National Energy Efficiency Awards 2024

Mark has been in the energy industry for over 30 years and more recently in the energy efficiency obligation area for over 10 years. He has extensive experience of working with stakeholders on the planning and implementation of numerous energy efficiency projects throughout the UK. In particular, Mark has worked closely with ECO installation partners and local authorities on ECO funded schemes to deliver energy efficiency measures to vulnerable customers in community based schemes nationally. Mark has always been a strong supporter of the Regional and National Energy Efficiency Awards, as this is the ideal high profile event to showcase and support the very best practices and projects that improves people’s lives within the energy efficiency industry.

Having spent 5 and half years with E.ON in a business development capacity, Andrew has been involved in some of the UK’s most exciting energy efficiency projects ranging from large scale external wall insulation and renewable energy efficiency programs to micro gas CHP district heating schemes. In his current position as National Sales Manager, he is responsible for E.ON UK’s ECO business development and sales function, this includes working with and providing ECO funding to Local Authorities/RSL’s and installers in support of large scale energy efficiency and fuel poverty programs. In addition to E.ON, he has also worked for EAGA PLC, Carillion PLC and also CertiNergy, a European Energy Efficiency company. A qualified domestic energy assessor with a degree in Environmental management, Andrew has extensive experience withing the energy efficiency sector, this includes significant involvement in previous CERT/CESP/ECO1 and 2 obligations from selling insulation material and tooling to installers to designing and funding multi £m energy efficiency schemes. Currently focused on the completion of ECO3 and the commencement of ECO4 scheme design and delivery (2022-2026), he is passionate about energy efficiency, reducing fuel poverty and helping LA’s and RSL’s achieve their NET ZERO ambitions. In his spare time he is a keen Aston Villa supporter, runner and enjoys spending time with his son Ben

Steve has worked within the Social Housing Construction Sector for over 24 years. He has a Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management background, then became Head Of Sustainability at EQUANS in 2010 to head up their low carbon retrofit strategy. Steve now leads on the delivery of zero carbon solutions for EQUANS and has a wealth of knowledge around low carbon retrofit solutions, helping EQUANS’ clients bring retrofit schemes to reality having delivered and managed over £250m of funding to clients over the years including CESP, ECO, FIT, RHI, GHG LAD, SHDF, and ERDF funded schemes.

Thirty Years Experience in Plumbing and Heating Industry Advocate of NetZero and the reduction of fuel poverty

Dr KT Tan is the Technical Director at Viridian Solar, a UK company based in Cambridge with their renowned innovative Clearline Fusion products. He has been devoting his professional life for over a decade to developing products and technologies for the renewable sector. He started to work with solar thermal well before the PV became a mainstream renewable solution. As a Chartered Engineer, he specialises in solar PV new technologies with a particular interest in roof-integrated systems, advanced cell technologies and innovative mounting solutions. He is a member of the Industrial Advisory Panel of the Centre for Doctoral Training in New and Sustainable PV, and a member of the GEL/82 Standards Policy and Strategy Committee for PV Systems. He is also the Chair of the MCS Solar PV Technical Working Group. He graduated with an Engineering PhD from University of Cambridge.

Gary Spiers career spans over 22 years, covering all aspects of management, auditing, and Installations measures within the industry.

Rachel Jones is the Chair of West Midlands Association of Local Energy Officers which is a not-for-profit organisation supporting local government officers and housing professionals with a remit for reducing all aspects of the UK’s domestic-sector carbon footprint and tackling energy poverty. Rachel is an experienced energy professional specialising in the delivery of energy efficiency measures across communities and working with UK home energy policy to achieve this. Rachel has worked with numerous local authorities and other organisations to develop and embed energy and energy efficiency into their strategic plans with a focus on home energy. Rachel has been working in the energy sector for over 15 years and is CEO of Act on Energy.

