Husband and wife start-up entrepreneurs Pierre Delforge and Jane Melia dealt with the untimely demise of their home’s gas furnace just like any average adult couple would.

Well, maybe not just like any average adult couple.

Unless that couple happens to be made up of two Ph.D. Cambridge University engineers – engineers who, by vocation, avocation, livelihood, and personal passion, tend to address day-to-day household operational challenges as more than an occasion to hire a residential replacement contractor and have that be the end of it.

Far more. In fact,

For Delforge and Melia, co-founders and principals of award-winning construction technology and smart home energy platform

Image courtesy of Harvest Thermal

The Value Proposition

Opportunities for this system are multifaceted. It is one of the most sustainable systems on the market in terms of energy efficiency and emissions reduction. Achieving ENERGY STAR Zero Energy Ready certification provides marketing benefits and a competitive edge for builders. Additionally, it offers resiliency benefits due to its storage capacity, providing hot water for multiple days during power outages. This is particularly important in regions prone to wildfires, grid stress, and extreme weather events. From a cost perspective, builders can access more tax credits and incentives with this system compared to a standard system. Buyers of homes with this system can expect lower energy costs due to the load-shifting thermal battery, reducing heating and hot water costs by around 20 to 30% compared to standard heat pumps. This not only offers a sustainability advantage but also adds marketing value by promoting lower energy costs for homeowners.”