Choosing a Heat Pump for Planet and Pension

Hope Ryckman, Qualicum Beach, British Columbia (2nd Prize Winner: Our Homes)

At 76, living in Qualicum Beach, Hope Ryckman made a decision that required real resolve. A retired widow on a very low income, she chose to install a heat pump in her detached home, even though it meant taking on debt. She shares her home with two cats and two rabbits and is clear about one thing: protecting the planet is her responsibility.

Hope won 2nd Prize in the “Our Homes” category of the 2025 Live Net Zero Household Challenge for showing that climate leadership is not defined by age, income or household size. Her entry clearly outlined her action and motivation, demonstrating that meaningful home energy upgrades are possible even in tight financial circumstances.

Before proceeding, Hope researched how heat pumps work. She learned that they provide both heating and cooling, are highly efficient and can play a significant role in lowering emissions. 

“These units reduce greenhouse gas emissions and operate three times more efficiently than electric heating systems,” she explains. “I enjoy that the heat pumps extract heat from the outside air in the winter and bring it into the house for warmth, then reverse the process in the summer. How clever. Now that to me is recycling at its finest.”

When a local company offered a financing option, Hope decided to move forward with the big purchase, knowing that repayment would take time but believing the long-term environmental benefits made it worthwhile.

For Hope, entering the Household Challenge was about speaking up about her “leap of faith” regarding heat pumps. She wanted others to see that climate action is not limited to large households or high incomes. It’s about care, intention and doing what you can in your specific circumstances.