Embodied Carbon in Heat Pump Systems

Embodied carbon describes the greenhouse gas emissions connected to the physical materials, production and life cycle of a heat pump system.

Embodied carbon in a heat pump environment is the sum of greenhouse gas emissions caused by extracting raw materials, manufacturing components, transporting equipment, installing the system, maintaining and replacing parts, and processing the system at the end of its life. It is normally expressed as kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent, or kg CO₂e. It generally excludes the electricity used to operate the heat pump, which is classified as operational carbon. At building level, European guidance separates operational emissions from embodied emissions related to products, transport, maintenance, replacement, demolition and waste treatment.

Embodied carbon assessment reveals environmental impacts that an energy label does not show. It helps planners compare heat pump systems on a consistent basis. It also helps manufacturers and building owners reduce material use, avoid unnecessary replacement and select lower-impact system configurations.

A heat pump can reduce operational emissions by replacing fossil-fuel heating. However, producing and installing the heat pump still creates emissions. In highly energy-efficient buildings, embodied emissions can represent a major part of whole-life greenhouse gas emissions because many of these emissions occur before or near the start of building operation.

Embodied carbon at a glance

• What is it? The non-operational greenhouse gas impact of producing, installing, maintaining and disposing of a heat pump system.
• What does it do? It measures hidden life-cycle emissions and identifies carbon hotspots.
• How is it assessed? Define the system boundary, collect material and environmental data, model each life-cycle stage and report the result in kg CO₂e.
• Why does it matter? It supports better system design, more comparable tenders, credible environmental claims and building-level whole-life carbon calculations.

Definition of embodied carbon in a heat pump environment

Embodied carbon is not a physical component inside a heat pump. It is an environmental performance indicator. The indicator converts different greenhouse gas emissions into a common unit called carbon dioxide equivalent.

The term “carbon” is therefore shorthand. The calculation may include carbon dioxide, methane, refrigerant gases and other greenhouse gases. Each gas is converted to CO₂e according to its global warming potential.

ISO 14067 provides principles and requirements for calculating a product carbon footprint. It treats climate change as one environmental impact category and follows the life-cycle principles established in ISO 14040 and ISO 14044.

What does the heat pump environment include?

In this guide, the heat pump environment means the complete physical system required to deliver heating, cooling or domestic hot water. It can include more than the heat pump appliance.

Depending on the project boundary, the assessment may include:

• Heat pump casing and structural frame
• Compressor, motor and inverter
• Evaporator and condenser
• Fans and circulation pumps
• Copper, steel, aluminium and plastic components
• Electrical controls and sensors
• Factory refrigerant charge
• Hydraulic pipework and fittings
• Buffer storage
• Domestic hot water cylinder
• Backup heating equipment
• Ground loops or boreholes
• Groundwater wells and pumps
• Air ducts or external air-source equipment
• Packaging
• Transport to the installation site
• Installation materials and site activities
• Replacement parts and replacement refrigerant
• Deinstallation and waste treatment

The system boundary must always be stated. A carbon figure for the heat pump appliance alone cannot be directly compared with a figure that includes storage, controls, boreholes and distribution equipment.

Embodied carbon and life-cycle stages

Heat pump embodied carbon can be divided into standard life-cycle stages. The exact reporting rules depend on the applicable assessment method, Product Category Rules, national methodology and project requirements.

Product stage: A1–A3

This stage covers raw material supply, transport to manufacturing facilities and manufacturing.

For a heat pump, it can include:

• Production of steel, copper and aluminium
• Production of plastics and insulation
• Semiconductor and electronic component production
• Refrigerant production
• Component manufacturing
• Assembly
• Factory energy use
• Manufacturing waste

A result limited to A1–A3 is often called a cradle-to-gate carbon footprint. It is not the complete embodied carbon of an installed system.

Construction stage: A4–A5

This stage covers transport to the site and installation.

It can include:

• Freight from the factory or warehouse
• Packaging
• Lifting equipment
• Installation energy
• Refrigerant added on site
• Hydraulic and electrical connections
• Drilling or excavation
• Installation waste
• Waste transport and treatment

A1–A5 is commonly described as upfront carbon. These emissions occur before the system begins normal operation.

Use-stage embodied carbon: B1–B5

This stage covers non-energy impacts during service.

It can include:

• Direct use-stage emissions
• Maintenance
• Repair
• Component replacement
• Refrigerant replacement
• System refurbishment
• Replacement of controls, pumps or storage equipment

Operational electricity is normally assigned to B6. It should not be added to embodied carbon when the assessment reports embodied and operational carbon separately.

End-of-life stage: C1–C4

This stage covers:

• Deinstallation
• Demolition or dismantling activities
• Transport to treatment facilities
• Refrigerant recovery
• Waste processing
• Recycling preparation
• Incineration
• Final disposal

Benefits beyond the system boundary: Module D

Module D can show potential benefits or loads beyond the assessed system boundary. Examples include recovered metals that replace primary metal production in a future product system.

Module D should normally be reported separately. It should not be automatically deducted from A–C results. Future recycling benefits depend on collection, processing and market conditions that may not occur exactly as assumed.

The boundary used in this guide

This page uses whole-life embodied carbon to mean:

• A1–A5
• Relevant non-energy emissions in B1–B5
• C1–C4

Module D is shown separately. Operational energy in B6 is excluded from the embodied-carbon total but remains essential when assessing the complete carbon footprint of a heat pump.

Special treatment of refrigerants

Refrigerant emissions require clear classification.

• Producing the initial refrigerant charge is an embodied impact.
• Producing replacement refrigerant is an embodied impact.
• Refrigerant released during operation is a direct use-stage greenhouse gas emission.
• Refrigerant released during deinstallation is an end-of-life emission.
• Successfully recovered refrigerant can reduce end-of-life releases.

Some frameworks group direct refrigerant leakage with non-operational or embodied emissions. Other frameworks disclose it as a separate direct use-stage category. The assessment should therefore report refrigerant emissions separately and identify the assigned life-cycle module.

Core purpose of embodied carbon assessment

The purpose of embodied carbon assessment is to measure the greenhouse gas consequences of physical system decisions. The result helps decision-makers see impacts that are otherwise hidden inside products and supply chains.

Measure material-related emissions

Definition. Material-related emissions come from extracting, processing and manufacturing the materials inside the heat pump system.

Purpose. The assessment connects each material quantity to an appropriate greenhouse gas emission factor.

Benefits. Engineers can identify which components or materials require the most attention.

Practical example. A design team may compare two heat exchanger configurations that provide the same thermal function but use different quantities of copper, aluminium and steel.

Identify carbon hotspots

Definition. A carbon hotspot is a component, material or process that makes a significant contribution to the result.

Purpose. Hotspot analysis directs improvement work towards the most influential sources.

