LAMBDA Heat Pumps Wins the 5th Tirol Change Award
As part of this year’s Change Summit, which took place for the first time on the “MS Achensee,” the Tirol Change Award was presented for the fifth time. Initiated by the Lebensraum Tirol Group, this prestigious award recognizes companies and individuals whose projects and initiatives make a sustainable contribution to the positive development of Tyrol. The winner of the 2024 Tirol Change Award is LAMBDA Heat Pumps, a company that has inspired others through its contribution to renewable and efficient heat generation.
Ten leading Tyrolean companies and visionary thinkers from a wide range of social sectors, who are making a significant impact through innovative and sustainable business practices, were nominated for this year’s award. Florian Entleitner and Florian Fuchs, founders of LAMBDA Heat Pumps, were ultimately honored with the coveted Tirol Change Award during the 7th Change Summit at Lake Achensee. LAMBDA Heat Pumps stood out as a true changemaker with an innovation that addresses an urgent societal problem: energy efficiency. With a novel process, the company is setting new standards in the industry and significantly increasing the efficiency of air-source heat pumps—all with a design that is exceptionally aesthetic for heat pumps. With its roots in the startup sector, LAMBDA demonstrates dynamic growth and economic success, has proven its market readiness, and has established itself as an innovator in a key Tyrolean sector—heat pump technology.
State Representative Gerber: “A groundbreaking approach that won everyone over”
Tyrol’s State Minister for Economic Affairs, Mario Gerber, is enthusiastic about the winning project: “Every year, the Tyrol Change Award impressively demonstrates just how innovative and forward-thinking our entrepreneurs are—and in 2024, Florian Entleitner and Florian Fuchs, among others, have proven this. I warmly congratulate the two managing directors of LAMBDA Heat Pumps on their groundbreaking approach. They have shown us that even a small temperature difference can make a big impact. But I would also like to thank all the other nominees, who, with their tireless dedication and visionary ideas, are making a significant contribution to a sustainable Tyrol.”
Martin Reiter, a member of the executive board of Lebensraum Tirol Holding, also congratulated the 2024 award winners and emphasized: “Once again this year, all ten nominees have demonstrated that change and progress are possible through creative ideas and sustainable concepts. Especially at a time when economic and ecological challenges are intensifying, it is such groundbreaking projects that bring about real ‘change’ in our state. I congratulate Florian Entleitner and Florian Fuchs of LAMBDA Heat Pumps on this well-deserved award and their tireless pioneering spirit.” The Tirol Change Award has succeeded in providing these pioneers in environmental protection and sustainability with a well-deserved platform. The award is supported by Raiffeisen-Landesbank Tirol AG.
The joy over the award was clearly visible on the faces of the winners, Florian Entleitner and Florian Fuchs: “This prize is a recognition of our company and all those who believe in our vision of a more sustainable future. We are proud to make a real difference with our technology—for people, the environment, and the energy transition,” said the two happy winners. They also thanked the expert jury as well as all Tyroleans who, with their votes, not only helped them win the Change Award but also expressed their appreciation for the work of the employees.
Heat in the air
LAMBDA Heat Pumps stands for innovation, sustainability, and maximum energy efficiency. Based in Kirchbichl, Tyrol, the company relies on environmentally friendly technologies to actively drive the energy transition forward. At the heart of its development is the use of the natural refrigerant R290 (propane) and the proprietary 3K process, which enables a revolutionary increase in efficiency. With a very low global warming potential (GWP), this refrigerant is approximately 100 to 700 times more environmentally friendly than conventional synthetic refrigerants. The 3K process optimizes heat transfer between the energy source and the heat pump, resulting in up to six times higher heat transfer. This lowers energy consumption, reduces operating costs, and thus contributes to a more sustainable and cost-effective heating solution. This innovative technology makes it possible to reduce energy consumption by approximately 26% compared to the top A+++ energy efficiency class. This increase in efficiency not only makes a significant contribution to CO₂ reduction but also saves customers energy costs—fully in line with a sustainable energy supply.
Reinhard Mayr, CEO of Raiffeisen-Landesbank Tirol and spokesperson for the Raiffeisen-Bankengruppe Tirol, joins in the congratulations: “Congratulations to Florian Entleitner and Florian Fuchs! Their innovative work at LAMBDA Heat Pumps demonstrates how important resource-efficient management is for future success.”
These were the ten nominees for the 2024 Tirol Change Award
In addition to LAMBDA heat pumps, nine other leading Tyrolean companies and individuals were nominated for the 5th Tirol Change Award: Pure Green Cosmetics, Austria’s largest manufacturer of plant- and mineral-based natural cosmetics, Michael and Karin Halbfurter, who are recultivating the centuries-old crop hemp on their farm in East Tyrol, Tirol Kresse, which is setting new standards in plant cultivation with a fully automated farm, Helioplant, whose photovoltaic systems are revolutionizing renewable energy production in the mountains, Juffinger Bio-Metzgerei, Tyrol’s leading organic butcher shop; Bokura, an initiative for soil conservation and reclamation in Tyrol to ensure sustainable and high-yield food production; Rolf.Brillen, a regional workshop where eyewear is crafted from wood, stone, and beans; the online initiative “Taktvoll in der Natur” by Achensee Tourism, designed to raise awareness of nature-based tourism offerings; and the Repair Café Tirol, through whose initiative over 12,000 items have already been repaired collectively.
A panel of distinguished experts and a public vote selected the winner
The winner was selected by a distinguished panel of experts. The nominees were evaluated based on the criteria of “sustainability,” “economic efficiency,” “innovative strength,” and “impact.” The panel of experts included, among others: Provincial Environmental Ombudsman Johannes Kostenzer, the Sustainability Coordinator for the Province of Tyrol Christian Dobler, sustainability expert Jutta Kister from the University of Innsbruck, journalist Claus Reitan, “Tirol 2050” coordinator Nora Els, and Marlene Hopfgartner, Deputy Head of the Department of Economic Policy and Strategy at the Tyrolean Chamber of Commerce. In addition, around 5,000 Tyroleans took advantage of the opportunity to vote for their favorite project in an online poll.
