MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE

The role of hybrid heating/cooling systems

Climate change is undoubtably the biggest global threat of our century. Its cause being attributed to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), we should be aiming to mitigate GHG emissions to reduce the consequences. In terms of global GHG emissions, the energy supply sector is the largest contributor (IPCC, 2014). Everyone has a responsibility to manage energy consumption and to mitigate risks: this starts with changing our lifestyles, choosing to walk or bike, and making our homes energy efficient.
In winter, when temperatures can reach up to -30 degrees, houses and buildings need to constantly be heated. Since heating and cooling systems work continuously, they require a never-stopping amount of energy. In Ottawa for example, buildings accounted for the biggest amount of emissions through electricity consumption and energy used for heating/cooling (Ottawa, 2019). In Canada, 55% of buildings use a combustion air furnace, which is a heating system that burns either gas, fuel oil, or propane for heat. (Statistics Canada, 2017) It seems that these non-renewable heating systems are common in areas with low-cost natural gas and higher-cost electricity, such as Ontario. The impact of using these systems contribute to the combustion of natural gas (and gasoline) which account for 83% of emissions. (Ottawa, 2019). Reducing our dependence on non-renewable energy, through innovative technology, is therefore essential to mitigate GHG emissions.
My project will propose better alternatives to conventional furnace heating systems, that are environmentally friendly and functional within a Canadian context. I will be focusing on hybrid systems (electric and natural gas sources) since they seem to present a cost-effective method of reducing GHG emissions in homes. (Sager, 2019).