Benefits. Manufacturers avoid spending resources on changes with little environmental effect.

Practical example. A product assessment may show that production, the refrigerant system, electronic components or replacement assumptions matter more than packaging.

Support comparable procurement

Definition. Comparable procurement uses the same function, boundary, life-cycle stages and data rules for every offer.

Purpose. It prevents suppliers from appearing better only because they report a smaller scope.

Benefits. Purchasers receive a more accurate comparison of complete installed systems.

Practical example. A tender can require every bidder to include the heat pump, controls, storage, source-side equipment, transport and defined replacement assumptions.

Improve system design

Definition. Carbon-informed design considers material demand and service life alongside thermal performance.

Purpose. It reduces unnecessary equipment while preserving comfort, safety and efficiency.

Benefits. The building may require fewer components, less installation work and fewer future replacements.

Practical example. Correct heat-load calculation may allow a smaller heat pump and smaller auxiliary equipment than an oversized design based on rough assumptions.

Provide evidence for environmental reporting

Definition. Environmental reporting communicates verified or traceable life-cycle information.

Purpose. It supports building assessments, public procurement, corporate reporting and customer communication.

Benefits. Claims become more transparent and less vulnerable to greenwashing concerns.

Practical example. A planner can transfer compatible product or system data into a building life-cycle assessment instead of relying entirely on conservative generic values.

Why embodied carbon is needed

Energy efficiency does not show manufacturing impact

The EU energy label for space heaters communicates energy efficiency and related product information. It does not provide a complete account of raw materials, manufacturing, transport, installation, maintenance and end-of-life emissions. An efficient heat pump can therefore have strong operational performance without having a documented embodied-carbon result.

Embodied carbon assessment fills this information gap. It should complement operational efficiency data rather than replace it.

Upfront emissions occur immediately

Operational emissions accumulate as the heat pump consumes electricity. Many embodied emissions occur before the equipment begins operating.

This timing matters. Emissions from raw material processing, component production and installation enter the atmosphere early. They cannot be removed later by improving the heat pump’s seasonal efficiency.

Product-only comparisons can hide system impacts

A heat pump does not operate as an isolated appliance. It requires source-side, hydraulic, electrical and control components.

A low product-stage figure may exclude:

• Ground-source boreholes
• Ground collectors
• Well systems
• Buffer storage
• Domestic hot water storage
• Backup heating
• External pumps
• Distribution modifications
• Installation materials
• Replacement components

A complete-system assessment prevents these impacts from being transferred outside the reported boundary.

Short service life can increase embodied carbon

A product with a low manufacturing footprint may not remain the lower-carbon option if it requires early replacement. The assessment must consider the reference study period and the expected service life of major components.

Repairability also matters. Replacing a pump, control board or compressor can create less embodied carbon than replacing the entire heat pump, provided repair is technically safe and economically reasonable.

Refrigerant impacts can be overlooked

A refrigerant creates different carbon impacts at different stages. These include production, servicing losses, replacement charge and end-of-life recovery.

A lower-global-warming-potential refrigerant can reduce the climate consequence of leakage. It does not automatically prove that the whole heat pump has lower embodied carbon. Material quantities, manufacturing, system design, charge size and service requirements must still be assessed.

EU Regulation 2024/573 establishes rules for the containment, use, recovery, recycling and destruction of fluorinated greenhouse gases. It also places obligations on training, certification, market access and reporting. These requirements support refrigerant management but do not replace a complete embodied-carbon assessment.

Regulation is moving towards whole-life carbon

The revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive introduces building-level life-cycle global warming potential reporting. Disclosure applies from January 2028 to new buildings with more than 1,000 m² of useful floor area and from January 2030 to all new buildings. EU countries must also prepare roadmaps for introducing limit values and targets.

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/52 establishes a common Union calculation framework while allowing national methods to reflect national conditions. It uses a fixed 50-year building reference period to support comparability.

These are building-level requirements. They do not create a universal rule that every heat pump must carry its own EPD. However, they increase demand for reliable data about technical building systems, including heat pumps.

Key features of a credible embodied-carbon assessment

A useful heat pump assessment requires more than one carbon number. It needs a transparent calculation structure.

The key features are:

1. A defined goal
2. A complete system boundary
3. A consistent functional unit
4. A stated reference study period
5. A detailed bill of materials
6. Appropriate environmental data
7. Separate life-cycle modules
8. Maintenance and replacement scenarios
9. Refrigerant accounting
10. End-of-life scenarios
11. Data-quality controls
12. Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis
13. Transparent reporting
14. Comparable alternatives

Detailed explanation of the key features

Goal and scope

Definition. The goal states why the assessment is being completed and who will use the result. The scope defines what is included.

Purpose. Goal and scope prevent the calculation from changing when results become inconvenient.

Benefits. All participants understand whether the study supports product development, procurement, building certification or public communication.

Practical example. A procurement study may assess the complete installed heating system. A factory improvement study may assess only A1–A3 manufacturing emissions.

The goal should answer:

• What decision will the calculation support?
• Who will use the result?
• Are public comparisons intended?
• Is the result product-specific or project-specific?
• Which environmental standard or national method applies?
• Which life-cycle stages are mandatory?

System boundary

Definition. The system boundary identifies the components, processes and life-cycle stages included in the calculation.

Purpose. It prevents omitted components from distorting the result.

Benefits. Competing designs can be compared on the same basis.

Practical example. A ground-source heat pump assessment may include the appliance, boreholes, collector pipework, circulation pumps, buffer tank, controls and installation activities. A product-only EPD may include only the appliance.

A boundary statement should identify:

• Heat pump model or product family
• Manufacturing location
• Integrated components
• External accessories
• Source-side infrastructure
• Storage equipment
• Backup equipment
• Distribution changes
• Site activities
• Maintenance and replacements
• End-of-life processes
• Excluded components

Functional unit or functional equivalent

Definition. The functional unit describes the service being assessed. It connects the carbon result to a defined technical function.

Purpose. It prevents comparison based only on product mass or rated capacity.

Benefits. Systems with different designs can be compared according to the heat service they deliver.

Practical example. Instead of comparing two heat pumps only per unit, the study can compare the embodied carbon required to provide heating and domestic hot water for the same building over the same study period.

Possible reporting units include:

• kg CO₂e per heat pump unit
• kg CO₂e per installed system
• kg CO₂e per kW of defined rated output
• kg CO₂e per MWh of useful heat delivered over the study period
• kg CO₂e per m² of useful building floor area
• kg CO₂e per building over the defined reference period

A result per kW can support early screening. It is not sufficient for a final comparison because rated output does not describe annual heat delivery, climate, operating temperatures or service life.

Reference study period and service life

Definition. The reference study period is the time covered by the assessment. Component service life determines whether replacement occurs during that period.

