On three or four occasions I have used equest to compare traditional,
small split systems (three to five ton) to a water source heat pump
system in the same building. The WSHP system uses a cooling tower and a
small boiler.

I tried to make everything else identical by creating the first model
and saving a copy of that model and changing the HVAC type from split
system to WSHP.

On every occasion, split systems end up using significantly less energy
than water source heat pumps systems.

The WSHPs are typically 16 SEER, the Splits 13 SEER.

I know there is additional energy associated with pumps and cooling
towers. Is this a typical result?

It seems I've heard a lot of high about the efficiency of water source
heat pumps.

Thanks,

Chris Mullinax, P.E. LEED AP