Doncaster MP Dame Rosie Winterton unveils city's new sustainable home centre

The Doncaster Central Labour MP opened the base from UK heat pump manufacturer, Daikin in conjunction with Spinks and which is located in Kelham Street, Doncaster.

The centre was officially opened on April 19 as part of Daikin’s commitment to advancing sustainable home solutions; and is the sixth Sustainable Home Centre launched by the business in 2024.

A spokesman said: “With the nation’s momentum shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy, these centres play a key role in educating and training heating engineers to facilitate the transition to low-carbon heating.

“Built to inform homeowners about the advantages of sustainable, low-carbon home heating, this facility is a joint effort of Daikin and Spinks, an independent family-run business that provides trade and retail customers with building, plumbing and bathroom supplies.”

The launch event was open to all, including homeowners and trade professionals such as housebuilders, merchants and heating installers.

Dame Rosie attended the event and cut the ribbon at 1pm, officially marking the opening of the centre.

Visitors were able to meet experts from Daikin UK and experience all the options from Daikin’s latest heat pump technology. The brand also carried out presentations on Daikin products and shared details of its green industry installer training opportunities.

In addition to serving as a knowledge hub for homeowners interested in heating and cooling, and a venue for installers to consult their clients, the Daikin Sustainable Home Centre incorporates a dedicated heat pump training facility.

The centre aims to empower installers to embrace renewable heating, ensuring their businesses remain competitive amid the phasing-out of fossil fuel boilers.

Simon Biltcliffe, Plumbing and Heating Sales Director states: “Launching our brand-new Daikin Sustainable Home Centre is a great achievement for our business and the local community.

“The centre aims to promote sustainable heating and air conditioning solutions and equip installers with the necessary knowledge and skills to efficiently and effectively meet the growing demand for net-zero, eco-friendly options.”

Daikin UK spokesman Iain Bevan commented: “Heat pumps hold immense potential for slashing energy consumption and home bills. Over their 15-year lifespan, transitioning from a fossil fuel boiler to an air source heat pump could yield savings exceeding £3,000 compared to gas boilers, over £6,000 compared to oil, and surpassing £9,000 compared to LPG.

“Our studies reveal that a staggering 68% of homeowners are aware of the significantly higher energy efficiency of heat pumps over gas boilers. While gas boilers operate at 70-90% efficiency, heat pumps soar between 300-400%. There’s an essential need to educate homeowners about heat pump technology, and our Sustainable Home Centres, like Spinks, offer the ideal platform for such endeavours.

Dame Rosie said: “I was honoured to be invited to perform the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Daikin Sustainable Home Centre.

“I am particularly proud that a Doncaster family business, running for nearly 100 years, has teamed up with Daikin to install heat pumps and train heating engineers on installation.

“It is great to see the way that cutting carbon emissions and moving to net zero to tackle climate change can create local jobs and benefit local companies like Spinks and the wider community.”