Purpose. It accounts for differences in durability and replacement frequency.

Benefits. Products with longer usable lives receive appropriate recognition. Short-lived components cannot disappear from the calculation.

Practical example. If controls or circulation pumps are expected to require replacement before the end of the study period, their production, transport and disposal should be included.

The study should distinguish between:

• Building reference study period
• Heat pump service life
• Compressor service life assumption
• Electronic control service life
• Pump service life
• Storage tank service life
• Borehole or ground-loop service life
• Refrigerant replacement assumptions

Service-life assumptions should come from documented project requirements, manufacturer information, recognised datasets or clearly stated scenarios. They should not be chosen only to improve the result.

Bill of materials and component inventory

Definition. A bill of materials records the quantities and types of materials and components in the assessed system.

Purpose. It links the physical heat pump to environmental data.

Benefits. The result becomes traceable. Designers can see how material changes affect emissions.

Practical example. A bill of materials may separate copper tubing, aluminium heat exchanger material, steel casing, electronic assemblies, insulation, plastics and refrigerant.

A useful inventory contains:

• Component name
• Material type
• Material mass
• Supplier or manufacturing region
• Recycled content where supported
• Manufacturing process
• Environmental dataset
• Dataset year and geography
• Waste rate
• Allocation rule
• Uncertainty note

Composite components should not be treated as a single unidentified material when better data are available.

Materials and manufacturing

Definition. Materials and manufacturing cover raw material extraction, refining, component production, assembly and factory processes.

Purpose. This feature identifies production-stage hotspots.

Benefits. Manufacturers can reduce material demand, change manufacturing processes or work with suppliers that provide stronger environmental data.

Practical example. A redesign may reduce metal mass without reducing pressure resistance, thermal performance, safety or product life.

Important heat pump material groups include:

• Steel and cast iron
• Copper
• Aluminium
• Stainless steel
• Plastics
• Elastomers
• Insulation
• Electronic assemblies
• Semiconductor devices
• Permanent magnets where used
• Oils and process fluids
• Refrigerant

There is no universal rule that one material always dominates. The hotspot depends on the heat pump architecture, material quantities, manufacturing locations, energy sources, refrigerant system and calculation boundary.

Transport and installation

Definition. Transport and installation cover delivery to the project and the activities required to place the system into service.

Purpose. They convert a factory product into an installed technical system.

Benefits. The assessment captures project-specific differences such as long-distance freight, extensive excavation or complex lifting.

Practical example. Two identical heat pumps may have different A4–A5 emissions when one is delivered locally and installed in an accessible plant room while the other requires long-distance freight and specialist lifting equipment.

Include relevant items such as:

• Factory-to-warehouse transport
• Warehouse-to-site transport
• Freight mode
• Vehicle loading
• Packaging
• Cranes and lifting equipment
• Excavation
• Borehole drilling
• Site electricity
• Installation waste
• Flushing and commissioning materials
• Additional refrigerant
• Installer travel where required by the method

Project-specific transport data are usually preferable to arbitrary long-distance assumptions. Conservative default data can be used when exact information is unavailable.

Maintenance, repair and replacement

Definition. These activities preserve or restore the heat pump’s function during use.

Purpose. They account for additional materials and services after installation.

Benefits. Durable and repairable designs can be distinguished from systems that require frequent component or full-unit replacement.

Practical example. A replaceable circulation pump or control board may allow the main heat pump assembly to remain in service.

The model should consider:

• Routine service materials
• Filters and consumables
• Refrigerant additions
• Circulation pump replacement
• Fan replacement
• Electronic control replacement
• Compressor repair or replacement
• Sensor replacement
• Storage or backup component replacement
• Transport for replacement components
• Disposal of removed parts

Maintenance should not be counted only as a financial cost. Replacement parts create new production, transport and waste-treatment impacts.

Refrigerant production, leakage and recovery

Definition. Refrigerant accounting measures greenhouse gas emissions connected to the original charge, servicing, leakage and end-of-life treatment.

Purpose. It prevents a high-impact direct emission from being hidden within a general carbon result.

Benefits. Designers can assess the combined effects of refrigerant type, charge quantity, system architecture, service quality and recovery.

Practical example. A low-GWP refrigerant can reduce the climate effect of a given leakage mass. A well-sealed and well-serviced system can reduce the amount released.

A transparent refrigerant model states:

• Refrigerant designation
• Initial charge
• Refrigerant GWP factor
• Factory and installation losses
• Annual leakage assumption
• Service-related losses
• Replacement refrigerant
• End-of-life recovery rate
• Destruction or reclamation scenario
• Assigned life-cycle modules

Refrigerant GWP alone does not describe total heat pump embodied carbon. A complete comparison must also consider the charge mass, materials, installation, service life and system efficiency.

Complete-system infrastructure

Definition. Complete-system infrastructure includes the components outside the heat pump casing that are necessary for the selected heat-source and heat-distribution concept.

Purpose. It prevents product-level optimisation from increasing impacts elsewhere in the system.

Benefits. Designers can compare complete technical solutions instead of isolated appliances.

Practical example. A ground-source system may require boreholes or collectors. An air-source system may require an outdoor assembly, structural base and defrost management. The correct comparison includes the infrastructure required by each option.

Potential system elements include:

• Boreholes
• Ground collectors
• Well construction
• Brine pipework
• Source-side pumps
• Outdoor foundations
• Acoustic structures
• Buffer tanks
• Domestic hot water cylinders
• Hydraulic separation
• Backup heaters
• Distribution upgrades
• Control and communication equipment

No heat-source type is automatically the lowest-embodied-carbon option. Local geology, building demand, system temperature, usable existing infrastructure and expected service life can change the result.

End-of-life scenarios

Definition. End-of-life scenarios describe what happens when the system or component is removed.

Purpose. They account for dismantling, transport, refrigerant recovery, processing and disposal.

Benefits. The assessment rewards designs that support safe recovery, material separation and responsible treatment.

Practical example. Clearly labelled refrigerant connections and accessible components can support refrigerant recovery and material separation.

The scenario should state:

• Dismantling method
• Transport distance
• Refrigerant recovery
• Metal recovery
• Plastic treatment
• Electronic waste treatment
• Incineration
• Landfill
• Reuse assumptions
• Recycling assumptions
• Module D benefits

High theoretical recyclability is not the same as demonstrated recycling. The study should use realistic collection and treatment scenarios.

Data quality and verification

Definition. Data quality describes how accurately a dataset represents the product, location, technology and time period being assessed.

Purpose. It prevents precise-looking results from being built on weak assumptions.

Benefits. Decision-makers can understand which conclusions are reliable and which require further evidence.

Practical example. A verified model-specific EPD normally provides stronger product evidence than a generic dataset for an unspecified heat pump.

