Status: Next vote - House Appropriations

COLORADANS NEED CLIMATE-CONSCIOUS COOLING AND HEATING NOW

We need affordable access to cooling AND a cooler climate future: Colorado is seeing more extreme heat waves, droughts, and fires as a result of the climate crisis. Buildings are responsible for about 29% of climate warming greenhouse gas emissions. Families are struggling with rising home utility bills and 23% of Colorado households lacking central air conditioning or a window unit.

What does HB24-1352 Do?

• Improves HVAC Standards: Requires that, by 2027, HVAC distributors and contractors must transition from selling outdated and costly cooling-only air conditioning systems to newer technologies, i.e. heat pumps that provide both summer cooling and winter heating without burning fossil fuels, while allowing owners to use gas backup if they choose.

• Promotes Equitable Access: Ensures that lower-income households and vulnerable populations like renters have access to supplemental incentives to offset any cost differences between traditional central AC and heat pumps.

• Supports our workforce by offering homebuilders and contractors a $5,000 tax credit for their first ten cold-climate heat pump installations that heat and cool in cold climates without relying on a fossil fuel backup.

• Improves Efficiency: Requires that new housing projects receiving state funds install Energy Star appliances so that everyone, regardless of homeownership status and income, has quality, efficient appliances in their homes.

What are the Health Benefits of Heat Pumps?

Heat pumps cool AND heat homes without burning methane gas (aka “natural gas”) or other fossil fuels.

Heat pumps improve indoor and outdoor air quality: Eliminating burning gas in homes reduces exposure to dangerous indoor air pollutants as well as venting of these same pollutants into neighborhoods. Heat pumps eliminate emissions of these pollutants that come from gas HVAC systems:

Nitrogen dioxide reduces lung function, especially in children, can cause asthma and aggravates respiratory diseases.

Particulate matter increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes, worsens respiratory disease including asthma, and has been associated with increased infant mortality, low birthweight and preterm births. In children, particulates have also been associated with decreased lung growth. See Reduction in fine particulate air pollution and mortality: Extended follow-up of the Harvard Six Cities study for more information.

Carbon monoxide reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen through the body. It causes headaches, dizziness, confusion, and is fatal at high concentrations. Unintentional carbon monoxide poisonings account for approximately 400 to 500 deaths and more than 15,000 emergency department visits in the United States annually, according to the AAP Council on Environmental Health manual, Pediatric Environmental Health, 3rd Edition.

Heat Pumps Improve Safety: Eliminating reliance on gas lowers the risk of fires, explosions, and hazardous air pollutants, both in production and in our homes.