In the first of a new series of interviews with the winners of the Heating Installer Awards 2025, Installer speaks to Shaun Bone, the UK’s Most Sustainable Heating Installer and South East regional winner.
With more than two decades on the tools and a clear focus on doing things the right way, Shaun Bone of Blue Flame MK Ltd was named the UK’s Most Sustainable Heating Installer and South East regional winner at the Heating Installer Awards 2025. Shaun impressed judges with a meticulously designed low-temperature heating system for a rural Edwardian farmhouse, combining heat pumps, underfloor heating and a fabric-first approach. In this feature, Shaun explains why technical accuracy is critical to low-carbon performance, how the award has strengthened customer confidence, and why training and proper system design are key to the future of sustainable heating.
Q: What did winning the South East regional title and being named UK’s Best Sustainable Installer mean to you personally and professionally?
A: Winning best installer in the South East and being named the UK’s Best Sustainable Installer meant a huge amount to me, both personally and professionally.
On a personal level, it was a real moment of pride and shock at the same time. To be in the mix with some real industry heavyweights who I’ve followed for some time and then walking away with the accolades was incredible.
I’ve spent 23 years on the tools, constantly pushing myself to improve, and do things the right way. To now have that recognised by the industry means a lot.
Professionally, the awards have been incredibly important to business. They’ve reinforced our reputation for quality and given us real credibility. Being recognised for sustainability in particular reflects the direction we’re travelling in.
Q: Tell us about the project you entered. What made it a strong example of sustainability done properly?
A: The project was the complete refurbishment of an Edwardian farmhouse, where we were responsible for the full plumbing and heating installation. The existing system was an ageing oil-fired setup that was inefficient and no longer suited the property’s long-term future.
We installed underfloor heating throughout the property. The heat source was two 10 kW Grant Aerona heat pumps set up to a master and slave configuration.
From the initial survey to completion, this project is a strong example of sustainability done properly.
It was clear that we needed a fabric first approach from the offset to make the heat pump option viable.
We then focussed heavily on the heat loss calculations and design before any installation work began.
Then came the installation, commissioning and a detailed handover ensuring the homeowner understood how to operate the system efficiently.
The result was a future-proofed heating system that significantly reduced carbon emissions, improved comfort and reliable performance.
Q: In practice, what does a well-performing low-carbon heating system look like day to day?
A: A well-performing low-carbon heating system is one that requires non, or, minimal adjustment from the homeowner, so they barely even have to think about it.
Day to day, that means steady comfortable indoor temperatures rather than big peaks and drops, with the system running for longer periods at lower flow temperatures.
Properly set up weather compensation and balanced circuits all play a role in maintaining efficiency without sacrificing comfort.
Q: Why is technical accuracy so important when it comes to sustainable heating systems?
A: Technical accuracy is extremely important when it comes to sustainable heating systems as there’s not much room for error – they are far less forgiving than traditional high temperature systems. If the heat loss is wrong and the design is poor, then the impact on performance, efficiency and customer satisfaction is immediate, and the system won’t perform as intended.
The technology often gets the blame rather than the design or installation.
Q: Have you noticed a change in customer confidence or enquiries since winning the award?
A: I’ve definitely noticed a change in customer confidence, as mentioned previously, it has given our business extra credibility and boosted our reputation in the local area.
This is more noticeable with new customers, as some will mention they’ve seen us in the paper and on social media etc.
The feedback we get is that we take the time to explain the importance of heat loss calculations and proper system design, which a lot of installers never mention. This leads to better conversation with the customer which creates more trust.
Q: Tell us about the past six months – what’s changed for you since becoming a winner of the Heating Installer Awards?
A: The past six months have been extremely busy, but I would say the biggest change is that we’ve become more visible, which has naturally opened up new conversations and opportunities.
We’ve already got a number of projects lined up for 2026. One of them being the biggest project we’ve ever undertaken.
So, things are certainly moving in the right direction.
Q: What did you enjoy most about being part of the Heating Installer Awards?
A: Being a part of the Heating Installer awards has been brilliant! From meeting the administration team behind the awards, to all the other top-notch installers, to now being part of the community is amazing.
The team is truly passionate about celebrating good workmanship.
It’s also been great to connect with other installers who are pushing themselves in similar ways.
Q: What’s one thing installers can do now to improve the performance of low-carbon systems?
A: I think the single most important thing right now is training and a willingness for installers to better themselves. This should be training that covers heat loss calculations, emitter selection, pipe sizing, and so on, rather than relying on rules of thumb.
Also, I’d like to see the training that the colleges offer improved and updated, particularly with low-carbon technologies in mind.
Enter the Heating Installer Awards here: heatinginstallerawards.co.uk
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