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[TECHNOLOGY] · United Kingdom · 3 sources

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Part of situation: UK heat pump industry development (2 clusters)

UK heat pump industry issues guidance to combat insulation failures

heat pump insulation air source heat pumps thermal efficiency decarbonisation Proof is on the Roof campaign

Industry groups in the UK are raising concerns regarding the efficiency of heat pump installations, specifically focusing on the degradation of external pipe insulation. Experts warn that standard black elastomeric foam can break down under UV exposure from sunlight, leading to significant energy losses and increased running costs for consumers.

To address these issues, the Heat Pump Association UK (HPA UK) has released new technical guidance for installers. This document, endorsed by MCS, provides best practices for insulating external hydraulic pipework to reduce heat loss. The guidance comes in response to data showing that non-compliant external pipework insulation is the most frequent non-conformity identified during MCS audits.

The 'Proof is on the Roof' campaign, launched by energy assessor Lawrence Leask and the Thermal Insulation Contractors Association, seeks to increase awareness of proper insulation selection. Advocates suggest that the energy wasted through incorrectly specified thermal insulation is comparable to the output of a large power station.

Entities

Heat Pump Association UK · Institute of Refrigeration · Lawrence Leask · MCS

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

  • [○ 1 SOURCE] Non-compliant external pipework insulation is the most common non-conformity found during MCS audits. phpionline.co.uk
  • [○ 1 SOURCE] The 'Proof is on the Roof' campaign aims to raise awareness about selecting correct heat-pump insulation. www.thecooldown.com
  • [○ 1 SOURCE] Energy losses from incorrectly specified and installed thermal insulation are equivalent to those of a large power station. www.thecooldown.com
  • [○ 1 SOURCE] The Heat Pump Association UK launched new guidance for installers regarding the insulation of external hydraulic pipework. phpionline.co.uk
  • [○ 1 SOURCE] Air source heat pumps can achieve coefficients of performance between three and four. bsee.co.uk
  • [○ 1 SOURCE] Standard black elastomeric foam can break down quickly when exposed to sunlight on exterior pipework. www.thecooldown.com

Sources

New HPA UK guidance for installers: Insulating external pipework for air-water heat pumps [phpionline.co.uk]
Heat pumps: one element of sustainable hot water [bsee.co.uk]
In the UK, heat pump pipe foam can fail in sunlight, and industry groups want a crackdown [www.thecooldown.com]