Lobbying by the pump industry has forced a U-turn by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) and circulator pumps are set to be finally included in the Government's flagship Green Deal programme.
Circulator pumps were initially excluded from the list of approved technologies for the Green Deal, due to the use of inaccurate SAP ratings which failed to take into account the enormous advances in circulator pump technology and efficiency made over the last decade.

However, the British Pump Manufacturers' Association was informed in early November this year that circulator pumps were due to be added to the Green Deal options.

Gary Wilde of Xylem Water Solutions UK, who is on the British Pump Manufacturers' Association circulator pump group, has been at the forefront of the lobbying efforts. He believes the decision is a victory for pump manufacturers, installers and homeowners.

'As an industry we have made strenuous efforts to convince the BRE of the merits of including circulator pumps within the Green Deal. For a long time it looked as if our efforts would continue to be blocked, but it is clear that, over time, the weight of our arguments have won the day,' he said.

According to Mr Wilde, the inclusion of circulator pumps is recognition by the BRE of the vital role that circulators can play in a modern central heating system. 'The exclusion of circulator pumps left a gaping hole in the Green Deal programme. Without circulator pumps a complete system approach to home energy efficiency, including boiler, heating controls and insulation, is impossible. We believe their inclusion will make a significant contribution to the upgrading of the UK's housing stock and the Government's CO2 targets.'