PHAM NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025 4 News Review


BESA calls for grants for home cooling


UK installers are slow to focus on sustainability


The UK is lagging behind its European neighbours for installers working on heat pumps and solar panels, according to a Europe-wide study by plumbing and drainage manufacturer, Wavin. The study found a sharp 10% drop between Q42024 and Q1 2025 in HVAC installers working on heat pumps, from 60% to 50%. This trend is seemingly fuelled by a shortage of skills, with just half (49%) of UK installers able to fi t heat pumps, compared to 83% of their German counterparts. Wavin’s European Installer


Tracker, which includes hundreds of installers across six European countries (UK, Germany, France, Poland, Belgium and the Netherlands) also found that the UK is falling behind the rest of the continent on projects which include sustainability measures. For installation projects in 2025, only 27% of UK customers are likely to consider sustainability a leading priority when compared with Europe’s leading nation, the Netherlands, which stands at 55%. The new fi ndings come amidst a


sharp decline between 2023 (38%) and 2025 (27%) of customers who view sustainability as a leading priority. This is during a period where consumers have been largely concerned with navigating the cost-of-living crisis. The tracker also found that nearly a half (43%) of UK installers


are not up to date with the latest environmental legislation, with only 6% of UK customers actively requesting more sustainable energy solutions as part of their installations. Commenting on the findings, Martyn Neil, business development director for Wavin, says: “Installers are at the frontline of delivering sustainable projects and will continue to be key to achieving net zero in the construction industry. To meet government targets on heat pumps and solar panels, the planning and investments the industry have made, have created the conditions that will generate the scale required to match the targets. “Whilst this new report shows the UK has taken time to get going, the Future Homes Standard will see the UK surge to the top of the leaderboard in just a matter of years. This means a wave of new customers for installers, all seeking solutions which will cut energy bills in the long run.” Wavin has launched a new


installer network, helping installers and developers deliver energy-efficient and lower- carbon homes. The manufacturer provides practical and technical support for underfloor heating, ventilation with heat recovery, and heat interface units. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/925/01


Widespread heatwaves in the UK this summer have reinforced the need for the wider use of residential cooling, says the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA). The Association argues that there is an opportunity to provide cooling to more homes and address the “overheating crisis” that was now affecting a record number of people. “We need an urgent rethink about how we cool and ventilate our homes, especially


in our


existing housing stock,” says BESA technical director Kevin Morrissey. “Winter fuel payments were recently top of the political agenda, but a similar summer cooling scheme, targeted at vulnerable members of the population, now deserves serious consideration.”


The UK heatwaves of 2022 led


to almost 3,000 excess deaths, but the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine suggested that official figures may have been significantly underestimated as heat is often not reported as an offi cial cause of death for someone with a pre-existing health condition. “Programmes like the Warm


Homes Plan, Great British Insulation Scheme and Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), are designed to improve heating effi ciency, but these could equally be used to help people who are just


as vulnerable to heat as they are to winter cold,” says Morrissey. “Improving insulation is important for reducing heating bills and carbon emissions but, unless it is done in tandem with better ventilation and cooling, can lead to overheating, damp, mould and poor air quality – all of which can have a devastating eff ect on human health and wellbeing.” BESA is urging the government


to revise the BUS with a view to improving incentives for heat pumps which provide both heating and cooling. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/925/02


Industry backing for new plumber awards


With the aim of casting a spotlight on the UK’s talented plumbing professionals, the new Plumber Awards have been launched by the organisers of the Heating Installer Awards and have already attracted the backing of two big industry supporters.


Leading industry body, the


CIPHE, will be a key partner in the moderation of the judging process, while Polypipe Building Products has also pledged its support as an awards sponsor in this inaugural year. The awards are searching for the


best-of-the-best: the plumbers who push themselves day after day to fi nd the best solutions for their customers. Entrants will be asked to respond to a wide range of questions, ranging from their opinions of customer care through to examples of domestic jobs


challenges these professionals face on a daily basis.” Jason Nightingale, head of


undertaken that show why they should win. Tim Sainty, membership


director at the CIPHE, comments: “We will always consider backing initiatives that are clearly designed to support plumbers and lead the sector forward, and The Plumber Awards is the perfect example. These awards are run by a team that’s visibly passionate about the sector and truly appreciates the


marketing at Polypipe Building Products, adds: “Every day, we see plumbers pushing to break boundaries and apply new innovations to benefit homeowners. There are some brilliant projects happening out there – and it will be terrific to see this refl ected in The Plumber Award entries. “Now more than ever, it is


crucial to recognise plumbers who undertake incredibly technical work day-in, day-out to keep our homes working as they should, while genuinely keeping their customer front of mind. ”


The competition is now open


for entries. Please use the online reader link below for more details. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/925/03


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