Heat Pump Installation Commissioning Maintenance & Servicing - Galway
| Award Name | Special Purpose Certificate (Level 6 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Special Purpose |
| Awarding Body | Atlantic Technological University |
| NFQ Level | Level 6 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special Purpose Certificate (Level 6 NFQ) | Special Purpose | Atlantic Technological University | Level 6 NFQ |
Duration
1 semester part-time, blended.
Recommended Study Hours per week
It is recommended that students allow for 5-6 hours per 5 credit module to their studies.
On-Campus Attendance Requirement
12 days of onsite tuition.
Note: Check programme Examination and Assessment requirements, as they may involve examinations to be taken on campus.
Entry Requirements
The learner must be trained and certified, L6 Advanced Craft Certificate, as a plumber or refrigeration engineer, or alternatively have, as a minimum, a Higher Certificate in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent in a cognate discipline and have basic electrical and plumbing skills. In addition, all learners must have basic ICT skills.
Careers / Further progression
Careers
According to the “Skills for Zero Carbon – The demand for Renewable Energy, Residential Retrofit and Electrical Vehicle deployment Skills to 2030” report, published in 2021 there is currently a considerable shortfall in the labour supply for suitably trained heat pump installers and service engineers.
Between now and the end of this decade, approximately 290 heat pump installers need to be trained annually to meet the envisaged 600,000 installations, with each installation envisaged to take 6 to 8 days to complete.
Further information
Start Date September 2025
Total Fees EU: €2200
DASBE fee: €1,400. These programmes have been developed with support from the HCI 3 funded DASBE project (see dasbe.ie). The DASBE funding support will be reviewed annually and will run until 2025.
Flexible learning courses are popular, and they fill on a first come, first served basis. There are two major intake periods throughout the academic year, September and January.
For January start courses, applications typically open in October, and for September start courses, applications typically open in February. Closing dates for applications are listed on the individual course webpage.
Under the government’s Climate Action Plan (CAP), overall greenhouse gas emissions are to be reduced by 51% by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050.
To aid in the realisation of this, the government have developed a roadmap to phase out fossil fuel in home heating.
By 2030, the government has targets to retrofit over 400,000 homes to a minimum B2 BER level threshold by installing 600,000 plus heat pumps into existing and new dwellings.
The aim of this programme is therefore to support CAP by providing learners with the necessary installation, maintenance and servicing training, which will allow the graduates to be placed on the Irish Register, and thus deemed competent as heat pump installers for both ground to water and air to water technologies.
The programme curriculum is aligned to the National Standard Authority of Ireland (NSAI) recently developed and published National Standard Recommendation for the design and Installation of Heat Pumps in homes – S.R. 50-4:2021.
The programme itself includes practical and theoretical learning, and all learners will have to demonstrate their competency to size, install, service and maintain the performance of a heat pump based upon the reliability needs of the customer.
Why Study this course?
We are all uniquely aware that climate breakdown and biodiversity collapse are the most serious issues of our time, and transformational action is required immediately. Heat pumps alike electrical vehicle are going to form the baseline standard for heating technologies of the future. For plumbers and refrigeration engineers being capable of competently designing, installing, servicing and maintaining heat pump systems will become an increasingly desirable skill of the future. In addition:
The curriculum of the programme is aligned to the National Standard Authority of Ireland (NSAI) recently developed and published National Standard Recommendation for the design and Installation of Heat Pumps in homes – S.R. 50-4:2021. Graduates of the course will be recognised as having met part of the entry criteria for registration as a Heat Pump Installer with SEAI.
The programme is skills based and is predominately delivered onsite in an Energy Laboratory and dedicated Heat pump Training facility, and not alone delivers installation and commission learning, but also teaches the learner how to inspect, troubleshoot, maintain and service a heat pump system.
The total number of hours proposed is a more realistic reflection of the amount of time required to deliver an installation, commissioning, servicing and maintenance programme.
Who Should Apply?
Once accredited, graduates of this programme will be eligible to register as Heat Pump Installers which will allow them to avail of numerous work opportunities or to seek new opportunities in industry. For plumbers and refrigeration engineers, being capable of competently designing, installing, servicing and maintaining heat pump systems will become an increasingly desirable skill of the future.
Semester Module Details Credits Mandatory / Elective
2 Domestic Heat Pumps I: Installation and Commissioning 10 Mandatory
2 Domestic Heat Pumps II: Maintenance and Service 10 Mandatory
Examination and Assessment
The programme itself includes practical and theoretical learning, and all learners will have to demonstrate their competency to size, install, service and maintain the performance of a heat pump. Final exams are also used to assess students.
Note: Where assessment on the programme involves examinations, these are held on campus or at another exam venue in the Republic of Ireland. There are typically two exam periods: January and May. Times scheduled for examinations (face to face / online exams ) are in GMT.
Dr Oliver Mulryan
E: oliver.mulryan@atu.ie
T: +353 (0)91 742399