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hub,” he states.“ The UK Technology Centre will support the development of low-carbon technologies, including heat pumps, and drive further innovation in the way homes can be heated sustainably.
“ The facility will house a range of simulators, test rigs and environmental chambers, all of which will advance the efficiency and performance of low-carbon heating solutions. Laboratory facilities within the 38,000-squarefoot building will enable R & D teams to simulate a range of scenarios and conditions to test new technology and advance low-carbon heating solutions across its portfolio. The building will also house a heat pump testing area, workshop spaces and a training room.”
Jason is keen to share why Ideal is passionate about investing in re-training and upskilling installers, in order to develop a UK-wide workforce with the skills and qualifications to install and maintain heat pumps.
“ We’ re continuing to invest significantly in our training arm, Expert Academy, as we open new showpiece training centers and satellite facilities across the UK, providing high-quality and accessible training,” he explains.“ At the heart of the Expert Academy is our £ 2.2 million National Training and Technology Centre, which has the capacity to train up to 5,000 installers every year. Our in-person provision is supported by unrivalled online training, under the Expert Academy On Demand banner, allowing heating professionals to access training anytime, anywhere.
“ Our commitment to sustainability is demonstrated by a range of developments and initiatives aimed at achieving net zero in carbon emissions at our Hull site by 2035, for example, in 2024 we opened a £ 2m office building, which is equipped with one of Ideal’ s commercial Ecomod air source heat pumps and is the first on the Hull site to achieve a net zero Energy Performance Certificate( EPC) rating.
We’ re proud that our commitment to employee wellbeing was recognized at the national Make UK Manufacturing Awards 2025, when Ideal won the Manufacturing Matters prize
“ Beyond our own operations, we’ re a leading member of the Oh Yes! Net Zero campaign, supporting Hull and the Humber region’ s journey to net zero.
“ We’ re also part of an ongoing project, the Living with Heat Pumps program, in partnership with Hull City Council,” Jason adds.“ This project is trialing the performance of heat pumps installed in local authority housing, with data collected over a 12-month period to examine the costs, efficiencies and thermal comfort experienced by tenants.”
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