Talk: Should I get a heat pump?

Thursday 9 March, Elephant & Castle Pub, White Hill, Lewes, BN7 2DJ, 7.30pm (doors open 7.15pm), FREE (donations welcome)

Lots of people have been asking us if a heat pump would be a greener, cheaper way to heat their home and hot water. So we’re putting on a talk in March to provide some answers. Join our panel of consultants, installers and heat-pump owners to explore the pros, cons and practicalities of moving to a heat pump.

As energy prices rocket and the climate continues to heat up, lots of us are looking for cheaper and lower-carbon ways to heat our homes and provide hot water. So could a air-source (or ground-source) heat pump be the right solution?

The answers are never straightforward and depend on individual circumstances and factors. But with an expert panel (and homeowners who have got one) we’re hoping to provide some answers to common questions including:

• What are the benefits of heat pumps over other home-heating solutions?
• What makes a home suitable for a heat pump – and are any modifications required?
• How do I go about sourcing, choosing and installing one?
• How do the ongoing costs stack up?
• Is there anything that can go wrong with a heat pump?

We’ll be inviting an expert panel – plus homeowners who have already installed a heat pump, ready to share their experiences and what they’ve learned.  Come and share your questions and thoughts!

Our panellists include:

Ian McKay is a practicing architect, sustainability consultant and visiting lecturer/tutor at a number of UK universities. Ian was a founding director of the small but influential architectural practice BBM Sustainable Design and has recently set up the sustainable design consultancy, Deeper Green. With this new venture, Ian is looking to work with clients and construction professionals who share a commitment to respond responsibly to the climate challenges we face.

Neil Williams spent 30 years in energy consultancy and brokerage for industrial and public sector clients. In 2010 he embarked on an MSc in sustainable architecture at the Centre for Alternative Technology then worked for several years organising ‘eco open house’ events. Neil is particularly interested in low-carbon technology, notably heat pumps, as a simple and cost-effective solution for climate change.  For the past six years  he has been supporting a biomass district heating network in Brighton, obtaining grants, making engineering improvements and solving network defects. 

Nicki Myers is Project Manager at Ovesco, the community energy company for the Ouse Valley. She has worked in renewable energy and heating since 2009. Before joining Ovesco in 2020, Nicki worked in the heating industry. Previous to that, she was an international tax accountant, working for Ernst & Young and PwC. She has been passionate about improving energy efficiency in housing for 20 years.

Jason Lindfield – Jason is managing director of OHM Energy, one of the south coast’s most experienced renewable energy installers. Having worked in Spain with developers of off-grid properties that needed renewable power, Jason set up OHM Energy with his business partner Terry over a decade ago. The company now provides renewable energy solutions  for homes and businesses of all sizes, including solar power, biomass and heat pumps.