, LG Electronics USA. “Through our products and services, we are committed to carbon neutrality, circularity for a sustainable product lifecycle and clean technology for a better natural environment. Our goal is to deliver solutions that support people and help reduce environmental impact over time.”

Learn more about LG’s HVAC offerings.