Heat pumps for businesses: guides & comparisons
Explainers and comparisons for UK businesses replacing a gas or oil boiler. Each guide names its sources and review date.
Air source vs ground source heat pump: which suits a commercial building?This air source vs ground source heat pump guide sets out where each type wins for a commercial building, what it costs to compare them, and how to decide.Ambient loop heat networks explainedA plain-English explanation of ambient loop heat networks (sometimes called fifth-generation or 5GDHC systems), how they differ from conventional district heating, and what to check.Are Heat Pumps Worth It for Business in 2026?Sometimes yes and sometimes no: the answer turns on a handful of conditions you can check against your own building and bills.Boiler Upgrade Scheme for business premises: who qualifies and how to applyThe Boiler Upgrade Scheme also covers some business buildings: GOV.UK says it can be used for a building used for your business, within a limit of 45 kW thermal for a single heat pump (70 kW thermal for a multi-unit system).Business Heat Pump Grants & Funding 2026The story of how business heat pump funding shifted, why old advice is now wrong, and a checklist for getting a grant through an installer.Heat Pumps for Business: 2026 Cost & PaybackA method for calculating simple payback on a commercial heat pump from your own quotes and tariffs, including the case where there is no payback at all.Cascade and modular heat pump systems for commercial buildingsA cascade, or modular, heat pump system splits the load across several smaller units that switch in and out as demand changes, instead of relying on one large machine.Commercial heat pump lifespan and servicing: what to plan forHow long a commercial heat pump lasts depends mainly on how hard it works, how clean its water circuit is and how well it is maintained, so the servicing plan matters as much as the unit.Commercial heat pump noise and planning permissionPermitted development rights for air-source heat pumps are written for homes, so a commercial installation normally needs the local planning authority’s view, and often a noise assessment.Commercial heat pump running costs vs gas: the break-even methodWhether a heat pump is cheaper to run than a gas boiler comes down to one comparison: the electricity-to-gas price ratio against the heat pump’s seasonal efficiency.Ground source heat pump borehole cost: what drives it on a commercial siteGround source heat pump borehole cost on a commercial site depends on how many boreholes the borefield needs, how deep they go and what the ground is made of; this guide explains how a borefield is sized and specified and what a quote should itemise.Heat network zoning explained: what it could mean for a business buildingHeat network zoning is a planned English system for designating areas where a heat network is the preferred low-carbon heat source; this guide separates what is law, what is government policy and what is still proposed, as last checked on 20 October 2026.Heat pump electrical supply and DNO upgrades for business sitesReplacing a boiler with a heat pump moves a large heating load onto your electricity supply, so check the site’s capacity and ask your network operator early.Heat pump flow temperature and emitters in commercial buildingsThe water temperature your emitters need is the single design input that most affects how efficient a commercial heat pump will be.How to size a heat pump for a commercial buildingSizing a commercial heat pump starts from the building’s peak heat loss and annual demand, not from floor area or the size of the old boiler.Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler for Business PremisesA side-by-side comparison of a commercial heat pump and a gas boiler, with the running-cost break-even worked through.Heat pumps for swimming pools: a guide for business-owned poolsThis guide explains heat pumps for swimming pools from the point of view of a business that owns one, covering how they work, how to size one, what they cost to run against gas and what to ask for in a quote.High temperature heat pumps explainedA plain-English guide to what makes a heat pump “high temperature”, what that costs in efficiency, where it is used and what to ask a supplier.The most efficient way to heat a commercial building: heating options comparedThe most efficient way to heat a commercial building, in energy terms, is usually a heat pump, but the cheapest to run depends on your tariffs, so this guide separates efficiency from running cost and sets the options side by side.R290 propane heat pumps for commercial buildingsAn R290 heat pump uses propane as its refrigerant: it has a very low global warming potential but is flammable, so siting and ventilation matter and the manufacturer’s manual is the authority.SCOP explained: what the seasonal figure means for a commercial heat pumpSCOP is the efficiency number that decides whether a heat pump saves energy cost; this guide explains how it is rated, why your site will differ, and how to check a quote.Water source heat pump for business: open loop, closed loop and the permits involvedA water source heat pump takes heat from a river, lake, canal, dock or aquifer; this guide explains the open and closed loop routes, when a business site suits one and which England permissions to check first.