The CLEAR-HP project aims to get heat pumps into homes across Europe through collective purchase campaigns, offering a highly efficient and reliable heat pump at a discounted price. But how does the project ensure consumers are getting some of the “best” products on the market? That’s where the product testing phase comes in.

Founded in 1990, ICRT, or International Consumer Research and Testing, built on a history of product testing that reaches back over 50 years. As consumer demand in renewables began to build, ICRT conducted its first air-to-air heat pump test through the first CLEAR project in 2014, and its first air-to-water heat pump test in 2022.

It goes without saying that all heat pumps on the market in Europe meet the EU’s Ecodesign and Energy Labelling requirements. So what else does project partner ICRT test for? Alongside heating/cooling capacity and energy efficiency (Coefficient of Performance), tests are conducted for noise level, ease of installation and use, overall value for money and connectivity. One of the key aspects of ICRT’s testing process is that they aim to reflect real consumer use of the product in their testing.

As well as helping consumers to make better-informed purchasing decisions, the test results benefit policy makers through generating data that can better inform the regulatory process and promote energy efficiency on the product market.

“Over the years of testing we’ve seen advancements in issues such as energy efficiency and noise reduction,” commented Sílvia Gomes da Silva of ICRT, “but in order to ensure optimal performance and longevity of heat pumps, challenges remain within the industry that cannot always be solved through testing, such as proper installation and maintenance.”