IMS Heat Pumps

Heat Pumps & What Makes Them Efficient

renewable heating and energy systems, offering CPD sessions for architects and building professionals. With nearly 30 years’ experience, we provide practical insight into heat pump design, specification and system integration.

Course title(s) and description(s):

Heat Pumps & What Makes Them Efficient

This CPD session provides an overview of how heat pump efficiency is measured in practice and the key factors that influence real-world performance in buildings. It is aimed at architects and building professionals involved in early-stage design and specification.

The session explains the difference between common efficiency metrics, including Coefficient of Performance (COP), Seasonal Coefficient of Performance (SCOP) and Seasonal Performance Factor (SPF), and how these relate to both carbon emissions and running costs. It then explores the relative influence of technology and system design, highlighting how specification decisions made during the design stage can significantly affect outcomes.

Key topics include compressor types, refrigerant selection and control strategies, alongside design considerations such as system sizing, flow temperature, emitter selection and zoning. Particular emphasis is placed on the importance of designing for low flow temperatures to maximise seasonal efficiency.

The session includes a series of worked examples comparing different system approaches, demonstrating the impact of design quality on performance, cost and carbon. These examples are intended to support understanding of best practice rather than promote specific products.

The content is structured to provide practical, design-stage insights that can be applied to real projects, supporting more informed specification and coordination decisions. The session is delivered as technical CPD and is non-commercial in nature.