Over the last couple years, Ecologix has been working with graduate students at the Solar Thermal Research Lab to develop a novel Solar Assisted Heat Pump system. In December 2011, Ecologix supplied the lab with a custom water-to-water heat pump for use in both Ecologix’s equipment testing facility and their on-campus lab. It is expected that research will continue with a number of experimental test sites in local residences.

In 2008, Ecologix was approached to help in the design of a custom solar-assisted heat pump system for use in the “North House”, an entry in to the 2009 Solar Decathlon competition. North House, designed by students at the University of Waterloo, Ryerson University, and Simon Fraser University, achieved a fourth place overall finish, placing third and fourth in the comfort zone and hot water categories, respectively. This project was one of the first to implement Ecologix variable capacity heat pumps, leading to the development of the Cold Climate Air-Source Heat Pump technology.