In this edition of the HeatPumpTurkey interview series, Massimiliano Pierini, Managing Director of RX Italy, discusses the latest developments in the European heat pump market and the future of the industry ahead of the upcoming Heat Pump Technologies 2027, taking place in Milan on 7–8 April 2027. Highlighting the strategic role of heat pumps in the energy transition, Pierini explains how the industry is moving towards a more integrated energy ecosystem, where heat pumps work alongside photovoltaics, energy storage and intelligent energy management systems. He also outlines the key topics that will shape the Heat Pump Technologies 2027 programme, including digitalisation, AI-powered control systems, low-impact refrigerants, high-temperature heat pumps, waste heat recovery, and commercial and industrial applications. Emphasising Türkiye’s strong manufacturing base, export-oriented HVAC industry and significant potential for the adoption of heat pump technologies, Pierini describes Türkiye as an important market for Heat Pump Technologies. He also invites Turkish manufacturers, distributors, project companies and investors to join the event in Milan.
Heat Pump Technologies 2027 will be held in Milan on April 7–8, 2027. First of all, what is the main theme of this year’s event and what are the most important innovations awaiting visitors?
Heat Pump Technologies is the international exhibition and conference dedicated to heat pumps and the related technologies enabling the energy transition. Organised by RX Italy, it builds on the expertise and in-depth market knowledge of MCE – Mostra Convegno Expocomfort, the leading international exhibition for civil and industrial HVAC systems, renewable energy and water technologies.
Following the success of its first edition, Heat Pump Technologies 2027 (HPT 2027), taking place on April 7–8, 2027 at Allianz MiCo in Milan, is broadening its positioning and evolving towards a format with an even stronger focus on energy integration and advanced industrial and commercial applications. The event will feature technical and scientific content, real-world case studies and opportunities for discussion among all the stakeholders in the value chain.
The second edition of HPT will explore the evolving role of heat pumps within increasingly integrated energy systems. Heat pumps will remain at the heart of the event, but in 2027 we will expand its scope to include photovoltaics, energy storage systems and intelligent energy management solutions.
Our aim is to represent the transition from a market focused on individual technologies to an ecosystem in which energy generation, storage and consumption are designed and managed in a coordinated way. Integrating heat pumps with photovoltaics, storage and digital systems makes it possible to increase self-consumption, reduce reliance on fossil fuels and improve the overall efficiency of buildings and industrial processes.
HPT 2027 is aimed at a highly qualified audience that includes energy-intensive industries, designers and engineers, real estate professionals, public authorities, ESCOs, energy managers, facility managers and institutional stakeholders. Visitors will be able to explore technologies for heating, cooling and domestic hot water production, as well as solutions for industrial and commercial applications, public buildings and energy infrastructure. Above all, HPT 2027 will be a place to understand how these technologies can work together.
The heat pump market in Europe has experienced both rapid growth and some challenges in recent years. What do you think are the most important opportunities and key challenges facing the industry today?
The opportunities are considerable. The need to decarbonise the heating and cooling of buildings, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and strengthen energy security makes heat pumps a strategic technology for Europe.
There is an enormous building stock in need of renovation: around 75% of buildings in the European Union have poor energy performance and fall within the lowest energy classes. In Italy, almost one in two buildings is still rated F or G in terms of energy performance, across both the residential and industrial sectors, according to the 2026 ENEA Report. Furthermore, approximately 60% of Italy’s building stock was constructed before 1970 and requires structural and energy renovation. In addition to this, heat pumps offer considerable potential in commercial and industrial applications, including high-temperature processes and waste heat recovery.
However, the sector must also address several challenges. The first is the stability of the regulatory framework and incentive schemes: businesses and consumers need clear rules and a long-term perspective. The second concerns the initial cost of projects and the need to develop financial models that make them more accessible. The third is the availability of skills throughout the value chain, from design and installation to maintenance.
Further work is also needed on electricity infrastructure and peak-demand management. This is why integration with renewable energy generation, storage and intelligent control systems will become increasingly important. Market growth will depend not only on the performance of individual heat pumps, but also on our ability to integrate them correctly into buildings and the wider energy system.
Heat Pump Technologies stands out not only as a trade fair but also through its conference programme and technical sessions. What technical topics and industry trends will be highlighted in the 2027 programme?
We are developing a programme that will combine strategic vision, technical updates and discussion of real-world applications. Two Main Conferences are planned, alongside specialised workshops developed with the involvement of leading industry associations and scientific and institutional organisations. EHPA, the European Heat Pump Association, which represents the European heat pump sector in Brussels, will also take part.
The topics we intend to explore include developments in the European market, the regulatory framework, the electrification of heating and cooling, the integration of heat pumps with photovoltaics and storage, energy flexibility and the digitalisation of systems. Significant attention will be devoted to commercial and industrial applications, high-temperature heat pumps, waste heat recovery and best practices for building renovation.
One of the key moments will be the presentation of a new report produced by the Energy & Strategy Group of Politecnico di Milano and commissioned exclusively by RX Italy. The study will provide an updated overview of heat pump technologies and the market, extending its analysis to renewable energy sources, storage systems and development scenarios through to 2035.
Technologies such as digitalisation, AI-powered control systems, natural refrigerants and high-temperature heat pumps are rapidly transforming the industry. What innovations await visitors in these areas?
These technologies represent some of the most important directions of innovation in the sector and will play a significant role in the discussions at HPT 2027.
