<\/span><\/h2>\nDirect Emissions (Refrigerant-Based)<\/h3>\n
Definition<\/strong>: Direct emissions occur when refrigerant escapes the sealed circuit through leaks, poor maintenance, or end-of-life disposal. The refrigerant’s GWP determines how much CO2e this release represents.<\/p>\nPurpose<\/strong>: Quantifying direct emissions allows manufacturers and operators to compare refrigerant choices on a like-for-like climate basis, independent of system efficiency.<\/p>\nBenefit<\/strong>: Low-GWP or natural refrigerants (such as R290\/propane) reduce the climate consequence of any leak to a fraction of what a high-GWP synthetic refrigerant would cause.<\/p>\nExample<\/strong>: One kilogram of leaked R410A (GWP \u2248 2,088) is equivalent to roughly 2.1 tonnes of CO2e. One kilogram of leaked R290 (GWP \u2248 3) is equivalent to roughly 3 kilograms of CO2e \u2014 a difference of nearly three orders of magnitude for the same leak volume.<\/p>\nIndirect Emissions (Electricity-Based)<\/h3>\n
Definition<\/strong>: Indirect emissions result from the CO2 intensity of the electricity a heat pump consumes to run its compressor, fans, and controls.<\/p>\nPurpose<\/strong>: This feature connects heat pump operation to the decarbonization state of the national grid, since the same heat pump produces different emissions in Austria (hydro-heavy grid) than in a coal-dependent grid.<\/p>\nBenefit<\/strong>: As national grids add renewable capacity, the indirect emissions of an already-installed heat pump fall automatically, without any hardware change. Fossil boilers cannot capture this benefit.<\/p>\nExample<\/strong>: A heat pump with SCOP 4.0 running on a grid at 200 g CO2\/kWh emits roughly 50 g CO2 per kWh of heat delivered. The same unit on a grid at 400 g CO2\/kWh emits roughly 100 g CO2 per kWh delivered \u2014 still far below a condensing gas boiler’s direct emission factor of roughly 200 g CO2\/kWh of heat.<\/p>\nEmbodied Emissions (Lifecycle-Based)<\/h3>\n
Definition<\/strong>: Embodied emissions cover the carbon released in raw material extraction, component manufacturing, transport, and installation before the system ever operates.<\/p>\nPurpose<\/strong>: This feature places heat pump emissions within a full lifecycle assessment (LCA) framework rather than an operational-only view, which is required for EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) reporting and increasingly for public procurement.<\/p>\nBenefit<\/strong>: Manufacturers who document embodied emissions can demonstrate transparency and support architects working toward whole-building carbon budgets, including embodied carbon limits in green building certifications.<\/p>\nExample<\/strong>: A typical air-source heat pump’s embodied carbon is recovered \u2014 meaning offset by avoided operational emissions versus a fossil system \u2014 within one to three heating seasons in most DACH climates.<\/p>\nAvoided Emissions (Displacement Value)<\/h3>\n
Definition<\/strong>: Avoided emissions represent the CO2 that would have been released by the fossil-fuel heating system the heat pump replaces.<\/p>\nPurpose<\/strong>: This feature converts a heat pump’s operational profile into a comparative climate benefit, which is the figure most relevant to subsidy applications and building certification.<\/p>\nBenefit<\/strong>: Displacement calculations give building owners a concrete, auditable number for CO2 savings claims, strengthening applications for BEG, KfW-adjacent, and Austrian federal or state funding programs.<\/p>\nExample<\/strong>: Replacing an oil boiler (roughly 266 g CO2\/kWh of heat) with a heat pump at SCOP 4.0 on an Austrian grid mix cuts direct-equivalent CO2 emissions by more than 80% for the same heating output.<\/p>\nGrid Dependency Variability<\/h3>\n
Definition<\/strong>: Grid dependency variability describes how the same heat pump model produces different total CO2 outcomes depending on the carbon intensity of the local electricity supply.<\/p>\nPurpose<\/strong>: This feature explains why national CO2 emission figures for heat pumps cannot be generalized across the DACH+ region, and why country-specific figures are required for accurate reporting.<\/p>\nBenefit<\/strong>: Understanding this variability allows specifiers to combine heat pumps with on-site PV generation or smart-grid-responsive controls to further reduce the indirect emissions component.<\/p>\nExample<\/strong>: Pairing a heat pump with PV self-consumption and a smart control system such as iDM Navigator 2.0 shifts a portion of electricity draw to on-site renewable generation, lowering the effective grid-based CO2 factor for that household.<\/p>\n<\/span>Types \/ Classification Models<\/span><\/h2>\nCO2 emissions in heat pump systems can be classified using three complementary models, each suited to a different reporting context.<\/p>\n
By source (technical classification):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Direct emissions (refrigerant GWP)<\/li>\n
- Indirect emissions (electricity carbon intensity)<\/li>\n
- Embodied emissions (manufacturing and transport)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
By accounting framework (corporate\/regulatory classification):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Scope 1-equivalent: on-site refrigerant leakage<\/li>\n
- Scope 2-equivalent: purchased electricity<\/li>\n
- Scope 3-equivalent: upstream manufacturing and downstream disposal<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
By refrigerant category (product classification):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Natural refrigerants: R290 (propane, GWP \u2248 3), R744\/CO2 (GWP = 1)<\/li>\n
- Low-GWP synthetic refrigerants: R32 (GWP \u2248 675)<\/li>\n
- Legacy high-GWP synthetic refrigerants: R410A (GWP \u2248 2,088), being phased down under the F-Gas Regulation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Each classification model serves a different audience: technical teams use the source model, sustainability and compliance teams use the Scope model, and product engineering uses the refrigerant model.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Use Cases<\/span><\/h2>\nCO2 emissions data for heat pump systems is applied across several distinct real-world contexts.<\/p>\n
