VISION:The Programme is the foremost worldwide source of independent information and expertise on environmental and energy conservation benefits of heat pumping technologies (including refrigeration and air-conditioning). The Programme conducts high value international collaborative activities to improve energy efficiency and minimise adverse environmental impact.

MISSION: The Programme strives to achieve widespread deployment of appropriate high quality heat pumping technologies to obtain energy conservation and environmental benefits from these technologies.  It serves policy makers, national and international energy and environmental agencies, utilities, manufacturers, designers and researchers. 

OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES 

Energy and Environment

Objective: To quantify and publicise the energy saving potential and environmental benefits (local and global) of heat pumping technologies.

Strategies:

• To achieve increased emphasis on heat pumping technologies in national and international political agendas. 
• To align Programme activities with environmental and energy priorities, such as the Kyoto Protocol.

Market and Deployment

Objective:  To develop and deliver information to support deployment of appropriate heat pumping technologies.

Strategy: To provide information in a form usable by stakeholders. 

Technology

Objective: To promote and foster international collaboration to develop knowledge, systems and practices in heat pumping technologies through RDD&D (research, development, demonstration and deployment).

Strategies:

• To capitalise on the strengths of the Programme so as to
• Develop information suppport for the energy and environmental strategy.
• Resolve apparent market barriers.
• Promote international collaboration on emerging technical issues. 

Information Management

Objective: To provide effective flow of information to, from and between stakeholders and other relevant entities.

Strategy: To develop and implement an information and communication plan that supports the Programme strategies.

Visibility and Status

Objective: To improve significantly the visibility and status of the Programme, and to be an outstanding Implementing Agreement within the IEA.

Strategies:

• To increase the membership of the Programme.
• To respond to the needs of our stakeholders.
• To increase the benefits for our members.

In order to accomplish these objectives the Heat Pump Programme executes a broad range of activities: the Heat Pump Centre (an information service), collaborative international projects (Annexes), workshops, analysis studies and a triennial international conference. The IEA Heat Pump Centre is the central information activity of the IEA Heat Pump Programme. The Centre links people and organisations worldwide in support of heat pump technology and communicates through National Teams (NT) in the HPP member countries. The HPC's role is to accelerate the implementation of heat pump technology and thereby optimise the use of energy resources for the benefit of the environment. This is achieved by offering a worldwide information service to support all those who can play a part in the implementation of heat pumping technology including researchers, engineers, manufacturers, installers, equipment users, and energy policy makers in utilities, government offices and other organisations. To subscribe to the quarterly journal register online at www.heatpumpcentre.org

29. Ground-Source Heat Pumps Overcoming Market and Technical Barriers
The Annex will investigate ideas and, depending on climate and application, identify systems that could improve performance and market attractiveness of ground-source heat pump systems.

30. Retrofit Heat Pumps for Buildings
The Annex will investigate the availability, technology, economy, ecology and possible R&D trends of heat pump systems to retrofit low energy efficient space and tap water heating systems in existing residential buildings, taking into account that heat pumps are able to drastically reduce fossil energy consumption and the related greenhouse gas emissions. Space heating systems include first of all hydronic systems including heat sources, heat pumps and distribution systems but also air-to-air heat pump air-conditioners without heat distribution system. Heat pumps for retrofit should include electric heat pumps with zero or low GWP working fluids and gas-fired systems including ab- and ad-sorption.

31. Advanced Modeling and Tools for Analysis of Energy Use in Supermarkets
Supermarkets are the most energy intensive buildings in the commercial sector. The objective of the Annex is to develop reasonable accurate simulation and optimization algorithms and tools to assist in the analysis of the energy performance and in the development of energy efficient strategies for supermarkets. These simulation and optimizing algorithms could also evolve into tools for continuous optimization of the whole building, continuous commissioning and automated diagnostic of the different systems of the building, i.e. fault detection analysis. The Annex aims also at developing of energy (and maybe operating) efficiency indices for different countries and systems.

32. Economical Heating and Cooling Systems for Low Energy Houses
Heating energy demand of highly insulated, air tight dwellings with high glazing fraction has reached very low values down to about 15 kWh/(m2·a). However, due to the building features, there may be a need for comfort cooling in summertime. Heat pumps are favourable heating systems for these building types due to small power layouts and the possibility to heat and cool with the same unit. Main objective of the Annex is to evaluate different system solutions for the building needs heating, domestic hot water and cooling in low energy houses in order to minimise overall energy use and costs and to develop guidelines for the design and control of these systems.

33. Compact Heat Exchangers in Heat Pumping Equipment
The principal goal of the annex is to identify compact heat exchangers, either existing or under development, that may be applied in heat pumping equipment – including those using vapour compression, mechanical vapour recompression and absorption cycles. This has the aims of decreasing the working fluid inventory, minimising the environmental impact of system manufacture and disposal, and/or increasing the system performance during the equipment life. A second goal is to identify, where necessary propose, and document reasonably accurate methods of predicting heat transfer, pressure drop and void fractions in these types of heat exchangers. A third goal is to present listings of operating limits etc. for the different types of compact heat exchangers, e.g. maximum pressures, maximum temperatures, material compatibility, minimum diameters, etc. and of estimated manufacturing costs or possible market prices in large scale production.

34. Thermally Driven Heat Pumps for Heating and Cooling
The goal of Annex 34 is to reduce the environmental impact of heating and cooling by the use of thermally driven heat pumps. The economic, environmental and energy performance of integrated thermally driven heat pumps in cooling and heating systems in a range of climates, countries and applications will be quantified. From this, those areas and applications with the greatest environmental benefit, the best economics and the greatest market potential will be identified.