Across the U.S., heat pumps are gaining a reputation as an efficient way to heat and cool buildings, with the potential to cut energy costs and reduce emissions.
But in the Midwest, they’re still relatively unknown. Only 20% of homeowners report owning one, according to an industry survey, and most say they know little about the technology.
This summer, four McKinney Climate Fellows set out to close that gap in Indiana, working with the city governments of Evansville, Indianapolis, Lafayette, and South Bend to raise awareness among residents and HVAC contractors, who play a major role in educating homeowners on heating and cooling options. Their efforts were part of the IU Environmental Resilience Institute’s 2025 Resilience Cohort heat pump accelerator, which aims to build momentum for clean technology adoption in Indiana.
In Evansville, Lucy Swenson tackled the challenge head-on. She cold-called contractors, created graphics, and joined residents in their basements and attics to discuss efficiency upgrades. Many were eager to learn more.
“Some people were really interested and wanted to retrofit their space,” Swenson said. “My work resulted in a lot of in-depth conversations with people, and I was able to talk to them about opportunities for financial assistance—and that made them a lot more receptive.”
In Indianapolis, Bronwyn Meldrum focused on developing a contractor network for the city. The database will be used to convene trainings and a heat pump summit for contractors this fall.
“The overarching goal is to start a market transformation in the HVAC space for all the cities participating in the accelerator program,” Meldrum said. “It’s from both the supply and demand side, educating both contractors and consumers so we are sure everyone is comfortable with heat pumps.”
Meldrum said her outreach events drew a diverse crowd. “It breaks down some people’s walls,” she said. “People are generally excited about the prospect of lowering energy costs.”
In Lafayette, Cooper Kleinmaier zeroed in on misinformation. A common misconception, he said, is that heat pumps don’t work in cold weather.
“We’re laying the groundwork for a wider energy efficiency movement in Lafayette and Indiana as a whole,” Kleinmaier said. “I’ve always known communication is important, but I’ve never done it myself. How do you make an attention-grabbing flyer? What time of day do you host an event? You don’t know until you’re doing it.”
Kleinmaier found that once residents understood the technology’s effectiveness, they were more open to considering it. “People think they’re too expensive, so they sometimes push the option out of the way,” he said.
In South Bend, Cameron Schilling discovered community connections often mattered more than technical details. At farmers’ markets, he handed out flyers residents eagerly shared with neighbors.
“I’ve learned so much about the value of community,” Schilling said. “Everybody knows everybody. After just a five-minute conversation, other vendors at the farmers’ markets would connect me to other people and resources in South Bend.”
The fellows’ outreach sets the stage for this fall’s trio of contractor training summits being organized by the Midwest Heating and Cooling Collaborative and co-hosted with the cohort cities.
Fellows also performed visual inspections and analyzed energy use and cost data to determine which non-profit buildings will receivedemonstration heat pump installations in each community. Later, ERI will conduct post-installation assessments and gather data to evaluate the effectiveness of each installation. The results will be shared with contractors and efficiency advocates across the state and Midwest.
The McKinney Climate Fellows program, administered by the IU Environmental Resilience Institute, is made possible by the McKinney Family Foundation, Energy Foundation, Rural Climate Partnership, Cummins, Inc., the Indianapolis Airport Authority, Interface, Broad Ripple Ice Cream Station, and ERI donors.
About the Environmental Resilience Institute
Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute connects a broad coalition of government, business, nonprofit, and community leaders to help Indiana and the Midwest better prepare for the challenges of environmental change. Together, we integrate research, education, and community to create environmental resilience and climate solutions—building a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future. Learn more at eri.iu.edu.
