Comedian and environmental campaigner Alistair McGowan kicked off the first day by officially opening Practical Installer. In his speech he described installers as the “agents of change” in the efforts to increase the widespread uptake of energy efficiency and sustainability measures.
Simon Allan, renewables director for Plumb Center, described his experiences of the show and said: “It was great to see so many people showing an active, rather than passive, interest in renewables throughout the three days. It proves that renewables are becoming more mainstream – and that installers understand the imperative to diversify in to different growth areas. Once again, Practical Installer was hugely popular and we look forward to developing the concept even further for next year.”
Now in its third year, Practical Installer featured 36 presentations and live demonstrations with working products, spread across the three days. Five different zones focused on specific renewable energy and water-efficient technologies. Audiences were able to learn more about the technical aspects of installing and commissioning systems, including how to fit solar panels on a roof.
As well as offering in-depth product information, Plumb Center says its stand tackled some of the key challenges and opportunities facing the industry today, including how installers can get discounted renewables training courses and achieve MCS accreditation and the fundamentals of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) for commercial and public sector buildings. Speakers included Richard Gould (NAPIT), Paul Cullen (BPEC) and Tim Pollard, head of sustainability for Plumb Center.