The future's heat pumps are already here

"It feels great. The EcoAir series refined our heat pumps. We kept the features that were appreciated in earlier models and improved the performance and noise levels," says Joachim Carlsson.

"Low noise levels are becoming increasingly important for consumers. It is a trend we are seeing across Europe. People's living conditions are becoming more crowded and thus they are less tolerant of noise."

Customers expect products to be connected and controllable from their mobile phones. They want to keep track of their investment.

A property's various systems can also be connected, such as home alarms and heat pumps. When you leave home and set the alarm, the property also sends an automatic signal to the heat pump to enter energy-saving mode.

Another example is wireless sensors for carbon dioxide and moisture content, which are available as accessories. These can be used in the ventilation system to maintain a high level of comfort, regardless of whether the house is empty or full of people.

"Via our CTC Connect+ app, you can control hot water production or the temperature in your home. If you want to fill up the hot tub when you get home, you can set it so that you get plenty of hot water," says Joachim.

This technological development does not only mean that products interact with their surroundings in a smart manner. It is also enabling heat pumps to last longer. The likelihood of a pump breaking down today is far less than it was a decade ago. Parallels can be drawn to how cars have evolved. A car's electronic monitoring system alerts owners before things break down. Major repairs are avoided by minor preventive maintenance.

"Heat pump sensors are used to detect any deviations from expected values. An alarm indicates if something is wrong and the problem can be rectified before it results in costly repairs," says Björn.

CTC endeavours to provide homeowners and other end users with reliable products that function without any issues. At the same time, the company has stepped up its efforts to make the jobs of installers simpler, such as when, for instance, heat pumps are to be installed in larger properties.

CTC has also developed tools to expedite the quotation process, planning and installation. CTC Select is a sizing tool that helps installers to choose the right heat pump for the right house, and it has become greatly appreciated.

"We are working diligently to broaden our range with new accessories that make things easier for installers," says Björn.