The structures and patterns of the domestic heating product markets vary widely across Europe, due to differences in climate, energy policies, availability of resources, culture and environmental awareness.

In the last few years these markets have started undergoing profound changes, and the pace of change looks only set to accelerate over the next 5 years. This is largely due to a combination of shifts in consumer attitudes, changes in legislation and innovation in product technologies – all to varying degrees as a result of a combination of concerns about energy prices and the environmental impact of human behaviour.

It has become apparent as a result of BRG CONSULT’s recent research programmes that there are some gaps in the information available to the industry on such “eco-related” developments, and specifically:

• limited information on specific product or system areas
  
  
• limited integration of the various change patterns and trends into a unified view
  
  
• limited comparative analysis of how the pace and form of such developments varies between countries or regions, due to the intrinsic differences mentioned above.

BRG CONSULT intends to address such information and analysis gaps through a multi-client international study focussing on:

• researching and analysing the markets for “environmentally friendly” heating technologies across Europe, in the context of domestic heating systems and end use (in particular new construction vs. existing dwellings). This will encompass the update of past BRG CONSULT analyses through to the first time coverage of specific areas for which the information available is very scarce (e.g. underfloor heating), and will focus on commercial opportunities and constraints
  
  
• putting the developments of the individual product markets within the context of specific European countries or regions, with reference to climatic, legislative and cultural differences, and with a specific focus on how legislation and public subsidies have been (and are) shaping the various markets
  
  
• comparing developments and dynamics across Europe, and broadly relating them to the current situation and developments in the US heating market.

It is believed that in today’s environment a comprehensive insight into such topical issues will prove to any player in the European heating industry an invaluable element in the evaluation of their current and future strategic positioning.