An Influential Voice for
Heat Pump Installers

Heat Pump Association expands its Membership Offering

Limited Offer Of Free Membership at The Installer Show

The Heat Pump Association (HPA) will open its membership to installers at The Installer Show to offer them a voice in shaping the future of the industry. As an exclusive offer for those registering their interest at the Installer Show, membership of the new Installer category will be free for the rest of 2022, and a 50% discount for 2023. Installers can sign up at the HPA stand, A195.

Recognising the important role the installer will play in transforming Britain’s heating, the HPA seeks to give them influence as the industry embarks on an exciting journey of unprecedented growth. The HPA wants to hear from installers about quality, training, certification, accreditation, competencies, customer service and their perspective on how to ensure the rapid rise in heat pump sales takes place in a way that gives the consumer confidence and affordability. It will also seek to expand its membership benefit offerings to installers following feedback from early-joiners.

The HPA has set up a dedicated forum for Heat Pump installers where they can air their views and help shape the HPA’s policy on a range of key issues affecting the industry.

Welcoming today’s launch, Phil Hurley, Chair of the Heat Pump Association, said:

“Heating installers will play a major role in delivering the transition to heat pumps and mentoring younger installers to become the workforce of the future. Training courses, qualifications, support schemes, apprenticeships, and clear requirements for installers will all feature in creating a high-skill heat pump installer workforce.

“By the end of the decade, 1m heat pump installations per year and a £5bn market could be a very real prospect – but only if we carry and support the installer. The HPA wants to give them a voice and real influence. Today’s 130,000+ heating installers and young people embarking on apprenticeships will make a significant contribution to the Government’s wish to see 480,000 high-skilled jobs powering the Green Industrial Revolution. The HPA wants to give every installer the best chance of playing a part.”

Background
Government has signalled it wishes to phase out new fossil fuel boilers by the mid 2030s, and set a target of 600,000 heat pumps per year by 2028. The Climate Change Committee says 19 million need to be installed to meet net zero by 2050. A rapid rise in the number of qualified heat pump installers will be needed to meet these goals, with the HPA forecasting a need for 26,000 fully trained competent installers by 2028.

The Installer membership category
The new “HPA Installer Member” category is designed to support heat pump and heating engineers and give them a voice in the development of the industry and Government policy to support it. It will give them a platform to discuss and influence industry matters that impact them, and a chance to get involved and shape HPA policies.

Key Benefits of Installer Membership of the HPA

1. Shape the Future of the Sector and Influence Policy. Each Installer company will have the opportunity to join the dedicated HPA Installer Group. Your voice represented in industry consultations and installer standards policy. Your voice represented in HPA position papers and Government policy advice.

2. Stay informed – Access to Industry Knowledge. Regular newsletters, frequent emails with information on the heat pump market matters, Government consultations, initiatives, etc.

3. Networking Opportunities. Regular HPA Installer Group meetings to share views and build contacts. Invites to exclusive HPA events.

4. Benefits and discounts. Depending on interest levels, a range of benefits and discounts that assist installers on for example, work tools and insurances, will be developed and trailed in the coming months.

Levels of Installer Membership

There are two membership categories – one for companies and one for sole traders.

For sole traders, there is one fee charge regardless of turnover, and the undiscounted rate for 2023 will be £99 per year.

For companies, the membership fees depend on the company turnover and the undiscounted rates for 2023 vary from £450 per year for a company with a turnover of less than £500,000 per year and increasing in stages to £4,500 per year for companies with a turnover of more than £10 million per year.

How to join

There are two ways to join:-

1. At the show. Interested installers can register their interest at the show by going to the HPA Stand, A195where their badge will be scanned. After the show, those who have registered will receive a membership application form together with the HPA Code of Conduct.

2. For those unable to attend the Installer Live show, they will be able to register their interest online at heatpumps.org.uk.

Installer Live Special offer

Only those installers who register their interest at the Installer Live Show 21-23 June 2022 will be eligible for special “show” offer on membership fees. Installer Membership Fees will be waived until January 2023, and there will then be a one-off discount of 50% on the 2023 fees (payable January 2023).

Not another accreditation scheme

HPA Installer Membership provides a platform for heat pump Installers voice with the benefits explained here and is not an accreditation scheme. There are no logos or endorsements, minimum qualification criteria, or complicated onsite assessments. We simply ask that Members sign a Code of Conduct committing them to ensure that they are suitably trained and competent for the tasks they undertake.

Training Pathways

The launch of the new Installer Membership category underpins the launch last year of a range of training courses designed to assist installers on their low-carbon journey.

The 2-day CIPHE “Low Temperature and Hot Water Course covers essential skills for efficient heating and applies to all heating technologies. It includes heat loss calculations, hydraulic balancing, pipe and emitter sizing and low flow temperature heating.

