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GREE EXTRÊME R32 and SHARP CHU R32, head to head at −30 °C
Two 12,000 BTU R-32 wall units, ENERGY STAR cold climate certified and offered by AirGreen. Their certificates share a rare point: the coldest one, −30 °C. This page reads them at that point, from the same source, then at the three other test temperatures.
EXTRÊME R32 12,000 BTU
GWH12AVDXE-D6DN***/I / GWH12AVDXE-D6DNA1B/O · AHRI 215386290
Also sold under the name GREE AIRY R32 (same AHRI certificate). GREE SAPPHIRE R32 and KINGHOME AIRY R32: same AHRI and NEEP certified values.
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What the electricity costs, in dollars, winter and summer
AirGreen estimate for the same 12,000 BTU/h zone in Montréal, at Hydro-Québec’s Rate D, taxes included. Both heat pumps are calculated in exactly the same way, with the same method as on all our comparison pages; only their certified efficiencies change. Electric baseboards serve as the reference point.
How this amount is calculated
- Heat to deliver over the winter. A zone whose heat loss reaches 12,000 BTU/h ( kW) at −23.1 °C, Montréal’s design temperature: kW × 24 h × 4,167 degree-days ÷ (18 − (−23.1)) = kWh of heat for round-the-clock heating, all winter. Heating degree-days (base 18 °C) and design temperature: Natural Resources Canada, HOT2000 climate data, Montréal Intl station. With fewer hours per day (“Heating” slider), the heat is reduced in the same proportion, for the heat pump as for the baseboards: this simplification does not account for recovery after a temperature setback.
- Electricity for heating. Heat pump: heat × 3.412 ÷ HSPF2 Region V, the AHRI certificate value published by NEEP. Region V is the coldest in the standard, and its calculation includes the electric backup expected when the heat pump is no longer enough. Electric baseboards: 1 kWh of electricity for 1 kWh of heat.
- Electricity for cooling. 12,000 BTU/h ÷ SEER2 × hours per day × 60 days ÷ 1,000: the method of Hydro-Québec’s air-conditioning calculator, with the SEER2 seasonal efficiency from the AHRI certificate. The number of hours is a scenario you can set above, from 1 to 24 h. At 24 h, the calculation assumes rated capacity all day long: that is a ceiling, since a variable-speed unit slows down once the room is at temperature.
- Price. Hydro-Québec Rate D in effect April 1, 2026: 7.065¢ per kWh up to 40 kWh a day, 11.142¢ beyond; the average price, 9.104¢, is the one Hydro-Québec’s calculators use. GST and QST included. Network access charges, the same with or without a heat pump, are not counted.
AirGreen method v1.1, November 9, 2026. An estimate is used to compare units under the same conditions. The actual bill depends on the house, the insulation, the settings and the use; this amount is not a promise.
At −30 °C, both certificates read at the same point
Most duels stop at −15 °C: below that, each manufacturer has its unit certified at a different temperature. Here, GREE and SHARP both had their wall unit certified at −22 °F, i.e. −30 °C. The three cards read that point in three ways: heat delivered, electricity drawn, then the ratio between the two. The three other buttons repeat the same face-off at milder temperatures.
Between −15 and −30 °C: what each manufacturer publishes
Both ends are certified: −15 °C and −30 °C. In between, SHARP publishes three maximum capacities in BTU/h; GREE publishes a percentage curve, without saying which capacity it starts from. The table keeps each piece of information as the manufacturer gives it.
Winter on one side, summer on the other: the order is not the same
A test point says what the unit does at one temperature. Seasonal ratings sum up months of operation. The four values below come from the AHRI certificates, as carried by NEEP.
HSPF2, Region V
Heating over a season, cold climate. This is the rating used in the estimated cost above.
HSPF2, Region IV
Heating over a season, temperate climate: the value most often printed in brochures.
SEER2
Cooling over a season, at part load most of the time.
EER2
Cooling at a single point: 35 °C outdoors.
Bars to scale on each card. The GREE Canada brochure (document 032025) prints a SEER2 of 28.0 for the 12,000 BTU; the AHRI certificate, as carried by NEEP, shows 29.5. When a source contradicts the certificate, the certificate prevails.
