All hands to the heat pump

Nesta, the UK’s research and innovation foundation, is calling on heating engineers to use its Start at Home initiative to fit a government-funded heat pump in their homes.

The aim is to give heating engineers the confidence and know-how to install heat pumps for customers and ensure they are ready for Britain’s changing heating needs. The programme is being rolled out in partnership with a range of providers across England, Scotland and Wales.

Madeleine Gabriel, Nesta’s director of sustainable future, said: “As more households look to switch their home heating, it will be all hands to the pump and we want to help ensure that Britain’s heating workforce is ready to respond.” 

The offer follows a successful Nesta pilot in partnership with the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation, which provided heat pumps and expert support to heating engineers in Scotland.

The pilot found that all of the 18 participants who installed a heat pump reported increased understanding of system design and installation, with 72% describing the gain as substantial, citing improved technical fluency and troubleshooting skills. In addition, 61% reported a large boost in confidence in the technology, and 66% said they would be more confident talking to customers about heat pumps.

Eric MacRae, a pilot participant, said: “Instead of giving people a spiel, I can now speak from personal experience. It’s giving me an extra edge, and I feel that I can emphasise more of the advantages than I previously would have been able to.”

Nesta is providing up to £2m in funding to companies that supply heat pumps for heating engineers to install in their own homes. Installation companies are usually not immediately reimbursed when they provide a heat pump through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in England and Wales, or the Home Energy Scotland Grant. Nesta’s funding will act as a repayable financial buffer, covering costs of up to £500,000 per company until they receive their reimbursement.

Start at Home will also help engineers get on the path to MCS certification, the UK’s quality mark for smaller-scale renewable energy systems, such as heat pumps and solar panels, which sets the standards that consumers should expect from a certified installer and their products.

• If you are interested in a funded heat pump, register for the Start at Home scheme at: startathome.org.uk