For those wishing to upgrade their skills to include heat pumps, the LCL Awards Heat Pump Course consists of a foundation module (2-days) and Individual Technology modules (1 day per technology). HPA Members have capacity to train 40,000 installers per year on the new Heat Pump Foundation and Technology training courses which are now available to book directly from participating manufacturers, which are listed on www.heatpumps.org.uk. 

EDITORS NOTES

About the Heat Pump Association

The Heat Pump Association (HPA) is the UK’s leading authority on the use and benefits of heat pump technology and includes many of the country’s leading manufacturers of heat pumps, components and associated equipment.

For media enquiries, please email media@heat-pumps-old.local

Transforming Britains Heating – A Pathway to Heat Pumps

The Heat Pump Association (HPA) today published a call for a strong partnership between Industry and Government to transform Britain’s domestic heating market towards heat pumps as sales of new fossil fuel boilers is phased out by the mid 2030s.

Placing the role of the heating installer at the heart of the transition, the HPA also announced the launch of a new membership category for installers, as well as drawing attention to substantial investment in UK manufacturing and training, and ideas for Government to make enabling policy changes. Its new document:

sets out several ideas for how it sees the respective roles of industry and Government working together to drive the change.

“Central heating will personalise a significant part of the journey to net zero for millions of consumers. The next decade will see the biggest shake-up of the heating sector in living memory as the country’s homes become increasingly heated by heat pumps.

“The Heat Pump industry is fully ready to take on this challenge and be the prime mover for this change, with Government providing the enabling policy change. Significant investments in UK manufacturing and installer training have already been made in response to some of the signals Government has given so far. Further clarity of the policy framework will unlock the remaining investor confidence needed to finish the job.

“Today’s 130,000 Heating Installers and a new generation of apprentices will be front and centre of this transition. Our Pathway document sets out some of the ideas for how the Industry / Government partnership can work to support them in becoming part of the Government’s 2030 target for 480 000 high-skilled jobs to power the Green Industrial Revolution.”

Notes to Editors:

1. On 14 June 2022, The Heat Pump Association published:

‘Transforming Britain’s Heating – A Pathway to Heat Pumps‘

1. The Pathway calls for a strong partnership between the Heat Pump Industry and Government to bring about the intended phase-out of new fossil fuel boilers by the mid 2030s, and meet the Government’s target of 600,000 heat pumps being installed annually by 2028.
2. The Pathway identifies four “Pillars” for the transition, highlights steps already taken or that will be taken by the industry, and ideas for enabling policy changes to allow the industry to drive the change, and unlock investment to do so. These are:
• Creating a highly-skilled Heat Pump Installer Workforce
• A long-term predictable policy framework for home heating
• Market Development and Reform
• Financing the transition
3. About the Heat Pump Association: The Heat Pump Association (HPA) is the UK’s leading authority on the use and benefits of heat pump technology and includes many of the country’s leading manufacturers of heat pumps, components and associated equipment. Website: www.heatpumps.org.uk
4. For media enquiries contact media@heat-pumps-old.local

Heat Pump Association Welcomes Launch of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme

The Heat Pump Association (HPA) has welcomed the launch of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme as a step forward in the Government’s mission to roll out 600,000 heat pumps per year by 2028.

As part of the Government’s plans to boost the deployment of heat pumps and remove barriers to uptake, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme will provide grants to encourage households in England and Wales to install heat pumps. The scheme will run from 2022 to 2025 providing households and small non-domestic properties with £5,000 to support the installation of an air source heat pump or £6,000 for a ground source heat pump.

“The Heat Pump Association welcomes the launch of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and the financial support it will provide to those who opt for a heat pump. An upfront financial incentive like this will not just help to kickstart the industry by making the technology more accessible but will also provide heating installers with the confidence boost they need to upskill. With the capacity to train 40,000 installers each year, we have made huge strides as an industry to improve the heat pump training pathway, and we are hopeful that this scheme will inspire the workforce to take up the opportunities available.

“Heat pumps represent a readily available and long-term solution to fossil fuel heating and the scheme is a big step towards kickstarting the mass rollout needed to grow the sector and put the UK economy on track to meet Net Zero.”

About the Heat Pump Association  

The Heat Pump Association (HPA) is the UK’s leading authority on the use and benefits of heat pump technology and includes many of the country’s leading manufacturers of heat pumps, components and associated equipment.

HPA Media Enquiries

To find out more about the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, visit: Boiler Upgrade Scheme – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Christina Thompson-Yates, Policy Communications Manager
media@heat-pumps-old.local  | Telephone: 07394 560 984

Heat Pump Association confirms Craig Dolan as Vice Chair   

Craig Dolan, European Heat Pump Business Development Manager at Vaillant Group, has been appointed Vice-Chair of the Heat Pump Association (HPA).  

