The H2020 HARP (Heating Appliances Retrofit Planning) project started its second awareness campaign on planned replacement in October 2021 by releasing its updated online tool which enables consumers in 5 EU countries to assess the energy efficiency of their installed heating appliance and supports them in finding a more efficient alternative.

The way we heat our homes in the EU today weighs heavily on the environment and our household budgets. Half of the installed heating appliances are old and inefficient, and with volatile EU gas prices currently soaring, the cost for households will be high. Unfortunately, this situation is set to continue as the yearly replacement rate for heating appliances lies at only 4%.

The updated version of the online tool released will enable consumers in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Portugal to find out where their installed heating appliance fits on the EU energy label. The aim of this assessment is to motivate consumers to look for a more efficient alternative, pushing for a higher rate of planned replacement of inefficient appliances. The tool also accompanies the consumers in the replacement process, providing:

• an overview of the different suitable alternatives and their benefits including cost savings;
• a list of installers that could help replace the user’s heater;
• an overview of the available incentives at national level.

Not all technologies are equally polluting, but most of the installed heaters are of the most polluting types. Among the 129 million boilers installed in the EU, more than 50% are inefficient, ranked in C or lower energy classes (75-82% efficiency).

The HARP online tool helps the consumer throughout the whole decision process from raising awareness to providing tailored practical assistance.

Inefficient heating systems have a huge impact on the EU’s energy consumption and CO₂ emissions considering that:

• 80% of energy in the households is used in heating and hot water.
• mainly due to the use of gas, oil, and coal boilers, 12% of total EU emissions come from heating buildings.
• boilers can last for over 15 years, and their replacement rate is very low (4% per year). It is likely that most consumers will find that their installed heater falls into C-class, or lower.
• even though the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling regulations for space and water heaters, in place since 2015, removed the worst performing products from the market, it is estimated that 50% of installed boilers are inefficient.

Notes:

To access the HARP online tool click here.

You can find more resources of the HARP project here.

You can support the dissemination campaign by sharing the materials used in social media.