Aira marks first year of its green skills training academy with Toby Perkins MP

• Green skills academy has trained over 300 people and continues to develop partnerships with local institutions.
• The Aira Academy facilitates nationwide training and certifications for air source heat pump (ASHP) installation and maintenance. 
• Toby Perkins MP (Chesterfield and Staveley) attended the anniversary to mark the occasion, meeting apprentices and engineers to hear how heat pumps will reduce energy bills and carbon emissions for local residents.
• In addition to training, the Hub serves households from York to Leicester, helping more people to switch to clean heat. 
• The facility has already scooped RNN Group’s Innovator of the Year Award.

Sheffield, UK – May 28, 2025. Toby Perkins MP attended the green skills academy to mark the occasion, meeting Aira’s first cohort of apprentices, who joined the Academy in September 2024, alongside the Aira training team, trainees and established clean energy experts. The training facility is part of Aira’s £300 million investment in the UK and since launch, has trained over 300 Aira employees.

The Academy’s innovative training model was recently honoured by the RNN Group for its cutting-edge approach to climate-friendly education. With the introduction of a new LCL-accredited certification, the centre now offers industry-recognised qualifications in sustainable heating, ensuring graduates leave fully equipped to meet the UK’s growing demand for clean, low-carbon heating solutions.

The UK Government says that heat pumps will play a crucial role in meeting the country’s net zero targets and has targeted 600,000 heat pump installations by 2028. According to the Heat Pump Association, the UK will need 41,000 heat pump installers by 2028 and there currently 5,000 MCS-certified installers, highlighting the importance the Aira Academy as a key enabler to this much-needed transition. In the UK, there are over 150,000 gas safe engineers and the Academy offers a clear pathway for these experienced engineers to transition into a career in renewable energy. 

In 2024, the UK experienced a significant surge in heat pump adoption, with sales of heat pumps reaching around 100,000 units, marking a 63% increase compared to the previous year. As one of the UK’s leading heat pump installers and service providers, Aira is rapidly scaling with a nationwide network of hubs serving millions of homes across England and Scotland. During the event, Toby Perkins MP spoke with the Aira team about the critical role heat pumps play in reducing carbon emissions and lowering household energy bills by over £500 a year for homes across the country.

Mr Perkins visit coincides with a significant planning policy change, taking effect from May 29, which makes it easier to install air source heat pumps in England without the need for planning permission. To accelerate the transition and future proof homes across England and Wales, the Government offers a £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant to switch from a gas boiler to a heat pump. 

Sarah Stevens, Aira UK Academy Manager comments: "Building this training centre from the ground up over the past year has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. We’re not just running courses; we’re shaping the future of the heating industry. It’s incredibly fulfilling to help both apprentices and experienced heat engineers gain the qualifications they need for a high-skill, future-proof career, one that makes a real difference to people’s homes and to the planet.

An apprenticeship with Aira is a smart, debt-free route into the booming renewables sector. We want people who are hands-on, driven, and genuinely passionate about climate action and low-carbon innovation. This is more than just a job—it's a mission. And we’re proud to be leading that movement."

Toby Perkins MP (Chesterfield and Staveley), Chair of the Environment Audit Committee said: "Aira is making a major contribution to the Yorkshire region—not just through investment in its Skills Academy, but by creating high-quality jobs that are accelerating the rollout of low-carbon heat pumps and strengthening our national energy security. Having a facility like this in our community is a huge asset and it puts North Derbyshire and South Yorkshire at the forefront of the UK’s clean energy transition.

The recent funding boost for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, along with this month’s changes to permitted development rights, removing the need for planning permission to install heat pumps, show that the government is serious about backing this sector. It’s an exciting time for heat pump technology in the UK, and I look forward to seeing Aira continue to lead the way." 

– ENDS – 

About Aira

Aira is one of Europe’s leading direct-to-consumer clean energy-tech players. Aira accelerates the electrification of residential heating with intelligent clean energy-tech to help consumers reduce increasingly volatile energy bills and enable the net zero transition. With Aira, consumers across Europe have a go-to provider for complete home energy-saving solutions, with intelligent heat pumps at the heart. 

Aira’s vertically integrated model, combined with a consumer-centric monthly payment plan that requires no upfront cost, delivers best-in-class consumer economics — making clean energy not only more accessible, but more affordable. By significantly reducing household energy bills, Aira empowers people to take control of their energy use, save money, and contribute to a cleaner future. 

Aira’s mission is to empower people to join the clean energy revolution, one home at a time. Founded in Stockholm, Sweden, by Vargas Holding and backed by climate and innovation investors including Altor, the Burda family, Collaborative Fund, Creades, Kinnevik, Lingotto, Nesta Impact Investments, Statkraft Ventures, and Temasek. https://www.airahome.com/en-gb