Plans for a new green skills renewable training centre in Greater London to open in spring 2023 have been unveiled.
The partnership between Daikin UK, Quantum Group and the Centre of Engineering & Manufacturing Excellence (CEME) is set to be a step forward in the drive to decarbonise homes across the region and create jobs in the green skills sector, according to business leaders.
The Centre of Excellence is set to 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 training centre is set to play an important role in helping to meet that target, training more than 2,000 heat pump installers a year from Spring 2023 – according to a statement
Once trained, these installers are set to continue to receive support from Daikin UK in safely and efficiently installing its heat pumps across the region.
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, said: “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.”
Maria Gonella, managing partner at Quantum Group, added: “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.”
Noorzaman Rashid, CEO of CEME, said: “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.”