What each manufacturer writes, card by card
Sources: GREE Canada EXTRÊME R32 brochure (document 032025) and GREE Airy Inverter R32 service manual, which covers the same model numbers; SHARP “CHU/CU Series” catalogue (version MNSPLT-CHUCU 1.1.1) and SHARP submittal sheet AE-X12CHU_AY-XP12CHU-EN1 (January 2026). Each card repeats what the manufacturer writes, without ranking it.
EXTRÊME R32: heating published down to −30 °C; 72 W base pan heater, on below 1 °C outdoors or during defrost (declared by GREE to NEEP).
CHU: heating published down to −30 °C (“High efficiency operation down to −22 °F”); the submittal sheet lists −30 °C as the heating thermal lock-out temperature.
EXTRÊME R32: down to −29 °C outdoors.
CHU: down to −10 °C outdoors.
EXTRÊME R32: automatic defrost (service manual).
CHU: reverse-cycle defrost; “Hot Gas Pipe” against ice at the base of the outdoor unit.
EXTRÊME R32: “G-AI Learning”.
CHU: Full Power, Eco, 50 °F (10 °C) function, After Care, OD Silent.
EXTRÊME R32: YBE1FB1F remote; optional XE-71 wired thermostat.
CHU: remote control; the “Spot Air” zone is selected from it.
EXTRÊME R32: “Wi-Fi connectivity”; app not named in the brochure.
CHU: built-in Wi-Fi adapter (submittal sheet); SHARP AIR app.
EXTRÊME R32: vertical and horizontal louver swing; “precise airflow control”.
CHU: automatic louvers in four directions; “Coanda Airflow” up to 50 ft; “Spot Air” over six zones; “Multi Space”.
EXTRÊME R32: not stated in the manufacturer documents consulted.
CHU: motion sensor, specific to the CHU series.
EXTRÊME R32: “low-voltage start”; restart with the last settings after a power failure (service manual).
CHU: automatic restart; 24-hour timer and 1, 2, 3 or 5 h off timer.
EXTRÊME R32: washable dust filters; fins with anti-corrosion coating.
CHU: filter removable without disassembly; “After Care” dries the inside of the unit after cooling.
EXTRÊME R32: “multi-speed fan”; eight published sound levels, unnamed.
CHU: five published speeds (airflow and sound), unnamed in the sheet.
EXTRÊME R32: “G10 Inverter”; two-stage variable-speed compressor.
CHU: single rotary compressor (“Single Rotary” in the submittal sheet).
“Not stated” means the documents consulted are silent on this point, not that the feature is absent.
More recent English versions of the GREE brochure mention “G20 Inverter”; the French version issued by GREE Canada says “G10”. This page follows the French version.
The sound of each, according to its manufacturer
GREE publishes eight levels for the EXTRÊME R32, SHARP five for the CHU. Neither names its speeds. Both give a sound pressure in dB(A).
How to read these figures. dB(A) measures a noise level as the ear perceives it: the lower the figure, the quieter the unit. Each dot is a fan speed published by the manufacturer, from the slowest to the fastest.
Why this is not a ranking. Neither GREE nor SHARP publishes the distance or the measurement conditions. A gap of a few dB(A) can come from the method as much as from the unit.
Indoor unit, in the room
Cooling, every published speed
Outdoor unit, outside
Cooling, published value
Measurements taken by each manufacturer using its own method: read them separately, not as a ranking.
Sources: GREE Canada EXTRÊME R32 brochure (document 032025) and GREE Airy Inverter R32 service manual; SHARP submittal sheet AE-X12CHU_AY-XP12CHU-EN1. In heating: 32 to 45 dB(A) for the EXTRÊME R32 per the service manual, 22 to 44 dB(A) for the SHARP CHU.
On the wall, outside, in the piping
The SHARP CHU's wall unit is 82 mm wider; the EXTRÊME R32's is 31 mm taller. Outside, the SHARP CHU's unit weighs 5.5 kg less. For piping, GREE publishes two different maximums depending on the document: the slider shows both.
