Air-source is the workhorse of commercial heat-pump installation. The plant is largely factory-assembled, so the on-site work is groundworks for a compound or plant deck, craneage, the refrigerant and hydraulic connections, controls and commissioning, rather than a build-up from components. For most UK commercial buildings with somewhere sensible to site the units, it is the right answer: quick, low-disruption, and scalable from a single office to a large mixed-use site through cascaded modules.
The engineering that decides whether it works happens before the plant arrives. We carry out the heat-loss survey, survey the emitters and set the flow temperature for the best SCOP, confirm the incoming electrical supply can take the added load, and settle the BS 4142 acoustic position and siting. Get those right and the physical install is short and low-risk; get them wrong and the system trips to backup on the coldest day or draws a noise complaint after commissioning.
How we install air-source heat pump
Delivery runs: prepare the compound base or roof plant deck with anti-vibration mounts and the acoustic screening designed at feasibility; crane the units into position with the airflow and defrost drainage clearances the manufacturer requires; make the refrigerant and hydraulic connections through a buffer vessel into the heating circuit; upgrade the electrical supply and controls; then a phased cutover that keeps the existing boiler live as backup until the heat pump is proven, and a witnessed commissioning against the BS EN 14825 design.
What this install includes
- Fastest, lowest-disruption install: no ground works, plant pre-assembled and craned to a compound or plant deck
- The live boiler cutover is usually a matter of hours, planned around your operating calendar
- Cascaded modular units let us stage the install and keep the site heated throughout
- Delivery risk is mostly siting and acoustic: separation, airflow and a BS 4142 assessment settled before order
Typical air-source heat pump installation
- Heat output
- 40-500 kW thermal
- Heat-pump plant
- single unit to cascaded banks of 4-12 modular units
- Plant / array area
- plant area 20-200 (external louvred compound or roof plant deck)
- Project value
- £60,000-£600,000
- Payback
- 8 years
- Heat delivered
- heat delivered 80,000-1,000,000 kWh thermal kWh/yr
- Annual CO₂ saved
- 15-180 tonnes
Cost, funding and how it is paid for
A air-source heat pump installation typically runs to £60,000-£600,000, at a 8-year simple payback once the running-cost saving on a real SCOP is modelled from your consumption. As special-rate integral-feature plant it attracts the Annual Investment Allowance — 100% relief on the first £1m of qualifying spend. The 0% VAT relief covers only residential or relevant-charitable buildings, so general commercial premises do not qualify. See the cost guide, capital allowances and grants and funding.
Siting, acoustic and compliance
The dominant delivery risks are acoustic and siting. Many commercial air-source installs fall under permitted development, but a BS 4142 acoustic assessment is commonly required to show the external plant stays within noise limits, and it is produced before the units are ordered. Defrost drainage, airflow clearances and screening are designed in. All refrigerant work is carried out by F-Gas certified engineers.
MCS certification (or recognised commercial equivalent) for systems up to 45 kWth to access grant routes; above 45 kWth we design to CIBSE and BSRIA standards with BS EN 14511/14825 rated performance. Permitted-development siting and noise limits apply, and a BS 4142 acoustic assessment is commonly required to demonstrate impact on neighbours. F-Gas certified refrigerant handling throughout. External plant needs designed-in airflow and defrost drainage, and the DNO supply capacity for the added electrical load is confirmed at survey.
Electrical supply and commissioning
A air-source heat pump installation adds electrical load, so we confirm the incoming supply capacity at survey and start any DNO supply upgrade at feasibility — it is often the longest-lead item. Every install ends with a documented, witnessed commissioning against the BS EN 14825 design. Read our honest view on whether a commercial heat pump is worth it.
Air-Source Heat Pump Installation: at a glance
| Attribute | Typical for this install |
|---|---|
| Heat output | 40-500 kW thermal |
| Plant / siting | plant area 20-200 (external louvred compound or roof plant deck) |
| Project value | £60,000-£600,000 |
| Simple payback | 8 years |
| Performance standard | BS EN 14825 (SCOP), witnessed commissioning |
Get a free air-source heat pump installation feasibility
Responds within one working day
- 1. Free desk feasibility from your meter data and roof, no obligation.
- 2. Site survey and a fixed-price proposal, itemised in writing.
- 3. Install and aftercare by MCS-certified engineers.
- MCS Certified
- NICEIC
- RECC
- TrustMark
Common questions
How long does a commercial heat pump installation take?
An air-source retrofit is typically 4-12 weeks on site once design and any DNO supply work are agreed, and the live boiler cutover is usually a matter of hours. Ground-source and water-source take longer because of drilling, ground works and permits, often several months. Industrial, process and heat-network schemes run to 12 months or more including design, planning and grid works. The DNO supply upgrade, where one is needed, is frequently the longest-lead item, which is why we start it at feasibility rather than install week.
Do we have to shut the building down or lose heat during the install?
No. We plan the changeover around your operating calendar, typically spring or autumn, and for a hybrid or phased design the existing boiler stays live as backup right through commissioning, so you're never without heat. Air-source plant is largely pre-assembled, so the live cutover is a matter of hours. Every tie-in is method-statemented and agreed with you before we mobilise.
Will we have to replace all our radiators and pipework?
Often not, and we survey your emitters before we design anything, so you know for certain. Many commercial systems run a heat pump at 50-55 C with selective emitter upgrades rather than a full strip-out. Where high flow temperatures are genuinely needed, a high-temperature heat pump (70 C+) or a hybrid design with a peaking boiler avoids re-emittering the whole building while still cutting carbon 70-90%.
How do you size a commercial heat pump?
From a heat-loss survey and at least twelve months of gas or oil consumption, never from floor area. Sizing sets the peak heat load and the flow temperature the emitters allow, because a lower flow temperature lifts the SCOP. Typical commercial air-source systems land between 40 and 500 kW thermal; ground and water-source 50 kW-1 MW+; industrial and heat-network schemes larger again. We specify to BS EN 14825 so quoted performance is comparable across suppliers.
Will our electricity supply cope with the added load?
We check that at survey, before anything is ordered. Large heat pumps add meaningful electrical load, so we confirm your available incoming supply capacity, and where a DNO supply upgrade is needed we start it at feasibility because it's often the longest-lead item. On constrained sites we look at phasing, hybrid designs or demand management to stay within capacity.