UK Skills / Case Studies

Medium Employer Award

Nu-Heat Ltd

Honiton company Nu-Heat has turned a potential business threat into a revenue-boosting opportunity – by training heating engineers to install the renewable technologies that it sells.

The company sells underfloor heating, heat pumps and solar collectors, examples of the green technologies it expects to be key in enabling the UK to comply with its Kyoto target of reducing carbon emissions by 20% by 2010 and 60% by 2050, over and above its commitment to achieve a 12.5% reduction by 2012.

Government grants are given towards the cost of installing renewables – but only when both product and installer are registered under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). While many products comply, there are few installers and Nu-Heat identified this as a possible threat to the growth of its business.

The company decided that the solution was to train installers itself – and that it would also equip its own sales and technical staff with the background knowledge they needed in order to give customers a professional and informed service. It worked with certifying body NICEIC to collaborate on creating a heat pump installation course that could be approved and therefore be acceptable to the MCS.

The resulting three-day course is delivered to a maximum of 12 candidates by Nu-Heat’s NICEIC accredited trainers. Two classroom sessions cover health and safety and technical heat pump information, assessed by multiple choice question papers. A day of practical training and assessment follows. Candidates with difficulties such as dyslexia receive individual support. Trainees develop a clear understanding of the benefits of heat pumps, how to install them and explain their energy efficient use and maintenance to customers.

The course is delivered in a new training centre, added to Nu-Heat’s purpose-built premises in summer 2008, to house training ‘rigs’ and teaching facilities.

Successful candidates, all plumbing and heating professionals with minimum pre-requisite qualifications, can apply for membership of the NICEIC Competent Persons Scheme, and then for their own MCS number, allowing their customers to apply for government grant support.

The first trial course was run in August 2008, and following minor amendments gained NICEIC approval in December 2008. The nationally-recognised course is now being rolled out to training centres across the UK. Up to March this year Nu-Heat has seen 72 external candidates pass the course, and 10 internal staff receive training appropriate to their roles.

One trainee was Francis Delaney, principal of Eco Heat Solutions. He says: “As a direct result of the training, I have employed two business partners and renamed the business Eco Heat Solutions. Training has given my company and, more importantly, prospective customers the confidence to invest in new technology.”

So far Nu-Heat has invested over £480,000 in its training work, including the cost of building and equipping the centre. The improved technical support is reflected in just a 27% increase in technical calls against an increase in sales of heat pumps of over 250% in the four months from December 2008 to March 2009, compared with the same period a year earlier.

Nu-Heat has now developed a two-day course in underfloor heating installation, currently going through the NICEIC approval process. It is also building a register of installers capable of fitting its products throughout the UK.

Nu-Heat was founded in 1992 and is now one of the UK’s largest suppliers of fully integrated warm water underfloor heating, heat pumps and solar thermal systems to the domestic market. The company employs 95 people and works across the self-build, trade and housebuilder/RSL sectors. It is an Investors in People accredited company and is involved in delivering the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

ENDS

Entry name: Nu-Heat UK Ltd; Nu-Heat has created and delivers a nationally recognized training progamme for heat pump installation.
Entry no: 90756
Location: Heathpark House, Devonshire Road, Honiton, EX14 1SD.
Region: South West.

For further information contact: 
Antonia Lee 020 7429 2825 / Kate Moloughney 020 7429 2827 
antonia.lee@ukskills.org.uk
kate.moloughney@ukskills.org.uk

Company profile:
Nu-Heat is one of the largest suppliers of domestic warm water underfloor heating in the UK having delivered over 20,000 systems since 1992. The company also supplies fully integrated ground and air source heat pumps and solar thermal systems; advising customers on the best combination of UFH, heat pump and solar for each project. Purchasing from one supplier means components will be totally compatible – there is just one point of contact, one source of responsibility – and no conflicting advice.

For details telephone 0800 731 1976 or email info@nu-heat.co.uk

Visit website link: http://www.nu-heat.co.uk/nta2009

PR contact: sarah.davey@nu-heat.co.uk
Tel: 01404 549770