Lyon, France: Heat pumps

In 1997, the Lyon CAF (Family Allowance Centre) moved into new offices. The building has office space, meeting rooms, a conference room and a reception area for beneficiaries. Concerned about future running costs, the Lyon CAF asked its design division to look into the different heating and cooling systems that could be used for the site. Research revealed the ground source heat pump to be the most efficient (REHVA Journal, 2011).

The system can be used for heating and cooling and saved 48% in operational costs compared to a standard alternative. CO2 emissions reduced by 72% and the system operated with a CoP of 3.73, which is within the expected range for the age of the system.