Energy Punk: A Different Approach to Heat Pump Training | Ian Edgeworth

Energy Punk: A Different Approach to Heat Pump Training | Ian Edgeworth

In this episode of Energy Unwrapped, I’m joined by Ian Edgeworth, heating engineer, trainer, author and co-founder of Energy Punk, a new training platform designed to help heating engineers develop their knowledge and understanding of how heating systems work.

Ian has spent decades in the heating industry, starting out as an apprentice before moving into training and education. Along the way, he’s developed a strong interest in how people learn and why traditional classroom training doesn’t always deliver the results we’d hope for.

And that’s really what this conversation is about.

We discuss Ian’s journey from plumbing and heating into education, the problems with some traditional training courses and why simply reading through PowerPoint slides isn’t necessarily the best way to teach experienced engineers.

We also talk about his own heat pump installation, including an experiment to see how well a heat pump would perform on an existing heating system without making major changes.

But the main focus is Energy Punk.

Ian and his wife Carolyn have created a different approach to training, combining videos, written material, simulations, practical examples, games and assessments. The idea is to give engineers different ways to learn, at their own pace, rather than expecting everyone to absorb the same information in the same way.

I was fortunate enough to try the first module before recording the podcast, so we also discuss my experience of the course and what makes the delivery different.

It’s a conversation about heating engineering, education and why understanding the fundamentals matters, whether you’re working with gas boilers or heat pumps.

What we cover in this episode

• Ian’s unexpected journey into plumbing and heating
• Moving from heating engineering into training and education
• Why some traditional classroom courses fail to engage engineers
• The difference between passing an assessment and understanding a subject
• Why trainers need to understand how people learn
• Ian’s experience of writing heating engineering books
• Testing a heat pump on an existing radiator system
• Why low-temperature heating matters for gas boilers as well as heat pumps
• The story behind the Energy Punk name
• Why Ian and Carolyn created Energy Punk
• The importance of starting with energy, power and heat loss
• The Thermal Foundations training modules
• Using videos, simulations, games and interactive assessments
• Why training should work for engineers with different experience levels
• Learning at your own pace rather than taking several days away from work
• Feedback from the first Energy Punk testers
• How Energy Punk could support apprenticeships and college training

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Full Transcript

Below is the full transcript for this episode, lightly edited for readability.

Meet Ian Edgeworth: An Unexpected Start in Heating

Ian explains how he originally planned to study graphic design at Glasgow School of Art, before a chance conversation between his mother and a local plumbing and heating contractor sent him in a completely different direction.

What started as an apprenticeship became a long career in heating engineering, technical management, training and education.

We discuss how that background eventually led him to develop his own approach to teaching engineers.

From Heating Engineer to Trainer

Ian shares the story of how he moved into education, including the difficulties of getting his first training role without already holding an assessor qualification.

A chance conversation at a training centre led to a job opportunity and, eventually, to meeting Carolyn, who would become his wife and co-founder of Energy Punk.

He also remembers how intimidating it was to stand in front of a classroom of experienced engineers for the first time.

What’s Wrong With Traditional Heating Training?

We discuss the limitations of training courses built around PowerPoint presentations, manuals and multiple-choice assessments.

Ian remembers sitting through courses where trainers simply read technical standards aloud, and later finding himself delivering similar sessions.

He explains why he started looking for more engaging ways to teach and why good training should do more than prepare someone to pass an exam.

Why the Trainer Matters

Not every training course is the same, and Ian is careful to acknowledge that some providers deliver excellent education.

But he believes trainers need more support, particularly when it comes to teaching methods rather than simply knowing the technical subject.

We discuss the difference between an experienced engineer and an effective teacher, and why the way information is presented can make such a difference.

Learning From Real Heating Systems

Ian’s experience as a working heating engineer plays a large part in how he approaches education.

We discuss the importance of connecting technical theory to situations engineers encounter on actual installations.

Rather than learning calculations in isolation, the aim is to understand what those calculations mean for heating system design, performance and running costs.

Ian’s Own Heat Pump Experiment

Ian explains how he experimented with reducing the flow temperature of his existing gas boiler before moving to a heat pump.

He then installed a heat pump onto his existing heating system to test whether the radiators and pipework really needed the major changes often assumed necessary.

He reports achieving an annual efficiency above 350%, despite retaining much of the original system.

It’s a useful discussion about testing assumptions and understanding how heating systems perform in practice.

