Why a “Heat Pump 101” Workshop Isn’t Enough
If you're reading this, you probably already know that a heat pump heats and cools your home in one system, using electricity instead of fossil fuel and can be 3x more efficient. Heat pumps work to bring down energy bills and climate emissions.
As local governments focused on affordability and climate solutions, getting residents to switch to heat pumps is the sweet spot. But it’s not as easy as it could be.
As I explain in the video below, we need to break the habit of creating mass outreach campaigns and expecting results. You will not move the needle on climate emissions by trying to get everyone in your community to switch to a heat pump (or an electric vehicle or solar panels). It's cliche but true: If you market to everyone, you market to no one.
Leverage the Heat Pump Moment
First, the good news. Heat pumps remain popular and are gaining momentum. Even though the federal government ended tax credits and incentives for them, “in the US, heat pump sales have doubled over the past 15 years, according to a new report. And they’re winning the heating race against fossil fuels, outpacing natural-gas furnaces by 32% during the first quarter of 2026.” (Source)
Indeed, “households in some parts of the U.S. can still access state and utility incentives for heat pumps, and many local governments continue to plow ahead with ordinances that encourage households to ditch fossil fuels. Plus, contractors have gotten more familiar with heat pumps in recent years.” (Source)
And as more and more people make the switch to heat pumps, their reviews – on efficiency and lower costs, easy installation, year-round functionality and comfort – are reeling in their neighbors. All this has heat pumps at a “tipping point” and considered “the new normal.”
So, for local governments that need residents to embrace heat pumps to help meet climate goals, what can you do to ride – and drive – this trend?
Avoid the Trap of Generic “Winter is Coming” Outreach
Leaves are falling. Temperatures are dropping. The sun is setting earlier. Like it or not, winter is coming. Which means that in addition to people worrying about the cost of gas and groceries, they will be dealing with heating bills.
For local government climate staff, this change of seasons is often the time you crank out social media posts or info sessions on energy efficiency and home heating. Maybe that’s a local TV interview on home weatherization tips, social media posts about “how to stay warm and comfy without breaking the bank this winter,” or a Heat Pump 101 workshop.
What we can say from experience is that a traditional, broad outreach campaign won’t cut it. Why?
You have to be way more targeted to get the results you want.
Identify the Best Opportunities and Shape a Campaign Around Them
That's the idea behind KLA's ActionReady™ approach. Instead of marketing to an entire community, we use property and program data to identify households where an upgrade is both relevant and timely. Our tool scores each parcel and lets us draw the target neighborhood. That's where we focus efforts like door knocking and postcards.
It’s at this more granular level that you move beyond the typical broad outreach and can target that outreach with precision focus – and better results. We identify the best opportunities for heat pump uptake based on analysis of:
With information on property fit and upgrade timing in hand, we factor in incentives and local context to shape a marketing campaign.
Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, saw an increase in heat pump consultations after targeting two neighborhoods. Before anything was mailed, we interviewed residents who had installed a heat pump with a rebate, and others who started the process but didn’t finish, to learn which messages would work in Shrewsbury. Saving money came out as the strongest hook for people who don't have a heat pump yet.
Then we created a heat pump landing page on their website with a savings calculator. We mailed postcards inviting residents to an event and knocked on doors to either talk with people directly or leave doorhangers.
Get Ahead of the “Moment of Need”
Most people replace HVAC systems in an emergency, when the old one conks out in January. They pick whatever the contractor can install fastest. By the time a furnace fails, the decision is already made.
We've been working with our clients to dive deep into the data to deliver the right message to the right people at the right time.
Right person: Homes where heating and cooling systems are due for replacement
Right message: Cost and comfort, the things residents really care about
Right time: When the replacement decision is in front of them and before it becomes urgent
Home upgrades like HVAC system replacements are coming regardless. The question is whether people who reach that point are poised to choose options that deliver the best long-term outcome for their home, their budget, and the climate.
Bottom line is, we need to get more heat pumps in more homes to address both affordability and climate change. Let's make our outreach count.
What You Can Do Now
Try it this winter. Pick one neighborhood. Test one targeted campaign. Measure what happens.
Need help? Check out our ActionReady program and drop us a line if you want to talk it through.