LiviosBouwsite Livios recently conducted a residential survey among more than 3,800 Flemish people. One of the questions was: ‘If you can spend 25,000 euros, what investment will you make?’ At least a quarter of those surveyed indicated that they would purchase a heat pump. Surprising or not? We asked Thijs Van den Brande, environmental research specialist at Daikin, Dirk Van Evercooren, general manager of ODE, and Klaas Decanniere, heat pump expert at the same ODE.
Heat pump no longer an exotic unknown
Energy efficiency and affordable housing are playing an increasingly important role, especially since our housing stock must be energy efficient by 2050. Sustainable measures, such as installing solar panels or installing a heat pump or heat pump boiler, are therefore smart choices. The Housing Survey* shows that this awareness is increasing.
We asked more than 3,800 Flemish people what investment they would make if they could spend 25,000 euros. 1 in 4 indicates that they want to purchase a heat pump. “We are pleased to hear that the heat pump is no longer an exotic unknown, but has become top of mind,” says Dirk Van Evercooren of ODE, the sector organization for sustainable energy. “In just a few years we have seen an important transition from a niche product to a mainstream way to make our heating and cooling needs more sustainable.”
50 percent of households are ready
Heat pump manufacturer Daikin also notices this. “We saw that in our National Heating Survey 1 in 2 households is ready for the heat pump. This result shows that a large part of them also wants to make their installation more sustainable at an accelerated pace and that is a good signal. Although there are still differences…”
“There are households that have the budget and have already taken the step, those that have the budget but are still looking for things to do, and those that are having financial difficulties. We must focus on the last two groups. Not only by making premiums more targeted, but also by providing them with better guidance,” says Thijs Van den Brande.
Price too high?
The cost of a heat pump is between 6,000 euros and 22,000 euros, depending on the type of heat pump you install. Van Evercooren finds it a difficult question whether the heat pump is too expensive. “One heat pump has a lower investment cost, but a higher usage cost and vice versa.”
“But we do see that in recent studies the value of an energy-efficient home increases significantly. Purchasing a heat pump is therefore an investment that pays for itself in three ways: you increase the value of the home, you gain comfort and you save on energy,” Van den Brande adds.
Tax shift is necessary
In addition, according to Van Evercooren, we are still in a context where the price ratio between fossil fuels and electricity is too high. “Certainly for homes that are less well insulated or homes where the distribution system has not been adapted. We continue to strive for a tax shift, so that electricity becomes cheaper.” Van den Brande agrees: “There is a lot of legislative work to be done in the coming years. 2024 will definitely be the year of warmth.”
Group purchases reduce prices
ODE does propose to look beyond individual households and prefers a systematic and collective approach. Klaas Decanniere, heat pump expert: “It is much more efficient to switch entire neighborhoods to heat pumps and to make group purchases. This way you can reduce the cost price and it is much more interesting from a social perspective.”
“By viewing a neighborhood as a whole, with individual heat pumps or a collective system on aquathermal or riot thermal energy, you optimize much faster. Heat networks can also play a role in this. It is the job of the energy houses, the municipalities and the partners to look at the bigger picture.”
Lack of budget and knowledge
Moreover, these energy houses not only play an important role in the joint rollout of the heat pump. They also have an important advisory function. “We receive a lot of questions from people who want a heat pump, but don’t know how to go about it,” says Van Evercooren. “Relieving your worries is a crucial element in getting everyone involved in the energy transition. For this we look at the energy houses and the installers. They must provide correct and neutral advice, so that you can make the right heating choice for your home.”
“That’s right,” Van den Brande adds, “the price can be an obstacle, but so can the lack of knowledge. That is why we are fully committed to improving and expanding the knowledge of our installers. And we know that energy houses are busy strengthening themselves to provide people with more targeted guidance. The energy suppliers can also help with this. But you can also collect a lot of information yourself: just think about it consulting your home ID or by specifically monitoring your use.”
“Even if you don’t have the budget for a heat pump right now, make sure your home is prepared. If necessary, work in phases so that you can continue to save in the meantime. And if your condensing boiler gives up the ghost, you should consciously choose a sustainable solution. From 2028, families will have to pay for the CO2 they emit and in 2040 the end story will be for fossil fuels. And those dates are getting closer.”
‘What investment would you make if you had 25,000 euros to spend?’
To that question, 25.53 percent of respondents answered that they would purchase a heat pump. In second place is additional insulation of the home (17.4%), followed by landscaping the garden (14.3%), replacing the glazing (12.7%) and installing a PV system (11.2%). . About 1 in 10 opts for a new bathroom (9.52%) and a new kitchen (9.41%).
*Construction site Livios organized an online survey from October 18 to November 15, 2023 to gauge how satisfied readers are with their home, what housing dreams they cherish, whether they have insight into energy and regulations and what they think about the affordability of a construction or renovation project. More than 3,800 Flemish respondents took part.
Read more on Livios.be:
Will we install heat pumps on our roof from 2024? “You often see it pop up in the Netherlands”
“30,000 new homes are needed every year or we will end up in a housing crisis”
This article was written by our partner Livios.be, an expert site that focuses on construction and renovation.
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2024-02-12 09:53:25
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