A practical data hierarchy is:

1. Verified data for the exact product
2. Verified product-family data covering the selected model
3. Manufacturer-specific primary data
4. National or European generic data
5. Industry-average data
6. Transparent proxy data

The exact hierarchy should follow the applicable national method. Every proxy should be documented.

An Environmental Product Declaration provides standardised and normally third-party-verified environmental information. It is a disclosure document, not an environmental superiority label. Two EPDs are comparable only when their functions, boundaries, Product Category Rules and calculation conditions are compatible.

Datasets produced under EN 15804+A1 and EN 15804+A2 use different indicators and calculation rules. ÖKOBAUDAT warns that their impact results must not be mixed or directly compared.

Sensitivity and uncertainty

Definition. Sensitivity analysis tests how the result changes when an important assumption changes.

Purpose. It identifies the assumptions that control the conclusion.

Benefits. The project team avoids making a decision based on one uncertain scenario.

Practical example. A study can test different heat pump service lives, replacement frequencies, refrigerant leakage rates and transport distances.

Common sensitivity variables include:

• Product service life
• Component replacement frequency
• Refrigerant leakage
• Refrigerant recovery
• Manufacturing electricity
• Transport distance
• Recycled material content
• End-of-life treatment
• Useful heat delivered
• Building reference period

A comparison is stronger when the preferred option remains preferable across reasonable scenarios.

How to calculate embodied carbon for a heat pump

The calculation should follow a defined life-cycle assessment method. ISO 14040 establishes the LCA framework, while ISO 14044 provides requirements for inventory, impact assessment, interpretation, reporting and review.

Step 1: Define the decision

State the question before collecting data.

Examples include:

• Which heat pump concept should be selected?
• Which component creates the largest production impact?
• Does repairing the existing system create less carbon than replacement?
• What data are required for the building LCA?
• How can a product design be improved?

Step 2: Define the required heat service

Describe the technical function.

Include:

• Building heat demand
• Domestic hot water demand
• Cooling demand where relevant
• Design temperatures
• Required supply temperature
• Climate conditions
• Capacity
• Redundancy requirements
• Study period

Step 3: Define the boundary

State whether the assessment covers:

• Appliance only
• Packaged heat pump
• Complete heat-generation system
• Heat source
• Storage
• Distribution modifications
• Installation
• Maintenance
• End of life

Step 4: Collect the physical inventory

Collect material and process information for every included component.

Typical sources include:

• Bill of materials
• Technical drawings
• Supplier declarations
• Manufacturing records
• Refrigerant records
• Packaging specifications
• Logistics records
• Installation specifications
• Maintenance plans

Step 5: Assign environmental data

Match each material or process to an appropriate dataset.

Use:

• Verified EPD data
• Verified product carbon footprints
• Manufacturer-specific information
• National building LCA databases
• Recognised generic datasets
• Documented proxies

Step 6: Model each life-cycle stage

Calculate the relevant product, construction, use-stage and end-of-life impacts separately.

A simplified calculation is:

Embodied carbon = material and manufacturing emissions + transport emissions + installation emissions + maintenance and replacement emissions + end-of-life emissions

For individual materials:

Material impact = material quantity × applicable emission factor

The complete calculation should also account for manufacturing processes, component datasets, waste, refrigerant and scenario assumptions.

Step 7: Report results by module

Do not report only one unexplained total.

Show at least:

• A1–A3
• A4
• A5
• B1–B5 as applicable
• C1–C4
• Module D separately
• Refrigerant emissions separately
• Exclusions

Reporting by stage allows planners to see whether the result is controlled by manufacturing, installation, replacement or end of life.

Step 8: Normalise the result

Provide the absolute result and an appropriate functional result.

Useful formats include:

• Total kg CO₂e per system
• kg CO₂e per kW for initial screening
• kg CO₂e per MWh of useful heat over the study period
• kg CO₂e per m² for building-level assessment

Do not use normalisation to hide the absolute impact. Both figures provide useful information.

Step 9: Test alternative scenarios

Test at least the assumptions that can change the selection decision.

Examples include:

• Repair versus replacement
• Existing storage versus new storage
• Different system sizes
• Different heat sources
• Different service lives
• Different refrigerant leakage rates
• Different logistics routes
• Different end-of-life recovery rates

Step 10: Review and communicate the result

The report should allow a qualified reader to reproduce the logic.

Document:

• Assessment goal
• Product and configuration
• Functional unit
• Boundary
• Study period
• Data sources
• Standards and PCR
• Manufacturing geography
• Replacement assumptions
• Refrigerant assumptions
• End-of-life assumptions
• Uncertainty
• Limitations
• Review or verification status

Operational savings from replacing a boiler should not be deducted from the embodied-carbon result. Show those savings separately in a whole-life carbon comparison.

Types and models of embodied carbon assessment

Cradle-to-gate product carbon footprint

Definition. This model generally covers raw materials, component supply and manufacturing.

Purpose. It supports product development and supplier assessment.

Benefits. It can identify production hotspots before project-specific installation information is available.

Limitation. It does not represent the complete installed system or its future replacements.

Upfront carbon assessment

Definition. Upfront carbon generally covers A1–A5.

Purpose. It measures emissions released before the system enters normal service.

Benefits. It supports design and procurement decisions while changes are still possible.

Limitation. It excludes maintenance, replacement and end-of-life emissions.

Whole-life embodied carbon assessment

Definition. This model covers production, construction, non-energy use stages and end of life.

Purpose. It shows the physical system impact over the full study period.

Benefits. It accounts for service life, repair, replacement and disposal.

Limitation. Results depend on future scenarios that contain uncertainty.

Product carbon footprint

Definition. A product carbon footprint quantifies climate-change impact according to a defined life-cycle boundary.

Purpose. It provides a product-focused greenhouse gas result.

Benefits. It can support design improvement and customer information.

Limitation. A product carbon footprint is not automatically an embodied-only figure. The declared boundary determines whether operation is included.

Environmental Product Declaration

Definition. An EPD is a Type III environmental declaration based on life-cycle assessment and Product Category Rules.

Purpose. It communicates environmental information in a standardised form.

Benefits. It provides transparent, verified data that can be transferred into compatible building assessments.

Limitation. An EPD does not certify that the product is environmentally superior.

Building life-cycle assessment

Definition. A building LCA combines environmental data for the building structure, envelope and technical systems.

Purpose. It calculates environmental performance at whole-building level.

Benefits. It shows how the heat pump interacts with other design decisions.

Limitation. Product detail may be lost when generic technical-system data are used.

EN 15978:2026 provides a harmonised method for assessing the environmental performance of new buildings, existing buildings and refurbishment projects. It combines EPD information modules and other relevant data under consistent system boundaries and reporting rules.