Is your wall wide enough?
Unit width only, to scale. The side clearances required by the installation manual are added to it; the installer confirms them on site.
Outdoor unit clearances
EXTRÊME R32
The GREE R32 outdoor unit owner's manual (X40270A_2, p. 8) gives clearances of 30 to 200 cm depending on the side, in a figure. The side for each value is read on the figure; the installer confirms it on site.
CHU
The SHARP catalogue and submittal sheet give no clearance figure for the AE-X12CHU outdoor unit; they are found in the installation manual supplied with the unit, which the installer applies on site.
Indoor units to scale
Published widths: 970 mm for the EXTRÊME R32, 1,052 mm for the SHARP CHU. Manufacturer photos, brought to the same scale.
Piping length
Coloured band: pre-charged length. Dark line: published maximum. Dotted line (EXTRÊME R32): the 65.6 ft of the GREE service manual, below the brochure's 131.2 ft. Added charge per the manufacturers: 0.2 oz/ft (GREE) and 0.16 oz/ft (SHARP); the exact quantity is calculated at installation.
| Installation | EXTRÊME R32 | CHU |
|---|---|---|
| Max. piping length | 131.2 ft40 m, per the EXTRÊME R32 brochure. The GREE Airy Inverter R32 service manual gives 65.6 ft for the 12,000 BTU: to be confirmed at the quote. | 66 ft20 m; minimum 10 ft |
| Pre-charged length | 24.6 ftGREE AIRY R32 brochure and service manual; 0.2 oz/ft added beyond. The EXTRÊME R32 brochure does not give it. | 25 ftAdded charge: 0.16 oz/ft (15 g/m) beyond 25 ft, per the SHARP submittal sheet. |
| Max. height difference | 82 ft25 m, per the EXTRÊME R32 brochure. Service manual: 32.8 ft. | 33 ft10 m |
| Liquid – gas diameters | 1/4 – 1/2 in | 1/4 – 3/8 in |
| Outdoor unit W × H × D, weight | 34 3/8 × 21 27/32 × 14 51/64 in, 78.3 lb873 × 555 × 376 mm, 35.5 kg | 30.7 × 21.3 × 10.6 in, 67 lb780 × 540 × 269 mm, 30 kg |
| Indoor unit, weight | 38 3/16 × 13 21/32 × 10 1/8 in, 33.1 lb970 × 347 × 257 mm, 15 kg | 41.4 × 12.4 × 9.8 in, 31 lb1,052 × 316 × 249 mm, 14 kg |
| Electrical protectionPer the manufacturer | MOP 15 A (MCA 11 A)GREE Canada brochure, document 032025. | 20 A maximum fuse (15 A breaker, MCA 15.0 A)SHARP submittal sheet. |
| Dehumidification | 1.4 L/h2.96 US pints/h per the brochure. | 0.9 L/h1.9 US pints/h per the submittal sheet, i.e. 0.9 L/h. |
| Published heating / cooling range | −30 to 30 °C / −29 to 50 °C | −30 to 24 °C / −10 to 46 °C |
What people ask about these two wall units
Why can these two units be compared at −30 °C?
Because both manufacturers had their wall unit certified at the same temperature, −22 °F (−30 °C), and NEEP publishes both results under the same conditions, with 21.1 °C indoors. This is uncommon: many units have their last point at −20, −25 or −26 °C.
Which one heats more at −30 °C?
According to NEEP, 9,700 BTU/h maximum for the SHARP CHU and 8,500 BTU/h for the EXTRÊME R32, with COPs of 1.80 and 1.75. The gap is 1,200 BTU/h.
And at −15 °C?
16,000 BTU/h maximum for the SHARP CHU (COP 2.10) and 12,200 BTU/h for the EXTRÊME R32 (COP 2.00), according to NEEP.
What happens below −30 °C?
Neither manufacturer publishes a capacity below −30 °C. The GREE Canada brochure ends its heating range at −30 °C. The SHARP submittal sheet lists −30 °C on the “Heating Thermal Lock-out / Re-start Temperatures” line.
