Building smarter apartments with Harvest

At Harvest, we believe clean energy should be accessible to everyone—and that begins with solving for those who are often left behind in the energy transition. I sat down with Pierre Delforge, who leads strategic initiatives at Harvest, to talk about why the company is prioritizing affordable multifamily housing, how Harvest delivers value at scale, and what it takes to bring these projects to life.

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Kiana Kazemi: What makes affordable multifamily housing such a critical focus for Harvest’s mission?

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Pierre Delforge: Affordable multifamily housing is where clean energy can have the most impact. Low-income residents in affordable housing are often disproportionately affected by high energy bills—and many traditional electrification solutions risk making that burden worse. 

With Harvest, we can flip that equation—we give property owners and tenants the confidence that bills won’t go up, and in many cases, they’ll go down by 20% to 30%. That peace of mind removes a major barrier to adoption and helps make heat pumps more accessible to everyone.

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KK: Are there efficiencies when we install Harvest in large multifamily projects, versus single family homes?

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PD: Absolutely. Multifamily projects bring economies of scale that bring down installation costs significantly. Lower transaction costs, lower overhead, higher efficiency: Instead of sending crews to dozens of individual homes, we can streamline work across multiple units in the same building. That means less time on the road, more efficient installs, and lower labor costs. These buildings also tend to have standardized layouts, so once we solve a technical challenge for one unit, we’ve effectively solved it for the rest. That consistency reduces complexity and accelerates rollout. All of this makes it easier and more cost-effective to bring clean energy solutions to more people, faster.

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KK: How does Harvest make clean energy upgrades more accessible and scalable for both residents and developers of multifamily housing developments?

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PD: Harvest plays a unique role by making clean energy upgrades more affordable up front and more cost-effective over time. Our system reduces capital costs by qualifying for the thermal energy storage investment tax credits (30% to 40% of project costs), and we help developers take full advantage of those incentives. 

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On the operating side, our Pod lowers energy bills by load shifting - using power when it’s cheaper while also optimizing for efficiency. For developers, that adds up to a compelling financial case. And for residents, especially in affordable housing, it means clean energy without the fear of rising utility bills. 

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KK: How, exactly,  does Harvest help bring down the capital and operating costs of electrifying multifamily buildings?

PD: On the capital side, we combine heating and hot water into one system—so instead of doing two separate projects, developers only have to do one, which saves on installation and transaction costs. We also unlock higher incentives and tax credits because of our integrated thermal energy storage, which is unique. On the operating side, that same storage improves heat pump efficiency and lets us shift energy use to lower-cost times. That means real savings on energy bills over time.

KK: What makes Harvest a smart investment for developers looking to futureproof buildings against rising energy costs?

PD: While many multifamily developers often don’t directly pay electricity bills, there are still lots of reasons why Harvest makes financial sense.

First of all, we can reuse existing A/C systems.  In buildings with working air conditioning, Harvest can integrate with what's already there. Most heat pump systems require replacing existing AC—ours doesn’t, and that’s a major cost and hassle avoided.

Also, because we use a smaller heat pump paired with thermal energy storage, our equipment and installation costs go down.

Lower energy bills can mean happier tenants who stay longer, which reduces turnover, and lower bills also mean tenants are more likely to keep up with rent payments. For owners, that means a lower risk of rent defaults.

KK: Who are the decisionmakers driving the decarbonization process for multifamily projects?

PD: In multifamily housing, MEPs (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers) are key influencers. They shape design decisions and recommend the most cost-effective solutions to property owners. While many owners also care about sustainability, they have a financial responsibility to their investors so their primary focus is the bottom line. That means even nonprofit organizations prioritize financial performance. Harvest speaks directly to that reality: if a solution doesn’t make financial sense, it doesn’t move forward. Our job is to thread the needle—deliver on both emissions reductions and cost savings, so sustainability advocates can confidently bring the case to their CFOs.

KK: What design and installation challenges does Harvest help MEPs solve—beyond just cost and affordability?

PD: Regulatory pressure is one big driver. In California, upcoming NOx emissions standards from agencies like the Bay Area and South Coast Air Quality Management Districts will push multifamily property owners to phase out combustion appliances. Harvest offers one of the most cost-effective ways to comply with those standards.

From a technical standpoint, Harvest solves for some major pain points.

First, many older multifamily buildings have limited electric capacity (e.g., 100-amp panels). Our system is ultra-low amperage—7 amps on a 15-amp circuit—so we can electrify without expensive panel upgrades.

Our built-in thermal battery stores energy and provides hot water even during outages. That means more resiliency and added peace of mind for everyone in a Harvest home.

And in buildings with combined heating and hot water systems, also known as hydronic heating, we can often reuse existing water loops. That means no tearing open ceilings or walls to run new line sets—just a cleaner, lower-cost install. 

Taken together, these features help MEPs confidently recommend Harvest as a solution that checks all the boxes: compliance, low infrastructure cost, and ease of installation.

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