Screening assessment

Definition. A screening model uses simplified or generic data during early design.

Purpose. It identifies options that deserve more detailed analysis.

Benefits. It supports fast concept decisions when exact product data are unavailable.

Limitation. It should not be presented as a verified model-specific product result.

Use cases

Heat pump concept design

Designers can compare air-source, ground-source and water-source concepts. The comparison should include required source infrastructure and auxiliary equipment.

This helps answer practical questions:

• Is a borehole system justified?
• Can existing storage be retained?
• Does one concept require more backup capacity?
• Can the distribution temperature be reduced?
• Is the proposed heat pump oversized?

Product development

Manufacturers can use embodied-carbon assessment to identify improvement opportunities.

Typical development actions include:

• Reduce unnecessary material
• Improve heat exchanger design
• Reduce production scrap
• select lower-impact suppliers
• Improve repair access
• Increase component modularity
• Reduce packaging
• Improve refrigerant recovery
• Extend service support

Tender preparation

A tender can define common carbon information requirements. This reduces the risk that every bidder reports a different boundary.

A strong tender specifies:

• Required heat service
• Included components
• Required life-cycle modules
• Reference study period
• Acceptable data types
• EPD or PCF requirements
• Refrigerant information
• Replacement assumptions
• End-of-life reporting
• Separate Module D reporting

Supplier evaluation

Procurement teams can evaluate more than purchase price and energy efficiency.

The assessment can identify:

• Missing environmental documentation
• Unclear product-family coverage
• Incomplete system boundaries
• Unsupported service-life claims
• High replacement dependence
• Limited spare-parts access
• Unclear refrigerant recovery plans

New building assessment

Heat pump data can feed the life-cycle GWP calculation for a new building. This is becoming increasingly relevant under the EPBD framework.

The building assessor may require:

• Product-specific GWP data
• Equipment quantities
• Replacement cycles
• Installation data
• Refrigerant assumptions
• Nationally compliant datasets

Renovation and replacement decisions

Embodied carbon can support a repair-versus-replacement study.

The study should compare:

• Remaining life of existing equipment
• Repair requirements
• New replacement-system emissions
• Expected operational savings
• Refrigerant condition
• Compatibility with existing distribution
• Future service access

Replacing a working heat pump solely because a newer model is more efficient may not always produce the lowest near-term carbon result. The answer depends on the remaining service life and the achievable operational savings.

Public procurement and building certification

Public-sector projects may request transparent environmental data for technical building systems. Certification systems may also include whole-building LCA indicators.

Clear embodied-carbon information reduces the need for conservative generic assumptions and supports more consistent documentation.

Corporate and portfolio reporting

Building owners can use heat pump embodied-carbon information to understand capital-project and supply-chain emissions.

Potential applications include:

• Renovation programmes
• Real-estate portfolio planning
• Internal carbon budgets
• Supplier engagement
• Capital expenditure assessment
• Scope 3 screening

The organisational accounting boundary must remain separate from the product or building LCA boundary.

Benefits of assessing heat pump embodied carbon

Better visibility

Embodied carbon converts complex supply-chain activities into a measurable climate indicator. It makes hidden impacts visible before procurement.

Better system decisions

The assessment compares complete technical solutions. It reduces the risk of selecting an appliance that looks favourable only because necessary external components were excluded.

Reduced material demand

Hotspot analysis can reveal unnecessary material or oversized equipment. Lower material demand can reduce carbon, transport and installation requirements.

Longer system life

Including replacement emissions gives value to durability, repairability and spare-parts availability. It encourages maintenance strategies that preserve useful equipment.

More credible procurement

A defined boundary and common functional unit improve tender comparability. Suppliers compete on the same environmental scope.

Regulatory readiness

Product and system data can support building-level whole-life GWP calculations. This is increasingly important as EU and national requirements develop.

More reliable environmental claims

A documented assessment reduces vague claims such as “low-carbon” or “environmentally friendly.” It supports specific statements with a defined boundary and evidence.

Better balance between embodied and operational carbon

The lowest embodied-carbon system is not automatically the lowest whole-life-carbon system. Combined assessment prevents material reductions from damaging efficiency, comfort, reliability or service life.

Selection criteria for a lower-embodied-carbon heat pump system

A heat pump should not be selected from one carbon number. The complete technical and environmental evidence must be evaluated.

Confirm functional comparability

Check that each option provides:

• The same heating service
• The same domestic hot water service
• The same cooling service where required
• Adequate capacity at design conditions
• Comparable supply temperatures
• Comparable redundancy
• Comparable acoustic requirements
• Comparable climate suitability

Confirm system-boundary comparability

Check whether each result includes:

• Heat pump appliance
• Integrated and external pumps
• Controls
• Buffer storage
• Hot water storage
• Backup heater
• Source-side equipment
• Boreholes or collectors
• Distribution modifications
• Installation
• Maintenance
• Replacement
• End of life

Check data credibility

Ask:

• Does the data cover the exact model?
• Does a family EPD include this capacity?
• Is the manufacturing location representative?
• Is the document current?
• Is the EPD independently verified?
• Which standard and PCR were used?
• Is EN 15804+A1 or EN 15804+A2 used?
• Are generic datasets identified?
• Are proxy datasets explained?
• Are exclusions listed?

Check service-life assumptions

Review:

• Main unit service life
• Compressor assumptions
• Controls and electronics
• Pumps and fans
• Storage components
• Ground-source infrastructure
• Spare-parts availability
• Repair access
• Planned replacement frequency

Check refrigerant information

Request:

• Refrigerant type
• GWP value used
• Charge quantity
• Factory and site charging
• Leakage assumptions
• Service-loss assumptions
• Recovery scenario
• Applicable F-gas requirements
• Technician qualification requirements

Check end-of-life treatment

Review:

• Refrigerant recovery
• Electronic waste treatment
• Metal recovery
• Plastic treatment
• Dismantling
• Transport
• Disposal
• Module D reporting

Review operational performance separately

Embodied carbon must be assessed together with:

• Seasonal coefficient of performance
• Seasonal energy efficiency
• Required flow temperature
• Climate conditions
• Part-load operation
• Auxiliary electricity
• Controls
• Hydraulic design
• Electricity source

A low manufacturing footprint does not compensate for poor operating efficiency over many years.

Red flags

Treat the following claims with caution:

• “Total carbon” based only on A1–A3
• A product-only number compared with a complete-system number
• An EPD presented as an ecolabel
• Module D credits deducted without separate disclosure
• No reference study period
• No replacement assumptions
• No refrigerant charge or leakage information
• Comparison based only on product weight
• Comparison based only on kg CO₂e per kW
• Energy label used as proof of low embodied carbon
• Mixed EN 15804+A1 and A2 datasets
• A generic dataset presented as model-specific
• Avoided boiler emissions deducted from product manufacturing emissions

Important comparisons

Embodied carbon versus operational carbon

The selected PCR or calculation method determines the exact module assignment. Refrigerant leakage, servicing, replacement, and recovery must be mapped consistently with that method.

