When Vancouver‑based FRESCo began evaluating window‑mounted heat pumps (WMHPs) as a retrofit solution for apartment buildings, the work quickly evolved into a coordinated, collaborative pilot aimed at helping building owners understand how emerging cooling technologies can be made viable in older residential properties. In May 2026, the pilot completed testing at two sites—a 1906 Vancouver micro‑suite and a two‑bedroom suite in a 1978 Saanich apartment building—both of which previously relied on electric baseboard heating and had no cooling. Installation at a third building, a natural‑gas‑heated property with compatible vertical‑sliding windows, is now underway.

Vancouver micro suite WMHP installation

Together, the two completed case studies offer an early look at how a partnership‑driven retrofit model can make heat pump installations more practical in buildings that were never designed for central HVAC, and how that approach could be scaled more broadly across Canadian multi‑unit housing.

“In our experience, successful retrofit programs do more than identify technical opportunities,” said Ali Rivers, Senior Consultant at FRESCo Building Efficiency and co‑lead on the pilot. “They also need to reduce delivery friction, manage uncertainty, and actively support implementation through a coordinated, concierge‑style model.”

Through collaboration, the burden on building owners is reduced if the right partners are in place to keep the project moving—from initial outreach and business‑case development through design, funding, installation, and handover. In this case, FRESCo provided technical leadership and engineering expertise, while RentBC supported participating buildings through its Rental Apartment Retrofit Accelerator (RARA) program. On the supplier side, Cascadia Windows & Doors engineered a custom high‑performance window assembly, RDH Building Science reviewed the design and conducted air‑leakage testing, and Midea Canada and North American HVAC Products supplied the heat pumps and hands‑on training. Funding came from BC Hydro’s Power Smart Innovations Team and Vancouver-based Zero Emissions Innovation Centre’s (ZEIC) B2E Innovation Fund.

“Performance monitoring is still underway, so we’re not yet drawing conclusions about measured energy savings or final heating and cooling performance in BC,” Rivers noted. “That said, building owners and tenants were also essential participants, supporting access, installation decisions, and pilot‑specific monitoring. Early feedback has been positive, with one tenant reporting that the new windows made the suite quieter, more comfortable, and less drafty. That’s an immediate, tangible benefit even before we have long‑term performance data.”

Saanich two-bedroom apartment installation

Specifications for success

As technology and safety regulations evolve across Canada, WMHPs are emerging as a practical solution for buildings where conventional heat pump systems (such as mini-split heat pumps) are difficult to site or too disruptive to install. According to Rivers, good candidates typically have adequate electrical capacity, appropriate window, wall, and sill dimensions, suitable interior and exterior clearance—and, importantly, willing tenants.

Buildings better served by other technologies include those dominated by curtain walls, sliding glass doors, unsuitable casements or awnings, severe façade restrictions, or major electrical constraints.

Because window compatibility is a central technical challenge, one of the pilot’s key objectives was to test a custom window solution for apartment buildings with non‑compatible configurations such as horizontal sliders, a common feature in BC MURBs. Cascadia Windows & Doors developed custom assemblies, and RDH Building Science reviewed the window‑to‑equipment interface for air sealing, water management, and durability. The result, according to Rivers, is a “snug, quiet, draft‑reducing window” that integrates seamlessly with the WMHP.

At the same time, the Midea WMHP’s fully self‑contained design brings significant advantages. In dense urban buildings with façade restrictions or limited outdoor space, the simplicity of having no outdoor condenser, refrigerant lines, wall penetrations, or external condensate drainage can be the difference between a project being “possible” or “not feasible.”

While Rivers noted the window costs were significant, representing 50 to 60 per cent of the total pilot cost per suite, future installations are expected to be at least 5–10 per cent lower for one‑off projects and up to 60 per cent lower in whole‑building retrofits. And in buildings with compatible windows, overall installation costs drop substantially, making WMHPs even more attractive as a scalable cooling solution.

Barriers & Benefits

Even technically strong candidates can still face non‑technical barriers — including municipal heritage requirements that limit what can be installed in windows visible from the street. Across Canada, the tension between heritage protection and emerging cooling regulations is likely to create obstacles and slow progress on sustainable solutions. As Rivers notes, “Achieving thermal‑safety objectives will require clearer pathways for balancing heritage protection with visible, suite‑level cooling equipment.”

For buildings that are suitable for WMHPs, the systems bring permanent cooling and can help reduce overheating risk, improve tenant comfort, lower heating bills, and improve window performance—all of which contribute to asset resilience and regulatory readiness.

“Providing efficient, permanent cooling, particularly where it can be incorporated cost-effectively into a broader retrofit, can improve comfort, reduce overheating concerns and help modernize older rental housing,” said Ian Cullis, Vice President of Sustainability, RentBC.

WMHPs also support phased deployment, allowing owners to start with the suites most at risk of overheating rather than waiting for a full mechanical retrofit. Once design and any necessary approvals and electrical pre-work are complete, installations can typically occur in just a couple days.

And this is where the pilot’s broader significance comes into focus: the BC WMHP pilot demonstrates that emerging cooling technologies can be deployed effectively in suitable existing buildings when paired with appropriate enabling work and a coordinated delivery model. The technology matters, but the partnerships, processes, and shared expertise matter just as much. WMHPs could become a viable cooling solution for many buildings, and pilots like this one are helping shape the standards and pathways that will make future projects faster, more affordable, and more repeatable across Canada’s multi‑unit housing stock.

To learn more visit Fisher Resource Efficiency Solutions Company Ltd.

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