As the name suggests, heat pumps heat your home in winter, but another literally cool benefit of heat pumps is their ability to cool your home in summer. Heat pumps can replace both your gas boiler and air conditioning system, offering the most efficient year-round technology for heating and cooling your home.

The basic principle of cooling with an air-to-air heat pump is simple: the device's original function is reversed, extracting warm air from the interior and releasing it outside. 

Why does it matter? Europe is the fastest-warming continent with temperatures rising about twice the global average rate. The year 2023 was marked by extreme weather events that affected millions of people through heat waves, droughts, wildfires and floods. 
The growing frequency of heat waves - not just in Southern Europe – has led to a rise of health-related issues, commonly referred to as heat stress on the human body.  A report by the EU Copernicus Climate Change Service shows that heat-related mortality has increased by around 30% over the past 20 years. 

As a result, the use of air conditioning has risen significantly in recent years. Even in countries like Germany, where air conditioning has traditionally been uncommon, the share of households using air conditioning increased by 6 percentage points in 2024 compared to 2023.  

In short, as a sustainable heating and cooling solution that runs on electricity and not fossil fuels, heat pumps contribute to reducing emissions (mitigation) while also helping to better prepare for the (future) harmful effects of global warming (adaptation).

The CLEAR HP project aims to help consumers to switch to renewable energy by offering the chance to participate in a collective heat pump purchase campaign, facilitating the purchasing and installation process for consumers across Europe. Find out more.