How to perform a heat pump life cycle assessment

Step 1: Define the decision

State whether the LCA supports design, procurement, product development, building assessment, an EPD, regulatory reporting, or a public claim. Identify who will use the result. State whether named alternatives will be compared.

Step 2: Define the functional unit

Describe the heating, domestic hot water, cooling, and comfort service. Add building type, location, temperature levels, reference period, and demand profile. Do not use “one heat pump” as the only comparison unit when systems provide different services.

Step 3: Define the system boundary

List every included component and life-cycle stage. Explain every exclusion. Use the same boundary for all alternatives.

Step 4: Define the reference study period

Select a study period suitable for the building and decision. Assign component service lives. Include maintenance and replacement when these occur within the period.

Step 5: Model building demand

Calculate or obtain hourly, monthly, or annual demand for:

• Space heating
• Domestic hot water
• Cooling
• Distribution losses
• Storage losses
• Backup heating
• Peak loads

Step 6: Model heat pump operation

Use climate, source temperature, supply temperature, part-load behavior, defrost, standby, controls, and auxiliary equipment. Use measured data when available and representative. Document the SPF boundary.

Step 7: Collect product and manufacturing data

Create a mass-balanced bill of materials. Record refrigerant, manufacturing energy, waste, packaging, supplier locations, and transport. Prioritize product-specific and supplier-specific data for major contributors.

Step 8: Model installation

Include required source-side and hydraulic infrastructure. Ground-source studies should address drilling, collectors, probes, grout, manifolds, and source pumps. Air-source studies should include the outdoor unit, mounting, and associated materials.

Step 9: Model maintenance and refrigerant flows

Define service intervals, replacement parts, refrigerant leakage, refill, and recovery. Use more than one scenario when long-term leakage or recovery is uncertain.

Step 10: Select background data and impact methods

Choose datasets that represent the assessed geography, time, and technology. Use one consistent database system where possible. Document substitutions and data gaps.

Step 11: Calculate and test the model

Calculate results by impact category, component, process, and life-cycle stage. Run sensitivity and uncertainty checks. Confirm that inputs and outputs are complete and physically plausible.

Step 12: Interpret, review, and report

Identify hotspots and decision-relevant trade-offs. State limitations and conditions under which the result changes. Arrange review or verification when required by the communication purpose.

Basic heat pump LCA calculations

Lifetime useful thermal output

Lifetime useful heat = annual useful heat × study period

Separate calculations may be required for space heating, domestic hot water, and cooling.

Heat pump electricity

Heat-pump electricity = useful thermal output ÷ SPF

Add electricity for auxiliaries and backup heating when those flows are outside the stated SPF boundary.

Operational climate impact

Operational climate impact = electricity consumed × electricity climate factor

For a forward-looking study, the electricity factor can change by year. A static present-day factor and a decarbonization scenario should not be presented as equivalent models.

Direct refrigerant impact

Direct refrigerant impact = refrigerant mass lost × GWP factor

Refrigerant production, refill, service transport, recovery, and destruction require separate inventory flows when relevant.

Total life-cycle climate impact

A simplified total is:

Product stage + transport + installation + operation + maintenance + replacement + refrigerant emissions + end-of-life

Potential Module D benefits should remain separately reported when the selected method requires separate presentation.

Illustrative operational calculation

The table below shows only the relationship between grid climate intensity and SPF.

Operational g CO₂e per kWh of useful heat = grid g CO₂e per kWh of electricity ÷ SPF

Embodied carbon versus whole-life carbon

Embodied carbon covers physical product and system impacts outside normal operating energy. Whole-life carbon combines embodied carbon with operational greenhouse gas emissions.

The relationship can be expressed as:

Whole-life carbon = embodied carbon + operational carbon

Direct refrigerant emissions should be disclosed clearly. Their position within the calculation must follow the selected method.

Embodied carbon versus a carbon footprint

A carbon footprint is a broad term. It can describe a product, organisation, building, service or event.

A heat pump product carbon footprint may cover:

• Production only
• Production and installation
• Full product life
• Full life including operational electricity

The boundary determines whether the carbon footprint is equivalent to embodied carbon.

EPD versus LCA

An LCA is the assessment method. An EPD is a standardised communication document based on an LCA and applicable Product Category Rules.

An EPD:

• Reports environmental data
• Uses a defined declared or functional unit
• States system boundaries
• Identifies calculation rules
• Is normally independently verified

An LCA:

• Can support design or internal analysis
• Can assess multiple environmental impacts
• Can compare scenarios
• May or may not be publicly disclosed
• May require critical review for public comparative claims

Air-source versus ground-source embodied carbon

An air-source system may require less source-side infrastructure. It may still require outdoor equipment, structural bases, fans and acoustic measures.

A ground-source system may require boreholes, collectors, brine pipework and pumps. Some source infrastructure can have a much longer service life than the heat pump unit and may support future replacement equipment.

A valid comparison must use:

• The same building
• The same heat demand
• The same study period
• The same comfort requirements
• Complete source-side infrastructure
• Replacement scenarios
• Operational performance

Neither system has universally lower embodied or whole-life carbon.

Monobloc versus split systems

A monobloc and a split heat pump organise the refrigerant and hydraulic circuits differently. This can change material requirements, site work, refrigerant charge and servicing needs.

The lower-impact option depends on:

• Exact product design
• Refrigerant charge
• Pipework
• Installation
• Climate protection
• Service requirements
• Product life
• Operational performance

System architecture alone is not sufficient evidence.

Repair versus replacement

Repair adds the embodied carbon of replacement parts and service activities. Full replacement adds the embodied carbon of an entire new system and the end-of-life impact of the removed system.

Replacement may still be justified when:

• The existing unit cannot meet the required load
• Repair is technically unsafe
• Refrigerant availability creates a material risk
• Major components have failed
• Operating performance is very poor
• The system is incompatible with planned renovation

The decision should compare both additional embodied emissions and expected operational savings.

Integration with other systems

Building life-cycle assessment

Definition. Building LCA combines heat pump data with data for the structure, envelope and other technical systems.

Purpose. It determines the heat pump’s contribution to whole-building GWP.

Benefits. Designers can optimise the building and heating system together.

Practical application. A planner can assess whether improving the building envelope permits a smaller heat pump and less distribution equipment.

Building Information Modelling

Definition. BIM stores structured information about building elements and technical systems.

Purpose. It can connect component quantities with environmental datasets.

Benefits. Changes in equipment quantities can flow into the building LCA more efficiently.

