Heating Appliances Retrofit Planning

2026-07-22

Consumers do not think about heating until their system breaks down. When it does, the replacement is always an urgent process, hindering the possibility to look for the best solutions in the market and making smarter choices regarding a heating system that will likely be in operation for the next 20 years. In Europe, there are more than 300 million heaters (space, water or combi) that have, on average, been installed more than 20 years ago. Considering the heating energy label framework, market assumptions are that more than 50% of these equipments perform as C or lower. Old and inefficient, this is the status of the installed heating stock. Now is the time to act and raise consumers’ awareness about the opportunities of a planned replacement. Taking advantage of the energy label for space and water heating, we can mainstream the labelling concept to the installed heating stock, allowing to use a well-known support decision tool to communicate and motivate the consumer to replace its heating system with modern high-efficiency and renewable solutions. HARP accompanies the consumer decision process, providing an impartial message, based on the energy label and presenting the market solutions that respond to the consumer’s heating needs, providing a quantified approach for economic and non-economic benefits and bridging the gap with the market providers and available national incentives. HARP is promoted by key knowledgeable partners in the fields of consumer behaviour, energy efficiency, heating solutions and business models, working directly with the consumer, or indirectly via professionals who are critical multiplying agents. Promoting dynamic efficient heating communities, where all the agents, from the supply to the demand side are committed to an efficient heating market, supporting the consumer to make smarter choices. This allows HARP to build a solid concept that will succeed in the participating countries and within the EU reach.

Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Germany, France

2026-02-01