Pearl Edison reposted this
On Monday, my family put our money where my mouth has been: into a new heat pump to replace a leaky, under-performant AC unit! I very eagerly used the DLC Home Concierge we at Duquesne Light Company and Pearl Edison have been developing over the last few months and got the expected outcome: a reasonably and transparently price system, designed by industry best practices, and installed by a trusted local HVAC partner. My backyard is eerily quiet now, my home is cool again, and I will be slashing my gas consumption when the temperatures drop. What's not to love?
Building electrification is *way* behind climate-driven targets in Pittsburgh. But beyond climate benefits, we wanted to help customers adopt #heatpumps for affordability, comfort, and indoor air quality considerations too. However, Duquesne Light Company customers have repeatedly expressed apprehensions about heat pumps: lack of awareness, uncertain bill impact, uncertain upfront cost, and performance anxiety in cold climates. The HVAC industry in our territory has similar hang-ups, particularly around compromising customer comfort with a major project and the reputational damage that could do to their business. We also know in general that these big home purchase decisions create tension between homeowners and contractors. We needed a solution that was educational and transparent. Moreover, the customer experience needed to be completely different from the transactional nature of typical home contracting sales. It needed to allow us to help our customers solve problems and make progress against their objectives, free from the perception of being sold. All while boosting the local HVAC business with booked work (no more “buyers are liars”). Pearl Edison’s concierge experience embodies this approach. Customers receive tailored, scientifically grounded HVAC designs and price estimates that illuminate potential home performance improvements. By breaking down monthly, seasonal, and annual cost projections, we help homeowners see beyond upfront expenses to long-term value. If this shows compelling value, it’s easy to get a human to your home to refine the estimate and explain tradeoffs. If a heat pump remains the right choice for the homeowner, the work is delivered through a network of vetted and trained local HVAC contractors. The result will be high-quality heat pump installs that make our customers’ homes more comfortable and in most cases saves them money throughout the year. If you’re a #duquesnelight customer thinking about or needing to replace an old air conditioner this summer, make it a #2wayac and scope your project using our Pearl Edison concierge (link below). If you’re a utility wanting to learn more about this education and awareness-led platform, give me (or Evan or Jake) a shout!