Americans across the nation are showing an increased awareness of the problems caused by the rapid and uncontrolled growth our country has undergone over the last fifty years. It is apparent to most that we can no longer abuse our natural resources as if they were inexhaustable . In the last few years, there has been a specific concern for prices, consumption, and energy conservation. These real concerns are moving us towards a reconsideration of our living habits that will certainly affect the future of residential planning and site design.

In today´s industry there is an ongoing trend, where many companies are shifting focus from only delivering products to also offering services to their customers. Services can bring advantages, such as higher margins, competitive advantage, stabilized cash flow and strengthened customer relationships. A company that traditionally has had a strong product focus, but where services now have attracted their attention is Bosch Thermoteknik AB, active as a manufacturer in the heat pump business. In the market, which has been more and more competitive and where customer requirements are extended, it could be difficult for the company to only build on technical innovations. The aim of this thesis is thus to identify service opportunities in the heat pump business based on a customer value perspective, and proposals of how integrated service concepts may look like for Bosch Thermoteknik AB are presented. To answer the purpose, 12 semi-structured customer interviews were performed in order to identify factors contributing to customer value in the business of residential heating. Additionally, an investigation of what kind of services that are offered in the heating market was performed in order to contribute to inspiration for integrated service solutions for Bosch Thermoteknik AB. The customer interviews show that the most important value dimensions to customers are a reliable heat pump operation generating desired comfort, a system that manage itself and not require time and effort to manage, a high quality product and low operation and investment costs. Additionally, customers value knowledge to be able to handle the system in order to reach their expectations on the heating system. Many of the identified values are fulfilled to customers, however not always the latter example, especially not to those who move in to their first house where there is a heat pump installed. Regarding the investigation of different concept in the market, leasing of boilers, pay per heat unit, monitoring contracts, customer education and heat analysis where all found and contributed with inspiration in the study. The leasing concept and pay for heat were mainly marketing as an escape of a high investment cost, but since the investment cost was not seen as a big barrier for customers in this study and they were rather afraid to lose money in the long run, these solutions were not included in the recommendations for Bosch Thermoteknik AB. However, customers agreed that both solutions have advantages, such as get rid of hassles and risks especially regarding unpredictable costs. Three concept proposals were finally selected, which are Nyinflyttad, Tryggheten och Säkerställan. The first concept, Nyinflyttad, aims to give new house owners a secure feeling, where they helped by a service and education, get information of the condition of the system and get knowledge about how to handle it. Tryggheten, is rather targeting customers who need a new heat pump. Customers are here offered extended monitoring indicating problems in an early stage and additionally they are offered guidance to do easier measurements themselves. In the last concept proposal, Säkerställaren, customers are offered a heat analysis, in connection to the heat pump purchase, in order to take a more holistic perspective on the heating included both the heat pump and identification of heat loses from the house. Important to mention is that these proposals are only first drafts and there are still many aspects to investigate, not least the economic aspect as well as the organizational aspect, in order to provide the services.

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Utvecklad för att bibehålla termisk komfort och minska exergianvändningen, Free Heat Exchange Window [FHEW] är en fönsterdesign som är tänkt att ersätta konventionella värmesystem i bostäder och kontorsbyggnader. Baserat på dubbelspaltkonceptet kommer fönstret utgöra en värmekälla under kalla vinterdagar och en värmesänka under varmare sommardagar. För att värdera huruvida teknologin kan bibehålla tillräcklig termisk komfort och avgöra dess optimala parameterkonfiguration utifrån byggnadens effektbehov skapas två olika modeller. En grundar sig på en datorsimulering av en lägenhet i COMSOL Multiphysics och den andra är en analytisk metod för beräkning av energibalanser i MATLAB. Resultaten från båda modellerna påvisade att hög inströmningstemperatur och låg inströmningshastighet är att föredra för minimering av effektbehovet. Å andra sidan ger en låg inströmnings temperatur och hög strömningshastighet en upphov till högre termisk komfort. Valet av den isolerande gasen som används i mittersta gas-spalten bedöms ha låg inverkan på prestandan, särskilt för höga strömningshastigheter. En alternativ modell med den isolerande gas-spalten omplacerad närmast utomhuset skulle kunna framföra bättre användning av den isolerande gas-spaltens funktion. Datorsimuleringen jämförs avslutningsvis med en ekvivalent lägenhetsmodell med enkelspaltiga fönster och element som värmekälla. Denna modell kräver lägre effekt, men är samtidigt mindre flexibel och inducerar en lägre termisk komfort. Datorsimuleringen rekommenderas på grund av dess antaganden och i vissa fall orimliga resultat endast som jämförelse med andra liknande modellen, snarare än verkliga data. / Developed to maintain thermal comfort and reduce exergy usage, Free Heat Exchange Window [FHEW] is a modern window design aimed to replace current heat systems in homes and office buildings. Based on the double slot concept, the window can be used as a heat source during cold winter days and heat sink during warmer summer days. To evaluate if the technology is viable to maintain thermal comfort and determine its optimal parameters with respect to energy efficiency, two different models will be made. One is based on computer simulations in COMSOL Multiphysics and one is based on analytical equations in MATLAB. The results from both models proved that a higher inflow temperature and a lower flow rate was prefered to minimize power demand. On the contrary, a lower inflow temperature and a higher flow rate is preferred to achieve the best thermal comfort. The differences between the choice of insulation gas gave unnoticeable deviation for indoor heat exchange for high flow rates. An alternative window model could reposition the insulation gas-gap to be between the whole system and the outdoors environment, instead of having it installed between the flowing air-gaps, for better use of the low thermal conductivity. The computer simulation is finally compared with an equivalent model using regular single slot windows and radiators as heaters. This model requires less energy but is less flexible and induces a less desirable thermal comfort. The computer simulation is due to its assumptions and in some instances implausible results only recommended to be compared to similar models, rather than real data.