| By :
Martin Hofschroer
Installers of domestic heat pumps have been advised to improve their technique following the results of a national trial. The Energy Saving Trust (EST), an impartial organisation helping people reduce carbon emissions, studied both ground source and air source heat pumps at 83 sites across Britain and found efficiency figures to be lower than in Europe. A number of heat pump installations performed very well but many installers failed to either correctly design or install the appliance and the EST said that these tradesmen would benefit from taking green energy courses in order to improve their skills. The EST said that it would recommend new guidelines on best practice skills and training of heat pumps and a revision of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme to include heat pump products and installation standards. Simon Green, head of business development for the EST, said: "This trial shows that when installed and operated correctly, heat pump technologies will save significant amounts of CO2 in the UK, when replacing oil or traditional electric heating. "But there is no doubt that the results are more varied than were expected, with results showing both high and low performing heat pumps." Installers are expected to explain how they have determined the appropriate type and size of heat pump for a customer's home and how they calculated the heat demand of the property. It is also the duty of the installer to explain how a heat pump will work with existing heating systems and they are required to provide guidance on the operation of heat pump system controls. David Mackay, chief scientific adviser to the Department of Energy and Climate Change, said: "Heat pumps will be a crucial component of our low-carbon future, provided they perform well. "It's therefore essential to conduct trials to establish best practice, and perfect this technology for use in building throughout the UK." Tradesmen can improve their knowledge about the specifics and installation procedures of heat pumps by taking approved and accredited green energy courses with a reputable training provider. Green energy courses can also give construction workers the skills to install other energy efficient technologies such as biomass, under floor hot water heating systems, rainwater harvesting systems and wind turbines. The EST has told people who have completed green energy courses that the responsibility for the installation of such technologies should be with one company and ideally be contractually guaranteed to ensure consistency in after-sales service.
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