Craig Dolan steps into the role to support HPA Chair, Phil Hurley during an incredibly exciting time for the heat pump industry.

Heat pumps have been recognised by the Government as a key technology in the push to reach Net Zero by 2050, with the technology featuring heavily in the Heat and Buildings Strategy published last year. Ambitions have been laid out to see 600,000 heat pumps installed in homes per year by 2028, with policy support in place to incentivise uptake in existing homes and roll out the technology in new homes built from 2025. Most recently, the Government announced a green VAT cut on energy efficiency measures and heat pumps over a period of five years, and a £30 million Heat Pump Accelerator Competition to make British heat pumps.

HPA Media Enquiries

Christina Thompson-Yates, Policy Communications Manager

media@heat-pumps-old.local  | Telephone: 07394 560 984

The Federation of Environmental Trade Associations (FETA) is delighted to announce that Mike Nankivell has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to the UK Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry.

With almost 50 years of experience in the HVACR industry, Mike has served as President of the Heat Pump Association (HPA), President of HEVAC and as Chairman of FETA during its 30th anniversary year. In the wider industry he is also a Fellow and former Trustee of the Institute of Refrigeration (IoR) and has served as a Director of the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry Board (ACRIB).

Russell Beattie, Chief Executive of FETA said: “It was an absolute pleasure for FETA to nominate Mike, with support from other key stakeholders in the industry, for an honour. Mike epitomises the very best of the volunteer culture which exists within Trade Associations and his personal commitment to the entire HVACR industry is second to none.”

One of Mike’s many achievements was as Chair of the ACRIB F Gas Implementation Group from 2005 to 2020 where his role saw him voluntarily acting as an industry advisor to DEFRA and the Environment Agency. Mike was responsible for the UK industry response to the F Gas regulations and his steadfast desire to pursue the very best climate change driven solution for Europe is a demonstration of his commitment to every role which he has held.

Commenting on being awarded an OBE, Mike said: “I am proud, grateful and equally humbled that my work within an industry that I love has been recognised in this amazing way. Throughout my long career within the HVACR industry I have had the privilege to work with a number of incredible people and I would like to pay tribute to each and every one of them as they are the ones who have made this possible.”

Russell concludes: “Mike is widely recognised as a leading UK industry figure and we are delighted to hear that he has been awarded this OBE. The F Gas Implementation Group which Mike chaired fulfilled a critical representational need within industry and his personal contribution, which continued after his retirement, should not be underestimated.

“He has also made a significant contribution to FETA, holding many key leadership roles, including more recently serving as President of the Heat Pump Association, laying foundations for its growing success in a sector which is key to delivering the Government’s net zero carbon vision.

His considerable expertise, coupled with his passion for promoting all aspects of the industry, makes him an inspiration to all those who come into contact with him.”

Heat Pump Association is disappointed with decision to cut Green Homes Grant Funding

The Heat Pump Association is disappointed that 95% of the funding provided for the Green Homes Grant scheme looks unlikely to be rolled over into the next financial year.

The much-needed funding was to be used to improve the energy performance of homes across England through low carbon heat and energy efficiency measures; however, despite high demand from households, less than 5% of the vouchers have been used due to issues with the scheme’s administration.

The Green Homes Grant was launched to kickstart a green recovery in September last year and was thought to create thousands of green jobs. The Heat Pump Association has been working hard to train installers so that they are able to meet the high demand of the scheme, with many installers already at full capacity.

The HPA is concerned that the decision to roll back funding will discourage heating installers from training or upskilling so they can install technologies like heat pumps, at a time when the industry needs to prepare for net zero. The Government’s target of 600,000 heat pumps per year could fail without a significant boost in installer numbers over the next decade.

The decision not to roll over the funding will also send the wrong signal to households who have demonstrated their interest in improvements by applying for Green Homes Grant vouchers. Policy stability is vital for providing both industry and households with the confidence they need to ‘buy into’ the low carbon transition.

“The Heat Pump Association is disappointed to see that unspent funding for the Green Homes Grant looks unlikely to be rolled over despite significant delays caused by the scheme’s administration rather than demand. This rollover would have demonstrated the Government’s commitment to improving UK homes through energy efficiency and low carbon heat and given the industry the time and confidence it needs to deliver the green recovery.”

UK Heat Pump market set to almost double this year

The Heat Pump Association, which represents around 95% of the heat pump manufacturing market share, has surveyed its members to estimate the supply of heat pumps in 2021. This has revealed that manufactures have placed orders with their supply chains to deliver a total of 67,000 units in 2021. This equates to a nearly double the number of heat pumps on shelves and in warehouses ready for installers to meet the growing consumer demand.

