Member news: Daikin opens new R&D centre for heat pumps in Belgium

After two and a half years of construction, Daikin’s new EMEA Development Centre for heat pump technologies is now operational ^[1]. Located in Ghent, Belgium, it will serve markets in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and brings together over 350 R&D engineers working on low-carbon solutions.

 

The 31,000m² facility is equipped with extensive internal testing capacities, including EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) testing, water-circuit test rooms, and dedicated spaces for testing natural refrigerants and low-GWP alternatives.

 

The centre also strengthens Daikin’s collaboration with Ghent University through joint research, lectures, and student engagement. In July 2025, the City of Ghent, Ghent University and Daikin Europe signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enter a 2-year partnership ^[2]. Specifically, they are together exploring pilot projects that involve:

• Small-scale collective heat pumps
• Low-noise heat pump systems
• Heat pumps as an asset for a future heat network
• Fitting heat pumps into existing buildings
• Heat pumps in renovation projects with lower insulation ambitions than EPC B
• Win-wins with other themes such as ventilation and air quality

 

 

Sources

[1] https://refindustry.com/news/market-news/daikin-opens-new-r-d-centre-for-heat-pumps-in-belgium/

[2] https://www.daikin.eu/en_us/press-releases/city-of-ghent-ghent-university-and-daikin-to-partner.html