We need all types of heat pumps to decarbonise UK homes, says Paul Smith, MD for NIBE.
“With heat pump installations considerably short of the levels to meet government targets, despite the growth in the market, it’s time we took a broader view of what types of technology are included in the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). The focus to-date has been squarely on Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) – recent figures from MCS show that of the 45,932 heat pumps installed under BUS up until the end of June this year, 44,241 of them were ASHPs.
“ASHPs are undoubtedly a great solution for many properties, but not the answer for all. For densely populated urban locations, we need to consider some alternative options. Exhaust Air Heat Pumps (EAHPs) should also be included under BUS.
“Awareness of EAHPs is low in the UK and as such they are being left out of industry conversations. In urban dwellings, however, including flats, apartments and small new-builds, EAHPs should be front and centre and are tried and tested in Sweden, and other European markets, where they have been commonplace for over 40 years.
“EAHPs deliver energy efficient renewable heating by utilising extracted air from inside a building, while also providing ventilation which is particularly useful in high rises (and passive houses). Unlike ASHPs, there is no outside unit – perfect where space is a premium.
“At the moment, we see EAHPs largely being installed by housing developers, but there is no reason why individual homeowners and landlords shouldn’t be able to access this technology in suitable properties. What’s missing is the same financial incentive afforded to ASHPs and Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs).
“With EAHPs well-suited to environments with the highest populations, they have the potential to make a big difference. We see EAHPs as being extremely important to the UK’s decarbonisation aims and I call on the powers that be to review BUS and make it more inclusive and accessible to a wider number of people.”
