<\/span><\/h2>\nEmbodied 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.<\/p>\n
The term \u201ccarbon\u201d is therefore shorthand. The calculation may include carbon dioxide, methane, refrigerant gases and other greenhouse gases. Each gas is converted to CO\u2082e according to its global warming potential.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
What does the heat pump environment include?<\/strong><\/p>\nIn this guide, the heat pump environment<\/strong> means the complete physical system required to deliver heating, cooling or domestic hot water. It can include more than the heat pump appliance.<\/p>\nDepending on the project boundary, the assessment may include:<\/p>\n
\n- Heat pump casing and structural frame<\/li>\n
- Compressor, motor and inverter<\/li>\n
- Evaporator and condenser<\/li>\n
- Fans and circulation pumps<\/li>\n
- Copper, steel, aluminium and plastic components<\/li>\n
- Electrical controls and sensors<\/li>\n
- Factory refrigerant charge<\/li>\n
- Hydraulic pipework and fittings<\/li>\n
- Buffer storage<\/li>\n
- Domestic hot water cylinder<\/li>\n
- Backup heating equipment<\/li>\n
- Ground loops or boreholes<\/li>\n
- Groundwater wells and pumps<\/li>\n
- Air ducts or external air-source equipment<\/li>\n
- Packaging<\/li>\n
- Transport to the installation site<\/li>\n
- Installation materials and site activities<\/li>\n
- Replacement parts and replacement refrigerant<\/li>\n
- Deinstallation and waste treatment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Embodied carbon and life-cycle stages<\/strong><\/p>\nHeat 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.<\/p>\n
Product stage: A1\u2013A3<\/strong><\/p>\nThis stage covers raw material supply, transport to manufacturing facilities and manufacturing.<\/p>\n
For a heat pump, it can include:<\/p>\n
\n- Production of steel, copper and aluminium<\/li>\n
- Production of plastics and insulation<\/li>\n
- Semiconductor and electronic component production<\/li>\n
- Refrigerant production<\/li>\n
- Component manufacturing<\/li>\n
- Assembly<\/li>\n
- Factory energy use<\/li>\n
- Manufacturing waste<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
A result limited to A1\u2013A3 is often called a cradle-to-gate carbon footprint<\/strong>. It is not the complete embodied carbon of an installed system.<\/p>\nConstruction stage: A4\u2013A5<\/strong><\/p>\nThis stage covers transport to the site and installation.<\/p>\n
It can include:<\/p>\n
\n- Freight from the factory or warehouse<\/li>\n
- Packaging<\/li>\n
- Lifting equipment<\/li>\n
- Installation energy<\/li>\n
- Refrigerant added on site<\/li>\n
- Hydraulic and electrical connections<\/li>\n
- Drilling or excavation<\/li>\n
- Installation waste<\/li>\n
- Waste transport and treatment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
A1\u2013A5 is commonly described as upfront carbon<\/strong>. These emissions occur before the system begins normal operation.<\/p>\nUse-stage embodied carbon: B1\u2013B5<\/strong><\/p>\nThis stage covers non-energy impacts during service.<\/p>\n
It can include:<\/p>\n
\n- Direct use-stage emissions<\/li>\n
- Maintenance<\/li>\n
- Repair<\/li>\n
- Component replacement<\/li>\n
- Refrigerant replacement<\/li>\n
- System refurbishment<\/li>\n
- Replacement of controls, pumps or storage equipment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Operational electricity is normally assigned to B6. It should not be added to embodied carbon when the assessment reports embodied and operational carbon separately.<\/p>\n
End-of-life stage: C1\u2013C4<\/strong><\/p>\nThis stage covers:<\/p>\n
\n- Deinstallation<\/li>\n
- Demolition or dismantling activities<\/li>\n
- Transport to treatment facilities<\/li>\n
- Refrigerant recovery<\/li>\n
- Waste processing<\/li>\n
- Recycling preparation<\/li>\n
- Incineration<\/li>\n
- Final disposal<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Benefits beyond the system boundary: Module D<\/strong><\/p>\nModule 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.<\/p>\n
Module D should normally be reported separately. It should not be automatically deducted from A\u2013C results. Future recycling benefits depend on collection, processing and market conditions that may not occur exactly as assumed.<\/p>\n
The boundary used in this guide<\/strong><\/p>\nThis page uses whole-life embodied carbon<\/strong> to mean:<\/p>\n\n- A1\u2013A5<\/li>\n
- Relevant non-energy emissions in B1\u2013B5<\/li>\n
- C1\u2013C4<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Special treatment of refrigerants<\/strong><\/p>\nRefrigerant emissions require clear classification.<\/p>\n