Mode London to Join E.ON’s Low-Carbon Heat Network in the City of London UNITED KINGDOM: E.ON has signed an agreement to connect Mode London to its district heat network in the City of London. The deal marks the first ‘sleeved’ heat supply from the Citigen Energy Centre and establishes a partnership expected to run into the 2040s. Through this arrangement, Mode London will receive low-carbon heating generated by ground source heat pumps at Citigen, helping improve the buildin

Government Incentives Drive Heat Pump Sales Growth Across Europe EUROPE: Preliminary data from the European Heat Pump Association shows that residential heat pump sales across 16 European countries increased by 11% in 2025, reaching around 2.63 million units compared with 2.38 million in 2024. The growth brings the total installed base in Europe to approximately 28 million systems. Twelve of the analysed countries recorded higher sales, largely due to stable subsidy programme

Green Energy GERMANY: Germany’s coalition government is facing criticism for stepping back from its climate commitments after agreeing to roll back key parts of a controversial heating law. The original law required most newly installed heating systems to run on at least 65% renewable energy, typically through heat pumps. Under the revised draft, however, homeowners will be allowed to continue using oil and gas-based systems.  The changes also remove the requirement for homeo

United Kingdom UNITED KINGDOM: Councillors have approved a balanced budget featuring a record US$ 1.89 billion (£1.6 billion) investment to tackle Edinburgh’s housing emergency and reduce poverty over the next five years. The funding will deliver thousands of affordable homes, including 2,500 for temporary accommodation and over 3,000 settled homes. The budget prioritises homelessness prevention, early family support, education and social care, while committing US$ 101.48 mil

France Construction sector FRANCE: According to the latest report from the Tendances récentes du bâtiment – Janvier 2026 (FFBâtiment), the French building industry shows signs of recovery in new construction, despite ongoing challenges. Between September and November 2025, both housing starts and planning permissions rose by over 20%, driven by increases in individual and collective housing projects. Non-residential construction also grew, with a near 13% rise in new surface

Zehnder Revenue Jumps in 2025; Steady Recovery Expected in 2026 SWITZERLAND: Zehnder Group reported strong growth in its ventilation segment in 2025, with total sales rising 18% (organically +15%) to US$542 million (EUR 501.7 million). The acquisition of Spain-based Siber contributed around 5% to growth, while second-half organic sales increased 14%. The segment accounted for 66% of total group sales, up from 60% a year earlier. Sales revenue in the EMEA region climbed 23% to

Green Finance Facility boosts renewable energy adoption for SMEs NORTH MACEDONIA: A UN-backed Green Finance Facility (GFF) is demonstrating how targeted financial support can accelerate North Macedonia’s green transition while delivering measurable climate and public health benefits. Funded by the UN Joint SDG Fund and led by UNDP North Macedonia, with participation from IOM and support from EBRD and UNECE, the initiative provides affordable green financing to small and mediu

PPE 3 Energy Plan France: France has adopted its third multi-year programme PPE 3 energy plan, presented by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu on February 12, 2026, during a visit to Jura, outlining a roadmap to produce more French energy that is decarbonised and competitive to strengthen national sovereignty and prepare for the future. The plan details projected electricity consumption, production methods, and planned investments, while addressing France’s continued reliance o

Completes Acquisition of Stellar Energy Ireland: Trane Technologies announced on February 18, 2026, that it has completed the acquisition of Stellar Energy Americas, Inc., a leading provider of turnkey data center cooling solutions, following the initial announcement made on December 2, 2025. The acquisition enhances Trane Technologies’ leadership in data center thermal management while accelerating growth, innovation and scale for Stellar Energy. By combining Stellar Energy’

Biomass Heating Italy: A January 2026 survey conducted by Nomisma for Progetto Fuoco reveals that about 1 in 4 Italian households now use woody biomass heating systems in their first and/or second homes, confirming the technology’s established presence in the domestic energy landscape. Conducted on a representative sample of 800 respondents, the study highlights strong awareness levels, with more than half of households familiar with biomass heating and over 4 in 10 reporting