Why Low-Temperature Heating Isn’t Just About Heat Pumps

We discuss how reducing heating system temperatures can benefit conventional boilers as well as heat pumps.

Ian explains why the fundamentals of heat transfer, radiator output and system design apply regardless of the heat source.

It’s one of the reasons Energy Punk begins with heating principles rather than concentrating exclusively on a particular technology.

Introducing Energy Punk

Ian explains why he and Carolyn decided to create their own training platform.

They wanted to move away from a fixed classroom approach and give engineers more opportunities to develop their understanding over time.

Energy Punk begins with heating engineering, but the longer-term ambition is to cover other areas of energy and building services.

Where Did the Name Energy Punk Come From?

The name came from a conversation between Ian and Carolyn while driving.

The punk element reflects their desire to challenge established approaches to training and do something different.

Ian also reveals that PUNK stands for Powerful Understanding of New Knowledge.

It’s a name intended to reflect both the attitude behind the project and its educational purpose.

Thermal Foundations: Starting With the Basics

The first stage of Energy Punk is called Thermal Foundations.

Rather than immediately jumping into heat pump components or installation procedures, the course starts with the principles of energy, power, heat loss and heat transfer.

We discuss why these subjects matter and how even experienced engineers can benefit from revisiting the fundamentals.

The aim is to build understanding progressively before moving into more demanding material.

Different People Learn in Different Ways

One of the central ideas behind Energy Punk is that people don’t all absorb information in the same way.

Ian explains how the modules combine videos, written explanations, animations, simulators, self-assessments and game-based learning.

The idea is to give engineers several ways to understand a subject rather than relying on a single presentation style.

Having tried the first module myself, I share what I thought of the different teaching methods.

Why One Classroom Can’t Suit Every Engineer

Ian describes the challenge of teaching a class containing engineers with very different levels of experience.

One person might have spent ten years installing heat pumps, while another may have been sent on the course without any previous heat pump knowledge.

It’s difficult to pitch the same training session at the right level for both.

We discuss how online learning could help engineers arrive at practical training sessions with a more consistent understanding of the basics.

Training Shouldn’t Just Be About Shorter Courses

Ian explains that his interest in online learning wasn’t about reducing a four-day course to two days.

His aim was to use the available classroom time more effectively.

If engineers could learn some of the theory beforehand, there would be more time for practical work, questions and developing skills when they attended in person.

It’s an important distinction between making training shorter and making training better.

Games, Simulators and Interactive Assessments

We discuss some of the more unusual elements of Energy Punk, including interactive simulations and assessments built around games.

Ian describes how one module uses a platform-game-style assessment rather than relying entirely on conventional multiple-choice questions.

It’s an example of how the course uses different teaching methods to help learners apply what they’ve studied.

Testing Energy Punk With the Founding Punks

Before wider release, Ian invited a group of around 20 engineers, educators and industry specialists to test the course.

The group, known as the Founding Punks, was asked to provide feedback on both the technical content and the learning experience.

Ian explains why he wanted people to challenge the material and how that feedback is already being used to make changes.

How Long Does Energy Punk Take?

Ian explains the planned structure of the heating programme.

The course is designed around four stages, each containing 12 modules, with approximately two hours of guided learning per module.

That gives a planned total of around 96 hours, although the actual time will depend on the individual.

We discuss the benefits of being able to study during evenings and weekends rather than taking several consecutive days away from paid work.

Could Energy Punk Help Apprentices?

Ian is also interested in how Energy Punk might support apprenticeships and college education.

We discuss conversations with lecturers and training organisations about using the material alongside existing qualifications.

The aim isn’t to replace practical training or college courses, but to provide another way for apprentices and experienced engineers to develop their understanding.

What’s Next for Energy Punk?

We finish by looking at the longer-term plans for Energy Punk and how the training could develop.

Ian wants to build a learning platform that engineers can return to throughout their careers, rather than treating education as something that finishes when a qualification is awarded.

It’s an interesting approach to a problem that affects the whole heating industry: how do we help people genuinely understand the systems they’re working on?

Related Reading and Resources

Energy Punk

Find out more about Ian and Carolyn’s training platform, including the Thermal Foundations course and future learning modules.

Visit Energy Punk

New Perspective Learning Solutions

More information about Ian’s wider training and education work.

Visit New Perspective Learning Solutions

About the Energy Unwrapped Podcast

Energy Unwrapped is my podcast about renewables, home electrification and how energy technology works in the real world. You can browse all episodes, platform links and future updates on the main Energy Unwrapped Podcast page.

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