LG Electronics Inc. (LG) and the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) revealed the formation of the Consortium for Advanced Heat Pump Research. The agreement will facilitate collaboration among LG innovators, university researchers, local industry, and government agencies to help drive market transformation through research on heat pump technology and electrification.
Addressing the growing worldwide interest in cold-climate heat pump technologies, the Consortium will leverage the complementary expertise of technologists at LG Electronics and the College of Engineering at UAA and its highly regarded HVAC Lab.
According to James Lee, global president of the LG Electronics Air Solutions business unit, joint research initiatives at the University of Alaska Anchorage are expected to make a substantial global impact, establishing new benchmarks for energy efficiency and sustainability while championing environmentally responsible solutions.
“The Consortium for Advanced Heat Pump Research will raise the bar and push the limits of the high-performance, high-capacity heat pump industry,” Lee said. “Results from the joint research will be used in North America and Europe to help shape the future of the HVAC industry.” He said Alaska is the perfect place to do this research, “both for the opportunity to work closely with the talented UAA engineering faculty and graduate students and because of the state’s extreme temperatures.”
UAA Chancellor Sean Parnell shared the university’s excitement for the Consortium. He explains that the activities of the Consortium for Advanced Heat Pump Research will include identifying pivotal research areas, as well as comprehensive studies and presentations on advanced heat pump technology.
The Consortium will foster entrepreneurship and a culture of problem-solving through enhanced research and development. LG and university researchers will conduct studies in two dedicated LG Cold Climate Heat Pump Labs in Anchorage and Fairbanks. These facilities will be configured like real-world homes, using a range of LG’s HVAC solutions, including both ducted and duct-free indoor and outdoor units, along with LG’s inverter heat pump water heater.
