Since launching the ‘Visit a Heat Pump’ platform to the public this April, around 350 hosts across the UK have opened their homes to people interested in using heat pumps.
Installers are now being called upon to help take the initiative to the next level, while using the platform to generate leads for their businesses.
Through the platform, anyone considering renewables can find a host and visit their house to see a heat pump in a real world setting. They can search for homes similar to theirs and ask the homeowner all about their experiences of a heat pump, from cost and installation to day-to-day management.
Katy King, Nesta’s deputy director for sustainable future mission, said: “Transitioning to renewables is going to be essential for our net zero goals, and while you can easily see solar panels, many people have never seen a heat pump. That was the inspiration for this service.
“We wanted to make it as open as possible so people can share real experiences. The hosts who join are often frustrated with negative coverage and want to myth bust. The platform already represents a variety of homeowner circumstances, including new and old heat pumps, complete renovations and heat pumps on their own or combined with other technology.
“There are all makes and models of heat pumps to visit. Hosts are honest about any challenges they faced, such as any issues during installation, finding someone to do the servicing, how much they pay for their energy bills and so on. They are giving a realistic picture, and people really value that real experience.”
The opportunity for installers
While the platform is being developed and rolled out further, Nesta is seeking help from installers to take it to the next level so it becomes a self-sustaining service for the future.
Katy added: “We’re really looking for installation companies who would like to partner with us on this for the long-term. Installers might find it useful for recommending to any customers who are considering a heat pump and would like to see one in situ.
“We have a few installers using it a lot and they think it’s a great way to keep customers excited about their install while they’re waiting for the work to take place.
“We’re currently attracting hosts through advertising, but going forward, this will work best if installers promote it to their customers because they have constant access to people who have had heat pumps installed.
“In turn, hosts can include the name of their installer on the platform, which could generate leads for those businesses. We’re also looking to add features such as installer web pages on the site.
“The platform is incredibly easy to use and the hosts don’t need to be experts. We’d love to get more coverage across the UK, and are aiming for 1,000 visits in the next few months. Long-term, we’ll be developing a way to evaluate the service for impact and build partnerships to support future delivery and growth.”
The call for installers therefore is:
- Share it with your prospective customers so they can see a heat pump in action
- Share it with anyone in your pipeline to help keep them interested while waiting for the work to take place
- Contact Nesta if you’re interested in forming a partnership with the Visit a Heat Pump platform.
A view from a host – heat pumps do work
Eleanor van Heyningen was one of the first hosts to join the scheme and has so far opened her five- bedroom, three-storey, Victorian terraced home in South London to around 18 people. Visitors come in small groups at a time to suit the host.
The family had a 8.5 KW Mitsubishi air source heat pump installed around two years ago as part of a wider retrofit project, which included new windows, insulation, new radiators and a mechanical ventilation heat recovery system.
Eleanor said: “We had lived in the house for 15 years and were at a point where we were looking at either moving or investing in the property to make it more sustainable and to work better for us. We wanted to improve the way we were living.
“We don’t even think about it now. It’s very efficient and keeps us warm when we need to be. Overall, with all the improvements we have made, we definitely have a more comfortable living environment. There are no hot and cold spots throughout the house.
“The heat pump is inside a specially-made unit in the garden so it’s kind of camouflaged.
“We had an initial test visit with Nesta and have hosted three or four small group visits since then. Visitors have had lots of questions and there’s always good discussion between them about their situations as well. People are really interested in the size of the heat pump and the noise. They’re always surprised that it’s not actually noisy.
“The other thing I think is really important is to show them the other equipment that goes with the heat pump and how much space they need. For example you still need a water tank.
“There has been a lot of negative coverage about heat pumps, so I think this scheme is a good opportunity to counter that very simplistic view. Every home will be different, but, certainly, the idea that heat pumps don’t work and don’t keep you warm is not the case.”
Image credit: Nesta
