Midea EVOX G³ for Older Multifamily Retrofits: A Chicago Case Study

This is a sponsored case study from Midea about a heat pump product used in an older apartment retrofit in Lansing, Illinois — worth reading with that in mind, since the details come from the manufacturer's own marketing video and interviews.

An owner of a six-building, 144-unit complex built in the 1960s needed to replace failing gas furnaces without upgrading electrical panels, opening walls, or tearing out old ductwork. He chose Midea's EVOX G³, a ducted heat pump (a system that heats and cools by moving heat rather than burning fuel) small enough to fit narrow mechanical closets. According to the installer and owner, the units went into the existing footprint, reused the old ductwork, and connected to standard thermostat wiring without new electrical work. Midea's own spec sheet lists cooling and heating efficiency ratings (SEER2 up to 19.0, HSPF2-4 up to 10.8) and says the system keeps full heating output down to -13°F. Residents reported more even heat and less noise afterward.

For your own home, the useful takeaway isn't the specific product but the pattern it points to: older buildings with tight mechanical spaces, older wiring, and usable ductwork are not automatically stuck with gas heat. Heat pump options exist that can work within those constraints. But Midea's own material is careful to note that electrical needs, duct compatibility, and eligibility for any tax credits or rebates vary by project and current program rules, so those specifics would need to be checked for your particular house rather than assumed from this one case.