New industry Meet-Up event brings opportunity to tool up to move heating and plumbing businesses into the green economy fast lane.

Change is challenging, and an enforced radical change of direction in your chosen business is especially difficult to accept.

But £450 million of Government funding subsidising 90,000 heat pumps suggests that heat pumps and other forms of electric heating are the future of the heating system industry, as green hydrogen production struggles to compete.

And industry statistics speak for themselves: after a period of growth between 2017 and 2020, the gas boiler market is expected to shrink by 2.6% in 2022 and with the Boiler Upgrade Scheme subsidising heat pumps rather than new gas boilers, installers will need to respond quickly to hold onto market share even if construction and home renovation stay buoyant.

After a long period of reliable demand for one type of heating technology, heating installers are having to make difficult choices to ensure their livelihood can survive, in a new era where gas is no longer the first fuel of choice for space heating and hot water.

To support the industry, Low Carbon Homes is launching a new event which gives installers direct access to discuss the issues with a network of distributors and fellow installers, as well as those in Government driving policy and regulatory change.

The ground-breaking Heat Pumps for Installers Meet-Up to be held on Wednesday 6^th July, 8.30am-11.30am online via the Remo virtual conference platform provides the opportunity to ask questions to those who are already experienced in heat pump installations and find out what’s involved with pivoting your business to get ahead of the crowd.  The event has been developed with support from Ground Source Heat Pump Association, Heat Pump Association, Heat Pump Federation, MCS, BEIS and Ofgem.

With a series of short presentations available live or on-demand (no need to worry about being late or stuck in traffic!), and a virtual conference space with “tables” which participants can join to ask questions or contribute to discussions, installers can drop in for an hour or two and get one-to-one advice on how to move into heat pump installations or scale up a business that’s already started on that path.

“If you don’t really have time for training or networking, this is the one you really should make time for,” Leah Robson, Director, Your Energy Your Way - designers and installers of whole-house renewable energy solutions – and a previous Low Carbon Homes event contributor. “There’s no travel time and you can drop in and out of the event in between whatever you’ve got to do in your day.”

The Meet-Up format recreates and enhances the ‘distributor day out’ experience in terms of socialising and learning by talking to fellow installers, but with additional advantages of online flexibility.

“We’ve designed this event so busy people can fit it into their working week,” says event organiser Graham Lock of Low Carbon Homes. “Supporting installers to get their heads around how to shift their business to take advantage of Government and consumer preference for the green economy is crucial for the industry and the planet, and for the population in general too.”

Tickets are free – go to www.lowcarbonhomes.uk to get yours.

ENDS

Notes to editors

Online event information

•    Event name: Heat Pumps for Installers Meet-Up
•    Supported by Ground Source Heat Pump Association, Heat Pump Association, Heat Pump Federation, MCS, BEIS and Ofgem
•    Question panel moderated by Renewable Energy Installer
•    Free tickets for heating installers, maintenance and repair professionals from across the UK
•    One morning, three hours on Wednesday 6th July from 0830 
•    Delegates can view all or selected sessions and meet with other installers, speakers and sponsors
•    Registration for event is open: www.lowcarbonhomes.uk/event/34/heatpumpsforinstallers