Reproduced from the February 2007 issue of PHAM News, by kind permission of the publishers

"Over the last few years more installers have moved away from the installation of traditional systems to offer customers a growing range of more energy efficient alternatives. Eric Hawkins, MD of Powertech, argues that it is time for more installers to consider a change in direction.

For all those in the heating and plumbing trade who moan about new directives, CORGI, and just about anything which affects their day to day way of life, I have a message – there is a life outside the installation and servicing of gas boilers. I recognised this in 1991 and sold my bathroom, heating and plumbing business. Today, my two companies are successfully making profits from renewable energy, as are the installers we have trained to fit alternatives to the gas/oil boiler central heating systems.

The heating industry has only recently responded to the potential of renewables so if it wasn’t for the likes of people like me who imported the first vacuum tube collectors from China, the sales of solar water heating would not have grown to the rate it is today (sales have increased from 1,500 systems a year to 6,000 systems). Most boiler manufacturers have not gone through what it takes to have a full understanding of the real potential of a hybrid alternative heating and hot water system, because their business is primarily about selling more gas/oil boilers to every new house that’s built.

Another sector dragging its feet is the house building industry which also hates change. The other week the chairman of the House Builder’s Federation warned the Government about enforcing the use of renewables into new homes. The builder’s federation told the Government it would need a 10 year support programme in order to meet that directive and gave this warning: “The cost on top of today’s already high cost of housing would add a further 10% to the sale value of these homes, adding a further cost to the buyer.”

Generally, the heating and plumbing industry, as well as the house building industry are resistant to change, but change is on its way. So let’s start looking at what the future may bring – it’s not CORGI or gas boilers, it’s solar thermal vacuum tube heat pipes, high performance thermal stores, air to water heat pump boilers in the loft, underfloor heating in the floors and a house that does not leak heat.

This country has 22 million homes which need some massive changes, add to that the thousands of small business owners, farms, restaurants and hotels all seeking ways to reduce their energy useage. My business achieved sales of over £1 million in 2006, which did not include sales of  boilers, copper pipes, or radiators, and nobody, such as CORGI for example, can tell me how to go about my business. I have self-employed installers across the country earning £1,000 a day installing our solar energy hot water heating systems into existing hot water tanks to reduce the cost of such systems. The plumbers, heating engineers, merchants, and those already installing solar energy and heat pump underfloor heating systems are making a better life for themselves.

Out of the 200 or more installers who have been through our one day a week training, which covers all aspects of solar thermal, only a few have recognised the benefits which could be achieved within their own homes. However, it is important for us to be seen to practice what we preach. What is needed in this country is a revolution, and it starts with anyone who wants a better future for their family. Installers are ideally placed to recommend systems which, over time are cost effective and will significantly reduce utility bills.

The costs mount up

When this country has to import 70% of its gas, let’s ask ourselves how we will pay for this, given our manufacturing export industries are in decline. In less than 10 years from now, with rising taxes, green taxes, and rising fuel bills along with labour, how, I wonder, will the 22 million home owners find the £2,000-£4,000 a year to cover just the cost of the energy they burn up in leaking homes and fast fix out of date plumbing heating systems?

One answer to this is to use the energy from the sun, wind, the air around us and the rainfall from our roof tops as all of this is tax free. It’s free from any government interference, it’s free from CORGI and all these office based organisations looking to see what they can get us all to sign up to next.

There is an investment to be made, but we should make it now and not wait for the stampede to happen, as it surely will when we once again start to see power cuts, and even supply shortages, when this country once again is reliant on supplies from areas outside our control...

...It makes sense for everybody with money invested in their homes to take a chunk of that value and re-invest it in appliances which are growing in availability as more of the traditional heating and hot water industries jump onto the bandwagon.

If anyone reading this wants to move slowly out of the gas/oil boiler installation and servicing industry and would like to tell the likes of CORGI where to go, your next move is to learn and understand how a very little known product called an air to water heat pump works. In the small numbers we have installed to date in 2006 across a mix of integrated designs, not one home owner has called us back to complain.

Our exclusive range of ducted air to water heat pumps can be located in the loft space or where there is a constant rise in heat waste. It’s a plug and go box, two plumbing pipes, a pump and heat exchangers connected into the flow side from the existing boiler that feeds the radiators.