You never forget your first heat pump
I remember being on a research visit in Manchester, working on a community energy project, and seeing my first heat pump on the side of a house.
Big, clunky, grey. It wasn’t a looker. This first impression of heat pumps left me feeling, well, a little cold. If heat pumps are to become the norm, and we really need them to, then they are in major need of a rebrand.
It got me thinking, what if the likes of Apple started designing heat pumps?
I’d imagine it would look something like the Aira heat pump.
Aira (with branding by Kurppa Hosk) have ‘roots in Scandinavia, where heat pumps are the norm’ and are championing heat pumps in the UK. The combination of a beautifully designed product, with slick branding and clever copy shows the power of design to reframe our perception.
"It's everything your gas guzzling boiler isn’t"
Something that could be seen as inconvenient and unattractive is flipped into something much more desirable (and hopefully one day more affordable).
Here’s hoping my next impression of a heat pump in the wild will leave me feeling positive, with a touch of energy envy.
What else do you think would benefit from a redesign? I’d love to hear your ideas. Get in touch: hello@michellerobb.co.uk
I’m Michelle. A multidisciplinary graphic designer passionate about creating positive change. Follow me on LinkedIn for more musings on design, creativity and inspiring action.