Dani Putney has over 14 years’ experience in the Building Engineering Services Sector, working within a leading Certification Body providing UKAS accredited certification services. She has held several positions within Certsure (NICEIC and ELECSA) and is currently responsible for ensuring that accreditation is maintained for the Group’s activities. She represents Certsure (NICEIC and ELECSA) at various industry committees including Chair of the MCS Competency Working Group, member of PAS2030 Steering Committee and participating in the Each Home Counts Work streams

Steve Gapik with over 10 years’ experience in leadership positions in energy efficiency and managing obligations in British Gas, I want build on that experience in energy efficiency industry outside of utilities. I’m delighted to be able to undertake a new role as Managing Director of Soltherm and follow my passion in tackling fuel poverty, and continue the critical role improving life, health and the community outcomes and reducing carborn emissions.

Alan leads on the delivery of innovate IES climate technology including Digital Twins to help companies decarbonise and make their buildings, campuses and cities more energy efficient. AIan is also responsible for the generation and commercialisation of new products for IES targeted at the engineering, renewables and sustainability market.

Ian has 19 years industry experience bringing a wealth of sector knowledge, Starting his career in the industry at British gas where he held several roles in both the consumer and public sector teams, latterly leading on business readiness and business development for their social housing business supporting both the PH Jones team and their clients in the transition to net zero. Ian Joined the Robert heath team in February 2024 as part of them joining Daikin, where his role is to support the business and their clients in the transition to net zero. He is a qualified retrofit assessor and coordinator with a passion for the natural environment and the net zero transition.

Neil has been in the Construction, Training and Education sector for over 40 years and has built a reputation of setting and maintaining high standards. As the founder of OSCAR-onsite he continues to work with Certification Bodies, Awarding Bodies and National Occupational Standards in developing formal NVQ Qualifications further raising standards, this ensures that installers achieve the recognition for their skills and produce high quality installations. Cavity Wall Extraction has been of particular interest as this is key along with property condition to ensure that the insulation performs to its optimum. Now working as an independent consultant and a Lecturer in Further Education providing expert advice on all matters of training and development within Energy Efficiency Measures and the wider Construction methodologies. Neil has been in the Construction, Training and Education sector for over 40 years and has built a reputation of setting and maintaining high standards. As the founder of OSCAR-onsite he continues to work with Certification Bodies, Awarding Bodies and National Occupational Standards in developing formal NVQ Qualifications further raising standards, this ensures that installers achieve the recognition for their skills and produce high quality installations. Cavity Wall Extraction has been of particular interest as this is key along with property condition to ensure that the insulation performs to its optimum. Now working as an independent consultant and a Lecturer in Further Education providing expert advice on all matters of training and development within Energy Efficiency Measures and the wider Construction methodologies.

Elinor was employed by City Energy after completing a Master's degree in Business Economics with Finance. Elinor has been with the company as it first started utilising the Green Deal Finance Company and accessing ECO Funding. As Compliance Manager, Elinor ensures that City Energy adheres to the changing rules and regulations. She has recently become a Director for City Energy

As Co-Founder and partner of Ecuity, James leads on Ecuity's Insight and Strategy service which helps the organisations we work with understand and manage risk and opportunity within the energy policy environment.

A strategic thinker, James encourages business leaders to consider political issues from a commercial angle, assists in the determination of objectives and delivery of cut-through communications. An experienced campaigner James also works hands-on with clients and the Ecuity consulting team to develop persuasive narratives supported by technical and economic analysis. James's clients include market leaders across the renewable, heating and energy efficiency sectors. James has previously worked as a Parliamentary specialist for the UK's water industry regulator Ofwat. He holds a First Class Honours in Politics from Liverpool University and in 2012 graduated from the Global Energy MBA programme at Warwick Business School, the world's first energy industry focused MBA.

Karl Drage has overseen the installation of over 1000 ground source heat pumps, ranging from small installations to some of the largest installations in Europe. This includes a number of multi-megawatt schemes, the largest of which is a 5.4MW Hospital scheme, one of the largest renewable heat systems in Europe. He has delivered funded solutions for blue chip clients under an ESCO arrangement over a 25 year term, installed sustainable district heating systems for local authority social housing clients and constructed multivalent systems for some of the highest profile building and infrastructure developments in London and with a number of leading University clients. His Maintenance and Service business continues to work with - and remote energy monitor - installations over the life of their buildings. He established a team in the US that has gone on to complete some of the leading Sustainable Energy systems in North America and developed a business in Spain in partnership with a leading Utility Company and National Contractors.

