Heat pump programme covers 533 residential units across Germany and is set to cut CO₂ emissions by around 350 tonnes a year
GCP, part of the Aroundtown Group, is fitting heat pumps in over 50 residential buildings across Germany this year, with a total of 533 residential units benefiting from the switch. The programme is being delivered by IP Innovative Power, an energy solutions provider specialising in real estate decarbonisation.
Most of the buildings are in North Rhine-Westphalia, in cities including Duisburg, Werdohl, Gladbeck, Hamm, Essen and Gelsenkirchen, with further sites in Berlin, Bremerhaven, Chemnitz and Halle. The programme targets buildings rated F, G and H on their energy performance certificates, where a new heating system can deliver the greatest gains.
The new air-to-water heat pumps will take over most of the heating demand previously met by the existing boilers alone. This significantly reduces fossil fuel consumption, avoiding around 350 tonnes of CO₂ and saving around 2.5 million kWh of final energy each year. Most of the units also run on propane, a natural refrigerant with near-zero global warming potential, supporting the EU's phase-down of fluorinated greenhouse gases.
Preparations began in early 2026. So far, 37 heat pumps have been installed and are already up and running. 50 systems are due to be in place by mid-November, ahead of the heating season. The programme is set to continue beyond 2026, with around 140 further GCP properties already in the early planning stages.
“Climate action in existing buildings is most effective when you focus consistently on where you can make the biggest difference. That is exactly what our heat pump programme does. We are bringing buildings with poor energy efficiency up to a new standard, saving significant amounts of CO₂ every year and keeping heating costs stable for our tenants,” says Limor Bermann, Chief Sustainability Officer at Aroundtown.
