For installers of more traditional building services technologies, up-skilling to include renewable technology makes an installer a more attractive choice to the environmentally minded customer. With schemes such as the Low Carbon Building Programme (LCBP), providing funding for commercial and domestic properties to go towards the implementation of micro-generation technologies, installers must be trained to meet this need. 

As a HVAC solution for public and commercial buildings, heat pump technology is becoming an increasingly popular choice, with funding available of up to 50% of total equipment and installation costs through the LCBP.

Lower costs

Heat pump technology is chosen, due in part to its much lower operational costs. Systems can pay for themselves in five to seven years if designed and installed correctly. When you compare this to the running costs of a conventionally fired boiler, for example, and take into account annual servicing costs, you soon begin to realise the benefits of a heat pump and the tremendous cost savings for the customer.

Typically, on a building such as a standard 400m² office unit, you could expect a lifetime (25-year) saving of up to £35,000. This can increase rapidly when you start to look at much larger units, such as school buildings.

As an alternative electricity source, particularly for larger developments, solar photovoltaics (PV) provides energy saving and environmental benefits. PV uses energy from the sun to create electricity and while it may seem the ‘sunny' UK is not the most obvious choice for this technology, PV only requires daylight, not direct sunlight, to generate electricity. It is a robust, flexible, scaleable technology and for the typical sized household a PV system, will provide at least 2,000 units of electricity per annum and save at least 1.14 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. PV has a proven working life of 45 years and modules typically come with a 25-year manufacturer's warranty.

In addition, PV can be used cost-effectively to clad building facades, providing an attractive, design-led solution, replacing conventional prestige products. PV now comes in a variety of shapes and colours, ranging from solar tiles that look like roof tiles, to panels and transparent cells that can be used on conservatories, and glass to provide shading as well as generating electricity.

In England, changes to permitted development rights for domestic micro-generation technologies, introduced on 6 April 2008, have lifted the requirements for planning permission for most solar PV installations. Roof mounted and stand-alone systems can now be installed in most dwellings.

Increase in demand

As funding is made available and planning laws relaxed, the demand for qualified installers of these products will go up and at a time of economic uncertainty it is even more important to keep ahead of the game - those that rest on their laurels will get left behind. All systems must be installed according to the building regulations and the best and most cost-effective way to get the knowledge is through training.

Already schemes such as the LCBP stipulate that installers must be registered under the Micro-generation Certification Scheme (MCS). To achieve this status you have to demonstrate the correct level of knowledge on site - Logic Certification's Solar Thermal Hot Water course, which was launched in 2007, is currently being mapped to the National Occupational Standards set out by Summit Skills. At the moment you don't have to produce a training certificate, but it is likely that by the end of this year Competent Persons Schemes for some renewable technologies will be licensed under the MCS.

In a bid to continue our commitment to providing installers with the training provision necessary to stay competitive in their market place, for 2009, Logic Certification has launched ground and air source heat pump, and solar PV courses. Both courses are designed for those installers who have achieved an NVQ level three, or gained appropriate experience in their field.

Heat pump course

Logic Certification's new heat pump course is aimed at qualified plumbing or heating operatives.

The aim of the course is to enable candidates to confidently propose, survey, design and install domestic or small commercial heat pump installations, enlisting manufacturers support where required. The course covers:

• Background to market
• Regulations and guidance
• Principles of operation
• Collector types
• Heat distribution
• Pre-installation requirements
• Installation materials & methods
• Filling, flushing and testing
• Setting to work/commissioning
• Servicing and fault finding

The course takes three days, with both a practical and written assessment at the end of the course.

Candidates should have a good working knowledge of heating/hot water systems and design with an NVQ level three qualification or equivalent experience. For those without sufficient knowledge of heating and hot water design, Logic Certification's hot water system design and specification course provides the underpinning knowledge for calculating system loads and U values.

Solar photovolataics course

Logic Certification's new solar photovoltaics course is aimed at experienced domestic or commercial electricians.

The assessment covers the predominant systems (grid connected). It does not cover all possible variants of PV - manufacturers support and guidance should always be sought when fitting equipment. The course covers:

• Background to market and grant funding routes (including MCS)
• Regulations and standards
• Health & Safety considerations
• AC & DC theory
• Cell types and benefits
• External and internal site survey requirements
• Circuit design
• System design and integration
• Setting to work and commissioning
• Servicing and fault finding

The course will take two days, with both a practical and written assessment at the end. Successful candidates will receive an ID card upon certification.

Candidates must be experienced in the design and installation of domestic, single-phase circuits, with an electrical installation certificate, schedule of inspections and schedule of test results. Trainees must also hold one qualification that demonstrates their understanding of BS7671 2008, 17^th Edition Wiring Regulations and a sound knowledge of the Building Regulations.

With the pressure to take-up renewable energy production coming from every angle - targets set by the Government, the need for customers to save money due to rising fuel bills and falling profit margins, as well as the overall desire to halt global warming - ensuring the UK has skilled personal able to install these technologies is of utmost importance. Installers need to gain the appropriate training to meet this demand as well as improving their chances of winning work and riding the economic downturn.

There are more than 100 Logic Certification centres throughout the UK - to find your nearest, visit www.logic-cert.com, or call 0208 839 2439 for more information.

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