MCS opened a consultation on its re-written MCS 007 heat pump product standard on 1 February 2023, inviting stakeholder comments on proposed changes to the scheme's product requirements1.
The certification body said the standard "has been substantially re-written to accommodate several changes"1. The most significant of these is "the consideration of raising the minimum performance benchmarks for heat pumps above those of statutory requirements", which MCS describes as a potential first for any MCS product standard1. The update also covers "the requirement to publish heat capacity and sound power level performance data to the MCS Installations Database (MID)" and "the introduction of solar-assisted, air-to-air and hybrid heat pumps to the scope of the standard"1.
MCS said the update explores "emphasising MCS as a voluntary mark of quality that goes above and beyond minimum statutory requirements for heat pump products installed under the scheme"1. On data, it said the change "will also provide easy access to valuable heat pump data on the MCS Product Directory, without the need to sift through technical data sheets on manufacturer websites"1. On hybrid systems, it said the update "acknowledges the role hybrid heat pump units and systems can play in the electrification of heat where a heat pump only solution isn't feasible"1.
The consultation documents include a performance benchmark proposal setting out what the new benchmarks would be and the advantages and disadvantages of implementing them1. That proposal provides an impact assessment of how many existing MCS certified products would be affected, "based on the data available within the MCS Installation Database (MID) as of the date of publishing (28 November 2022)"1. The consultation page does not state the proposed benchmark figures themselves, and no figures for the number of affected products appear in the announcement text1.
"MCS would now like to invite comments on the proposed update from stakeholders."
Why it matters for households
MCS certification underpins which heat pumps can be installed under the scheme, so the product standard shapes what equipment is available to households and what performance information accompanies it1. Raising minimum performance benchmarks above statutory requirements would mean certified products must clear a higher bar than the legal minimum, which bears on running costs and on how much heat a unit delivers per unit of electricity in real installations1. Publishing heat capacity and sound power level data to the MID would put performance figures and noise data into a central database rather than leaving them scattered across manufacturer technical sheets, which matters for homes where outdoor unit noise and siting are practical constraints1. Bringing solar-assisted, air-to-air and hybrid heat pumps into scope widens the range of system types that can carry the mark, including for properties where a heat pump only solution is not feasible1. The consultation documents do not state the proposed benchmark levels or the number of products affected, so the practical effect on the products a household can currently buy has not been reported1.
What happens next
The deadline for submitting comments is 12.00pm on Wednesday 1 March 20231. Responses go to meetings@mcscertified.com using the forms provided1. MCS has not stated in the announcement when the outcome of the consultation will be published or when any revised standard would take effect1.
Sources1 cited
- Consultation: MCS 007 The Heat Pump Product Standard - MCS, mcscertified.com