Hotels and hospitals are high-demand facilities that rely heavily on continuous and reliable domestic hot water (DHW) supply. Traditionally, these facilities have used gas or oil-fired boilers and calorifiers to meet their hot water needs. However, with rising energy costs and increased pressure to reduce carbon emissions, many organizations are now turning to heat pump technology as a more sustainable and energy-efficient alternative.

 

Gas boilers are everywhere. There’s a good reason for that. Relatively cheap to install, cheap to run, heat on demand whenever you want it – that’s all great. But they’re wasteful, polluting and actually not as efficient as other methods of heating buildings. 

 

Gas boilers are designed so that at the flick of a switch, they can heat water or home. But in order to do this they wastefully burn huge amounts of fossil fuels at massive temperatures. In order to do that they’re generally way overpowered – a house that needs 4kW of energy to heat will typically have a 30kW boiler.

 

Heat pumps work very differently. They heat water using a combination of electrical power (which is increasingly renewably produced in many countires) and energy from the air, ground or water (domestic line or chilled water line). This is used to heat up fluid (refrigerant) in the heat pump, which is then used in a vapour compression cycle to warm water and heat teh water or the building. Because they combine electricity with energy from the air/ground/water, heat pumps are able to operate at efficiencies over 400%.

 

If we’re looking for sustainable green solutions we’re going to have to replace the gas boilers in residential homes, commercial buildings, public buildings and the industrial sector. Government across countries like UK, Germany, Italy and many more has clocked on to this, announcing a ban on gas boilers in new buildings that would come into effect at some point between 2024 and 2030. But it will happen, and soon, because it has to.

 

Replacing Boilers and Calorifiers

Traditional boiler-calorifier systems generate and store hot water using fossil fuels, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and often incurring high maintenance and operational costs. By contrast, heat pump solutions eliminate direct combustion, significantly improving sustainability and reducing carbon footprint.

 

Heat pumps can either be connected directly to a hot water storage system or used in conjunction with advanced thermal storage tanks capable of maintaining water temperatures between 60°C and 70°C, suitable for hygiene-critical applications like hospitals and hotels.

 

Key Benefits

 

1. Energy Efficiency

• Heat pumps typically offer COPs (coefficients of performance) of 3 to 5, meaning they can deliver 3–5 units of heat for every unit of electricity consumed.

• Significant energy savings compared to traditional systems.

 

2. Environmental Sustainability

• Reduction in CO₂ emissions aligns with global and local decarbonization goals.

• Integration with renewable electricity sources (solar PV, wind) further enhances sustainability.

 

​3. Cost-Effectiveness

• Lower operational costs over time due to reduced energy consumption.

• Potential for government incentives or grants for low-carbon heating systems.Improved

 

​4. Safety and Reliability

• Eliminates risks associated with gas leaks or combustion.

• Heat pump systems are modular and scalable, offering reliable performance and redundancy

 

5. Legionella Control

• Modern high-temperature heat pumps can achieve >65°C to mitigate Legionella risks without supplementary electric or gas boosters.

 

Application in Hotels and Hospitals

 

Hotels:

• Constant hot water demand for guest rooms, laundry, kitchen, and spa facilities.

• Heat pumps help reduce energy bills and improve sustainability ratings, which are increasingly important to environmentally conscious guests and corporate clients.

 

Hospitals:

• Higher hygiene requirements necessitate a reliable, sterilizable hot water supply.

• Heat pumps can be integrated into a hybrid system with backup heaters or used as part of a centralized energy center.

• Improves resilience and supports NHS and other institutional sustainability targets.

 

Challenges and Considerations

• Initial Capital Cost: Higher upfront costs compared to conventional boilers, though long-term savings often offset this. Typically ROI in between 2-3 years.

• Space Requirements: Depending on the type, heat pumps may need additional space for indoor or outdoor units.

• System Design: Requires careful design to ensure performance at required temperatures, especially in retrofit applications.

 

Case Studies and Real-World Adoption

Numerous hotels and healthcare facilities in Europe, North America, and Asia have already adopted heat pump systems for DHW. For example:

• The Hilton London Bankside integrated air-source heat pumps into its hot water system, achieving over 30% energy savings.

• NHS hospitals in the UK have piloted GSHP systems as part of broader net-zero hospital initiatives.

 

Conclusion

Replacing traditional boilers and calorifiers with sustainable heat pump solutions represents a forward-looking approach for hotels and hospitals striving to reduce their environmental impact, control energy costs, and ensure reliable DHW supply. With advancements in high-temperature heat pump technology and supportive government policies, this transition is both feasible and beneficial in the short and long term.