Ontario HVAC Concepts

Reference pages for 30 HVAC products, code sections, certifications, programs, and standards used across our guides. Each concept links to the guides that mention it, the glossary terms it relates to, and authoritative external sources.

For plain-language definitions of HVAC terms, see the glossary. For full buyer guides, browse guides or pick a topic pillar.

Equipment Models

• Carrier Infinity Greenspeed - Carrier's variable-speed cold-climate heat pump line. Rated to operate to -29C ambient, one of the widest envelopes in t
• Carrier Performance Series - Carrier's mid-tier condensing furnace line at 96% AFUE. The most common Ontario residential install in the $5,500-$7,500
• Daikin Aurora - Daikin's cold-climate ductless line, competing directly with Mitsubishi Hyper Heat at typically lower installed pricing.
• Daikin Fit - Daikin's slim-cabinet inverter heat pump designed for retrofit installations where a standard outdoor unit footprint is
• LG ProDry - LG's cold-climate ductless and ducted heat pump line. Rated to -25C operation. Less common Ontario dealer network than M
• Lennox SL25XPV - Lennox's variable-capacity cold-climate heat pump. SEER2 24, HSPF2 10. Designed to pair with the SLP99V furnace as backu
• Lennox SLP99V - Lennox's flagship variable-capacity gas furnace at 98.7% AFUE — the highest-efficiency residential furnace sold in Canad
• Mitsubishi MSZ-FS - Mitsubishi Electric's wall-mounted ductless mini-split head, Hyper Heat (H2i) version. Most common premium cold-climate
• Mitsubishi MSZ-LN - Mitsubishi's designer-series wall-mounted ductless head with flat-panel aesthetics. Same H2i performance as MSZ-FS, prem
• Trane XV80 - Trane's mid-tier two-stage condensing gas furnace at 80% AFUE — entry point for the Trane lineup that no longer meets ne

Technologies and Refrigerants

• R-32 - A2L refrigerant adopted by Daikin, Mitsubishi, and others as the R-410A successor in their heat pump lines. ~67% lower G
• R-410A - Hydrofluorocarbon refrigerant blend that has been the Ontario AC and heat pump standard since the early 2000s. Phase-out
• R-454B - Mildly flammable A2L refrigerant replacing R-410A in many heat pumps starting 2025. ~78% lower GWP than R-410A.

Certifications and Programs

• AHRI Certified - Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute certification. Validates that a specific outdoor + indoor coil +
• ENERGY STAR Cold Climate - ENERGY STAR Cold Climate certification (Region V): heat pumps that hit HSPF2 8.1+ and retain 70%+ capacity at -15C. Requ
• ENERGY STAR Most Efficient - Annual ENERGY STAR designation for the top-performing equipment in each category. Often unlocks additional rebate amount
• ENERGY STAR for New Homes - NRCan voluntary certification for new homes built 20% better than the building code minimum. The most common above-code
• Net Zero Ready - CHBA certification for homes built efficient enough that adding solar PV would zero out their net annual energy use. R-2
• Passive House - International ultra-low-energy building standard. Requires under 0.6 ACH50 airtightness, super-insulation, and heat reco
• R-2000 - Natural Resources Canada's premium new-home certification: deeper than ENERGY STAR for New Homes, requires under 1.5 ACH

Program Tiers

• Save on Energy HRS 2025-26 Schedule - The current Home Renovation Savings rebate schedule, in effect through 2026. Heat pump max $7,500, HPWH max $1,000, smar

Building Code Sections

• OBC 9.32 - Ontario Building Code Section 9.32: Ventilation. Sets HRV/ERV requirements, exhaust capacity minimums, and CO alarm plac
• OBC 9.33 - Ontario Building Code Section 9.33: Heating and Air-conditioning. Sets equipment sizing, install standards, and venting
• OBC 9.36 - Ontario Building Code Section 9.36: Energy Efficiency. Sets minimum insulation R-values, window U-values, and whole-buil

Standards

• ASHRAE 62.2 - Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Residential Buildings. Referenced by ENERGY STAR for New Homes and many
• CSA B149.1 - Canadian Natural Gas and Propane Installation Code. The technical standard the TSSA enforces for every Ontario gas appli

Regulatory Filings

• Homeowner Protection Act 2024 - Ontario Bill 200 (Homeowner Protection Act, 2024). Made consumer-goods NOSIs retroactively expired June 6, 2024. Underly

Utilities

• Alectra Utilities - Large Ontario LDC formed from PowerStream, Enersource, Horizon, and Hydro One Brampton. Serves much of the GTA outside T
• Enbridge Gas - Ontario's primary natural gas distribution utility, serving roughly 75% of households in the province. Sets gas distribu
• Toronto Hydro - City of Toronto's electricity distribution utility. Bills include OEB-approved distribution charges plus IESO-set commod