Here, Jonathan Philips, Product Manager at MKM Building Supplies, considers how ready the industry is for the transition to more sustainable home heating - and the opportunities this switch represents for the UK’s heating and plumbing engineers.

Greener homes

The U.K government continues to place a renewed focus on how we heat our homes, with an eye firmly on its self-set 2035 target for carbon reduction.

Central and hot water heating for the UK’s 29 million homes accounts for one fifth (20%) of the country’s carbon emissions output; a significant proportion and one that needs to be tackled if the UK is to meet its target of slashing emissions by 78% by 2035.

While our need for centrally heated homes and hot water will always be paramount, it’s clear that we must find cleaner, greener means of achieving it if we’re to decarbonise. That’s what makes Air Source Heat Pump technology such an exciting and innovative progression.

In simple terms, Air Source Heat Pumps extract warmth from the air outside before concentrating it and transferring it indoors to provide heated water and central heating. Similar in appearance to a standard air conditioning unit, Air Source Heat Pumps can be easily retrofitted onto a property, making them a viable solution for both new-builds and existing homes. And since Air Source Heat Pumps deliver more heat energy than the electrical energy they consume, they are cost effective too – typically costing less to run than a typical heating system.

With all these benefits front of mind, why are some homeowners still reluctant about making the switch to Air Source Heat Pumps? While the return-on-investment possibilities are there for all to witness, heat pumps can often come at a considerable initial cost, making initial installation a more expensive outlay than other heating systems. However, with the popularity of Air Source Heat Pumps set to continue to grow between now and 2035, it is expected that prices will fall the more they are installed, enabling the technology to become more commonplace.

Government support 

Furthermore, to help combat this price-based reticence, the Government has put Air Source Heat Pumps at the heart of its agenda, both previously with the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (DRHI); and more recently, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), developed to ‘encourage property owners to install low carbon heating systems such as heat pumps’ and streamline the introduction of renewable heating into our homes.

BUS is a domestic grant developed by the U.K Government that is open to ‘domestic and small non-domestic properties in England and Wales from 2022 to 2025’. It provides financial relief in paying the upfront cost for carbon lowering technologies. Through the grant, homeowners can receive; £5,000 off the cost and installation of an Air Source Heat Pump, £5,000 off the cost and installation of a Biomass Boiler, and £6,000 off the cost and installation of a Ground Source Heat Pump.

The BUS grant is an ambitious initiative spearheaded by the government to promote greener properties and promises to galvanize interest among homeowners for what is still an emerging technology.

Installer’s part to play

As part of the BUS scheme, it is in fact the installer who opens the account for each homeowner or small non-domestic property owner, through Ofgem. The installer then applies on behalf of their customer, with the value of the grant discounted off the price paid for purchase and installation. Ofgem then contacts the property owner, who must confirm the installer is acting on their behalf, before the grant is applied.

With this to consider, it is vital that companies such as MKM help to both encourage and educate installers on this process, the grants available to end customers and any technical support that may be needed in-between.

MKM’s commitment

For heating and plumbing engineers, the growth in demand for Air Source Heat Pumps will undoubtedly result in more work. To help the sector meet this spike in consumer demand, MKM Building Supplies is working hard to ensure installers have access to all the stock and know-how they need to take advantage of upcoming opportunities, such as BUS.  

We have recently confirmed a partnership with leading HVAC specialists, Daikin, to significantly expand our Air Source Heat Pumps offering for homeowners and installers. This partnership has enabled MKM to ensure installers have access to leading Air Source Heat Pump technology, such as the high-performing and easy-to-install Altherma 3, that is now available from any of MKM’s merchants nationwide. Working together, MKM and its partners hope to reach customers across the industry to highlight the benefits of greener, more sustainable heating technologies.  

The UK’s home heating market sits at an exciting precipice. Perhaps for the first time, viable technology, consumer interest and government support are lining up to make the mass roll-out of sustainable a home-heating solution – Air Source Heat Pumps – a distinct possibility. This is a golden opportunity for the UK to make significant inroads towards decarbonising its economy and MKM is poised to do all it can to ensure this chance isn’t wasted.

 

For more infromation, visit your local branch or our handy blog on Air Source Heat Pump FAQs.