Empowering Communities Together
Abri Promotes THE Benefits of Heat Pumps
The benefits of an air source heat pump
In October 2025 Abri ran a live heat pump demonstration at our Western Peninsula office, in Bracknell – plenty of colleagues from across the business were able to see a heat pump in action – with the biggest surprise from attendees being how quiet the heat pumps are!
The day was hugely successful, and many that saw the heat pump in action felt empowered to investigate getting one for their own home.
We're planning to hold a heat pump ‘lunch and learn’ session at some point in the new year, so watch this space for more information!
You might remember we recently shared that the government is giving £7,500 to homeowners to help upgrade from fossil fuel powered boilers to a more efficient heat pump. You can learn more about the grant, including eligibility details here.
A representative from Bracknell Forest Community Climate Action and a Green Party councillor attended the demo, sharing their support for Abri’s continued commitments to sustainability. As an organisation, we’re on a mission to hit net zero in our operations by 2030 and go fully net zero across our business by 2050.
Ben Earl, Abri’s Head of Partnerships & Sustainability, was thrilled with how the heat pump demo day went:
"Our heat pump demonstration event was important for our colleagues to understand what the technology is and how it works. Both Abri and the wider UK cannot meet our Net Zero targets without the essential transition in how we heat our homes, moving away from gas boilers to primarily heat pumps. The response we received on the day showed the level of interest which bodes well for our future plans"
What about our customers properties?
We’ve been ahead of the curve with air source heat pumps (ASHP), installing them in some homes for over 15 years as a greener heating option. They work best in well-insulated properties, so older homes don’t always see the full benefits, especially with electricity costing more than gas.
Our goal is to roll out heat pumps in a way that’s good for both residents and the planet, without adding financial pressure.
As part of our net zero commitment, we’ll replace heating systems with greener alternatives like heat pumps across all Abri homes by 2050. First, we’re focusing on improving energy efficiency by bringing every home up to an EPC rating of C by 2030.
An EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) shows:
- How energy-efficient a home is (rated A–G)
- Typical energy costs
- Ways to improve efficiency and save money
The Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 is the government’s new name for what was known as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 3. The fund supports social housing providers to insulate social homes, improve energy efficiency and upgrade heating systems. Together with match funding from housing associations, it helps retrofit social homes and tackle fuel poverty for residents, deliver carbon savings to progress toward net zero by 2050, and grow the housing retrofit sector.
We’re going even further with our new builds. This year, 90.5% of our new homes achieved EPC B or above, making them highly energy-efficient and ready for heat pumps.
Heat pumps are a big part of our future plans. We’ll be installing 100 heat pumps in suitable homes thanks to over £23 million secured from the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund. Our financial plans also factor in the costs of reaching net zero carbon emissions, so energy efficiency is built into everything we do.
And it’s not just homes - our offices are part of the journey too. Collins House is now officially net zero for energy use, thanks in part to switching to an air source heat pump for heating and hot water.