Inspiration
If we are looking for inspiration, we need look no further than the way our industry adapted to the ban on CFCs after the 1987 Montreal Protocol. This ushered in a revolution in refrigeration and air conditioning engineering and averted a climate catastrophe along with the way. Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said it was “perhaps the single most successful international agreement” as it avoided enormous UV radiation damage to the planet and its fl ora. If we had allowed the use of CFCs to continue, scientists now believe we would have seen an additional 2.5°C of global warming by the end of this century on top of what we still face. They estimated 580 billion tonnes less carbon would have been stored
in forests, other vegetation and soils leading to an extra 165-215 parts per million (40-50%) of CO2 in the atmosphere. Our industry adapted well to that radical change, but it took time and
considerable eff ort. Our manufacturers innovated to provide solutions that could still deliver cooling solutions that were just as eff ective despite being denied access to one of the most effi cient refrigerant gases ever created. And, in time, we created a skilled workforce able to handle the diff erent challenges they posed. So, it can be done, but it is hard to do quickly and impossible without
training that is in tune with the change we are trying to achieve. Whether it be re-skilling boiler engineers to understand the challenges posed by lower temperature heat pump installations or encouraging a whole new generation of apprentices who are keen to apply digital techniques to building services designs, skills are the key to ensuring the dreams of the current crop of British innovators can be turned into reality. The COP26 conference in Glasgow is a great opportunity to promote the wonderful careers to be had in our sector and there is ample evidence that the great ‘can do’ spirit of UK engineering is alive and well. BESA produced a ‘manifesto’ for the conference, which highlighted the
role of the built environment as both polluter and potential source of climate change mitigation solutions and included a ‘wish list’ of follow-up actions. As well as promoting low carbon heating, ventilation, and cooling technologies, the BESA manifesto also urged national regulators to focus on the full lifecycle of buildings to ensure systems are well maintained and operated. It also stressed the importance of commissioning so that buildings are set up properly to achieve their carbon reducing potential. All of this requires greater investment in ‘green skills’ both through
attracting new talent into the sector and upskilling existing workers and points out that achieving successful carbon mitigation strategies depends on a whole supply chain so deeper collaboration is needed. Improving the existing building stock is the key to unlocking low carbon opportunities while simultaneously improving social fairness. This is not just about business and backing the right technical horses. It is also about people – their skills and prospects – so we need a comprehensive national plan for promoting engineering careers as a whole and building engineering in particular to emerge after the world leaders have all fl own home from Glasgow.
www.theBESA.com
ViewPoint W
e know that meeting the climate change targets will require almost wholesale changes to the way we heat our homes
and buildings. This will not happen overnight with 86% of homes in England using natural gas boilers, but it is happening. So, it is important that you are aware of the changes that will impact decisions your customers make. Electrifi cation is the future, and the Government has made it clear that heat pumps are likely to replace a signifi cant proportion of the heat systems in the UK. Encouraging people to transition away from their traditional fossil fuel heating systems will not be easy but it’s great to see a range of fi nancial support mechanisms, standards and regulations being introduced by the Government to help this shift.
As an installer you may get asked about these new policies, so here’s the rundown.
The Government is aiming to phase out the installation of new and replacement natural gas boilers by 2035 in line with the natural replacement cycle. They will also phase out the installation of high-carbon fossil fuel boilers in homes not connected to the gas grid by 2026 and 2024 for non-domestic buildings. This signal from the Government is like that seen in the car market with EVs and should act as a clear indicator to consumers that they will need to consider a heat pump sooner rather than later. To help customers fi nance a heat pump, the Boiler Upgrade Grant will
replace the Domestic RHI which closes to new applications on 31 March 2022. Owner occupiers, private rented tenants or custom builders can get up to £5,000 for systems with a capacity limit of 45kWh. Heat pumps will only be eligible where they replace existing fossil fuel systems or direct electric systems and must have a minimum SCOP of 2.8. The scheme will be operated by Ofgem and there will be a voucher-based delivery mechanism led by the installer for grant application and redemption. The Home Upgrade Grant will be continued with a further £950 million
available over 2022-2025 via local government. The social housing decarbonisation fund will also receive a funding boost with £800 million over the same period. Similarly, the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme will continue to support projects with over £1 billion of new funding. Finally, the next phase of ECO will run until 2026 with a greater emphasis on improving the worst performing properties. These present opportunities for you to expand your customer base and grow your business. So, there is support out there and the Government really sees heat pumps as part of the solution to meeting our carbon targets. As you will have seen, heat pumps are getting increasing media coverage and demand is at record rates. There has never been a better time to join the energy revolution. All installers participating in these schemes must be MCS certifi ed. If you
are not yet MCS certifi ed and want to learn more about heat pumps and the installation process, you can join our NIBE Pro training scheme which will support you on your journey to becoming a certifi ed heat pump installer.
www.nibe.co.uk
WHAT DOES THE HEAT AND BUILDINGS STRATEGY MEAN FOR INSTALLERS? by Neil Hope, head of technical services at NIBE Energy Systems
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