Digitalisation already makes it possible to monitor systems in real time, optimise energy consumption, identify anomalies promptly and schedule maintenance. Artificial intelligence can add predictive capabilities by adapting system operation to weather conditions, building usage patterns, photovoltaic generation and energy prices. This development enables the transition from predominantly reactive control to predictive management.
In the field of refrigerants, the move towards solutions with a lower climate impact is stimulating new developments in system design and requires specific expertise in safety, installation and maintenance. High-temperature heat pumps, meanwhile, are expanding the potential of the technology both in the renovation of existing buildings and in industrial processes requiring higher temperature levels.
HPT 2027 will offer visitors the opportunity to see how these innovations are converging to create more efficient, connected and flexible systems capable of meeting the real needs of buildings, businesses and energy networks.
The role of heat pumps in Europe’s energy transition is becoming increasingly important. How does Heat Pump Technologies 2027 aim to contribute to this transformation?
Heat Pump Technologies contributes first and foremost by creating a dedicated forum in which industry, designers, installers, ESCOs, utilities, energy managers, institutions and the research community can share knowledge and develop a common vision.
Many of the technologies required for the energy transition are already available. The real challenge is to apply and integrate them correctly and turn them into projects that are sustainable from both a technical and an economic perspective. An event such as HPT can accelerate this process by connecting supply and demand, presenting real-world applications and encouraging the dissemination of expertise.
We also want to move beyond the idea that a heat pump is simply a replacement for a boiler. It is, in fact, a technology capable of connecting electrification, renewable energy generation, storage and demand management. HPT 2027 aims to highlight this evolution and provide the industry with useful insights to guide investments and decisions.
Another fundamental objective is to draw greater attention from institutions and government bodies to the strategic role of this sector. For the market to fulfil its potential, it needs a clear, stable and long-term regulatory framework, supported by measures capable of encouraging investment and enabling the expected growth. HPT 2027 also aims to foster this dialogue between industry and public policymakers, contributing to the development of policies that are consistent with Europe’s decarbonisation and energy security objectives.
The heat pump sector in Türkiye has shown significant development in recent years. Why is Heat Pump Technologies 2027 an important event for Turkish manufacturers, distributors, project companies and investors?
Türkiye is a market of great interest to Heat Pump Technologies. It has a strong manufacturing base, a clear export orientation and a particularly dynamic HVAC industry. At the same time, the country is accelerating its adoption of solutions that can increase efficiency and support greater energy independence. The growth of renewable energy and the considerable untapped potential of heat pumps are creating important opportunities.
For Turkish manufacturers, HPT 2027 can provide a gateway to the Italian and European markets for heat pumps and renewable energy technologies, as well as an opportunity to showcase their technologies, components and manufacturing capabilities to a highly specialised audience. Distributors, designers, project companies and investors will be able to meet new partners, understand how demand is evolving and explore solutions that could also be applied in the Turkish market.
Industrial and commercial relations between Italy and Türkiye are well established. RX Italy attaches particular importance to this relationship, which has developed and strengthened over successive editions of MCE – Mostra Convegno Expocomfort and has continued through our collaboration with İSİB and the HPT launch event organised in Türkiye in 2025 for local stakeholders. Seven Turkish companies took part in the first edition of Heat Pump Technologies in Milan in 2025. This was a very positive result and provides a strong foundation on which we hope to build even greater participation in 2027.
Heat Pump Technologies brings together industry professionals from different European countries. What kind of environment does it offer for international collaborations and new business opportunities for participants?
Heat Pump Technologies was created as an international, highly specialised event. Its first edition brought together 118 exhibitors and more than 6,000 visitors, 10% of whom came from outside Italy. These figures demonstrate the event’s ability to attract a qualified professional community interested not only in products, but also in developing partnerships and new projects.
Its concentrated two-day format and the presence of stakeholders from across the entire value chain make HPT a particularly effective networking environment. Manufacturers of heat pumps and components can meet distributors, designers, installers, ESCOs, utilities, system integrators, energy managers and public-sector decision-makers.
The expansion of the event to include photovoltaics, energy storage and energy management will also create more opportunities for collaboration among sectors that previously operated more independently. Innovation increasingly emerges when different areas of expertise come together. HPT 2027 aims to be the place where these encounters lead to commercial agreements, technology partnerships and new international projects.
Finally, what message would you like to convey to Heat Pump Turkey readers and the heat pump industry in Türkiye? Why would you like to see Turkish industry professionals at Heat Pump Technologies 2027?
My invitation to the Turkish heat pump industry is to consider Heat Pump Technologies not simply as a trade fair to visit, but as a platform through which it can actively contribute to Europe’s energy future.
Turkish companies possess strong manufacturing expertise, a proven capacity for innovation and a well-established culture of internationalisation. HPT 2027 gives them the opportunity to present themselves to a specialised audience, understand how the European market and its regulatory framework are evolving, meet new business contacts and contribute to the discussion surrounding the integration of heat pumps, renewable energy, storage and digital technologies.
Italy and Türkiye share a long history of economic and industrial relations. We want Heat Pump Technologies to provide another platform on which to strengthen this connection. The participation of seven Turkish companies in the first edition was a significant sign, and we hope that Türkiye will have an even stronger presence in 2027.
We therefore look forward to welcoming Turkish manufacturers, distributors, designers, project companies, investors and industry professionals to Milan—not only to showcase what the sector is achieving today, but also to build tomorrow’s energy solutions together.