Ideal Heating announces new low carbon R&D facility in Hull

Plans for a new £10m research and development facility have been revealed by Ideal Heating, set to be established at the manufacturer’s UK headquarters in Hull. The new facility, which is part of a wider £60m investment programme supported by parent company Groupe Atlantic, will play a key role in developing and testing low carbon heating solutions, such as air source heat pumps. Dependent on planning approval, construction is expected to begin this autumn, with the facility due to open in mid-2024.

Phil Kent, R&D director for combustion at Ideal Heating, commented: “Domestic and commercial heating providers have a vital role to play in reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change. As the market leader, we’re serious about playing our full part in meeting the challenge the UK faces in accelerating the adoption of heat pumps and other low carbon solutions. The new UK Technology Centre will enable us to develop and deliver future heating solutions and make big strides forward in our net zero journey.”

Among other facilities, the new R&D centre will house test equipment and environmental chambers, simulating the range and extremes of climatic conditions to develop heat pumps for future manufacture at the company’s Hull factory. It will also include chambers to verify noise and vibration levels, together with stress tests and lifespan simulators.

Ideal Heating is also investing in a new National Training & Technology Centre at Bridgehead business park in East Yorkshire, with a focus on low-carbon heating and up-skilling thousands of boiler installers across the UK to supply heat pumps to customers.