The GREE brochure shows a SEER2 of 28.0, the page 29.5: why?
AHRI certificate 215386290, as carried by NEEP and the ENERGY STAR directory, shows 29.5. The GREE Canada brochure (document 032025) prints 28.0. When a source contradicts the certificate, this page uses the certificate and says so.
Which one is quieter?
In cooling, GREE publishes 19 to 43 dB(A) for the EXTRÊME R32 and SHARP 24 to 43 dB(A) for the CHU. Neither publishes its measurement conditions: these figures situate each unit; they do not allow a ranking.
Does the EXTRÊME R32 go by other names?
Yes. It is also sold under the name GREE AIRY R32, with the same AHRI certificate. The GREE SAPPHIRE R32 and KINGHOME AIRY R32 show the same AHRI and NEEP certified values. The SHARP CHU also exists with a black wall unit, the CHU-B, under a separate AHRI certificate (217512733).
Are they eligible for grants?
Eligibility depends on the official list in force on the purchase date. This page promises no amount; the current list is checked at the time of the quote.
All AHRI and NEEP values
| Certified value | EXTRÊME R32 | CHU |
|---|---|---|
| Cooling | ||
| Rated capacity at 35 °C | 12,000 BTU/h | 12,000 BTU/h |
| SEER2 | 29.5 | 25.0 |
| EER2 | 15.2 | 16.0 |
| Heating, same conditions | ||
| HSPF2 Region IV / V | 10.0 / 8.0 | 11.0 / 9.0 |
| 8.3 °C: min. / rated / max.BTU/h | 3,270 / 12,200 / 16,200 | 3,100 / 16,000 / 22,850 |
| 8.3 °C: COP min. / rated / max. | 5.04 / 4.53 / 3.77 | 5.68 / 4.26 / 3.17 |
| −8.3 °C: min. / rated / max.BTU/h | 2,800 / 13,000 / 13,000 | 5,000 / 18,900 / 18,900 |
| −8.3 °C: COP min. / rated / max. | 4.32 / 2.06 / 2.06 | 2.93 / 2.22 / 2.22 |
| −15 °C: min. / rated / max.BTU/h | 2,600 / 12,200 / 12,200 | 3,850 / 16,000 / 16,000 |
| −15 °C: COP min. / rated / max. | 4.23 / 2.00 / 2.00 | 2.35 / 2.10 / 2.10 |
| Coldest point, same temperature for both | ||
| Test temperature | −30 °C (−22 °F) | −30 °C (−22 °F) |
| Capacity min. / max. | 2,600 / 8,500 BTU/h | 1,350 / 9,700 BTU/h |
| COP at maximum capacity | 1.75 | 1.80 |
| Certifications and refrigerant | ||
| ENERGY STAR / cold climate (NEEP) | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes |
| ENERGY STAR directory, listed markets | United StatesID 3621214 | United States, CanadaID 4439337 |
| AHRI certificate · NEEP record | 215386290 · 389444 | 217512736 · 507383 |
| RefrigerantGWP per the IPCC (AR4); ASHRAE 34 class | R-32 · GWP 675 · A2L | R-32 · GWP 675 · A2L |
higher marks the higher value of the same measure, under the same conditions. It is not a recommendation. The four heating temperatures are the same for both units, including the coldest. Capacities and COPs by point are not highlighted here: they read side by side in the “Head to head” section.
Both are on the AirGreen website.
To choose for your room, talk to our team: bring the room dimensions, the planned outdoor location and your current heating.
Where each figure comes from
Data verified November 10, 2026. Performance: AHRI certificates and the NEEP database. Dimensions, sound, piping and features: according to the manufacturer. When a source contradicts the AHRI certificate, the certificate prevails.
Trademarks. GREE, EXTRÊME and SHARP are trademarks of their respective owners. Logos are used only to identify the products compared. AirGreen is a dealer for both brands; this page is not produced, sponsored or endorsed by the manufacturers.
Photos: AirGreen and manufacturers, for identification.
Does a figure look wrong to you? Write to us: any reported value is checked again.