2025 which means heat pumps will become a ‘mainstream’ domestic heating technology in just two years’ time. BESA is one of the training providers to benefi t from the new money awarded
by BEIS following its recent Home Decarbonisation Skills Training competition. The Association’s share will allow it to deliver another 400 free training places for qualifi ed plumbing, heating and refrigeration and air conditioning engineers looking to upskill with a view to becoming MCS-accredited heat pump installers. It will be the next phase of the programme the Association runs in partnership with MCS and heating equipment manufacturer Worcester Bosch that has already provided free training for 1,000 installers. The training is delivered through the Association’s online training Academy and
will run until the end of March 2023. It involves fi ve hours online theory which can be completed in ‘bite size chunks’ at the convenience of the student, and two-days practical training at one of BESA’s approved training centres. On completion, the installers will be able to correctly specify, design, install and maintain domestic heat pumps.
New generation
BESA said the money would also help to create a “signifi cant training legacy” by supporting the development of more training centres able to produce a new generation of engineers with the necessary skills to retrofi t homes and commercial buildings. ‘Training the trainers’ was a key element of BESA’s successful application for additional funding to help extend the network of Further Education colleges and independent training centres able to deliver heat pump courses. The hands-on practicality of the course and the fi nal assessment it has developed with Worcester Bosch was another element appreciated by BEIS. “Qualifi ed heating installers will not fi nd upskilling to heat pump work overly
challenging, but there are some specifi c practical elements that are diff erent and crucial to ensuring their installations work eff ectively and effi ciently,” said Yeulet. “Transitioning to low temperature heating requires a diff erent way of looking at the system as a whole and there are some key areas around sizing and commissioning that are central to our training courses,” she added. The course gives students the ability to correctly specify and install low
temperature heating systems, carry out accurate sizing of components, commission, and handover systems properly, as well as carrying out lifecycle maintenance. Yeulet added that, because MCS certifi cation was becoming more widely
recognised as the industry standard, it was important that installers were also helped by the training to navigate their way through the system. The course is delivered in a ‘blended’ format with a combination of online and
face-to-face training and MCS will ensure that the training meets its requirements for certifi cation. Worcester Bosch will also assess the equipment in each centre to ensure it is suitable. “This collaboration and the additional funding will allow us to create an
extended network of local training hubs equipped to deliver meaningful, practical training to ensure heat pump technology performs to its full potential,” said Yeulet. “It will also help installers explain the various options to homeowners and
commercial building customers which is a good way to gain a reputation as a knowledgeable and trustworthy business.”
For more information about domestic heat pump training visit:
www.theBESA.com/academy
ViewPoint A
The Year Ahead By Phil Hurley, managing director at NIBE Energy Systems
t NIBE, we’re looking forward to training engineers to install heat pumps in 2023, through our NIBE Pro courses at our recently reopened training centre in
Chesterfi eld. We’re also excited about several new product launches across our range, but now we need to focus on the many decisions to be made if we are to progress towards Net Zero.
Governments around the globe use discussions at COP 27 to shape policy
for the year ahead, so this year looks somewhat promising for heat pumps. I wouldn’t be able to talk about building decarbonisation without mentioning the Future Homes Standard (FHS), which will set the energy effi ciency standard for new homes built from 2025. As we await the technical consultation this year, there is much anticipation of how far the fi nal specifi cations will go to lower energy bills for consumers and maximise heat pump performance. And with the average household energy bill rising to £3,000 from April, proposals expected on rebalancing gas and electricity bills this year will complement the FHS, by driving down the already competitive running costs of heat pumps, through cheaper electricity. With the expectation of continued heat pump growth this year globally, the UK has historically lagged other countries. Policy will play a crucial role in accelerating UK heat pump progress and going into 2023 the fl agship Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) will have just over two years left to achieve its targets. But with 17.8% of its year one funding spent with three months to go, a raise in public profi le is needed to boost the scheme’s awareness. Employing the methods used to raise awareness of the Green Homes Grant could be something to follow. With the Scottish Government recently announcing a £7,500 grant for heat pumps rising to £9,000 for rural homes, on top of an interest free loan for homeowners, there is a clear precedent for greater ambition. And I expect to see sales increase over the coming months. When the French Government committed to phase out all boiler sales within 10 years, there was a surge of interest in heat pump installer training by 264% in 2019. Similar decisiveness confi rming boiler phase out dates in the UK has been a missed opportunity to power action from installers and homeowners to accelerate the inevitable move to heat pumps. A decision on this will give the confi dence needed to those sitting on the fence. With new builds being heat pump ready in the run up to the FHS, the next step is to tackle the larger more complex area, the existing housing stock. Lower fl ow temperatures are a foundation for creating more opportunities for heat pumps in the existing housing stock, but also result in lower running costs, less damage to the heating system, and less noise for the consumer. This change can be achieved in a short space of time through educating consumers and installers on the role of low fl ow temperatures on the average winter day, approximately 50% of homes have heat emitted suitably sized to provide thermal comfort at a 55°C fl ow temperature. It was good to see this recognised in the improving boiler standards and effi ciency consultation, which aims to deliver low fl ow temperatures across the existing housing stock through improving boiler effi ciencies. Despite the above being a relatively quick fi x, one thing is for certain,
wasted time is something we don’t have the luxury of if we are to transform the heating industry to meet Net Zero. I think it is fair to say that the political turmoil of 2022 froze progress – so expect a revised impetus to drive heat decarbonisation during the year ahead.
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February 2023
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