Thomas Nowak, the secretary general of the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA), arrived fresh from COP26 to attend the opening – alongside Jennifer and Richard McLaren, directors at The Natural Energy Company, Paul Robson, senior refrigeration engineer for The Natural Energy Company and Alison Brown from Daikin.
The new centre in Newport-on-Tay, near Dundee will give homeowners the opportunity to familiarise themselves with Daikin’s air source heat pump (ASHP) technology and sit down with an expert to discuss and agree the best solution for their home, before being partnered with a trusted local installer
The centre will also house a heat pump training centre. Training delivered by Daikin and The Natural Energy Company will help local installers enhance the services they offer. Ensuring the long-term competitiveness of their businesses as fossil fuels are phased out and the UK further adopts heat pumps as the government backed alternative. Installers can also access products and win new business leads through the Centre.
The launch also celebrated the unveiling of a new ASHP showroom at the centre, which opened in April 2021. The Natural Energy Company not only covers low carbon heating technology but is also set up to advise on battery storage and solar PV – making it a one-stop solution for customers on their quest for decarbonisation.
Richard McLaren, director at The Natural Energy Company, commented: “This is a huge milestone for us, and an exciting opportunity to put North East Fife at the forefront of the UK’s net zero journey. We want our customers to receive the best quality products and service, which is why we’re working with Daikin.
“We’re in a key period of change, with the government fully behind transforming how we heat our homes, as we move towards its target to become net zero by 2050. Partnering with Daikin means we’re not only able to advise and support homeowners, we can also offer training to installers, creating new job opportunities in the area and making our carbon reduction goals more achievable.”
Iain Bevan, commercial manager – heating & renewables at Daikin UK, added: “COP26 and the recently announced Heat and Buildings Strategy has reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to net zero and decarbonising the countries heating, with heat pumps leading the way.
“So, it’s never been more important that homeowners who want to go green can access expert advice and guidance, helping them find the best solution for their household’s heating and hot water needs. Being able to explore and discuss heat pump technology in person is vital, as is knowing that it will be installed by a highly-trained professional.
“To help us achieve the UK’s Net Zero target, industry estimates predict that up to 7,500 new installers will need to be trained each year over the next four years, increasing to around 15,000 each year for the five years after. So, we’re proud to be supporting The Natural Energy Company in opening this important new addition to our network of Daikin Sustainable Home Centres.”
Thomas Nowak, the secretary general of the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA), said: “It’s great to see the growing network of ideas, information and training that Daikin and its partners including The Natural Energy Company are pioneering in the UK.
“Bringing heat pumps to the high street and making advice personal and accessible will help to dispel myths around the technology and reassure consumers of the efficiency and viability of heat pumps, which is key to driving uptake across the country and helping us achieve the governments ambitious targets.”
Installers who join Daikin’s Sustainable Home Network can develop their heat pump installation and commissioning expertise by benefitting from free, hands-on-tools training at its industry-leading training centres around the UK.
Other benefits of joining the network include dedicated technical support, sales ready leads, business support and special offers.