\n- Building certification<\/strong>: nearly-zero-energy building (nZEB) compliance under EPBD requires operational carbon data, not efficiency alone.<\/li>\n
- Subsidy and funding applications<\/strong>: BEG (Germany), Austrian federal\/state heat pump subsidies, and Swiss cantonal programs increasingly require demonstrated CO2 savings versus the replaced system.<\/li>\n
- Corporate carbon reporting<\/strong>: commercial building owners and housing associations use heat pump CO2 data to populate Scope 1\/2\/3 sustainability disclosures.<\/li>\n
- Product carbon footprint declarations<\/strong>: manufacturers publish EPDs that include embodied and operational CO2 figures per unit.<\/li>\n
- ETS2 cost forecasting<\/strong>: property owners model future heating costs by comparing fossil-fuel exposure to ETS2 carbon pricing against electricity-based heat pump operation.<\/li>\n
- Refrigerant transition planning<\/strong>: installers and specifiers use GWP-based direct emission data to plan replacement of high-GWP systems ahead of F-Gas Regulation deadlines.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/span>Benefits<\/span><\/h2>\nStructured CO2 emissions tracking delivers measurable value across technical, regulatory, and commercial dimensions.<\/p>\n
\n- Provides an auditable basis for subsidy and funding applications.<\/li>\n
- Enables accurate comparison between heating technologies on climate impact, not just efficiency.<\/li>\n
- Supports compliance with EPBD, national building codes, and emerging ETS2 reporting.<\/li>\n
- Reveals the compounding benefit of pairing heat pumps with renewable electricity and low-GWP refrigerants.<\/li>\n
- Strengthens manufacturer transparency through EPDs and lifecycle documentation.<\/li>\n
- Improves long-term cost forecasting as ETS2 raises the relative cost of fossil-fuel heating.<\/li>\n
- Differentiates products in a market where regulatory pressure is increasing scrutiny of refrigerant GWP.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/span>Selection Criteria<\/span><\/h2>\nSelecting a heat pump system with minimized CO2 emissions requires evaluating several parameters together, not in isolation.<\/p>\n
\n- Refrigerant GWP<\/strong>: prioritize systems using natural refrigerants (R290) or refrigerants already compliant with post-2027 F-Gas thresholds.<\/li>\n
- SCOP under real climate conditions<\/strong>: higher seasonal efficiency reduces the electricity volume needed per unit of heat, which lowers indirect emissions proportionally.<\/li>\n
- Grid carbon intensity of the installation region<\/strong>: the same appliance produces different outcomes in different countries; local grid data should inform system sizing and control strategy.<\/li>\n
- Compatibility with on-site renewables<\/strong>: systems with smart-grid connectivity (such as myiDM+ integration) allow PV self-consumption to reduce the effective indirect emission factor.<\/li>\n
- Manufacturer lifecycle documentation<\/strong>: availability of EPDs or comparable lifecycle data supports embodied carbon assessment during specification.<\/li>\n
- Regulatory horizon<\/strong>: selecting equipment already compliant with 2027, 2032, and 2035 F-Gas Regulation milestones avoids future retrofit or replacement costs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/span>Comparisons<\/span><\/h2>\nHeating System CO2 Emission Comparison (Indicative, per kWh Heat Delivered)<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n\n\n| Heating System<\/th>\n | Approx. CO2 Emission Factor<\/th>\n | Emission Type<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n |
\n\n| Oil boiler<\/td>\n | ~266 g CO2\/kWh<\/td>\n | Direct (combustion)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
\n| Natural gas boiler (condensing)<\/td>\n | ~200 g CO2\/kWh<\/td>\n | Direct (combustion)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
\n| Direct electric resistance heating<\/td>\n | Depends fully on grid mix<\/td>\n | Indirect only<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
\n| Heat pump (SCOP 4.0, EU average grid)<\/td>\n | ~55\u2013100 g CO2\/kWh<\/td>\n | Indirect (electricity), minimal direct<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
\n| Heat pump (SCOP 4.0, low-carbon grid e.g. Austria\/Switzerland)<\/td>\n | ~20\u201340 g CO2\/kWh<\/td>\n | Indirect (electricity), minimal direct<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Figures are indicative and vary by national grid carbon intensity, heat pump efficiency, and refrigerant charge. They illustrate relative order of magnitude, not certified values.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Refrigerant GWP Comparison<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n \n\n\nRefrigerant<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nGWP (approx.)<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nF-Gas Regulation Status<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n\n| R410A<\/td>\n | ~2,088<\/td>\n | High-GWP; subject to phase-down and market restrictions<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n| R32<\/td>\n | ~675<\/td>\n | Mid-GWP; permitted under current thresholds, subject to future limits<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n| R290 (propane)<\/td>\n | ~3<\/td>\n | Natural refrigerant; not subject to F-Gas phase-down<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n| R744 (CO2)<\/td>\n | 1<\/td>\n | Natural refrigerant; reference value for GWP scale<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n The direct emissions gap between legacy high-GWP refrigerants and natural refrigerants is the single largest lever available for reducing a heat pump’s climate risk from leakage events.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n iDM systems built on natural refrigerant R290 (AERO ALM\/SLM series) address the direct emissions component directly. Combined with Navigator 2.0 \/ myiDM+ smart grid control, indirect emissions can be further reduced through renewable self-consumption and grid-responsive operation. TERRA SW\/AL and iPump A extend this same emissions logic to ground-source and industrial-scale applications.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> Configure your personalized heat pump system!<\/strong><\/p><\/div> | | | | |