[Leidscherk (Netherlands) = E-Daily Reporter JAEMIN SONG ] A newly constructed apartment complex with 102 units in Leidscherk, located about a 20-minute drive from Rotterdam, Netherlands. Climbing onto the roof of the building, which is currently under construction, I saw LGELECTRONICS’ “Therma V” air-source heat pump outdoor units densely lined up at regular intervals. Installed at a rate of one per household, these heat pumps provide heating and hot water for each unit without the need for gas boilers.

“In the Netherlands, the use of gas boilers is prohibited in new buildings. Heat pumps, geothermal systems, and district heating are the alternatives, but heat pumps are often chosen for their cost-effectiveness.”

Kim Seong-bin, Team Leader of the ES Business PD Team at LGELECTRONICS Benelux, explained this on site. As the Netherlands implements policies to reduce gas usage—particularly in new buildings—heat pumps are rapidly replacing traditional boilers.

The ThermaV, installed on the rooftop, is an air-source heat pump that extracts heat from the outside air to provide indoor heating, cooling, and hot water. Equipped with LGELECTRONICS’ high-efficiency inverter scroll compressor, it produces approximately 4 to 5 times more thermal energy than the amount of electrical energy consumed. According to LGELECTRONICS, this can reduce energy consumption by about 40–60% compared to fossil fuel boilers.

Although the outdoor units are concentrated in one area, noise and vibration were also taken into consideration. Team Leader Kim explained, “Since they are installed on the rooftop, noise sensitivity is relatively low, and vibration-dampening pads are installed beneath each unit to reduce vibration.” On-site, we could indeed confirm the presence of these vibration-dampening pads beneath each outdoor unit.

LG Corp., which Used to Sell Only Heat Pumps, Now Offers a ‘Bundle’ Including Buffer Tanks

The significance of this project became even clearer once we went inside the building, rather than just looking at the ThermaV units themselves. Each unit was equipped with a stainless steel buffer tank from OSO, a Norwegian hot water solutions company acquired by LGELECTRONICS last year. This marks the first instance of a heat pump and buffer tank being designed as a single package and supplied to a large-scale new construction site.

The buffer tank stores the heating water heated by the heat pump and supplies it when needed. When the buffer tank holds a sufficient supply of heating water, it helps reduce “short cycling”—where the heat pump turns on and off at short intervals—thereby lowering the load on the unit, minimizing energy waste, and extending its service life.

Previously, construction companies or installers often sourced heat pumps and buffer tanks from different manufacturers and installed them separately. At this site, however, LGELECTRONICS designed the heat pump and buffer tank—including their capacity, piping, and controls—as a single integrated system.

Robin Klaus, ES Business Leader at LGELECTRONICS Benelux, said on-site, “Other companies often purchase parts from multiple suppliers and assemble them into a single product,” adding, “When problems arise, they end up arguing over who is responsible.” He continued, “Since we manufacture most of the components ourselves, we can manage the entire package,” emphasizing, “Our ability to provide a complete package is our greatest advantage.”

The installation process has also been simplified. Klaus explained that for this project, LG Corp.’s engineering team pre-designed the configuration—including the piping and valves required for installation—and the installation method, enabling the on-site installation contractor to implement it exactly as planned.

“Who do I call if it breaks down?”… LG Corp. handles all after-sales service

Another distinguishing feature of the integrated solution is after-sales service. If the heat pump and buffer tank are manufactured by different companies, you first have to determine which product is at fault when a malfunction occurs. It can take time to determine where the responsibility lies between the companies.

Team Leader Kim said, “If the heat pump is from LG Corp. but the buffer tank is from another brand, the installer has to call multiple companies, and there are often disputes over who is at fault.” He added, “Now that we provide a comprehensive warranty for the entire package, both installers and customers are highly satisfied.”

This project is also significant in that it demonstrates how LGELECTRONICS’ strategy to expand its HVAC business—pursued since the acquisition of OSO—has translated into actual on-site contracts. While the company has already supplied package products to small-scale renovation sites, this marks the first time such a system has been implemented on a large scale in a new residential complex with over 100 units.

Team Leader Kim said, “There have been many sites in the past where we installed one, ten, or twenty units,” adding, “This is the first time we’ve installed over 100 units at a new construction site, making it a significant large-scale reference project.”

Building on this success, LGELECTRONICS plans to expand its integrated HVAC solutions business in Europe—moving beyond standalone heat pumps to include heating, cooling, hot water, and thermal storage and control. The company has already supplied heat pumps to more than 100,000 households across five Southern European countries, including France and Spain, and is expanding its business reach to a 1,500-unit residential complex in North Macedonia, as well as to Germany and the United Kingdom.

Robin Klaus, the business leader, said, “European customers’ needs are shifting from simple heating devices to integrated solutions that encompass heating, cooling, hot water, and thermal storage and control,” adding, “We will expand into new markets by combining heat pumps with various hot water solutions.”