The predominant

The predominant system solution today is different from what it was in 1984. In 1984, air-to-water systems were the mainstream, with air-to-air systems making up only 2% of the sales. By 1990, exhaust air heat pumps already had 44% of the Swedish market with air-to-air units taking 45% of the market. The market in 2001 shows another major shift from air-to-air (1% of the market) to closed groundloop-towater systems (72%) and exhaust air systems (26%). The exhaust air heat pump market is stable and will probably grow further as a result of increased new construction in future and of replacements for older exhaust air systems. Ground-source heat pumps find application in older houses with relatively high heat demands, where they replace oil burners and electric resistance heaters. These heat pumps provide both space and domestic water heating.
The Swedish heat pump market is now self-sustaining with three major national manufacturers competing on the market (Nibe, IVT and Thermia). However, the refrigeration industry, sometimes owned by internationally operating companies, could pose a threat to the existing manufacturers.