Giving access to heat pump performance data and customer satisfaction scores would help drive the transition to low carbon heating in the UK.

That’s one of the findings of a new report by Energy Futures Lab, Imperial College London’s energy institute, which recommends measuring rather than estimating building and heat pump performance both before and after installation.

A public database of performance and satisfaction data could provide householders with the confidence to invest in green heating systems.

The author of the report notes that currently, people rely on performance estimates, which do not accurately reflect operation and running costs.

On Tuesday, the government announced a new package to support innovative heat pump technologies.

Dr Richard Carmichael, a Research Associate at Imperial’s Centre for Environmental Policy and author of the report, said: “The reality is we urgently need to move away from gas for heating but unless homeowners have the confidence to invest in alternative technologies, the transition will falter.

“By requiring installers to measure the performance of buildings and their heating systems, householders will feel reassured that they are getting a high-quality installation and a heat pump that operates efficiently.”