Guide to heat pump pipework insulation
22nd October 2025
UK: The Thermal Insulation Contractors Association (TICA) has joined forces with key industry partners to launch a good practice guide to the thermal insulation of heat pump installations.
The guide – produced in conjunction with trade bodies including the Institute of Refrigeration (IOR) and Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) – provides clear, practical guidance on insulation standards for above-ground, externally located heat pump pipework.
The good practice guide covers domestic applications, as well as communal and commercial applications, and clearly signposts when a specialist thermal insulation contractor is required for the role of insulating the associated pipework.
“Heat pumps remain a central pillar of the UK’s decarbonisation strategy, but the battle for hearts and minds isn’t yet won,” said TICA’s technical director Chris Ridge. “By being clear about what good insulation specification, installation and aftercare looks like, we can play a significant role in improving the overall efficiency of heat pumps and making them a more viable proposition for most people.”
Commenting on the input and co-operation with the IOR and BESA, Ridge said: “This is the kind of collaboration we need to see more of if we are to move the industry forward.”
“Thermal insulation of heat pump pipework often remains an afterthought,” Lawrence Leask, MD of Kaizen Energy Consultancy, writes in the guide’s foreword. “It’s clear that we cannot afford to remain hyper-focused on efficiency of the heat pump alone. The most efficient heat pump for the application could be specified and installed, but any assumed benefits could easily be undone through poor thermal insulation specification and installation.”
The TICA Good Practice Guidance for Domestic, Communal and Commercial Heat Pump Installations: Thermal Insulation of Externally Located Above Ground Pipework is available now from TICA.
