Low Temperature Heating and Hot Water in Dwellings Qualification Consultation

The Government is aiming to publish a Heat and Buildings Strategy later this year, which will set out the actions for reducing emissions from buildings.

This will include prioritisation of energy efficiency measures and low carbon heating as part of an ambitious programme of work required to enable key strategic decisions on how mass transition to low-carbon heat is achieved and will set the UK on a path to decarbonising all homes and buildings

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is currently undertaking work to understand the existing skills base within the UK heating industry and the mechanisms required for increasing the number of low carbon heating installers.

The expected increase in deployment of heat pumps in forthcoming years will require a significant increase in the number of trained, high quality installers. This will likely require a robust training framework that will future proof installers with a high level of skill to install heat pumps.

The CIPHE has been leading on a future of heat decarbonisation education project whilst supporting and engaging with government on its future heat policies. The group is unique as it is technology agnostic with a complete mix of technology expertise from heat pumps and boilers to low temperature heat emitters, such as underfloor heating. The group has been engaging with industry and installers to create the core competences required for a Low Temperature Heating and Hot Water Systems in Dwellings course and are now carrying out a wider consultation to further seek opinion from installers and industry.

Qualification Specification for Low Temperature Heating Systems.pdf

The regulated qualification is designed to upskill installers and to act as a prerequisite before installing a low temperature heating system for all heat source technology. The course will cover the design of low temperature heating systems including heat loss, heat emitters, pipe and pump sizing and domestic hot water storage to name a few.

Following the consultation, the group will be continuing to map out and design a new innovative set of digital training material and tools to assist the installer of the future. The consultation closes on the 30th June 2020.

* The CIPHE Low Carbon Technical Working Group is chaired by Paul Harmer, Lead Technical Consultant and includes representatives of the following organisations:

British Electrotechnical and Allied Manufacturers' Association (BEAMA)
Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE)
Ground Source Heat Pump Association (GSHPA)
Heat Pump Association (HPA)
Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC)
LCL Awards

Baxi
Daikin
Grundfos
Mitsubishi
NIBE
Polypipe
Vaillant
Viessmann
Worcester Bosch