The way we heat our homes in the EU today weighs heavily on the environment and our household budgets. This is why the HARP project has developed an online tool which will enable consumers in 5 EU countries to assess the energy efficiency of their installed heating appliance, and support them in finding a more efficient alternative.
In addition to the English version of the HARP online tool, consumers and professionals in the project partner countries can now access the tool in their language: the HARP app is available in French, German, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. It helps users assess the efficiency of their various heating appliances such as boilers and space heaters, and the list has just been extended to cover water heaters.
Making change happen – one step at a time
The aim of this assessment is to motivate consumers to look for a more efficient alternative, pushing for a higher rate of planned replacement of inefficient appliances. The tool will also accompany the consumer in the replacement process itself. After the user fills in a short form, the online application will provide:
- an overview of the different suitable alternatives and their benefits;
- a list of installers that could help replace the inefficient heater;
- an overview of the available incentives at national level.
The HARP online tool will accompany the consumer throughout the whole decision process from raising awareness to providing tailored practical assistance.
Long-lasting but inefficient
Inefficient heating systems have a huge impact on the EU’s energy consumption and CO₂ emissions considering that 80% of our households’ energy use goes into heating and hot water. Even though the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling regulations for space and water heaters, in place since 2015, have removed the worst performing products from the market, many inefficient boilers are still in use today. This is because boilers can last for over 15 years, and their replacement rate lies at only 4%. It is estimated that 60% of the EU heating stock consists of inefficient boilers and it is likely that most consumers will find that their installed heater falls into C-class, or lower.
A faster replacement rate is urgently needed. With the launch of the online tool the HARP project aims to motivate consumers to opt for a planned replacement with more efficient heating solutions and to provide the practical guidance needed in this process.
In this way, the HARP online tool will contribute not only to decreasing the negative environmental impact of domestic heating but will also allow consumers to save money.
About the project:
HARP (Heating Appliances Retrofit Planning) is a project funded by the EU Horizon 2020 programme aiming to raise consumer awareness on the inefficiency of their heating systems and to accompany the adoption of efficient alternatives.