Hamid Salimi, Residential Product Manager at Daikin, examines why improving the quality of customer education at handover makes smart business sense for housebuilders and developers – and argues that when it comes to operational efficiency and homeowner satisfaction, this can be as important as the quality of the build itself.
One of the most persistent objections to heat pump adoption and prospective buyers is the claim that electrifying home heating at scale will overwhelm the electricity grid. The reasoning sounds plausible: if millions of gas boilers are replaced by electrically powered systems, total electricity demand must rise sharply, potentially creating peaks that the network cannot absorb.
However, a recent study provides some of the clearest evidence yet that this concern is overstated, at least when it comes to new-build homes. Examining real-world energy data, the research found that heat pump systems, when correctly installed and operated, do not place undue strain on the electricity grid. Because heat pumps transfer heat rather than generate it directly, so peak demand is far lower than sceptics assume, and the technology’s efficiency fundamentally changes the grid equation compared with direct electric heating.
For developers, this is welcome evidence to have in hand. However, the study also emphasised that heat pump performance depends heavily on how occupants operate the systems in the long term, which brings us back to the importance of improving the quality of customer education at handover. Not investing in this stage can be a real risk to the developer; customer satisfaction and sales confidence are directly linked to a developer’s reputation and competitive edge.
Why New Builds Are Better Placed for Heat Pumps
Part L of the Building Regulations and the Future Homes Standard are key drivers in improving fabric performance and enhanced airtightness, with a clear indication that new build developers must prioritise sustainable alternatives over inefficient fossil fuel boilers.
When paired with low-temperature emitters such as underfloor heating or correctly sized radiators, heat pumps operate in optimal conditions: running steadily, consuming comparatively little electricity, and maintaining consistent comfort.
Rather than generating sharp peaks in demand, heat pumps in well-insulated homes operate continuously at low flow temperatures, smoothing rather than spiking grid load. The technology is also compatible with smart controls and time-of-use tariffs, allowing systems to pre-heat homes during off-peak periods and modulate output intelligently in response to outdoor temperatures through weather compensation. Far from being a liability to the grid, heat pumps, when deployed in modern, well-specified homes, are part of a smarter, more responsive energy network. The grid strain narrative, in this context, does not hold up.
The Behaviour Problem
Occupiers are the unknown variable in the equation. Many new homeowners arrive with expectations shaped by a lifetime of gas boiler use. They are accustomed to a system that responds to demand: turn it up, get heat quickly, turn it off when you leave. This intuitive, intermittent approach is exactly the wrong way to operate a heat pump, and the mismatch between expectation and reality is where efficiency is lost.
Heat pumps are designed to maintain a steady, low-temperature environment, not to deliver rapid heat-up from a cold start. When occupants override settings, increase flow temperatures to speed up warming, or switch the system off entirely when they go out, efficiency drops significantly. Electricity consumption rises, comfort can become inconsistent, and the system’s seasonal performance falls well short of its potential.
The threat to developer reputation is that often home buyers perceive this as a system failure, when in fact it is an education gap. Proactive housebuilders can easily get ahead of these potential misplaced frustrations and complaints by closing this gap of knowledge from the outset.
What Developers Need to Communicate
Closing that gap requires more than a brief walkthrough on completion day. Best practice indicates that developers should ensure that every buyer receives clear, accessible guidance on how to maximise efficiency.
Firstly, unlike a gas boiler, a heat pump works best when left to operate continuously at a gentle, steady level. Setting a consistent target temperature and allowing the system to maintain it rather than switching it on and off is the single most important behavioural change new owners need to make.
Efficiency is closely tied to flow temperature: the lower the flow temperature, the less electricity the system uses per unit of heat delivered. Heat pumps in new-build homes are designed to work effectively at flow temperatures in the 35 to 45°C range. Buyers should be advised not to increase flow temperatures in search of faster warmth, doing so undermines efficiency without meaningfully improving comfort in a well-insulated home.
This lack of operational understanding can have detrimental consequences to developers. Homeowners who do not understand how to operate heat pumps correctly will experience higher-than-expected energy bills, leading to disappointment and frustration, often directed at the developer. Negative word-of-mouth, online reviews, and social media complaints can damage brand reputation, particularly as heat pumps become more mainstream and scrutiny increases. Not to mention the fact that after-sales support costs can significantly escalate with service teams and customer care departments overwhelmed with avoidable queries.
Weather is also a consideration and modern heat pump systems include weather compensation controls that automatically adjust output based on outdoor temperature. Buyers should understand that the system is responding intelligently to conditions and should not attempt to override or disable it.
Another area where developers can add values is advising buyers around time related energy tariffs. Many energy suppliers now offer cheaper overnight electricity rates and heat pump systems can be programmed to take advantage of these periods, pre-heating the home when electricity is least expensive. Developers should flag this opportunity and encourage buyers to explore tariff options with their energy supplier.
Finally, it’s important to think about the wider ecosystem. Where homes include EV charging, battery storage or rooftop solar, heat pumps can be integrated into a smarter energy setup that reduces both cost and carbon impact. Buyers should be made aware of these possibilities from the outset, even if they are not currently using all elements of the system.
While this may seem like a lot to absorb, it’s important to emphasise that none of this rests on developers alone. Yes, a clear and thorough operational handover to homeowners is critical at buying stage, but so is also the close coordination and partnerships between developers and specialist manufacturers and suppliers from the design and planning stage.
Working with reputable manufacturers such as Daikin can offer long term support and guidance and play an essential role: accurate heat loss calculations, correct emitter specification, weather compensation configuration, and thorough commissioning all determine the baseline from which occupant behaviour operates. This close coordination between developers and their heat pump installation partners is fundamental to system efficiency; it differentiates developers in a competitive market and increases customer satisfaction, thereby limiting the overall risk to developers. For more information on Daikin and its products, visit www.daikin.co.uk