The UK government has made the decarbonisation of UK homes and publicly owned buildings a national priority. £3.9 billion of new funding1 for decarbonising heat and buildings will be allocated over the next three years and a target of 600,000 heat pump installations a year by 2028 has been set. The direction is clear, but how achievable are these ambitions in the current economic climate?
Mark Wilkins, Technologies and Training Director at Vaillant UK discusses what further support is needed to make these targets a reality, and the importance of ensuring that installers, specifiers and developers are supported on the journey to decarbonisation.
‘Here and now’ heat pumps
The heating of 30 million UK homes and buildings currently contributes to 23 per cent of all UK carbon emissions2. Through the Heat and Buildings Strategy, the UK Government is looking to tackle this by accelerating the deployment of low carbon heating technologies and phasing out the installation of new natural gas boilers in on-gas areas from 2035. The Heat and Buildings Strategy builds on the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution, which set out a target of 600,000 heat pump installations a year by 2028.
Heat pumps have existed for many years and are a proven solution that can help decarbonise homes today. In Scandinavian countries and other parts of Europe they are well known and widely adopted. However, up until now they have been little used in the UK. This recent political commitment to invest in heat pumps therefore demonstrates a clear drive to bring the technology into the mainstream.
To further support this direction of travel, the Future Homes Standard (FHS) comes into effect in 2025 and will ensure that all new homes built from 2025 in the UK will produce 75-80% less carbon emissions than homes delivered under current regulations. In the interim, the Building Regulations will be updated to ensure new homes built from 2022 produce 31% less carbon emissions compared to current standards.
Within the £3.9 billion funding commitment from the UK Government, a £60 million Net Zero Innovation Portfolio ‘Heat Pump Ready’ Programme has been launched to support further research and development. The funding will be used to encourage innovation across the heat pump sector, to make the units smaller and easier to install. To make them more affordable to run, Government ministers are also looking at reducing the price of electricity over the next decade, by shifting levies away from electricity to gas with decisions expected in 2022.
For homeowners looking to make the switch to heat pumps, there are grants available. Through the three-year Boiler Upgrade Scheme, a £450 million package is being made available to those looking to switch to heat pumps early. The Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive is also still open – although only until March 2022 – for people to claim financial support towards low carbon heat sources such as heat pumps and solar panels. A basic knowledge of these options for financial support will be key for installers who are being asked by customers to upgrade their heating systems to low carbon alternatives.
We recognise that manufacturer support plays a crucial role in the decarbonisation journey and transition. And although many may only now be starting to move to low carbon technologies, we’ve been developing heat pumps for many years. From next year we will also be manufacturing heat pumps in our factory in Belper, Derbyshire to meet the increase in anticipated customer demand.
But there must be a call-to-arms for the whole industry – across construction, energy and engineering – to embrace low carbon alternatives. Re-training and upskilling an entire work force to be able to deliver low carbon heat and hot water solutions will require an immense amount of effort from us all. Government has a vital role to play too, in terms of providing funding streams for small businesses and self-employed installers, to help them get up to speed and ease the pressure this will put on their limited time and resources.
Customers trust experts
Homeowners want to speak to experts for advice on big investments such as upgrading a heating system. So properly upskilling and training installers on these technologies will be vital for reassuring customers and for reaching the installation targets outlined by the government. In fact, it is estimated that up to 32,000 installers will need to be upskilled to reach the target of 600,000 heat pump installations a year.
At Vaillant, as well as working with trade associations and government to highlight the importance of upskilling the UK’s base of heating engineers, we are proud to provide a broad range of training courses that cover the core principles of heat pump technology and installations. Our blended learning approach uses a combination of online and in-person training – covering heat pump products, system design requirements, controls, key principles and more. These regulated short courses are recognised by MCS and include Cert-ain Certification Service accreditation.
We also provide CPD courses to help professionals and specifiers in the building industries who are looking to develop their knowledge in heat decarbonisation, low carbon technologies and hydrogen, which are CIBSE accredited.
But the onus for upskilling our workforce cannot fall solely on manufacturers, that’s why we’re urging the government to take the necessary steps to recognise and incentivise those in the industry wishing to broaden their knowledge and skills in low carbon heating technology.
System based approach
The decarbonisation of heating in the UK is moving at pace, and it’s increasingly important that installers, specifiers and developers get prepared today; exploring and trialling the low-carbon options available now, as well as having an eye on designing homes that will maximise future systems and technologies.
This is a fundamental change to our heating system and the way in which we heat our homes and buildings. Educating end-users on the latest regulations and having a broad knowledge and understanding of low carbon technologies, now and in the future, will be key to future-proofing projects and installations.
We’ve already seen some negativity around heat pump technology on social media and in the news, with stories of higher fuel bills and reports that they don’t generate enough heat. In many of these cases, heat efficiency measures were not in place, resulting in the property not being suitable for a heat pump, or the heat pump had not been sized correctly to distribute enough heat. Therefore, it’s essential that we come together as an industry and share our expertise to ensure that people can address their impact on the environment and choose a system that is right for them.
There is no ‘silver bullet’- and although heat pumps are here and now technology that can help decarbonise homes today, they must suit the customers’ requirements and also consider the property itself.
To help installers and specifiers navigate the options for low carbon heating, we recently launched our “Decarbonising Home Heating in the UK” white paper. It provides a balanced overview of the mix of heating technologies, to help installers, developers and engineers develop their understanding and knowledge of heat pumps, hydrogen and hybrid systems.
The white paper is available to download now by visiting: www.vaillant.co.uk/for-installers/business-support/industry-drivers-and-legislation/white-paper/
