Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) Systems: A Versatile Option for Public and Commercial Buildings

If you’re considering a new heating system for your business, school, or municipal building, then you should consider a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system.

VRF systems are electric heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems that use heat pump technology to efficiently heat and cool building spaces. They can simultaneously send heat and air conditioning to different rooms in the same building, making VRF systems an energy-efficient option for offices, hospitals, schools, long-term care facilities, hospitality venues, or other large spaces with many rooms.

VRF systems can be installed in new construction or retrofitted as part of a renovation project. Some units offer heat recovery technology, which saves energy by using waste heat throughout the system. Their efficient operation and use of electricity as a power source could save your business energy and money.

Efficiency Maine offers incentives for both single and multiphase VRF systems. For systems without heat recovery, an incentive of $4.00 per square foot is available for retrofit applications and an incentive of $2.75 per square foot for new construction installations. For VRF systems with heat recovery, the incentive is $6.00 per square foot for retrofit installations and $3.25 per square foot for new construction installations.

To learn more about VRFs, view or download the presentation Efficiency Maine hosted during the Maine Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Council’s 2020 IAQ and Energy Conference. The panel provided an overview of the types of buildings and situations where VRFs are appropriate, costs and benefits of VRF systems, and things to consider when choosing between VRF and other systems like a multi-zone high-performance heat pump.

If you think a VRF is a good fit for your building, now is the time to act. To find a Qualified Partner or get started with a project, use our Qualified Partner locator tool.