PARTNER FOCUS


acts like an oversized electric heater. At handover, installers should explain realistic heat-up times, fi lter cleaning, defrost behaviour, cooling/dehumidifi cation, and if required, when the separate hot-water system will operate.


What the MCS changes mean MCS has been updating its heat pump standards to explicitly cover air-to-air heat pump products and installations. Its December 2025 update introduced air-to-air requirements into the Heat Pump Product Standard MCS 007, the Heat Pump Pre-Sale Information and Performance Calculation documents, and the heat pump design standard. MCS has also stated that technical supervisors for air-to-air heat pump installations must hold Level 3 or above competence in Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps (RACHP). That competence requirement is signifi cant for the sector. Air-to-air systems use refrigerant circuits operating at higher pressures than hydronic systems and may involve refrigerants with fl ammability, toxicity or high-pressure considerations. RACHP skills are therefore central to safe installation, commissioning and maintenance.


Using certifi ed data in practice For installers, certifi cation is most useful when it improves the quality of technical selection. Product data should be checked for heating capacity, COP, SCOP, sound power, application limits and low-temperature performance. Seasonal fi gures help comparison, but the installed result will still depend on sizing, controls, defrost, fan operation, maintenance and occupant behaviour. A certifi ed product is not a shortcut around design. It simply gives the installer a more reliable basis for comparison, design and compliance. The product must still be suitable for the building, installed to the manufacturer’s instructions and correctly commissioned. MCS certifi cation should also be understood in context. It


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may be required for funding routes or customer assurance, but it does not replace Building Regulations, planning constraints, electrical requirements, F-gas obligations, product safety rules or good practice.


Where Eurovent Certifi cation fi ts in At product level, MCS 007 covers single heat pumps up to 45 kW, including electrically driven heat pumps designed to provide space heating and, where applicable, domestic hot water. Certifi cation involves more than accepting a manufacturer’s catalogue data. It involves laboratory testing and factory audits, verifying product performance and quality of manufacturing. Eurovent Certifi cation is one of the bodies off ering


certifi cation services for MCS 007 heat pumps. Its role is to assess products against the scheme requirements, manage testing and audit activity, and support publication of approved performance data for certifi ed models. For manufacturers selling across Europe, Eurovent Certifi cation also off ers a coordinated route that can align MCS 007 with other schemes such as Eurovent Certifi ed Performance, Heat Pump Keymark and NF 414, utilising one test result for all schemes. This removes the need for retesting, reducing timescales, and costs for manufacturers.


MCS is primarily an installer certifi cation scheme, set


up to protect the consumer (homeowner) and ensure they receive high-quality installations that perform as expected. The installation must therefore be designed, installed and commissioned by an appropriately certifi ed contractor, in accordance with the applicable MCS standards and the manufacturer’s instructions. The precise requirements for air-to-air systems should be checked against the latest MCS publications and product listings.


 www.eurovent-certifi cation.com  email m.nudd@eurovent-certifi cation.com


www.acr-news.com • September 2026 25


"In multi- room


properties, installers should avoid assuming


that one high- wall unit will heat a whole dwelling evenly.


Zoning, door closure and internal heat transfer need to be discussed clearly with the customer."


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