Myths and low awareness around heat pump suitability are common among homeowners, which can deter them from adopting low-carbon technologies. Typically, heat pumps are hidden at the back of properties and people often aren’t aware of heat pumps on their streets. We decided to test whether using signage or a marker to indicate the presence of heat pumps could increase their general visibility to the public, and inform homeowners on whether their property type could be suitable for a heat pump.

In addition, people often visit buildings that are heated using heat pumps. Signalling that these buildings use this heating technology could raise public awareness and showcase their capacity to heat a wide range of buildings – reinforcing their viability as a potential universal heating solution.

We identified three research questions to explore over the course of four weeks.

Question 1: Do heat pump owners want signs on their property? 

We sent a survey to over 200 Visit a heat pump hosts to gain a better understanding of heat pump owners’ preferences towards having a sign on their property. Based on responses from 49 hosts, we found that:

• 65% of homeowners were positive towards the idea of a heat pump sticker on their property 
• 22% of homeowners most favoured location for a sign was in their window
• 49% of homeowners were comfortable with a QR code on the sign to link to heat pump information online 
• temporary signage was preferable for 39%, more often than permanent signs
• 69% of homeowners were more positive about an installer putting up a sign rather than themselves
• 76% of homeowners did not consider an incentive necessary 
• eight free text responses highlighted home security concerns from indicating the presence of a heat pump on their property.

We used these insights to design a range of prototype signs. Then we re-contacted our Visit a heat pump hosts to see if any would be willing to have a sign on their property. We sent 27 willing hosts a design to print at home and place in their preferred location. After one week, we sent a follow-up survey to assess their experience and whether the signs had any impact on people enquiring about their heat pump.

We received 12 responses and found that homeowners generally had a positive experience. The signs provoked conversations with neighbours, were read by passersby, and sparked the interest of visitors. Only one homeowner had a negative experience, due to a neighbour believing the sign was a safety requirement for heat pump owners. The QR codes were also scanned 34 times (although some of these will have been from the homeowners themselves).

Question 2: Which stakeholders could find this idea attractive? 

We identified four main stakeholder groups alongside homeowners: heat pump installers, the retail sector, social housing associations, and local authorities.

We used our prototypes to guide conversations with installers from two companies. Both companies liked the idea, with one asking homeowners if they could display signage advertising their services during the installation, and the other having considered this but being unable to implement it. Both companies preferred slightly more generalised signage with terms such as ‘clean heat’ rather than ‘heat pumps’ as they installed other technologies. 

One company noted some homeowners were against advertising a heat pump on their property, fearing that neighbours would complain or potentially hinder the installation due to planning permission. However, the other company was happy to keep the signage up for longer than the installation period with an incentive for the homeowner. They were also keen to test the idea with us as long as we could design and deliver the signage.

To test a more localised approach, that could be adopted by local authorities or community groups, we prototyped lamp post signs and displayed them in four ‘live’ locations around West Hampstead and Torquay for a week. To measure engagement by passersby, we used the QR codes to record any scans. We also posted a message on local Facebook and WhatsApp groups to inquire if people noticed the signs.

At the end of the week, we had recorded 16 scans and had sparked some discussion on a Torquay Facebook group, while no one noticed the signs on the West Hampstead WhatsApp group. Some comments were positive, stating that the purpose of the signage was clear and provided all the necessary information. In contrast, there were also some comments around heat pumps only being suitable for ‘ultra insulated’ new builds.

For our retail stakeholder group, we focused on supermarkets with high footfall shared by most segments of society. Two supermarkets we spoke to positively reinforced the idea. Both indicated they would be keen to adopt the signage as it aligns with their current business strategy. However, they voiced some concerns about receiving criticism for their other branches not using heat pumps and one of them was also hesitant to be the first to display heat pump signs.

Unfortunately, we were unable to contact any local authorities or social housing associations due to the timescale of the pilot project.

Question 3: Is it possible to design a sign that is clearly identifiable by the public?

We conducted eight semi-structured interviews with registered participants from our research pool. Showing our prototypes, we asked them for their thoughts on the design, whether they would notice these signs at their neighbours or generally on their street, and whether they would ever consider placing one on their property.

All interviewees found that the purpose of the prototypes was intuitive and clear. They were more divided on the designs, preferring greener branding and URL addresses or QR codes for accessibility. Participants were happy to have the signs put up in their area, although there were mixed preferences between lamppost signs, installer signs, or signage by a homeowner.

When asked about signage on their property responses were still positive, but many expected an incentive in return for what they viewed as an advertisement. Interestingly, a small number of interviewees thought that the signs could increase property value, expressing interest in the potential for estate agents to highlight the heat pump if they were going to sell their property.

Our results revealed that signage indicating the presence of heat pumps has value, so we will continue exploring how this can increase heat pump visibility. We also found that the idea is malleable, as the concept can be repurposed to suit the needs and wants of different audiences. Although speed testing is inherently rushed and messy, we think that this idea could be taken forward or repurposed in four ways:

1. Homeowners: our findings suggest that they are a key stakeholder group. Further piloting should explore ways to engage a wider population beyond Visit a Heat Pump hosts, considering the use of incentives and improvements to the sign design.
   
2. Installers: based on this pilot, they are a key stakeholder group to engage. Further testing should improve the design, with support from heat pump installers, test the signs in ‘real-life’ with them, and onboard new installers.
   
3. Lamppost signs: we found that people respond well to signs posted in their area rather than on private properties. Further piloting should explore different ways to use them to help communities decarbonise, for example in our own coordinated switching project.
   
4. Retail (supermarkets): this route has value, especially since it appears to align with actions supermarkets are already taking. Further piloting should engage more closely with willing supermarkets and use this experience to create a blueprint that could be trialled with other retailers.