Different Types of Heat Pump Owners in Austria—Purchase Arguments, User Satisfaction, Operating Habits, and Expectations Regarding Control and Regulation Strategies

Gabriel Reichert (), Sophie Ehrenbrandtner, Robert Fina, Franz Theuretzbacher, Clemens Birklbauer and Christoph Schmidl
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Gabriel Reichert: Campus Wieselburg, University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt GmbH, 2700 Wiener Neustadt, Austria
Sophie Ehrenbrandtner: Campus Wieselburg, University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt GmbH, 2700 Wiener Neustadt, Austria
Robert Fina: Campus Wieselburg, University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt GmbH, 2700 Wiener Neustadt, Austria
Franz Theuretzbacher: Campus Wieselburg, University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt GmbH, 2700 Wiener Neustadt, Austria
Clemens Birklbauer: Ochsner Wärmepumpen GmbH, Ochsner-Straße 1, 3350 Stadt Haag, Austria
Christoph Schmidl: Campus Wieselburg, University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt GmbH, 2700 Wiener Neustadt, Austria

Businesses, 2025, vol. 5, issue 2, 1-36

Abstract: Heat pumps (HPs) are considered as a key technology in the future energy system. Besides technical and ecological aspects, user acceptance and user friendliness are also essential. The aim of the study was therefore to research which aspects are decisive for the purchase decision, which different types of HP owners can be distinguished, how their specific user behavior can be characterized in terms of control and operation, and what their respective requirements and wishes are for the functions and operation of their HPs. A mixed-methods approach in an exploratory sequential design was used. Based on nine qualitative interviews and a survey with 510 respondents, both conducted in Austria, it is observed that the most relevant arguments for the purchase decision of HPs are high environmental friendliness and efficiency, as well as resource independence. Respecting certain usage and requirement patterns, four user types could be identified and defined—the minimalist, the functionalist, the tech-savvy tinkerer, and the anxious user. In the future, intelligent control and regulation approaches and the integration of HPs into a holistic energy and building management system (smart home) will become more important. Based on the results, tailor-made system solutions can be developed, user friendliness optimized, and new services developed.

Keywords: heat pumps in Austria; smart home; control and regulation strategy; user acceptance; user friendliness; user behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A1 D0 D4 D6 D7 D8 D9 E0 E2 E3 E4 E5 E6 E7 F0 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 G0 G1 G2 H0 J0 K2 L0 L1 L2 M0 M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 N0 N1 N2 O0 O1 P0 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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