Practical application. Changing a buffer tank or heat pump model can update the environmental inventory when objects contain compatible data fields.

Energy simulation

Definition. Energy simulation estimates annual and seasonal heat pump performance.

Purpose. It calculates operational energy and supports correct system sizing.

Benefits. The project can balance embodied and operational emissions.

Practical application. A smaller heat pump may reduce embodied carbon, but simulation must confirm that it meets design loads without excessive backup heating.

Procurement systems

Definition. Procurement systems define supplier evidence and evaluation criteria.

Purpose. They integrate embodied-carbon requirements into tenders and purchasing decisions.

Benefits. Suppliers provide data in a common format.

Practical application. A tender can assign separate scores to functional performance, verified environmental data, service life and complete-system GWP.

Maintenance and asset management

Definition. Asset-management systems record installed equipment, service activities and replacement history.

Purpose. They connect estimated life-cycle scenarios with actual system events.

Benefits. Owners can improve future calculations and avoid premature replacement.

Practical application. A building owner can record pump, control and refrigerant interventions rather than assuming that the entire heat pump was replaced.

Refrigerant management

Definition. Refrigerant management records charge, servicing, leakage and recovery.

Purpose. It supports legal compliance and more accurate direct-emission calculations.

Benefits. Actual records can replace generic leakage assumptions.

Practical application. Service documentation can show how much refrigerant was added, recovered or sent for reclamation.

Circular-economy systems

Definition. Circular design keeps products, components and materials in useful circulation.

Purpose. It reduces demand for new materials and improves end-of-life recovery.

Benefits. Modular repair and material separation can reduce replacement and waste impacts.

Practical application. Replaceable controls, pumps and compressor assemblies may extend the useful life of the wider system.

Standards and regulatory context

ISO 14040

ISO 14040 defines the principles and framework of life-cycle assessment. It covers goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, interpretation, reporting and review.

ISO 14044

ISO 14044 provides detailed LCA requirements and guidelines. It supports transparent calculations and critical interpretation.

ISO 14067

ISO 14067 addresses the quantification and reporting of product carbon footprints. It focuses on the climate-change impact category and follows ISO 14040 and ISO 14044.

ISO 14025

ISO 14025 establishes rules for Type III environmental declarations and EPD programmes. It governs how environmental information is communicated to the intended audience.

EN 15804+A2

EN 15804 provides core rules for environmental product declarations used in the construction sector. Many product and technical-system datasets used in building LCA follow its information-module structure.

The applicable equipment PCR must still be checked. A heat pump EPD should not be assumed to be comparable with another EPD merely because both mention EN 15804.

EN 15978:2026

EN 15978:2026 provides a building-level method for assessing environmental performance throughout the building life cycle. It defines system boundaries, calculation rules, data requirements and reporting structures.

Energy Performance of Buildings Directive

The EPBD introduces progressive disclosure of building life-cycle GWP. The calculation covers product production, transport, construction, energy use, replacement, demolition and waste management. National methodologies must comply with the Union framework but may retain national features.

EU F-gas Regulation

Regulation (EU) 2024/573 governs fluorinated greenhouse gases. It addresses containment, recovery, recycling, reclamation, destruction, training, certification and market conditions. It must be considered where the selected heat pump contains regulated F-gases.

Ecodesign and energy labelling

Ecodesign rules address energy efficiency, performance and product information. Energy labels communicate the energy-efficiency class of applicable space heaters. These tools support operational performance assessment but do not provide a complete embodied-carbon result.

Regional guidance for DACH and European projects

Austria

Austria uses building assessment tools and datasets that can include technical building services. The baubook eco2soft tool supports the calculation of environmental indicators for buildings, including building-services components, global warming potential and replacement-related information.

For an Austrian project, confirm:

• Applicable building assessment programme
• Provincial requirements
• klimaaktiv requirements where relevant
• Accepted data sources
• Treatment of technical building systems
• Required study period
• Rules for generic and product-specific data

Germany

ÖKOBAUDAT provides quality-controlled datasets for building life-cycle assessment and is the mandatory database for Germany’s BNB sustainable building assessment system. It can be used with building LCA tools such as eLCA. It is intended for building assessment rather than the creation of a manufacturer’s product LCA.

German projects should also verify:

• BNB or project-specific rules
• QNG requirements where applicable
• Accepted EPD programme operators
• Dataset version
• EN 15804+A1 or A2 compatibility
• Technical-system replacement assumptions

Switzerland

Switzerland is not governed by the EU EPBD. Swiss projects should apply Swiss assessment rules and recognised national data.

KBOB provides Swiss life-cycle inventory data for building materials, building services, energy supply, transport and waste-treatment processes. Its datasets represent Swiss market conditions and include selected manufacturer-specific or regional information.

Relevant Swiss sources can include:

• KBOB life-cycle data
• ecobau requirements
• Minergie-ECO criteria
• Cantonal requirements
• Project-specific procurement rules

Italy and South Tyrol

Projects in South Tyrol may be planned and documented in German, but Italian and regional legal requirements still apply. The project team should use the Italian national methodology, recognised datasets and any applicable regional or certification rules.

Spain, Poland, Finland and other EU countries

The EPBD provides a common European direction. National implementation, default datasets, calculation tools and future limit values can differ.

For each project, verify:

• National EPBD implementation
• Accepted building LCA method
• National reference datasets
• Required life-cycle modules
• Reference period
• Treatment of technical building systems
• Public-procurement requirements
• Certification-system rules

A carbon calculation prepared for one country should not be transferred unchanged to another country without checking national assumptions.

How to reduce embodied carbon in heat pump systems

Define the required service

Start with heat demand, domestic hot water, cooling and design temperatures. Do not begin with a preferred product size.

Outcome: The project avoids unnecessary capacity and components.

Reduce the building load where practical

Improve insulation, airtightness, hydraulic balance and distribution temperatures where technically and economically appropriate.

Outcome: A lower load may permit smaller heat-generation and distribution equipment.

Avoid oversizing

Select capacity using a documented heat-load calculation. Include realistic backup and redundancy requirements.

Outcome: The system uses less material and may operate more effectively at part load.

Reuse suitable existing infrastructure

Assess whether storage, distribution, emitters, pipework or source infrastructure can remain in use.

Outcome: The project avoids manufacturing and installing unnecessary replacement components.

Existing equipment should be retained only when it remains safe, compatible, efficient and durable.

Compare complete systems

Include source equipment, storage, controls, backup and installation.

Outcome: Carbon reductions are not achieved inside the heat pump while impacts increase elsewhere.

Select durable and repairable equipment

Review component access, spare-parts support, service documentation and modular replacement.

Outcome: The main unit may remain in service through component-level repairs.

Reduce material without reducing function

Manufacturers can optimise frames, heat exchangers, casings and packaging.

