Which Specialists Do You Need When Modernizing a Heating System? A List of Qualifications You Must Not Overlook

Below is a list of the people you need, along with exactly what to require from them.

Energy auditor—start with them

An energy auditor assesses the current condition of the building and identifies which works actually make sense. They survey the building—walls, windows, roof and existing heat source—and then calculate the demand for useful, final and primary energy. On this basis, they prepare several modernization options with estimated savings and payback periods.

There is no grant without an audit. Since March 2025, this has been an absolute requirement under the Czyste Powietrze program—failure to provide an audit means the application will be rejected, even if the equipment has already been purchased.

The profession of energy auditor is not separately regulated by statute in Poland. An authorized auditor is considered to be a person who meets the requirements for preparing energy performance certificates: they hold at least an engineering degree in construction, energy engineering or environmental engineering and have passed a state examination, or they hold construction licenses in the relevant specialty. Membership in an auditors’ association does not replace these qualifications.

Heating-system designer

A heating-system designer is always needed when modernization significantly changes the heating system—its heat source, pipeline routing, flue-gas discharge method or hydraulic parameters. They prepare the technical design of the central-heating and domestic-hot-water systems, recalculate the output, select equipment and update the EP indicator in the building’s energy performance certificate.

Lack of up-to-date design documentation may result in refusal to approve the building—as confirmed by the Building Research Institute as recently as September 2025. Approval of amended documentation by the authorities takes an average of 2–4 weeks.

The designer must hold construction licenses in the installation specialty covering heating, ventilation, gas, water-supply and sewage networks, installations and equipment. These licenses are granted by the Polish Chamber of Civil Engineers (PIIB) after a qualification examination. There are two variants:

• Unlimited—requires second-cycle studies in fields such as environmental engineering, energy engineering or gas engineering, plus documented professional experience.

• Limited scope—also available to technicians who meet the practice requirements.

Heating-system installer—SEP G2 qualifications

A heating-system installer physically performs work on heating equipment: replacing boilers, installing pipelines, fittings, radiators and heat substations. To perform this work legally, they need a G2 qualification certificate—confirmation of qualifications in Group 2, covering equipment that generates, stores, processes, transmits and consumes heat.

Energy qualifications G2 are issued by qualification committees established at scientific and technical associations such as SEP or SIMP. There are two types:

• Category E (operation)—authorizes operation, maintenance, repairs, installation and inspection-and-measurement work.

• Category D (supervision)—authorizes supervision of the work of people holding Category E.

The requirements for obtaining the certificate are adulthood and relevant vocational education—a vocational diploma or certificate—or an employer’s certificate confirming service and experience. The certificate is valid for 5 years and must be renewed.

Exception: heating systems with an installed capacity of up to 50 kW do not require confirmation of qualifications. When replacing a small boiler in a detached house, this threshold is often met—it is worth checking before hiring a company.

Heat-pump installer—UDT certificate

A heat-pump installer is a specialist who designs, installs and services heating systems based on heat pumps. To perform this work legally, they need a renewable-energy-source installer certificate in the heat-pump specialty, issued by the Office of Technical Inspection (UDT).

This certificate is particularly important in practice: it is a condition for participation in grant programs, including Czyste Powietrze, and is required by investors in projects financed with public funds.

To obtain a UDT certificate, a candidate must meet one of the following prerequisites:

• a document confirming qualifications related to installing sanitary, energy or heating equipment,

• documented three years of professional experience installing or modernizing such systems,

• completion of at least two semesters of postgraduate study in renewable energy,

• a certificate confirming completion of training with a renewable-energy-system manufacturer covering theory and practice.

The candidate then completes basic training with a UDT-accredited organizer and passes an examination before a UDT committee. The examination costs approximately PLN 1,000—exactly 20% of the average salary—and issuing the certificate costs approximately PLN 358. The certificate is valid for 5 years. Renewal requires completion of refresher training and documentation of at least five completed installations.

People with a diploma as a technician of renewable-energy equipment and systems or a higher-education degree in a related field may obtain the certificate without an examination, provided no more than five years have passed since the diploma was issued.

Electrician—two separate qualification systems

An electrician is needed to connect new heating equipment to the electrical system—primarily heat pumps, electric boilers and control automation. Depending on the type of work, a different document is required.

For operation work—operating, maintaining and installing electrical equipment—SEP G1 qualifications are sufficient, in Category E or D, issued by SEP qualification committees. They are valid for 5 years.

Designing an electrical installation or serving as a works manager or supervising inspector, however, requires electrical construction licenses, granted by PIIB. Unlimited licenses require second-cycle studies in electrical engineering or power engineering and 1–1.5 years of construction experience. Limited scope is available to electrical and power-engineering technicians who meet the practice requirements.

Investor’s supervision inspector

The investor’s supervision inspector represents the investor at the construction site and is responsible for ensuring that the work complies with the design, regulations and building permit. They check the quality of completed works and participate in technical tests of installations and equipment acceptance procedures. For smaller modernizations, appointing one depends on the investor’s decision; for large, complex installations, it may be required by regulations.

A sanitary-installation supervision inspector must hold unlimited sanitary installation construction licenses, granted by PIIB. In practice, this role is most often performed by engineers with many years of construction experience who previously worked as installation works managers.

Summary of required qualifications