2016 NW Ductless Market Highlights
The Northwest closed out 2016 with strong ductless heat pump sales. Over  35,800 units were sold - a 22% increase over 2015. The Project facilitated three promotions throughout the region. More installers joined the Project as well; we now have over 1,118 participating installers including 129 total Master Installers. We can help you continue momentum and boost consumer confidence in ductless systems with consumer education tools on GoingDuctless.com. 

To help lower the initial cost of ductless technology we encourage you to inform your customers of rebates and tax credits in your area. With the volume of utility rebates not growing in 2016, there is clear opportunity for utility rebates to play a bigger role in reducing initial costs. 

The Project will continue focusing on improving ductless system cost-effectiveness, identifying opportunities to help you reduce installation costs, and increase consumer savings. Thank you for all your efforts; w e expect great things in 2017!

Read on to learn more about the new tool available for you and your ductless customers, tax credit revisions, and more.
Heating Comparison Tool
To help installers and consumers determine which electric heating source is the best fit, we developed a Heating Comparison Tool. This tool serves as a quick, at-a-glance comparison of electric space heating options. If consumers select their utility when on the site, any applicable utility rebate and/or state tax credit information will automatically populate in the tool so they know what savings they can expect in addition to those from ductless technology. We encourage you to use this tool in your sales process: You can link to it from your company website , bookmark it to use during homeowner sales calls, or utilize it however you see fit. 

Oregon Residential Energy Tax Credits Expiring in 2017
The Oregon Department of Energy filed new permanent rules for the Residential Energy Tax Credit program, which retire the program at the end of 2017. We recommend communicating this to your customers to help drive sales in 2017 before these tax credits expire. For more information, visit Oregon.gov. 
Resources Reminder
Here's a quick reminder of some of the newer resources available to support your ductless marketing efforts. 
  • Testimonial videos - to help consumers feel confident about the ductless purchasing process
  • Image library - to provide ample, professional options for the region
  • Sales sheets - to help provide general ductless information for consumers in need of a new heating system
Additionally, the  Best Practices Guide  on  GoingDuctless.com  has been updated to reflect recent changes to the Bonneville Power Administration's Implementation Manual. All of these resources and more are available on GoingDuctless.com.

Annual Market Progress Evaluation Report Activities
NEEA's annual Market Progress Evaluation Report (MPER) process is underway. This year marks the sixth MPER for the NW Ductless Heat Pump Project. The MPER will include installer and distributor online surveys, and you may receive an email requesting that you take the survey. Your participation will help us understand how to better support the region. Please contact the Project at [email protected] if you have any questions. 
Ensure Your Contact Information is Up To Date
To develop a more active and engaged installer network and ensure Project participation, the Project recently conducted a review of the oriented installer list for installation companies who may no longer meet Project requirements. The team regularly identifies at risk installer companies and makes a concerted effort to contact companies to request their compliance. 

If your company has changed their contact information recently, please make sure to provide us with updated business information so we can ensure that customers are able to reach you. Keeping your business information also ensures that you're able to get the latest news and resources from the Project. 

Update your company information by emailing us at [email protected] .
The NW Ductless Heat Pump Project is an initiative of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA). NEEA is an alliance of more than 140 Northwest utilities and energy efficiency organizations working to accelerate the innovation and adoption of energy-efficient products, services and  practices  in the Northwest.