Phil Ord, Managing Director of Qvantum UK, explains how connected heat pump technology is helping housing associations to cut costs, improve efficiency and stay ahead of regulation.
As housing associations look for practical routes to decarbonise and improve building performance, the challenge goes beyond choosing a low carbon heat source. Systems must be easy to install, simple to maintain and capable of supporting both residents and landlords through smarter digital control.
That’s the thinking behind Qvantum UK’s approach. Our new generation of connected heat pumps has been designed to work in real homes, making low carbon heating accessible, affordable and intelligent. Each system combines proven engineering with open connectivity, time of use flexibility and simplified serviceability – essential benefits for housing providers managing large and diverse portfolios.
Heating designed for real life
At the heart of the range is the Qvantum QE exhaust air heat pump, developed for smaller homes and multi residential buildings. The QE captures energy that would normally be lost from the building, using it to provide heating and hot water.
It can be paired with the Qvantum QS heat recovery ventilation module, which introduces filtered outdoor air while recovering energy from the building’s heating circuit. Together, the QE and QS combination forms a complete, high efficiency solution ideal for homes and apartments where outdoor space is limited.
Because ventilation and heating are integrated within the same system, the QE and QS solution supports compliance with Building Regulations Part F (Ventilation) and Part O (Overheating). It maintains indoor air quality and stable temperatures while minimising energy waste, which is essential in the new generation of airtight, energy efficient buildings as well as retrofits.
The QE is compact, with a 600 x 600mm footprint that fits within a standard kitchen cupboard or utility space. It is available in 4kW and 6kW outputs with inverter compressors that modulate down to 1kW for optimal efficiency. The system uses low-GWP refrigerant R513a, with a natural R290 option available shortly.
Shared components, simple maintenance
One of Qvantum’s key strengths lies in its shared component platform, with around 80 per cent common parts across the QE, QG ground source and QA monobloc air-to-water systems.
This approach makes Qvantum technology easier to install and maintain. Shared components reduce manufacturing costs, improve service consistency and help engineers deliver higher first-time fix rates.
Most parts are available off the shelf at leading plumbing and heating wholesalers, allowing rapid access to replacements and minimising downtime. For housing maintenance teams, this means faster repairs, less disruption for residents and lower long-term service costs.
It also brings environmental benefits. By reducing the number of unique materials and production processes, Qvantum cuts embodied carbon in manufacturing while streamlining logistics. The result is a lower carbon footprint from factory floor to installation.
Smart efficiency and flexibility
The QE’s integrated thermal battery can store up to 12kWh of heat energy, used for space heating and to generate instantaneous potable hot water directly when required. Because the water is heated on demand, there is no stored domestic hot water volume, removing the need for legionella prevention cycles and simplifying installation and maintenance.
The system is designed to make the best use of available energy. It can charge the thermal store during periods of low cost or low carbon electricity and release that stored energy later when demand is higher. This time of use shifting cuts running costs for residents while easing pressure on the grid.
All Qvantum products are flexready™, meaning they are built to interact with grid signals and dynamic tariffs as the energy landscape evolves. They can already be programmed manually to heat the thermal store up to 90°C during off peak or high renewable periods.
As energy infrastructure develops, this same capability will allow automatic operation in response to live grid signals, enabling homes to store renewable heat when available and use it later without affecting comfort.
This smart, connected approach benefits everyone – residents save on bills, housing providers reduce emissions and energy suppliers gain a more flexible, responsive network.
Smart support and management
Connectivity is built into every Qvantum system through an OpenAPI platform, allowing full remote access for installers, landlords and service partners.
Through the Q Support platform, housing providers can monitor system data, performance trends and fault history in real time. Software updates and parameter adjustments can be made remotely, which reduces the need for site visits and keeps systems running at peak performance.
For residents, that connectivity means any issues can often be diagnosed and resolved without an engineer needing to visit. For landlords, it means better asset visibility, faster service response and improved long term reliability.
Qvantum UK backs this with a national network of more than 150 engineers, supported by dedicated helpdesks for installers and residents. The built-in Wi-Fi connectivity allows remote diagnostics and performance checks, while commissioning apps guide installers through setup and automatically register system data to the central platform.
Training is delivered through the Qvantum Educational Platform, which combines self-learning modules with face-to-face courses on dedicated hardware. This ensures consistency, builds installer confidence and supports long-term service quality.
A five-year warranty comes as standard on all Qvantum systems, giving housing associations and residents extra peace of mind.
Product range for every housing type
While the QE and QS combination is ideal for multi residential buildings and smaller homes, Qvantum’s wider range provides solutions for every housing type.
- The QA air-to-water heat pump offers a scalable monobloc solution for single homes or small developments, providing all the benefits of thermal storage and time of use shifting.
- The QG ground source system is designed for heat networks and ambient loops, delivering high efficiency for larger or shared energy schemes.
- The QE exhaust air heat pump remains the all-round choice for space limited homes and apartments, combining heating, ventilation and hot water in one compact system.
This flexibility allows housing providers to use one manufacturer across their portfolio, reducing design complexity and simplifying long term management.
Looking ahead
For housing associations, the path to decarbonisation depends on more than simply meeting the Future Homes Standard. It requires technology that is reliable, adaptable and designed to make residents’ lives better while cutting energy use and carbon.
Qvantum UK’s connected heat pump systems deliver exactly that: practical innovation that supports compliance, reduces costs and simplifies maintenance for years to come.
Contact Qvantum UK to learn more or arrange CPD training at www.qvantum.com/uk