They will play a pivotal role in selecting the three winning entries of the challenge, making it a collaborative effort that promises to bring out the best of the industry’s talent.
Vaillant’s heat pump challenge aims to open the debate around heat pumps by working with installers to help highlight how and when the low carbon technology works at its best – and shed light on the most asked questions about installing and living with this type of low carbon technology.
Entry has been extended and will remain open until Friday 24th March, with judging planned to occur at the month’s end.
Panel experts announced
Kevin McCloud, broadcaster and architecture pundit: Kevin has been presenting programmes about architecture and design for more than 25 years and is no stranger to viewing homes where innovative thinking is key to the project’s success.
He has also written over a dozen books and hundreds of articles championing architecture, sustainable development, the historic environment, and ecological construction. His interest in heat pumps stems partly from his first-hand experience living and working with this technology, having installed them at home.
Jade Lewis, chief executive, Sustainable Energy Association: Jade supports developing a range of energy efficiency policies and is dedicated to decarbonising homes and buildings.
She joined the SEA with a wealth of experience within a policy and regulatory affairs capacity after working with the Government, Parliament, and industry at the heart of some of the biggest challenges facing the sustainable energy and construction sectors recognising how important it is to bring industry and policymakers together to design effective strategies for change.
Ian Rippin, chief executive officer of MCS – the Microgeneration Certification Scheme: Ian’s career underpins his passion for quality and the role that standards play in protecting consumers. Ian has held managing director roles for the Environment Agency’s National Laboratory Service and for CSA Group’s UK operations as the world leader in explosion safety and environmental product certification.
As CEO of MCS, a profit-for-purpose organisation operating at the heart of the UK’s adoption of renewable energy sources for homes and small businesses, he is currently leading MCS through a period of transformational change as the organisation strives to inspire the next generation of home-grown energy, fit for the needs of every UK home and community.
Simon Melbourne, system sales and design manager at Vaillant: Simon is on hand to provide expert insight and advice on designing a full heating and hot water system through to answering bespoke technical queries on all Vaillant solutions.
He has a wealth of experience gained from 25 years in the heating and hot water industry, working across roles including a technical advisor, service engineer, renewables product manager and, most recently, managing the System Sales and Design team at Vaillant.
And finally, Mark Wilkins, technologies and training director at Vaillant: Mark has been working in the heating industry for almost 40 years and brings a wealth of expertise surrounding the development of boilers through to an in-depth knowledge of low carbon technology, including heat pumps.
Starting his career as an apprentice at British Gas, Mark’s passion and commitment to the heating industry and its evolution has led to him being a spokesperson for Vaillant and ensuring its technology delivers efficient, low carbon heating to the homes of the UK.
Mark comments: “It is fantastic to have such wide support from across the industry to explore the opportunities when installing heat pumps into UK homes. Within the panel, we have expertise across design, sustainable solutions and problem-solving, and we are all excited to delve further into the projects submitted.
“For many, although heat pumps are talked about, there is an element of the unknown when it comes to installation, efficiency and heating our homes with something different to the traditional boilers we know so well. We hope that by investigating projects that display heat pumps fitted in a number of property types, we can break down some of the barriers and make people feel at home with low carbon technology and its capabilities.”