World News

Industry news and insights from Europe and around the World

UK News

Latest news and developments in the United Kingdom

Products

Keep up-to-date with the latest new products and technology

Features

General articles, applications and industry analysis

AC heat pumps outsell condensing boilers

FRANCE: UK-based market intelligence company BSRIA has revealed that air-air air-conditioning/heat pump units outsold condensing boilers in France last year.

BSRIA estimates that the market for ducted and un-ducted single splits, multi splits, and VRF had increased to 589,000 units in 2018, while 532,000 condensing boilers were sold.

This is seen as an important milestone for the air conditioning industry, which is expecting a further sharp upturn in growth, with sales of air-air splits soaring to a record 700,000 units sold.

This rate of growth is also having an impact on the level of HFC refrigerants in the market. BSRIA estimates that in 2018, about 880 tonnes of R410A were sold with splits and VRF. This includes the factory charge, as well as the refrigerant charge in pipes as part of the installation of each product. This compares with 257 tonnes of the lower GWP alternative R32. For the moment, R32 is only used in France with units below 5hp, corresponding to about 14kW of cooling capacity.

BSRIA’s market reports can be accessed here.

Latest News

13th November 2026

IOR Scotland celebrates apprentice success

UK: Aidan Hamilton of Carters was named the Institute of Refrigeration Scotland’s Apprentice of the Year at the recent annual dinner in Glasgow.
13th November 2026

Danfoss begins shipping training benches

DENMARK: The first refrigeration training benches from Danfoss’ Next Generation Installers initiative have left Danfoss headquarters in Nordborg, Denmark, on their way to technical schools around the world.
12th November 2026

Mitsubishi’s Little One targets new homes

UK: Mitsubishi Electric is launching a new compact Ecodan R290 air-to-water heat pump designed specifically for Britain’s new houses.
12th November 2026

Gboyega “Femi” Obafemi dies

UK: Former Toshiba Carrier, Hitachi and Johnson Controls MD Gboyega “Femi” Obafemi has died.
12th November 2026

Belgium warns of new Danfoss controller vulnerabilities

EUROPE: Belgium’s national cyber security authority has advised removing direct public internet exposure of Danfoss’ AK-SM800A refrigeration controllers after six new vulnerabilities were identified.
12th November 2026

Modine opens Airedale chiller plant in Texas

USA: Modine has commenced commercial production of Airedale chillers at a new 682,000ft2 (63,360m2) purpose-built manufacturing facility in Grand Prairie, Texas.