Heat Pump & Air Handling Installation
MPM Plumbing & Mechanical Services installs heat pump systems and air handling units for commercial and domestic properties across London and the South East, delivering low-carbon, energy-efficient heating and ventilation solutions tailored to each building’s requirements.
About This Service
Heat pumps are rapidly becoming the heating technology of choice for new builds and retrofit projects as the UK works toward its net zero targets. By extracting heat from the air, ground, or water, heat pumps can deliver three to four units of heat energy for every unit of electrical energy consumed — making them significantly more efficient than conventional gas boilers. MPM installs the full mechanical side of heat pump systems, including water-side distribution pipework, buffer vessels, and integration with underfloor heating or low-temperature radiator systems.
Air Handling Units (AHUs) are central to maintaining indoor air quality, thermal comfort, and energy efficiency in commercial buildings. MPM manages the mechanical pipework connections to AHUs — including chilled water coil connections, heating coil connections, condensate drainage, and humidifier water supplies — ensuring every connection is made to the correct specification and properly insulated.
We have delivered heat pump and air handling installations on a range of projects including No. 3 Sheldon Square, the ICL University laboratory fit-out, and the Kent & Surrey Nationals Golf Course & Hotel — environments where system reliability and energy performance are paramount.
What We Offer
- Air source and ground source heat pump pipework installation
- Buffer vessel and thermal store connections
- Low-temperature distribution pipework for heat pump systems
- AHU chilled and heating water coil connections
- AHU condensate drainage
- Humidifier water supply connections
- Thermal insulation of all pipework
- System commissioning and pressure testing
Frequently Asked Questions
MPM installs the mechanical pipework for both air source heat pumps (ASHP) and ground source heat pumps (GSHP). This includes the water-side distribution pipework from the heat pump unit to the building's heating system, buffer vessels, low-temperature underfloor heating circuits or radiator connections, and all associated thermal insulation. We work alongside the heat pump equipment specialist and electrical contractor to deliver a fully integrated installation.
Heat pumps operate most efficiently at lower flow temperatures — typically 35–55°C compared to the 70–80°C of a conventional gas boiler. This means the distribution pipework and heat emitters (radiators or underfloor heating) need to be correctly sized for these lower temperatures to ensure adequate heat output. MPM sizes and installs low-temperature distribution pipework to suit the specific heat pump system and building heat loss, ensuring the system performs as designed.
Installing an AHU requires a range of mechanical pipework connections — including chilled water flow and return connections to the cooling coil, heating water connections to the heating coil, condensate drainage from the cooling process, and in some cases a mains cold water connection for a humidifier. MPM manages all of these mechanical connections, ensuring each one is correctly made, insulated, and tested before the AHU is commissioned.
Yes, though retrofitting heat pumps into existing buildings requires careful assessment of the existing distribution system. MPM works with the design team to evaluate whether existing pipework and heat emitters are suitable for low-temperature operation or whether modifications are needed. We have experience managing phased retrofit projects where heating continuity must be maintained throughout the works.
Yes. MPM has delivered mechanical installations for heat pump and air handling systems in a range of demanding environments, including the ICL University laboratory fit-out, No. 3 Sheldon Square, and the Kent & Surrey Nationals Golf Course & Hotel. These projects required precise installation in technically complex, programme-critical environments — exactly the kind of work our engineers are experienced delivering.
Correct insulation is critical for heat pump systems to maintain efficiency — particularly on low-temperature pipework where heat loss has a proportionally greater impact on system performance. MPM installs pipework insulation to the thickness and specification required by the system design and current CIBSE guidance, and ensures all insulation is neatly finished and appropriately vapour-sealed where required.
