# Getting heat pumps right

- Show: [Catalyst](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst)
- Published: 2024-11-14
- Length: 41m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-14-getting-heat-pumps-right

## Summary

Paul Lambert, founder and CEO of Quilt, explains why heat pump adoption is stalled by poor customer experience, high installation costs, and technician resistance. He details Quilt's vertically integrated model, which controls the entire value chain from manufacturing to installation to reduce labor and material costs. Lambert highlights that hardware is only ~20% of the total cost, with labor and materials like copper line sets driving the rest, and discusses strategies to simplify installation and improve aesthetics to drive mass market adoption.

## Chapters

- [0:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-14-getting-heat-pumps-right#t=1) Introduction: Shayle Khan's personal heat pump experience and Quilt's investment
- [6:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-14-getting-heat-pumps-right#t=370) Paul Lambert's entry into climate tech and initial observations of mini-splits
- [8:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-14-getting-heat-pumps-right#t=516) The heat pump value chain: manufacturers, distributors, and contractors
- [11:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-14-getting-heat-pumps-right#t=661) The cost stack: labor, materials, and hardware breakdown
- [14:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-14-getting-heat-pumps-right#t=857) Reducing labor costs: truck rolls, virtual quotes, and installation design
- [22:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-14-getting-heat-pumps-right#t=1347) Why technicians resist heat pumps and Quilt's customer experience thesis
- [32:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-14-getting-heat-pumps-right#t=1977) Product design priorities: efficiency, comfort, and aesthetics
- [35:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-14-getting-heat-pumps-right#t=2158) Customer economics: spark spread, rebates, and early adopters
- [39:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-14-getting-heat-pumps-right#t=2374) Vertical integration strategy and scaling through partnerships

## Topics

- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Quilt (company)
- EnergyHub (company)
- Carrier (company)
- Daikin (company)
- Mitsubishi (company)
- Fujitsu (company)
- LG (company)
- Samsung (company)
- Gree (company)
- Medela (company)
- HVAC Direct (company)
- Tesla (company)
- SEAL (company)
- Latitude Media (company)
- Energy Impact Partners (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Using Efficient Heat Pumps to Cut CO2 Emissions with Paul Lambert, Founder and CEO of Quilt](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2023-08-31-using-efficient-heat-pumps-to-cut-co2-emissions-with-paul-lambert-founder-and-ce) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [How a User-Installable Heat Pump Can Decarbonize Apartment Buildings: Insights from Vince Romanin, CEO of Gradient](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2023-10-12-how-a-user-installable-heat-pump-can-decarbonize-apartment-buildings-insights-fr) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [The Geothermal Breakthrough: Heating Homes Smarter, Cheaper, and Cleaner with Dan Yates](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2026-01-08-the-geothermal-breakthrough-heating-homes-smarter-cheaper-and-cleaner-with-dan-y) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [Tapping the heat beneath your feet with Kathy Hannun of Dandelion Energy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-08-tapping-the-heat-beneath-your-feet-with-kathy-hannun-of-dandelion-energy) (How I Built This)
- [361: It’s complicated](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2022-07-08-361-its-complicated) (Making It)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-14-getting-heat-pumps-right. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Catalyst.