Italy’s HVAC Market Shifts Focus Amid Economic Slowdown Italy: Italy’s HVAC market closed 2025 at a turning point, shaped by reduced construction incentives, cautious consumer spending and ongoing energy transition requirements. The installation sector has undergone gradual consolidation, with the number of active companies declining over recent years, reflecting a broader structural adjustment. Air conditioning remains central to the transition towards higher energy efficien

Baxi Launches MCS Umbrella Service for Heat Pump Installers UK: Baxi has introduced a Microgeneration Certification Scheme umbrella service for air source heat pump installers. Under the service, the company will assess properties for eligibility under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and manage compliance requirements and MCS documentation. The initiative is designed to support installers by handling system design, compliance and administrative processes. Installers using the servi

European Commission Launches Revision of Energy Union Governance Regulation EU: The European Commission has initiated a revision of the Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action. The process seeks to simplify, strengthen, and modernise the framework that structures the planning, monitoring and reporting of European Union energy and climate policies. The regulation has served as the basis for coordinating Member States’ actions in pursu

Bauhaus Opens New Three-storey Outlet in Vienna Austria: Bauhaus has opened a new store in Vienna, marking its seventh location in the city and its twenty-second in Austria. The outlet is located in a former Kika furniture store and extends across three floors. The building underwent renovation and structural upgrades over a period of approximately eighteen months, including reinforcement of ceilings. The total sales area amounts to 17,000 square metres on a site measuring 8,

Construction GERMANY: Housing construction permits in 2025 increased for the first time in three years, according to data from the German Federal Statistical Office. A total of 238,500 permits were issued for residential units in both new and existing buildings, marking a 10.8% rise compared to 2024, when approvals had dropped to their lowest level since 2010. Building permit figures are widely seen as an early indicator of upcoming construction activity. It was further noted

Bathroom UK: TOTO Ltd. has been identified by UK-based activist investor Palliser Capital as an undervalued artificial intelligence–linked opportunity, driven by its advanced ceramics business, which contributes about 40% of operating profit. While widely known for its high-tech sanitaryware, the company also manufactures ceramic electrostatic blocks used in NAND memory chip production, critical for AI-driven data centres. With rising AI demand and increasing memory chip pric

Market decline ITALY: DIY stores in Italy experienced a noticeable drop in sales in 2025. Overall industry revenues declined by 3.5% to EUR 6.33 billion. This was highlighted in the “GDS Report Monitoraggio Dicembre 2025” published by diyandgarden.com , based on data from GfK-NielsenIQ. The report noted that sales surpassed the previous year’s levels in only four months. At the product category level, growth was limited, with only six out of 20 categories recording an increas

NIBE Reports Stable Sales and Strong Profit Growth in Q4 & Full-Year 2025 Sweden: NIBE Industrier AB’s 2025 year-end report shows that net sales in Q4 2025 reached USD 975 million, flat year-on-year but up 6.8% at fixed exchange rates, while full-year net sales totalled USD 3.62 billion, up 0.8% (5.3% at fixed exchange rates). The company delivered higher profitability, with adjusted operating profit in Q4 rising to USD 127 million and an operating margin of 13.1%, compared t

Panasonic to Present CO₂-Based Retail Cooling and nanoe™ X at EuroShop GERMANY: Panasonic Heating & Cooling Solutions will showcase its sustainable retail refrigeration and indoor air quality technologies at EuroShop, Hall 6, stand E62. The company will focus on CO₂-based condensing units designed for food stores, supermarkets, and smaller retail formats, alongside its nanoe™ X air purification technology for improved indoor climate. The exhibit will feature CR-series CO₂ con

UNEP and ASHRAE Adopt New Lifecycle Refrigerant Management Plan UNITED STATES: UNEP and ASHRAE have adopted a new two-year work plan on Life Cycle Refrigerant Management (LRM), strengthening their long-standing collaboration supporting the global transition to sustainable refrigerants. The plan was adopted at the ASHRAE Winter Conference in Nevada, USA, and will guide joint projects covering refrigerants from production to end-of-life. Key initiatives include new training too