This huge boost in predicted sales is extremely promising for the industry on the road to net zero. Last year, the Prime Minister laid out his Ten Point Plan for a green industrial revolution, which set out ambitions to roll out 600,000 heat pumps into homes per year by 2028. With 35,000 heat pumps sold in 2019, the near doubling of the market is a significant step in the right direction. The growth also closely aligns with the HPA’s roadmap to net zero, which called for 72,000 heat pump installations this year.

The Heat Pump Association is committed to preparing and upskilling the installer base across the country so that they can recommend and deploy heat pumps at the scale net zero requires, while delivering long term benefits to customers across the country. Trained heat pump installers are a key part of the low carbon transition and must therefore be able and willing to access training. The HPA outlined a new scalable route to becoming  heat pump installer in its 2020 report: ‘Building the Installer Base for Net Zero Heating’.   The route proposed begins with a technology neutral, low temperature heating course, before specialising in low carbon technologies including heat pumps.

The Heat Pump Association is making continuous progress with this new training route for heat pump installers, with courses expected to begin with the first quarter of this year.

“The near doubling of the heat pump market this year would be a substantial achievement at a time when the decarbonisation of homes and buildings is not just desired but essential; our members are committed to turning today’s forecast into a reality and have clearly backed this up with their advanced ordering.

The estimation of 67,000 heat pumps in 2021 shows the confidence from members of the HPA in delivering the scale up of heat pumps that the Prime Minister’s Ten Point plan necessitates. This is just the beginning of a long journey ahead but we’re off to an incredibly promising start.”

Phil Hurley takes over as Heat Pump Association Chairman

Phil Hurley is the new Chairman of the Heat Pump Association (HPA), replacing Graham Wright who has finished his two-year term and now steps down from the role. Replacing Phil Hurley as Vice-Chairman is Max Halliwell of Mitsubishi Electric.

During his tenure Graham Wright oversaw some major breakthroughs for the heat pump industry and has steered the HPA into a strong position in helping to push the UK towards a carbon neutral future.

Graham said: “It has been a real honour and a privilege to Chair such a forward thinking and hard working group. I am proud to see heat pumps at the forefront of Government strategy in the decarbonisation of heat.”

Phil Hurley has been HPA Vice-Chairman since April 2019 and is Managing Director of NIBE Energy Systems. He said: “With the Government’s announcement of its Green Industrial Revolution the heat pump industry now finds itself on the crest of a wave. I would like to thank Graham for his tireless work and leadership which has brought significant results. I look forward to building on Graham’s achievements and ensuring the heat pump industry is ready to step up and deliver on its promises.”

The Heat Pump Association release revolutionary report outlining steps to decarbonise the UK’s heating industry in the next decade

Today the Heat Pump Association released a ground-breaking report outlining the steps that the UK Government must take to shape future policy and decarbonise the heating industry.

The report aims to substantially shake up the existing frameworks and introduce regulatory, impactful, and meaningful changes in the heating sector, paving the way for mass deployment of low carbon heating. 

The aims of the report are to:

1. Promote changes to establish infrastructure in existing homes for low carbon heating
2. Build and develop installer skills for the recommended changes
3. Lower fuel bills for existing heating systems
4. Lower carbon emissions for existing heating systems

These aims are comprehensive, providing enough detail to influence civil servants and policy makers on the benefits of implementing these changes as well communicating the benefits to the industry.

The report sets out to ‘level the playing field’ across all heating types, encouraging best practice and low carbon heating for all installations, regardless of technology type. This will ensure the smooth transformation of the domestic heating market from fossil fuels to low carbon over the next decade, reducing fuel bills and carbon emissions from homes.

The recommendations can be neatly summarised into three key points:

– Introduce a maximum flow temperature of 55℃ in Building Regulations to be applied to replacement heating systems from 2026.

– Introduce in Building Regulations for Heat Loss Calculations to be carried out for all replacement heating systems from 2026.

– All heating installers to have a Low Temperature Heating and Hot Water Qualification^[i], or equivalent, as part of accreditation scheme refresher courses.

The implementation of these recommendations will establish the heating infrastructure in homes, and skills amongst the installer base, needed for low carbon heating installations, by ‘laying the groundwork’ for wider heat pump adoption. Heat pumps being an established technology, recognised by the Committee on Climate change as the backbone to the decarbonisation of heat.

‘This report could not come at a more pertinent time. The push for a Green Recovery from Covid-19 has put the UK in a unique position to be able to develop new and innovative policy that works to tackle the negative effects of the pandemic whilst working towards net zero. The regulations suggested in this paper undoubtably offer the Government a road to recovery for the heating industry that is green and saves energy and money for the UK.’