Plans for the largest green skills renewable training center in Greater London to open in Spring 2023 have been unveiled.
The partnership between heat pump manufacturer Daikin UK, renewable technology solutions and training provider Quantum Group and the Centre of Engineering & Manufacturing Excellence (CEME) will be a huge step forward in the drive to decarbonize homes across the region and create jobs in the green skills sector.
Installing heat pumps
The Centre of Excellence will help the region’s plumbing and heating installers diversify into renewable heating solutions and ensure the long-term competitiveness of their businesses, as fossil fuel boilers are phased out.
The Government has set a target of installing 600,000 heat pumps in homes by 2028
The Government has set a target of installing 600,000 heat pumps in homes by 2028 and this state-of-the-art training center in Essex will play an important role in helping to meet that target, training more than 2,000 heat pump installers a year from Spring 2023.
Once trained, these installers will continue to receive support from Daikin UK in safely and efficiently installing its heat pumps across the region and further afield. Their work installing heat pumps and other renewable technologies including Solar PV, will play a vital role in driving the UK further towards its goals of energy efficiency and energy security.
Fossil fuel boiler
Heat pumps have huge potential to reduce energy usage and bills in the home. Over its 15-year lifespan, switching from a fossil fuel boiler to an air source heat pump can save homeowners more than £3,000 when compared to a gas boiler, more than £6,000 compared with oil, and more than £9,000 compared to LPG.
Martin Passingham, Product and Training Manager at Daikin UK commented: “It’s never been more important for heating installers to have green skills and ensure that they are prepared for the future. With gas boilers being banned in new homes from 2025, and incentives in place to ensure the country’s existing housing stock is upgraded to low carbon heating, household demand for alternatives like heat pumps is stronger than ever.”
Highly trained professional
It’s important that homeowners know that their heat pump will be installed by a highly trained professional"
He adds, “We’re proud to be supporting Quantum Group and CEME as they blaze a trail to increase the region’s bank of renewable heating installers. It’s important that homeowners know that their heat pump will be installed by a highly trained professional - and that’s exactly what this training center will do.”
Martin Passingham continues, “With lifetime savings of between 24 and 37 tons of carbon, switching from gas, oil or LPG to a heat pump can have a massive impact on the carbon footprint of your home and represents our best chance to make a significant contribution towards our national net-zero targets.”
Integrated renewable technology
Maria Gonella, Managing Partner at Quantum Group, one of the biggest integrated renewable technology solutions and training providers in London and the South East area, said: “We’re delighted to be working with CEME and Daikin UK to offer even more opportunities for installers in the region to upskill and put London and the South East at the forefront of the UK’s journey to low carbon technologies.”
We’re delighted to be working with CEME and Daikin UK to offer even more opportunities"
She adds, “Daikin puts sustainability at the heart of everything it does, and we can’t think of a more deserving brand and better range of heat pumps to train the nation’s future installers on.”
Maria Gonella continues, “The last couple of years have been difficult, with the pandemic taking a real toll. We’d like to thank Havering Council for their support and their belief in us throughout our journey. We’re continuing to grow and take on exciting new projects including designing and installing renewable technologies training centres for college groups across Greater London and the home counties.”
Future proofing businesses
She said, “Our continued investment in our training facilities and working with Daikin UK, the leading HVAC manufacturer is our priority to create the changed needed to ensure a cleaner future. It is our generations responsibility to create our tomorrow.”
Noorzaman Rashid, CEO of CEME, commented: “We’re excited to get started, supporting the upskilling of installers ready for heat pump installations to hit the government trajectory. The Centre of Excellence will allow us to help them take advantage of the huge opportunity that renewable forms of heating present for future proofing their businesses.”