Outcome: Material and transport emissions can fall while technical performance remains stable.

Improve manufacturing data and processes

Use primary production data and work with suppliers on material and energy hotspots.

Outcome: Improvement efforts target actual manufacturing impacts rather than generic assumptions.

Manage refrigerant carefully

Select an appropriate refrigerant, minimise required charge, prevent leakage and support effective recovery.

Outcome: Direct greenhouse gas emissions and replacement-refrigerant impacts are reduced.

Optimise logistics and packaging

Reduce unnecessary transport, improve loading and avoid excessive packaging.

Outcome: A4 and A5 emissions fall.

Plan maintenance before installation

Provide safe access to pumps, controls, valves and refrigerant connections.

Outcome: Service work becomes easier and premature full-system replacement becomes less likely.

Plan end-of-life recovery

Document refrigerant, material composition and dismantling requirements.

Outcome: Technicians can recover refrigerant and separate valuable materials more effectively.

Preserve operational performance

Do not reduce material in a way that lowers seasonal efficiency, reliability or service life.

Outcome: Embodied-carbon reduction supports rather than damages whole-life carbon performance.

Common mistakes

Treating A1–A3 as total embodied carbon

A1–A3 stops at the factory gate. It excludes delivery, installation, maintenance, replacement and end of life.

Comparing different system boundaries

A heat pump appliance cannot be fairly compared with a complete system that includes source infrastructure and storage.

Using the energy label as embodied-carbon evidence

The energy label reports energy-performance information. It does not quantify complete life-cycle material emissions.

Ignoring replacement

A building study period may include one or more equipment or component replacements. Omitting them can favour short-lived products.

Ignoring refrigerant production or leakage

The initial charge, servicing and end-of-life recovery can affect the result. Refrigerant information should be reported explicitly.

Deducting future recycling benefits from current production emissions

Module D is uncertain and belongs outside the A–C system boundary. Report it separately.

Comparing EPD headline values only

The declared unit, function, product coverage, PCR, standard version and lifecycle modules may differ.

Mixing EN 15804+A1 and A2 datasets

The indicator methods are not compatible. Use a consistent dataset version.

Comparing only per kilogram

A lighter product does not necessarily deliver the same function, efficiency, durability or capacity.

Comparing only per kilowatt

Rated output does not describe lifetime useful heat, climate performance or system life.

Claiming “carbon neutral” through offsets

Offsets do not remove the need to disclose gross embodied emissions. Product carbon accounting and offset claims should remain separate.

Deducting avoided boiler emissions

Avoided fossil-fuel emissions belong in a separate baseline comparison. They should not be used to make manufacturing emissions disappear.

Embodied carbon in an iDM heat pump project

Embodied carbon changes the planning question. The decision is not only “Which heat pump has the best efficiency class?” The stronger question is “Which complete system delivers the required heat service with credible whole-life performance?”

For an iDM project, the assessment should use the exact selected configuration. It should include the heat pump, required storage, controls, source infrastructure, pumps, backup equipment and installation scope. Product-level data should not be presented as complete-system data.

iDM Energiesysteme GmbH develops heat pump systems for residential and larger applications. Environmental comparisons should therefore match the selected model, capacity, heat source and project configuration rather than rely on one generic value for the full portfolio.

A project-specific evidence request can include:

• Exact model designation
• Manufacturing location
• Rated operating conditions
• Refrigerant and charge quantity
• Included component list
• Environmental Product Declaration, where available
• Product carbon footprint, where available
• Bill of materials or component weights
• Packaging information
• Expected service and replacement requirements
• Spare-parts information
• Source-side equipment
• Storage and hydraulic accessories
• End-of-life instructions

The most credible positioning combines four elements:

1. Education: Explain the difference between embodied, operational and whole-life carbon.
2. Problem awareness: Show why appliance-only figures can misrepresent the installed system.
3. System explanation: Define the exact iDM configuration and the service it provides.
4. Product positioning: Present verified, model-specific evidence without unsupported environmental superiority claims.

A suitable project message is:

Plan the required heat service first. Then compare complete heat pump configurations using system efficiency, material impact, refrigerant, service life, repairability and transparent life-cycle data.

Frequently asked questions

What is embodied carbon in a heat pump?

It is the greenhouse gas emissions associated with producing, transporting, installing, maintaining, replacing and disposing of the physical heat pump system. It normally excludes electricity used during normal operation.

Is operational electricity part of embodied carbon?

No. Electricity used to run the heat pump is normally operational carbon. It should be included when calculating the heat pump’s whole-life carbon footprint.

Is refrigerant leakage embodied carbon?

Refrigerant production and replacement are embodied impacts. Actual leakage is a direct use-stage emission. Some methods group it with non-operational emissions, while others report it separately. The calculation should identify the assigned module and show the leakage result separately.

What is upfront carbon?

Upfront carbon generally means emissions in A1–A5. It includes production, delivery and installation before normal operation begins.

Is an EPD proof that a heat pump has low embodied carbon?

No. An EPD provides transparent environmental information. It does not certify that the product is better than alternatives. Comparable products must be evaluated under compatible rules and boundaries.

Can two heat pump EPDs be compared directly?

Only when they use compatible Product Category Rules, declared or functional units, lifecycle boundaries, standard versions and technical functions. The product coverage and manufacturing geography should also be checked.

Which heat pump type has the lowest embodied carbon?

There is no universal answer. Air-source, ground-source and water-source systems require different equipment and infrastructure. The correct result depends on the building, system boundary, service life, local conditions and operating performance.

Is kg CO₂e per kW a good comparison unit?

It can support early screening. It does not account for annual useful heat, operating temperatures, climate, efficiency or lifetime. A service-based functional unit is stronger for final comparison.

Does every heat pump need an EPD under the EPBD?

The EPBD requires building-level life-cycle GWP disclosure according to the phased timetable. It does not by itself require every heat pump sold in the EU to have a standalone EPD. National methods, tenders or certification systems may nevertheless request product-level environmental data.

Can a low-embodied-carbon heat pump have high whole-life carbon?

Yes. Poor efficiency, high auxiliary electricity, unsuitable flow temperatures or a carbon-intensive electricity supply can increase operational emissions. Embodied and operational carbon must be assessed together.

Should an existing heat pump be replaced to reduce emissions?

Not automatically. Compare remaining life, repair requirements, refrigerant condition, new-system embodied carbon and expected operational savings.

What information should be requested from a supplier?

Request the exact product scope, environmental documentation, refrigerant charge, manufacturing location, included accessories, service-life assumptions, spare-parts information and end-of-life instructions.

What is a good embodied-carbon value for a heat pump?

There is no universal threshold. Heat pumps vary in capacity, function, configuration, infrastructure and system life. A value is useful only when its function, boundary, modules and data quality are stated.