英国教堂正在加速由化石燃料转向热泵体系的数量化趋势。2024 年对 12,337 座英格兰教会教堂（占总数 68%）调查显示，仅 94 座配备空气源热泵、27 座配备地源热泵，另约 40 座正在采购相关设备。案例显示古老建筑并未阻断转型：例如 11 世纪的 St. Stephen’s 自 2008 年起安装地源系统，长期运行 COP 在 4 左右；更年轻的 200 年历史的 St John’s 新系统预计 COP 约 3.6，可维持室温至少 18°C，并以 R290 制冷剂提高 50°C 流温能力。
技术指标的关键在于高 COP（>3 优秀，>5 罕见），但电价与基础设施构成约束。一些教堂因电力接入不足无法承担 80 kW 级系统升级成本。潮湿环境可导致设备腐蚀，促使如 St. Stephen’s 计划增设太阳能板以压低运行费用。尽管如此，部分教堂实现 COP 4 的运行记录，并将热泵接入历史悠久的铸铁散热或地暖系统，验证低温供热亦可满足舒适度要求。
施工过程揭示出文化遗产类建筑的复杂性。St John’s 铺设地埋管需全程人工开挖，在教堂墓园中发现超 400 块骨片并重新掩埋。即便如此，实测结果与用户反馈显示热泵可在未牺牲舒适度前提下降碳，并与太阳能、电池等方案组合形成可复制模式。随着英格兰教会推进 2030 年净零目标，该类工程被视为可规模化推广的路径。
British churches are accelerating a measurable shift from fossil-fuel boilers to heat pumps. A 2024 survey of 12,337 Church of England buildings (68% of total) found only 94 with air-source pumps and 27 with ground-source units, with roughly 40 more acquiring systems. Case studies show old structures pose no absolute barrier: the 11th-century St. Stephen’s has used a ground-source system since 2008 with COPs near 4; the 200-year-old St John’s system is expected to reach COP ~3.6, maintaining at least 18°C indoor temperatures and using R290 refrigerant to support 50°C flow temperatures.
Performance hinges on high COP values (>3 strong, >5 rare), but electricity prices and grid constraints limit feasibility. Some churches cannot afford upgraded connections for systems around 80 kW. Humidity can corrode equipment, prompting St. Stephen’s to plan solar-panel additions to reduce operating costs. Yet several sites report COP 4 operation and successful integration with cast-iron radiators or underfloor loops, demonstrating that low-temperature heating can preserve comfort.
Installation reveals heritage-building complexities. St John’s trenching was entirely manual, uncovering 400+ bone fragments that were reburied. Even so, measured performance and user feedback show heat pumps can decarbonize without comfort loss and can pair with solar and batteries as replicable solutions. As the Church of England pursues net-zero by 2030, these projects represent scalable pathways for historic buildings.