Community Action Partnership of Orange County

Overview

The Community Action Partnership of Orange County (CAP OC) will expand local capacity for heat pump installation by embedding heat pump training within its existing Weatherization Training Facility. The program is designed to reach minority contractors, energy auditors, weatherization technicians, and apprentices who want to build experience with this technology but may have limited access to specialized training. Alongside hands-on instruction, the CAP OC will create a visual field guide focusing on heat pump HVAC retrofits in low-income housing. Together, the training and field guide will be intended to give participants both the technical experience and the on-the-job reference they need to approach retrofit work with greater skill and confidence, while helping build a stronger base of installers prepared to serve communities that are often overlooked.

Research Questions:

• To what extent does integrating heat pump training into an established weatherization training facility broaden participation and improve contractor knowledge and skills?
• How does a “Best Practices” guideline for heat pump HVAC retrofits influence installation quality and contractor confidence when used as a field-ready reference tool?
• How does gaining familiarity and confidence with heat pump installations affect whether contractors recommend them to their customers?

Market Barrier

Many contractors and technicians in lower income areas have limited hands-on experience with heat pump retrofits, lowering their likelihood to recommend these technologies to their customers. As a contractor’s recommendation can have a large influence on the technology their customers select, this reluctance further slows adoption of clean, efficient heat pumps in low-income areas. In addition, small and minority-owned contractors are unable to invest the time to attend trainings if it means giving up paid work.

Proposed Solution

This project will provide hands-on, stipend-supported training to small cohorts of contractors at a Weatherization Training Facility operated by the CAP OC. By providing stipends for participation, the program will remove the barrier to investing time in training. Individualized instruction, real-world practice, and direct exposure to retrofit conditions common in low-income housing will increase contractors’ confidence in their skills to install these technologies and make them more likely to explain, recommend, and install heat pump systems in the low-income communities they serve.

Theory of Change

With improved understanding of heat pump technology and reduced participation barriers through stipends and field-ready resources, trained contractors are more likely to explain, recommend, and install heat pump systems for low-income households. Over time, their recommendations will contribute to increased adoption of heat pump technology in disadvantaged communities.

Project Status:

In Progress

Housing Type:

Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) Single-Family Households

Technology:

Heat Pump HVAC and Heat Pump Water Heaters

Location:

Orange County