lämpöpumpputekniikkaa

Heat pump technology, known in Finnish as “lämpöpumpputekniikka,” uses thermodynamic cycles to transfer heat from a source to a destination, providing heating, cooling, or hot water. The basic principle is to compress a refrigerant, raising its temperature, and then release that heat to the building. The cycle reverses during cooling mode.

The most common configurations are air‑source, ground‑source, and water‑source heat pumps. Air‑source units draw outside air, even at low temperatures, and are easy to install. Ground‑source (geothermal) systems circulate fluid through buried loops to tap the constant temperature of the earth. Water‑source pumps use nearby lakes or groundwater. In addition, absorption heat pumps use heat as the energy input rather than electric power and are often powered by natural gas or solar collectors.

Heat pumps can achieve coefficients of performance (COPs) from 2 to 5, meaning they produce two to five times more thermal energy than the electrical energy they consume. Their efficiency depends on temperature lift, system design, and control strategy. Modern units incorporate variable speed compressors and advanced controls to optimize performance and reduce standby losses.

From an environmental perspective, heat pumps reduce fossil‑fuel combustion and lower greenhouse‑gas emissions, especially when powered by renewable electricity. They also provide a dual function—heating and cooling—over a single equipment package, which can reduce building energy consumption and improve occupant comfort.