skip to main content
  • *
  • *
Find Insight DIY on
* * *

UK DIY News

Low-Carbon Tech Brings New Opportunities In Green Jobs And Skills

USwitch - solar trades
  • Online searches for heat pump engineer roles have risen 29% in the last year, with thermal insulation engineers up 28%

  • Heat pump installations in UK homes have surged 145% since 2020, driving demand for specialist installers

  • Solar panel coverage has increased by 129% since 2021, creating more opportunities for renewable energy installers

  • Employer demand for green skills is strong, with over 4,300 job adverts calling for building performance expertise

  • HVAC technicians earn over £41,000 annually, while heat pump installers provide accessible entry routes into green roles

  • Uswitch encourages people to seize the increase in green skills by exploring what energy efficiency schemes they may qualify for.

According to new research from Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service, the UK’s shift to clean home energy is accelerating, and it’s opening the door to thousands of green job opportunities. Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) data shows a 145% rise in the proportion of homes listing a heat pump as their main heating source since 2020, alongside a 129% increase in homes with solar panels and a 36% rise in wind turbine installations.

This rapid uptake of low-carbon technologies is fuelling demand for skilled workers who can install, maintain and optimise these systems. From solar and heat pump engineers to retrofit assessors and building performance experts, the technologies appearing on EPCs today are directly linked to some of the fastest-growing careers in the UK’s green economy.

Job search data reflects this growing interest. Online searches for heat pump engineer roles have risen by 29% in the past year, with similar growth seen in thermal insulation engineer (+28%) and solar panel installer (+11%) searches. Strategic green roles are also on the rise: sustainability analyst searches are up 30%, and sustainability manager searches up 23%.

Table 1: Fastest growing green job searches

Job role

Monthly searches

Trending %

Sustainability analyst jobs

210

30%

Heat pump engineer jobs

260

29%

Thermal insulation engineer jobs

320

28%

Sustainability manager jobs

480

23%

Sustainability consultant jobs

590

19%

Ecologist jobs

1,900

14%

Wind turbine technician jobs

1,300

11%

Solar panel installer jobs

880

11%

Source: Uswitch.com

Employers are actively recruiting to meet this demand. More than 4,300 UK job adverts mention “building performance”, while “energy management” (2,430) and “clean technology” (2,427) appear in thousands more. Leadership and compliance skills are also in high demand, with over 1,000 listings each for terms like sustainable development (1,320), environmental compliance (1,197) and sustainable business (1,405).

Table 2: Most in-demand sustainability skills in UK job adverts

Skill mentioned

# Job adverts

Building Performance

4,329

Energy Management

2,430

Clean Technology

2,427

Sustainable Business

1,405

Sustainable Development

1,320

Environmental Compliance

1,197

Automation Systems

1,116

Environmental Technology

1,050

Source: Uswitch.com

Salaries for green roles are often competitive, reflecting the technical expertise required. HVAC technicians top the chart at £41,358, followed by thermal insulation engineers (£39,536) and solar and wind engineers (£39,447). Even newer roles like retrofit assessor (£38,216) and sustainability consultant (£36,789) offer attractive earning potential. Heat pump installer roles, a key entry route into the sector, average £24,300.

Table 3: Average salaries for green energy roles

Job title

Average salary

HVAC Technician

£41,358

Thermal Insulation Engineer

£39,536

Solar Engineer

£39,447

Wind Turbine Engineer

£39,447

Green Building Consultant

£38,880

Retrofit Assessor

£38,216

Heat Pump Engineer

£37,469

Sustainability Consultant

£36,789

Smart Meter Installer

£33,202

Retrofit Coordinator

£32,448

Solar Installer

£30,693

Heat Pump Installer

£24,300

Source: Uswitch.com

Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch.com comments:

“The way we heat and power our homes is evolving, bringing new opportunities in green jobs and skills.

“From heat pump engineers to sustainability analysts, there’s growing demand for people who can help make homes cleaner and more efficient. And with solar, wind and insulation tech becoming more mainstream, now’s the time to plug into a career that powers real change.

“It’s also important to remember that making green savings doesn’t always mean installing new technology, simple changes in how we use energy, or switching to greener tariffs, can make a real difference.”

Explore available grants to help fund energy-efficiency upgrades to your home

Source : Uswitch

Image : Via Uswitch

For all the very latest news and intelligence on the UK's largest home improvement and garden retailers, sign up for the Insight DIY weekly newsletter.   

23 July 2025

Related News

view more UK DIY News
*

Insight provides a host of information I need on many of our company’s largest customers. I use this information regularly with my team, both at a local level as well as with our other international operations. It’s extremely useful when sharing market intelligence information with our corporate office.

*
Paul Boyce - European CEO, QEP Ltd.
Newsletters

Don't miss out on all the latest, breaking news from the DIY industry