3 REGIONAL -- 3.1 EUROPE

In 2020, new demand decreased by 5.4%, and retrofit demand increased by 8.1%. The entire ATW market remained essentially at the same as 2019.

The pandemic severely affected the French heating sector in 2020. The building sector was particularly affected, with a 6.9% decrease in construction projects and a 14.9% drop in the number of building permits granted. However, the renovation segment was less affected. Uniclima data show that sales of ATW heat pumps dipped slightly, with sales reaching 175,222 units, down by 0.6% compared with 2019.