Heat pumps will play a major role for the EU energy transition. European funding will support their rollout. The performance assessment of heat pumps should reflect the real impact on energy efficiency and climate change, be transparent, harmonised in order to create an EU level playing and to avoid the fragmentation of the EU heat pump market. Having a common method, with reliable results, is in the interest of industrials, professionals, building owners and consumers.

The assessment must take into account the heat pump product characteristics (data supplied by manufacturers) and the heating system running conditions (e.g. sizing, temperature conditions). It must be accurate, reliable and easy to realise. The European standard EN15316-4-2 “Heat pump systems” is used to calculate the energy performance of heat pumps in the context of the Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD). This standard is being revised.

To be able to do the revision in short time, it was decided to establish a task group under the lead of CEN TC228 « Heating systems in buildings ».  Johann Zirngibl, convenor of CEN TC228/WG4, invited experts from:

•    the product side (CEN TC 113 « Heat pumps and air conditioning units », industrial );

•    the heating system side (CEN TC228 « Heating systems in buildings » );

•    the cooling side (CEN TC 156 « Ventilation for building »);

•    other key stakeholder (national experts, consumer and professional organisations, energy suppliers, etc);

to the kick-off meeting which was held the 15th of January 2024 in the AFNOR premises in Paris. Around 30 experts from 14 European Countries followed the invitation.

REHVA members Catalin Lungu (REHVA president), Jarek Kurnitski (Chair of REHVA Technology and Research Committee TRC) and Jaap Hogeling (Editor in Chief REHVA journal) attended the meeting. In addition to their own professional experience, they brought in also the REHVA expertise and views.