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Technical
With the new Heat and Buildings Strategy encouraging the use of heat pumps - now is a good time to revisit the IOR paper "Why don't people install heat pumps?" available free here to download.
This paper considers why the annual UK installation rate of heat pumps is relatively low in comparison to other countries and questions the source of 'green' electricity required for a large heat pump fleet.
It covers electrically driven vapour compression air source heat pumps (ASHPs) for domestic and light commercial building sectors, providing on-gas grid and off-gas grid locations are considered, for:
- domestic hot water (DHW) plus space heating via low pressure hot water (LPHW)
- domestic hot water (DHW) plus space heating via warm air
This paper focuses on ASHPs, and doesn't include direct heat pump systems, because the number of heat pumps required to replace natural gas boilers and satisfy UK carbon reduction targets is not possible with ground source technology.
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About the IOR
23 Apr 2026
The Institute of Refrigeration is the professional engineering body for all individuals working in RACHP. Find out more about the IOR here.
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What we do
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Find out what the IOR can do for you: technical queries, safety codes of practice, new technologies and professional development.
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23 Apr 2026
When you become a member of the Institute of Refrigeration you are joining a group of specialist experts driving the sector forward.
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DWP Call for Evidence on Apprenticeships
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As part of the Milburn Review, the DWP is looking specifically at the barriers and additional costs SME employers face when recruiting, training and retaining younger apprentices aged under 25.
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