SUSTAINABILITY
in person advice. Since opening, it has trained nearly 100 people in heat pump, solar PV and underfloor heating installations, who are now going on to offer these technologies to their customers and grow their businesses.” The opening of the centre followed a survey commissioned by Energy Efficiency at City Plumbing which polled installers about their current knowledge of renewable heating technologies. The results showed there was significant work to provide installers with all the information they require, to inspire them to seek training, and to address their concerns. Currently, the UK government has a target of 600,000 heat pumps to be installed per year by 2028 in a bid to achieve net zero targets. However, last year the figure was between 60,000 and 70,000 - and installers still require more information on how to get involved.
Heat pump expansion “Installers appreciate this resource because it allows them to educate themselves, further their professional development by upskilling through accredited training and expand their businesses by increasing the breadth of their offer to customers,” Morjana says.
“In fact, we’ve found many bringing their customers here to help them understand how energy efficient technologies work, the benefits they can bring and the energy savings they could make. Heat pumps, for example, are a significant investment, and many homeowners want to see them before having them installed. Demand is increasing and we anticipate it will outstrip gas boilers over the next 10 years. The
were flats, apartments and other domestic dwellings.
The survey revealed:
¡ Almost two thirds of homeowners expect to install solar. ¡ More than a quarter, 26% say they have already considered installing a heat pump. ¡ On average, people expect to install solar panels within the next five years and five months. ¡ 71% of homeowners are concerned about the environmental impact of traditional energy sources. Only 8% said they were unconcerned. ¡ 64% of people say self-sufficiency is important to them when it comes to energy storage in their home, with 19% saying it is really important. ¡ That figure rose to 80% of those aged 18-24 and 71% of those aged 25-34. ¡ 75% believe solar panels are a reliable source of energy.
When asked what would persuade more
benefit for installers is that they have everything in one place. They can train on site, they can gain expert and agnostic advice from our Energy Efficiency experts – and of course, they can purchase high quality products at the same time. In addition, they have the option to invite customers into the centre to see heat pumps, solar PV and underfloor heating in action - and even to use our experts to undertake the heating calculations required to ensure those customers get the best possible heating solution for their home. Perhaps the biggest benefit is that installers talk to us about having a friendly face to answer questions in a physical store – someone who really knows their stuff,” says Morjaria. “At last count, there were 1,666 MCS certified heat pump installers in the country. This is 166 more than when we first opened the centre compared to the 135,000 trained gas engineers. The Heat Pump Association estimates we will need 30,000 certified installers to meet the government’s desire of 600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028.” Moving forward, the business is focused on expanding to new locations and developing the centre. “The model will evolve as we move forward, and we believe it can also help us engage our supply chains. We’re excited about the future market for renewables and the potential for business growth – but also about helping to support the country’s net zero goals in the process. It is projects such as this that can help achieve really important goals that help fight climate change and make a difference for future generations.” BMJ
people to install solar panels, the top answers were: 1. Reducing energy bills 56% (67% for those aged 35-44). 2. Government subsidies 32%. 3. Generating energy 27%. 4. Reducing carbon footprint 24%.
When asked what was putting them off, they said: 1. High upfront costs 70%. 2. Reliability and maintenance 24%. 3. Lack of knowledge about solar panels 23%. 4. Limited space 18%. 5. Perceived ugliness of panels 13%. Hemal Morjaria, managing director of Energy Efficiency at City Plumbing says: “Government support in providing subsidies to make renewables more affordable is part of the answer, but installers can play a big part in helping homeowners understand better the benefits too.” BMJ
November 2023
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
Forterra paves the highway to hydrogen
As part of its future-proofing strategy, building products manufacturer Forterra has completed the first phase of hydrogen trials at its Measham brickworks factory in North- West Leicestershire.
The main priority is to determine whether the use of hydrogen blends would have any aesthetic or performance-related impact on the finished product, and whether the blend can be used with existing kiln equipment. Instead of constructing trial-specific kilns, Forterra used existing machinery to see if its current legacy kiln equipment could adapt to the new hydrogen blend; kiln equipment tends to have a lifespan between 25 and 40 years: replacing it would incur significant carbon costs.
In addition, Forterra worked with Air
Products, a chemical industry company, which provided a hydrogen storage facility and a pressure and flow regulation system. This collaboration allowed Forterra to blend different percentages of hydrogen with natural gas for the purposes of the trial. Initial results from these trials have sug- gested that there are no major impacts to brick quality, aesthetic appeal, or to the kiln when using the 20% hydrogen blend. The next step for Forterra is to observe the ef- fects of this blend of hydrogen on different types of clay, thereby determining whether the blend could be implemented across Forterra’s range of brickworks. David Manley, head of sustainability at Forterra, said: “The initial results show that our current production facilities are more than capable of maintaining our renowned brick quality with this new hydrogen blend, which is exactly as we’d predicted. “As decarbonisation becomes a criti- cal objective for industries worldwide, the 7% reduction in carbon output achieved through the use of hydrogen fuel in these trials is also a welcome bonus.” BMJ
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