Brooklyn Co-op Swaps Aging Oil Boiler for Efficient Heat Pumps

Until late last year, it was common for shareholders at 205 Hicks St. to have their windows open when the heating was on in winter. “Even with radiators off, we had steam risers and most apartments were way too hot,” says board member and architect Kathryn DeFehr. 

Now, residents at the Brooklyn Heights co-op have found their comfort zone, thanks to swapping out the aging, oil-fueled boiler with heat pumps.

Clearing the view. Decommissioning the boiler in favor of heat pumps, which have rooftop condensers and ceiling-level HVAC units in apartments, means residents can tailor apartment temperatures,  both warm and cold, to their liking. “Everyone now has their own thermostat,” says Thomas Esposito, president of VRF Solutions, the mechanical contracting firm brought in to do the work. It also means their old in-window air conditioners can, well, go out the window.

The switch is no small achievement for the co-op. DeFehr, who has lived in the 22-unit prewar building for almost 25 years, says the board had discussed switching its oil-fired boiler to a gas model for decades. “When Local Law 97 passed five years ago, it became obvious we shouldn’t move to gas,” explains DeFehr, who began sending out emails to board members and shareholders about moving away from fossil fuels. She also connected with NYC Accelerator, the city-sponsored organization providing free support for buildings seeking to reduce their carbon emissions. 

Two-part financing. Like many buildings, the biggest hurdle at Hicks St. was financing. Con Edison incentives of $215,694 accessed through the utility’s Clean Heat program made the nearly $1 million project particularly compelling. “We didn’t know if these incentives would be around if we waited,” DeFehr says. However, the co-op still needed some $680,000 and didn’t have much in its reserves. The board decided to split the installation bill into two parts — half of it paid through a loan and the other half through an assessment. 

“That way the upfront payments weren't too onerous for most residents, and we wouldn't have to raise the maintenance,” DeFehr explains. Each apartment has been assessed around $15,000. Shareholders were given the option to pay over five years, which only a few households opted for. The portion of the maintenance that would have been spent paying for oil is now repaying the loan. 

Added bonus. The heat pump installation, which required increasing the building’s electrical capacity, also includes the electrification of the domestic hot water. “Being able to remove the steam system wipes out the need for maintenance of the boiler,” Esposito says. The co-op is not submetered, but the heat pump manufacturer, Daikin, provides software so each shareholder will pay for their usage of the building’s total power consumption. The new heat pumps have a higher coefficient performance — a measure of efficiency — than most in-window air conditioners, which should drive savings. The change has also eliminated carbon emission penalties for the co-op, avoiding $13,400 in annual fines starting in 2030. 

The project, which began towards the end of 2020 and was completed at the end of last year, needed approval from the Landmark Preservation Commission because the building is in the Brooklyn Heights historic district. The challenge was to ensure no equipment was visible from the street. “We did relocate the roof condensers and tuck them behind the bulkhead so they could not be seen,” Esposito says. Another challenge with heat pump installations is finding space for refrigerant lines throughout the building. At 205 Hicks St., two dumbwaiter shafts proved useful in getting this work done.