Sun, 19 Apr 2026 11:02:58 +0100 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/ Lussumo Vanilla 1.0.3 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17240&Focus=292427#Comment_292427 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17240&Focus=292427#Comment_292427 Mon, 18 Oct 2021 18:45:38 +0100 revor
â–º Refrigerant emissions add 20% to a UK air-source heat pump's carbon footprint. â–º This contribution is so far ignored by regulations. â–º UK heat pump footprints are comparable to those of gaseous fuels.

It is an an abstract from here.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421510008906

To read the full paper you need to pay to see or be a member of an institution. (Presumably an academic one)]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17240&Focus=292429#Comment_292429 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17240&Focus=292429#Comment_292429 Mon, 18 Oct 2021 19:54:41 +0100 WillInAberdeen
The carbon intensity of electricity in Scotland is now practically nil, and will be across GB within the lifetime of a new heatpump. So, the lifecycle emissions from using a heat pump are now far lower than they used to be, back when that paper was written, and much lower than burning "gaseous fuels".

Paradoxically, as the carbon intensity of the electricity disappears, the main lifecycle impact becomes the manufacturing and embodied emissions. These are lower for an electric fan heater than for a heat pump....!

Edit: it's fair to acknowledge that GWP is itself basically a lifecycle assessment and so you can get a different answer depending what 'lifecycle' you consider and how much of the production supply chain you include . HFCs have a big greenhouse effect but decay away quickly. CO2 is less bad but lasts for 10,000+ years.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17240&Focus=292430#Comment_292430 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17240&Focus=292430#Comment_292430 Mon, 18 Oct 2021 20:07:04 +0100 djh Posted By: revorIt is an an abstract from here.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421510008906

To read the full paper you need to pay to see or be a member of an institution. (Presumably an academic one)
Note that the paper is discussing HFC heat pumps, so you can do better by choosing a heat pump with a refrigerant with lower GHG potential. CO2-based heat pumps, for example.

The paper is also on researchgate, so it's possible to request a copy directly from the author, which I have done.]]>