Solar roofing NVQ makes sun shine on builder

Ploughcroft Building Services, a Brighouse-based company with a turnover of 2m, has an ambitious target of increasing that figure fivefold within two years.

Chris Hopkins, the managing director, said they expect to achieve such a challenging target because they have developed the NVQ in solar roofing, while the introduction by the Government of feed-in tariffs, which pay ordinary energy users for the renewable electricity they generate, could provide a major boost to the market.

Ploughcroft was set up in 1997 by Mr Hopkins and his father, Bill, as a traditional domestic building and roofing business. When the older man retired six years ago, his son bought him out and opened an eco-roof centre in Brighouse, where schools, colleges and environmentalists could see demonstrations of solar panels.

Mr Hopkins said his father, a traditional builder, was sceptical about the plan to provide training but his retirement presented an opportunity to do something new. Now the firm's NVQ is used in 11 construction colleges in the UK and has been accredited by City & Guilds, the awarding body.

"I am a roofer through and through. If you can develop the skills that other people need, they remember you as the one that innovated.

"Ploughcroft will expand because we will develop the training. The challenge is to educate home-owners about the difference it makes."

Under the feed-in tariff, which came in on April 1 and is known as clean energy cashback, the owners of properties can receive up to 1,000 a year for small-scale, environmentally-friendly power generation.

If they understand the technology and can successfully harness their power, then the return on the investment could be as much as 10 per cent, said Mr Hopkins – far greater than the low rates of interest on offer from high street banks.

He has shown his technology in the region's schools and also took it to Great Yorkshire Show earlier this month.

Generating green power domestically has soared up the political agenda since David Cameron, then leader of the Opposition, had a wind turbine installed on the roof of his London home.

The cultural shift which began under Labour has continued since the coalition Government was formed and Mr Hopkins said this had been reflected in their sales.

"Solar panel sales and installations have literally been going through the roof over the past couple of months. Since the previous Government announced that it would give cash back to homeowners, businesses and community buildings that generate their own electricity, we have had a major surge in inquiries."

Ploughcroft has grown its number of staff to 25 on the back of such changes, including adding a technical director, a head of microgeneration certification and a head of marketing, and Mr Hopkins said they hope to take on another 10 people over the next six months.

About 90 per cent of its business is in Yorkshire but its clients have included nPower, heating, air conditioning and solar firm Vaillant, and Plumb Center.

SEAT ON SKILLS BOARD IN THE OFFFING

Ploughcroft believes it is the only solar roofing contractor with an NVQ solar roof training centre and a construction skills certification scheme.

Chris Hopkins, managing director, said: "It's important we continue to share our knowledge with the rest of the solar industry, so that as the low carbon building sector grows, consumers have confidence that they will be given a top notch service and the best product for their needs."

This work has led to Mr Hopkins being shortlisted to sit as an SME representative on the soon-to-be established Leeds City Region Employment and Skills Board and he hopes to have a final answer by the end of August.