The single biggest issue for householders and business owners alike - energy efficiency! Reducing emissions, effective cost savings and regulation compliance are key considerations for the installation and running of heating and lighting systems. Increasingly, the knowledge required to be learned when training to be a plumber is now focusing on also being responsible for energy assessment of an efficiently operating water system.At AbleSkills, there is unique opportunity for all plumbing students to undertake training in key green energy renewables, in a natural course progression, commencing at entry level on the City & Guilds 6129 Level 2 Certificate through to NVQ Level 3 and onto specialising in specific knowledge areas such as Unvented Hot Water Systems or Part P.Trainees, whether just starting their careers, or industry-experienced can learn the necessary practical skills and knowledge required for the safe and approved installation of latest green technology appliances, such as Solar PV or ground source heat pumps. AbleSkills have created purpose-built fully equipped plumbing workshops and classrooms for individual pupil training in specific green energy categories.Ground Source Heat Pumps, which takes heat from the ground and converts it into energy to heat buildings, are looking increasingly likely to become the householder's water heating system of choice in the UK.Ground source heat pump extracts radiation from the sun in the form of heat stored in the earth and pumps it into a building to provide hot water. For every unit of electricity used to power the heat pump system, approximately 3-4 units of heat are captured and distributed, and thus, 300-400% efficient in terms of its use of electricity and means less carbon dioxide emissions than for a gas boiler heating systemA Ground Source Heat Pump system (GSHP), invented more than 50 years ago and already familiar in the US and Europe, is about the same size as a large fridge and comprises three basic elements - a ground loop, the heat pump itself, and a heat distribution system. Some domestic systems are able to heat domestic hot water via a modern high efficiency indirect water cylinder, whilst reverse-cycle heat pumps can deliver both heating and cooling.Almost all new houses in the UK are designed to meet or exceed the 2006 Building Regulations for conserving fuel, reducing heat losses and ensuring greater energy efficiency. This means perfect compliancy for the installation of a ground source heat pump system, which is specifically designed to run on a standard UK single phase supply and is thus smaller, needing reduced ground loops and therefore less expensive.There are no hazardous gas emissions, flammable oil, LPG or gas pipes, flue or chimney and no unsightly fuel tanks. GSHP systems have absolutely no site emissions.A fully trained and qualified plumber who possess the correct and approved GSHP knowledge will be fully able to connect the heat pump unit to a current heating system.