Ice Air announced on July 7, 2026 the launch of the iCool XC Type C, a new wall-mounted form factor within its iCool XC heat pump line engineered to deliver reliable heating performance in outdoor temperatures below 0°F. The addition targets commercial and multifamily projects in cold climates where space, design, or installation constraints have historically limited electrification options.
What the iCool XC Type C Adds to the Product Line
The iCool XC Type C joins Ice Air's existing iCool XC platform, marketed under the tagline "All Electric, All Climate Comfort." Unlike the line's original Style A and Style B configurations, the Type C is designed specifically for wall mounting and includes an available outside air option, giving specifiers and contractors a compact alternative for buildings where floor space, sightlines, or structural limitations rule out a larger packaged unit. Ice Air positions the product as filling a gap for projects that need all-electric heating and cooling but cannot accommodate the footprint of a standard rooftop or through-the-wall packaged system.
Cold-Climate Performance Behind the iCool XC Type C
The base iCool XC platform the Type C builds on is certified by the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships as a cold-climate air-source heat pump, with partial cold-climate operation down to 23°F and supplemental electric heat engaging below that point. Published performance data for the platform's RSXC09-DH model shows a coefficient of performance of 2.44 at 22°F, 2.00 at 13°F, 1.79 at 5°F, and 1.56 at 0°F, with heating capacity holding at 5,300 Btu/h plus 3,400 watts of electric heat at the coldest rated condition. The base unit carries a SEER2 rating of 16.4 and an HSPF2 rating of 8.2, and runs on R-32 refrigerant, which Ice Air markets as offering up to 25% greater efficiency than the systems it typically replaces.
Compact Design Intended for Constrained Spaces
The standard iCool XC chassis measures roughly 45.63 inches wide by 7.75 inches deep by 21.75 inches tall and weighs about 84 pounds, requiring only two 8-inch-diameter wall openings for air inlet and exhaust. Ice Air builds the enclosure from steel with a baked powder-coat finish rather than plastic, a design choice the company markets as supporting both durability and a more finished appearance in occupied spaces such as hotel rooms, apartments, and offices where the unit is visible rather than hidden in a mechanical room.
Ice Air Executives on the iCool XC Type C Launch
"The iCool XC Type C gives the market another option within the iCool XC family for projects that require high-performance heating in extreme winter conditions," said Ric Nadel, CEO of Ice Air. Nadel added that the new form factor "gives design teams more flexibility to electrify buildings without compromising comfort, reliability, or usable space," framing the launch as a direct response to specifiers who have flagged installation footprint as a barrier to choosing heat pumps over conventional systems in space-limited buildings.
Part of a Wider Electrified Product Family
Ice Air markets the iCool XC line, including the new Type C, as part of a broader Electrified Product Family that also includes the company's SPXC, RSXC, and VSHPGE series along with its HPWH heat pump water heaters. The base iCool XC ships standard with Ice Air's Habitat Wireless Thermostat, which offers heat, cool, dehumidify, and fan modes along with a 24-hour programmable timer and compatibility with Nexus Home Automation Products, giving building owners smart-home-style control without running new low-voltage wiring through finished walls.
Incentives and Code Alignment Behind the Push to Electrify
Ice Air says the iCool XC platform's efficiency profile qualifies it for a range of state, federal, and local rebates and tax credits, typically administered through utility incentive programs, and that its all-electric operation supports compliance with building performance standards such as New York City's Local Law 97, which caps emissions from large buildings and increasingly pushes owners toward electrified heating and cooling equipment. That code and incentive backdrop is part of what has made cold-climate performance, rather than efficiency alone, the more pressing engineering problem for manufacturers competing for spec in northern markets.
Why the iCool XC Type C Matters to the HVAC Industry
The launch reflects a broader manufacturer push to close the remaining performance and installation gaps that have slowed heat pump adoption in cold-climate markets, even as electrification policy and utility incentive programs continue to push building owners toward all-electric heating. Distributors and contractors serving multifamily and commercial customers in the Northeast and Upper Midwest are the most likely early adopters, since those markets combine sub-zero design temperatures with the tight mechanical rooms and retrofit constraints the Type C was designed to address.
