Cool Down & Heat Up

Duane A. Hallowell, president and CEO of Hallowell International, showcases one of the company's newest models.

Hallowell’s Eco-Friendly Acadia System Keeps Even the Chilliest of Homes Warm in Winter

Even with a tough economy, Duane A. Hallowell, president and CEO of Hallowell International, has seen steady growth, likely due to the buzz one of his products is creating in the heating and cooling industry.
Hallowell’s Acadia Combined Heating and Cooling System sits like an air conditioner beside a house or building and not only provides cool air in the summer, but for the first time in cold climates, efficiently heats homes in the winter down to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit. This patented system heats a home or business while saving the consumer money, keeping the environment free of emissions, and outperforming fossil fuel systems by up to 300 percent.
“We designed it first and foremost for reliability, comfort, and efficiency,” Hallowell said, adding that people using the Acadia are saving about 40 percent on their energy bills.
The technology involves what the company has named, Boosted Compression Technology, in which heat is absorbed through outdoor coils and is transferred into the house during the wintertime. In the summer, the unit acts like a central air system, removing hot air out of the home. The unit uses a second series compressor to boost performance in the winter. It and can provide savings of up to 70% over other traditional heating systems.
The result is one of the companies on the forefront of an eco-friendly and efficient movement toward producing energy without the use of fossil fuels.
“The oil market is so volatile,” Hallowell said. “People are asking, ‘what else is out there for us?’.”
But it’s difficult getting customers to understand that the unit will produce and absorb heat at a low cost, Hallowell said. Solar panels have become well-known and popular, but it is more expensive than the Acadia. Hallowell sees his product as an enhancement to solar energy. The Acadia uses electric energy and could tie into any existing grid or power source, including solar or wind power.
A challenge is getting customers to realize that any HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) contractor currently working with heat pumps can install and service the system.
Heat pump technology has been around for a while and is popular in southern climates. But for this company, located in Bangor, Maine, getting them to work efficiently in colder climates was the where the innovation lied.  When temperatures reached below the freezing point, conventional heat pumps used too much energy and had to bring on a supplemental heating source. Hallowell, founded in 2005, overcame this heating obstacle with Boosted Compression technology and today saves the customer money, boosts efficiencies, and eliminates carbon or fossil fuel emissions.
“They’ll save money, be green, comfortable, and have better air quality throughout the house,” he said of customers.
In 2006 the company launched the Acadia which is now available throughout the U.S. and Canada. Today the company has revenues in the 12 million dollar range and is currently supported by 700 dealers and growing.
Hallowell is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and a strategic partner with Parker Hannifin, a leading manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems.
Hallowell’s company follows Hannifin’s LEAN strategies for improving manufacturing and business activities.  Hallowell said the company has a strict quality assurance and inventory management style as well as aggressive research and development capabilities, following the highest standards of the industry. Hallowell has 39 employees. Praising his staff, he noted that Bangor, Maine, has an exceptional work ethic and takes pride in their state. That pride translates to a pride in the U.S.A. and a belief that his country is a technology leader of the world.
“We find that, especially in the state of Maine, we are proud of our roots. A lot of us want the U.S. to be the most advanced,” he said.
Hallowell is a veteran-led company with Hallowell having served six years in the U.S. Navy as an HVAC specialist.
That pride means working with U.S. manufacturers. Only the best is acceptable to Hallowell and his company is very strict about where parts are sourced from...
Throughout his career, Mr. Hallowell focused on technical and mechanical aspects of environmental energy systems. He has also worked at conducting efficiency and reliability tests on cryogenic, scroll, and reciprocating compressors.
Part of Hallowell’s mission for his company and its products is to develop technologies that are environmentally friendly and easy to install and maintain. Contractors who currently work with air source heat pumps have all the tools and experience needed to install and service the Acadia system.
Hallowell works with an elite group of contractors. Dealers receive 24-hour tech support and those staff answering the phone, Hallowell boasts, are fellow engineers with extensive knowledge of the systems. Hallowell also offers training to those who wish to become dealers. Educating the public about the Acadia has been an ongoing challenge. Green organizations and electric power companies have helped spread the word. However, Hallowell notices a trend in more savvy customers.
“They’re not just opening phone books,” he said. “They’re doing their own homework.”
In terms of his company’s future in the upcoming year and a half, Hallowell sees growth in wholesale distribution. Four new products are in the pipeline and will generate even more interest, he said.
In terms of the future of the industry as a whole, Hallowell is optimistic and sees a full recovery by the second quarter.
“We’re seeing everything coming back,” he said.
The key is getting consumers to understand and realize the immense benefits of the technology.
The company’s goal is to offer people a new way of thinking when it comes to heating and cooling their homes. 
“Not only are our products energy efficient and eco-friendly, but they are easy to use, easy to install, easy to maintain, and affordable,” he said.
Even the military has taken note of the Acadia and is installing more than 2,000 systems in military housing at the McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey.
As more people become educated about the benefits of the Acadia-improved heat pump technology, demand will rise and Hallowell‘s business could grow at an even faster clip, he said. 
One recent day as Hallowell sat in his office, he commented on his busy day that included 75 orders coming in simultaneously.
“It’s a great problem to have,” Hallowell said about moving to get the orders filled quickly.