{"id":24122,"date":"2026-01-28T14:23:34","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T12:23:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ehpa.org\/?p=24122"},"modified":"2026-01-28T14:23:34","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T12:23:34","slug":"annual-report-2025-design-innovation-and-certification","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ehpa.org\/news-and-resources\/news\/annual-report-2025-design-innovation-and-certification\/","title":{"rendered":"Annual report 2025: design, innovation and certification"},"content":{"rendered":"

EHPA continues to work on issues related to product design and innovation.\u00a0It hosts the secretariat of the certification scheme\u00a0Heat\u202fPump KEYMARK, which\u202freached\u00a0<\/span>12,000 certified models<\/span><\/b>\u202fin 2025<\/span><\/b>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>31 recognised testing\u00a0<\/span>laboratories, and 11 certification bodies<\/span>\u00a0granted the right\u00a0to award certification.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Heat Pump KEYMARK team were present\u00a0<\/span>at\u00a0numerous\u00a0events and trade fairs<\/span><\/b>\u00a0last year alongside EHPA,\u00a0including Heat Pump\u00a0<\/span>Technologies<\/span>\u00a0in\u00a0<\/span>Italy\u00a0<\/span>giving a presentation on the benefits of the label, and ISK\u00a0Sodex\u00a0in Istanbul.<\/span><\/p>\n

EHPA also runs the Quality Label certification scheme, which continued to\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0stability and an active engagement from the market under the coordination of the association. Overall participation levels remained\u00a0relatively consistent, reflecting sustained confidence in the scheme, with around\u00a0<\/span>1,774 valid certificates<\/span><\/b>\u00a0covering approximately\u00a0<\/span>11,257 certified models<\/span><\/b>. This steady performance underlines the continued involvement of manufacturers and stakeholders and confirms the Quality Label\u2019s ongoing relevance as a recognised reference point in the sector.<\/span><\/p>\n

In EU policy terms, EHPA\u00a0<\/span>continued to input to the<\/span><\/b>\u00a0EU\u2019s energy efficient product design (<\/span>Ecodesign) and labelling rules,<\/span><\/b>\u00a0taking part\u00a0to\u00a0represent\u00a0the heat pump sector\u2019s views\u00a0in European Commission\u00a0round-tables\u00a0and\u00a0relevant meetings, as well as an exchange on energy efficient product legislation with EU Energy Commissioner\u00a0Dan Jorgenson.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For EHPA, it is key to\u00a0<\/span>decide upon and\u00a0enact\u00a0updates to\u00a0Ecodesign\u00a0rules more quickly<\/span><\/b>\u00a0so that they are not\u00a0over-taken by other agendas, and to give the sector time to adapt.\u00a0We supported our messages via a\u00a0communications\u00a0campaign.<\/span><\/p>\n

More generally, product policy has become\u00a0very\u00a0complex. Right now,\u00a0<\/span>heat pump manufacturers\u00a0must\u00a0navigate multiple EU and national\u00a0product requirements including those\u00a0related to Ecodesign,\u00a0refrigerants and flexibility. These\u00a0mean they\u00a0have to\u00a0repeatedly redesign products and get them certified,\u00a0which adds\u00a0technical,\u00a0manufacturing\u00a0and administrative burdens and costs.\u00a0The EU needs to coordinate\u00a0product requirements and\u00a0align them strategically, bearing in mind\u00a0the\u00a0effect this has on\u00a0product development cycles and product cost, predictability, heat pump\u00a0uptake\u00a0and\u00a0heating decarbonisation\u00a0more broadly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition,\u00a0more and more\u00a0countries are coming out with local content requirements. This is\u00a0further damaging the single market, pushing up\u00a0prices, creating administrative\u00a0burdens\u00a0and restricting market availability of certain\u00a0heat pump technologies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another key product design issue for EHPA is that of\u00a0refrigerants<\/strong>. Historically, heat pumps\u00a0contained\u00a0fluorinated gases (F-gases), which have a significant global warming potential. The EU now limits their availability and aims to reduce emissions to one-fifth of 2014 levels by 2030. In response, the heat pump sector is rapidly transitioning towards non-fluorinated\u00a0refrigerant alternatives wherever this is technically and economically\u00a0feasible.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2025, EHPA worked closely with its members to engage with the European Commission and national authorities on the practical implementation of the revised F-gas Regulation.<\/strong> EHPA coordinated technical input and joint industry positions, including on labelling requirements and rules on placing products on the market, together with partner associations. These actions aimed to ensure that the new rules deliver emissions reductions while\u00a0maintaining\u00a0legal certainty, product\u00a0availability\u00a0and investment confidence across the sector. The next steps are continued exchanges with policymakers to clarify remaining implementation interpretations.<\/span><\/p>\n

In parallel, the EU is considering a proposal to restrict more than 10,000 chemical substances<\/strong> under the planned PFAS restriction, some of which are currently used in heat pump technologies. EHPA has consistently argued that, without\u00a0appropriate safeguards, this proposal could unintentionally undermine EU climate and energy\u00a0objectives\u00a0by limiting the deployment of efficient heat pumps before\u00a0viable\u00a0alternatives are available. To emphasise this risk, EHPA actively\u00a0participated\u00a0in discussions<\/strong> within the Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) and the Socio-Economic Analysis Committee (SEAC) of the European Chemicals\u00a0Agency, and\u00a0worked with other European associations to align questions and evidence\u00a0submitted\u00a0to regulators during the sessions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The next steps include preparing a dedicated EHPA position for upcoming SEAC consultation (public consultation will be open for 60-days in spring 2026), contributing data on\u00a0refrigerant use and alternatives, and engaging further with EU institutions to ensure climate-compatible outcomes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more of EHPA’s annual report 2025:<\/p>\n