Samsung Electronics brings AI heat pump EHS to US HVAC market

South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. is unveiling an AI-powered home heat pump system at the upcoming CES 2025 event as it strives to boost its presence in the fast-growing US heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) market.

The company said on Wednesday it will showcase its heat pump technology-based HVAC systems under the Eco Heating System (EHS) brand at CES 2025, the world's largest consumer electronics trade show, slated to begin in Las Vegas on Jan. 7.

HVAC refers to the various systems that regulate and move heated and cooled air throughout buildings.

EHS is an air conditioning system that exchanges the heat created from the refrigerant and water in an air conditioner's indoor unit to generate heat energy for use in floor heating and hot water. Samsung said its device is highly efficient and produces less carbon dioxide than boilers that use conventional fuels.

Samsung has been selling its Home Heat Pump EHS in over 40 European countries and is now bringing its products to the US market.

NEW FEATURES

Samsung’s EHS products set to launch in the US market include the Climate Hub Mono indoor unit with a dedicated 200-liter water tank; the Hydro Unit Mono, a compact wall-mounted indoor unit; and the Mono R32 HT Quiet outdoor unit.

Samsung said the two indoor units are equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen-based AI Home system that allows users to intuitively monitor and control the product’s functions, as well as manage other connected devices at home.

The EHS system also offers Samsung’s 3D Map View function for setting indoor temperatures, and when it is paired with a photovoltaic system, users can track solar energy usage via SmartThings, the company’s Internet of Things platform.

The two indoor units feature a sleek, minimalist design, making them an attractive fit for built-in home furniture.

The wall-mounted Hydro Unit Mono, in particular, can be installed in spaces such as kitchens and laundry rooms without the need for a separate boiler room.

The Mono R32 HT Quiet outdoor unit combines powerful performance with a stylish design that blends seamlessly with a building’s exterior, according to Samsung.

Its energy efficiency rating is 10% higher than the industry’s top seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP) A+++ rating and it uses the R32 refrigerant with a 32% lower global warming potential (GWP) compared with the older R410 refrigerant type, according to Samsung.

The EHS system provides hot water up to 70 degrees Celsius and maintains full heating performance even in extremely cold temperatures as low as minus 25 degrees Celsius.

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“Equipped with AI Home and SmartThings, our heat pump EHS products will allow users to manage energy more conveniently and efficiently,” said Choi Hang-seok, executive vice president of Samsung Electronics' Digital Appliances Business Division.

Samsung and its crosstown rival LG Electronics Inc. are competing to lead the growing global HVAC market with eco-friendly technologies.

Demand for eco-friendly high-efficiency heat pumps and HVAC systems is rapidly growing in Europe, in particular, which imposes one of the world’s strictest carbon-neutral policies on home appliance manufacturers.

To promote efficient sales of its products in Europe, LG in July set up an HVAC research center in Frankfurt, Germany.

Write to In-Soo Nam at isnam@hankyung.com
Jennifer Nicholson Breen edited this article.