LG Electronics is accelerating its development of high-performance heat pump technologies through a global research initiative aimed at optimizing systems for diverse climate conditions, including cold-humid and extreme heat environments.
The company launched the Consortium for Advanced Heat Pump Research (CAHR) in Alaska in 2023 in collaboration with the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) and the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). The program has since expanded to include 12 universities across five countries, broadening its research into climate-specific HVAC technologies.
At AHR Expo 2025 in the United States, LG and its research partners presented results from long-term testing in Anchorage and Fairbanks, showing improved low-temperature heating performance by reducing thermal resistance in outdoor heat exchangers. These findings contributed to the development of LG’s residential cold-climate heat pump, which received the 2025 AHR Innovation Award in the Sustainable Solutions category.
In Europe, the European Consortium for Advanced Heat Pump Research (ECAHR), established in June 2024, recently completed field testing of LG’s R32-based air-to-air heat pump in Norway. The system demonstrated a reduction in energy consumption and carbon emissions of approximately 60 to 80 percent compared to electric heaters. The results were published in the August and October 2025 issues of REHVA Journal.
LG is also conducting real-world testing in seven countries, including the United States, China, Norway, and Saudi Arabia, across its air-to-water heat pumps, Multi V systems, and residential air conditioners. Field data is being used to refine product design, such as structural changes to reduce frost buildup on outdoor heat exchangers in cold climates.
The company recently partnered with King Saud University and Pusan National University to establish a tropical-climate testing facility in Saudi Arabia.
“Through strengthened global research collaboration and extensive field validation, LG is accelerating the advancement of heat pump technology,” said James Lee, president of the LG ES Company. “We remain committed to delivering reliable, high-efficiency and sustainable heat pump solutions that meet the needs of customers around the world.”
