Heat pump adoption has been slow in the UK - but one agency hopes to change that by letting people see what its like to live with a heat pump
John, a heat pump owner who has signed up to the scheme, with his heat pump system(Image credit: Nesta)
A new scheme allowing people to view a heat pump in a home near them has been launched by Nesta, an innovation agency.
Nesta has introduced the service to help people learn about ground and air source heat pumps in a real home and learn more about what it’s like to have one from current owners.
Heat pumps move heat from one place to another using a compressor and a circulating structure of liquid or gas refrigerant to extract heat from outside sources and pump it indoors using electricity.
What is the ‘visit a heat pump scheme’?
Anyone thinking of installing an air source heat pump can sign up for the scheme, which was set up because heat pumps are relatively rare in residential properties in the UK – there are only around 250,000 currently.
This means that the vast majority of people will never knowingly have seen a home with a heat pump.
John Condon and Michael Davies, who live in a two-bedroom Victorian terraced home in East London, have signed up as hosts in the hope of demystifying the process for those interested in installing their own.
John said: “We would have loved to have visited a heat pump before we installed it. You need to think about where the equipment goes and if you can do that beforehand and see other people's solutions, that would have helped our process.”
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Why has the scheme been introduced?
A Nesta spokesperson said: “Most people in the UK have never seen a heat pump. For those considering one, it’s difficult to find out how it might work in their home.
“We think that if people are able to see heat pumps in real life then they will become more confident in the technology and more likely to take the next steps towards getting one.”
Many people in the UK are unaware of heat pumps and what is is like to live with a heat pump, which is why the visit a heat pump scheme has been introduced(Image credit: Viessmann)
How can I take part in the ‘visit a heat pump scheme’?
VisitAHeatPump.com is a new online platform that helps householders to book visits in their local areas where heat pumps are already in use.
Users can search via their postcode on the website, find nearby owners and book a visit to see a heat pump in person.
A total of 150 heat pump owners have already signed up across the UK, from Falkirk to Bristol, London and central Scotland are both leading the way with the most heat pump hosts, while East Anglia is becoming a heat pump hot spot with 11 hosts already advertising visits.
Sam is based in Coventry and has been a news reporter for nearly 20 years. His work has featured in the Mirror, The Sun, MailOnline, the Independent, and news outlets throughout the world. As a copywriter, he has written for clients as diverse as Saint-Gobain, Michelin, Halfords Autocentre, Great British Heating, and Irwin Industrial Tools. During the pandemic, he converted a van into a mini-camper and is currently planning to convert his shed into an office and Star Wars shrine.
