Practitioners’ observations on the policies and regulation of ground source energy use in Finland

Abstract

This paper concentrates on environmental policies and legislation concerning the ground source heat pump industry in Finland. Special emphasis has been placed on the heat pump practitioners’ responses to legislation, which has received little attention earlier. This study is based on interviews and questionnaire responses from heat pump professionals. Four areas of legislation are discussed: qualification requirements, the planning permission procedure, groundwater protection, and financial incentives. This study suggests that better training and guidelines are needed for public officials who work with GSHPs, and that officials need to have a clear authorization and liability to enforce the effective regulations. This study also highlights the importance of incorporating quality assurance into GSHP policies in the form of e.g. construction standards, and more diverse qualification requirements. Stakeholder participation can help in determining what to include in the standards and requirements.