INDUSTRY NEWS


IDEAL HEATING REINVESTS APPRENTICESHIP FUNDING TO SUPPORT LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS


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deal Heating has thrown its support behind an independent business by funding an apprenticeship for one of its employees. The UK’s home and commercial heating specialist has used part of its Apprenticeship Levy funding to pay for business services provider Bell4Business employee Connor Docherty to undertake a digital marketing apprenticeship. The apprenticeship will support the next stage


of 21-year-old Connor’s professional development and enable Bell4Buisness to expand by off ering additional services. The Apprenticeship Levy was introduced by the


Government in 2017 for all companies paying a wage bill of more than £3m a year. Employers that meet the criteria must pay 0.5% of their pay bill each month as a levy tax. The levy can be reinvested into the company’s


workforce in the form of apprenticeship training. If it isn’t spent within 24 months, any unused funding will expire and must be returned to the Government. However, it is not widely known that companies also


have the option of transferring a percentage of unspent funds to SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises), ensuring it is spent supporting other businesses.


Ideal Heating, which is based in Hull, and is owned


by parent company Groupe Atlantic, has pledged to transfer up to £25,000 of its annual levy funding to support local talent. Part of this has been invested to enable Offi ce


Administrator Connor to take on a Level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship, gain new skills and achieve a higher level qualifi cation. The 15-month programme is being delivered by


Hull Business Training Centre (HBTC). The Hull and East Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (HEY


ACCELERATED DECARBONISATION TRENDS EXPECTED IN 2024


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ward-winning HVAC installation and maintenance specialist, Kimpton makes some insightful predictions for the coming


year that not only highlight emerging trends but also contribute to the race towards achieving Net Zero emissions.


Key Decarbonisation Predictions for 2024:


Energy costs and carbon pricing: The evolving energy landscape is set to impact the decarbonisation journey. The company recognise the need to break the link between electricity prices and the wholesale cost of fossil fuels. As the energy mix undergoes signifi cant transformations, the company anticipates that closing the gap between retail gas and electricity prices will play a pivotal role in driving the shift from gas to electricity in homes and businesses. With a potential change in government in 2024, there is an opportunity for a bold green statement that could reshape the energy market.


Solar PV growth:


Kimpton sees substantial growth in commercial- scale Solar Photovoltaic (PV) installations. Tax incentives will further incentivise capital investment, making the eff ective aggregate rate for electricity when solar PV is part of the mix, highly attractive both now and in the future.


Heat pumps and district-based solutions: There is increasing demand for district-based ground source heat pump systems, providing cost-eff ective and space-effi cient solutions for well-insulated groups of buildings. The synergy with Solar PV (and potentially VTG) on new build sites positions heat pumps as a key element in delivering comfortable, low-impact developments. Hot water storage as an alternative to battery


storage: In response to evolving battery technology, Kimpton observes a growing trend of using excess energy to heat water, presenting an alternative to traditional battery storage. This approach proves


benefi cial for establishments with high hot water demand during specifi c periods. Hot water tanks, once removed with the advent of condensing boilers, are making a comeback to harness cheap or free energy from renewable sources and variable supply based pricing. Business Development Manager Matt Breakwell


said: “We see some big changes happening this year and the drive towards Net Zero gathering even more pace. Whilst these predictions may seem some way off to many, any of them could begin to have an impact for our clients almost as soon as they are introduced.”


LEP) played a crucial role in linking up Ideal Heating, Bell4Business and HBTC through its Business Growth Hub.


Maria Cunningham, HR Advisor – Development at Ideal Heating, which currently has 27 apprentices across the business, including four who were recruited in September, said: “As a major employer in Hull, we wanted to give something back and support a small independent business that doesn’t have access to the same level of funding we do. “It’s really important to us to invest in the local


area, to address collective skills needs while helping develop the future talent pool. Connor’s apprenticeship covers SEO (search engine optimisation), digital advertising and analytics.


He said: “I’m so grateful to Ideal Heating for funding this training. I only began the programme recently, but I’ve already learned so much, building upon all the knowledge and experience I have gained in the business and working with our clients over the past fi ve years. “I’ll be able to make use of what I learn to benefi t the business and it’s also absolutely brilliant for my own career development.”


6 January 2024


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