HEAT PUMPS IN SWITZERLAND—A SUCCESS STORY
The Swiss heat pump market has experienced in the last decade a continuous growth. On average, the sales increased by 15 %. Heat pumps play an important role especially in the new building market, where the heat pump shares about 20 %, oil-fired systems 50 %, gas-fired systems 22 %, and other heating systems 8 %. With respect to the Swiss climate, it is necessary to have reliable heating systems installed in buildings. Due to the fact that heating systems and in particular heat pumps cannot be sold in the same way as consumer-products, the Swiss Heat Pump Association (FWS) was founded 10 years ago with the goal to promote the residential heat pump in Switzerland. Furthermore, FWS coordinates governmental organizations, research and development partners, manufacturers, HVAC-consulting firms, contractors, and energy-suppliers amongst each other. Within this concept, quality assurance and operational reliability have been set as a precondition for an active market development. In addition, a successful marketing is a key component for convincing investors in heat pumps.