WINNER: The Alumet Group
The Alumet Group was established in 1992 as a window installation company and has grown year on year. It is now able to design, manufacture and install everything required for the façade of a modern building, including windows, doors, cladding, solar shading, solar panels and much more.
Low carbon business practices have been number one on Alumet’s agenda for the past two years. The company has heavily invested in its policies, procedures, facilities, staff and products to ensure minimal environmental damage and carbon emissions. The business achieved ISO 14001 in 2010 and plans to become the UK’s most sustainable façade specialist by 2014.
Alumet have achieved significant growth during 2010 and 2011 and demonstrate that a company with a strong corporate social responsibility ethos can also be one of the most efficient and profitable in the industry.
www.alumet.co.uk
www.eosenergy.co.uk
WINNER: Symphony Automation
Symphony automation is the leading installer and integrator of cutting edge technology’s which will allow the client to take control of their energy usage and carbon footprint by automating the lighting system which in the retail sector is one of the highest energy consumers.
Using Schneider Electric’s Clipsal products they have developed a cost effective lighting control system which can give daylight saving, control lighting as per working schedules, and reduce the burden of energy consumption in power failure scenarios. SA also provide metering and monitoring solutions to assist clients in creating energy efficient changes and policy’s within their company, identifying were energy wastage may be happening and how to rectify these.
Starting out in the smart home market SA enabled developers and home owners to control lighting, heating and media devices from one central point. They soon identified a niche market namely bringing control systems that are usually reserved for large scale projects including Wembley stadium to the commercial sector i.e. superstores, warehouses and office blocks. The main outcome is saving clients energy and therefore reducing their carbon footprint. After being awarded a major contract with one of the UK’s leading superstore retailers Symphony Automation has become a part of energy trials in conjunction with Imperial College London researching how far the systems they use can be modified to create the best solutions.
www.symphonyautomation.co.uk
Encraft
Encraft is a technology and engineering consultancy firm specialising in low carbon energy technologies.
Most of Encraft’s work is in delivering feasibility, design and project management services for renewable energy and low carbon construction projects. Since the company was established in 2003 it has been involved in many housing association low carbon projects, ranging from pilot retrofitting projects to help with MCS accreditation and feasibility studies for 1000s of homes. These projects have included all types of renewable technology from wind turbines to solar and bio-energy systems, heat pumps and hydropower.
www.encraft.co.uk
J.T.Hawkes
JT Hawkes (Electrical Contractors) Ltd is one of the UK's leading providers of electrical services to the residential, student accommodation and public and private sectors. Established in 1978, the Birmingham-based company relies on a highly skilled workforce and the latest technology to deliver environmental solutions of the highest quality for new-build and refurbishment projects.
It has provided energy efficient mains power distribution and lighting for many of Birmingham's most iconic buildings including the Mailbox Apartments, The Cube and the first phase of Aston University's new 'student village'. As a solar PV specialist, the company has also brought renewable energy to 1,500 homes in Oxfordshire by fitting out Britain's largest solar power plant near Swindon.
www.jth.co.uk
Nanopore
Nanopore Insulation was formed in 2006, to produce Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs) in the United Kingdom for the European market. Located in Shropshire, we are close to our major raw material suppliers and within easy reach of distribution networks. Nanopore’s key markets are Temperature Controlled Packaging, Construction and Refrigeration.
With a thermal conductance of 0.0036W/mK our Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs) are the best form of commercially available, high performance insulation on the market today. 25mm VIPs are equivalent to 165mm polyurethane.
VIPs can help meet current building insulation regulations and can be used in both new builds and also in refurbishments of existing buildings, where decrease in internal size has to be kept to a minimum.
The core material is a composition of silica and carbon, to produce a low-density, porous nano structure. These cores are encapsulated under vacuum in a multi-layer metallised film, thus offering a rigid flat insulating panel.
During 2011 Nanopore VIPs have gained significant exposure within the UK construction market due to their use within the governments ‘retrofit for the future’ programme. Our panels have been used as part of external wall insulation systems aswell as flooring insulation, in order to drastically improve the thermal performance of the UK’s social housing stock.
www.nanopore.eu
Wind and Sun
Wind & Sun have been at the forefront of the industry since 1984, installing the first UK domestic grid-connected PV system in 1994 and have pioneered many of the products and systems that are in widespread use today.
As main UK Distributors for SMA, BP Solar, REC, Morningstar, Outback and other leading manufacturers we supply goods, services, competitive pricing and unrivalled technical support to the UK installers and the industry as a whole.
Wind & Sun developed the Windy Boy inverter in conjunction with SMA for easy grid connection of wind turbines (2000).
Our experience means that we understand the needs of the installer and their customers so we select and supply only quality products from tried & tested manufacturers. This ensures we are able to provide best reliability, performance, long term value and the latest technology available in the marketplace.
One area of expertise we offer is that of remote power applications – notably island ‘mini-grid’ systems such as that developed for Eigg.
The company offices, showrooms and workshops have electrical requirements met by wind and photovoltaic solar systems which are also used for demonstration, training, product or system development, testing and evaluation.
www.windandsun.co.uk
