Will I need building regulations approval for a heat pump?

One of the biggest contributors to CO2 emissions in a property is the heating system, therefore you may want to find a way to employ a more energy efficient and sustainable method of heating your home. A heat pump is one way of doing this – it provides heat by taking low temperature heat from the environment and transforming it to a higher temperature.

There are a number of heat pump types to choose from:

• an air source heat pump absorbs heat from the outside air
• a ground or water source heat pump (pictured above) extracts heat from the ground or water
• a solar assisted heat pump absorbs atmospheric heat
• an exhaust air pump uses the heat from waste air leaving a building

The building work and the heat pump appliance itself must comply with the building regulations, and the person who installs it should ideally belong to either a relevant competent person scheme or to a microgeneration certification scheme. (As always, seek out reviews before you commit to any particular company to do the work.)

Further information

Do I need planning permission for a heat pump?

Approved Document Part L England: Conservation of fuel and power in existing dwellings 

Approved Document Part L Wales: Conservation of fuel and power in existing dwellings

Building regulations application FAQs