Karl is a member of the Council of the Ground Source Heat Pump Association and previously spent four years as its inaugural Chair Person, establishing the association and influencing the early formation of the industry. Karl has been involved in the development of the MCS standard for Heat Pumps, and continues to work to develop both the market and the professional standards of the industry.

After working for 14 years at Glasgow City Council as an inspector of privately let properties in multiple occupation, I decided to make use of this experience and expertise in property and energy assessment. I became a fully qualified domestic and commercial energy assessor and set up the Ian Naismith Energy Assessor business in April 2009. Also in 2009, I became a distributor for the Utility Warehouse Discount Club, a logical extension to my main business. Local Surveyors Direct The Institute of Domestic Energy Assessors (IDEA) A member of BNI Glasgow Alba Chapter A member of Synergy Business Services Club And when I get some time off, I’m a member of Strathaven Golf Club And of course, I’m a member of 4Networking in Glasgow.

Carl Harvey works as an independent retrofit coordinator at My Home Survey Ltd, a business that Carl established in 2006 and now delivers a full suite of retrofit coordination services including Pulse air permeability testing, and as the senior retrofit coordinator at Osmosis ACD Ltd overseeing the PAS 2035 process within the business and promoting best practice in the industry.

Gregory Elliott is Property Services Director for Vibrant Energy Matters, the largest EPC supplier in the UK carrying out over 160K instructions per year. He hass been involved in the EPC industry from conception, with over 10 years in the property sector and overseen many changes. The most exciting has being within the energy sector, having worked with Birmingham Council with the first go early EPC scheme in 2007 to one of the first Green Deal Advise Reports. Experience gained from working with most of the Big Six energy companies on several ECO projects has given him both insight and an understanding on the opportunity that ECO and the Green Deal brings to the industry.

With many years in the Energy Efficiency industry Clint has Delivered industry leading Financial Protection, and currently leads a whole house retrofitting installer organisation. He has a wide and diverse range of experience including business development, system development, operations management, sales and marketing. Clint is ideally placed within this industry to consider a holistic view and step back to understand the smartest way to position a business to succeed in this often-turbulent industry.

A qualified Civil and Mechanical Engineer, Frank founded HD Services in 1984. A member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and a fellow of the Geological Survey he has twice been chairman of the Well Drilling Association (WDA).
H.D. Services Ltd are an award-winning, family run company operating throughout the Southeast of England. Involved in the renewables industry since 2009, H.D. Services Ltd are one of only a handful of companies installing Open-Loop heating options for the domestic market and are specialists in their field. Recently recognised for their Pioneering work utilising groundwater as a heat source for the domestic market, Frank and his team focus on encouraging those in suitable areas to use the water in the ground under their properties sustainably, providing them with additional options such as potable supplies and grey water uses.

Peter Sumby has worked at NEA, the national fuel poverty charity, since 1996 and has been Director of Operations since 2006. Peter is a member of NEA's senior management team and is responsible for the delivery of NEA's practical work programmes. These seek to demonstrate innovative ways of bringing affordable warmth to low income and vulnerable households and are delivered in partnership with local authorities, housing associations, the health sector, the community sector, energy company partners and others. Peter leads a team of with expertise in delivering energy advice, tackling fuel debt and delivering income maximisation services. Peter’s role involves developing strategic partnerships to enable the delivery of NEA’s programmes and to manage relationships with those national and local agencies with whom NEA needs to engage in order to deliver projects that tackle fuel poverty. Peter's role is also to ensure that lessons learned from project delivery are incorporated into NEA's policy development process in order to inform NEA's advisory role to government, local government and the wider energy sector.

We are still confirming our panel of 33 judges