Pictured: Intelligent Energy Solutions sales and
installation teams outside their new HQ on Hamilton Industrial
Estate, Leicester
Intelligent Energy Solutions Ltd (IES), a fledgling business
founded by a young engineer, has made a confident leap of faith by
relocating to a larger office space and showroom on Hamilton
Industrial Estate in Leicester.
IES, which was recently awarded the title of Energy Management
Installer of the Year at the national Renewables Roadshow, is the
brainchild of Peter Searancke, who having graduated from Nottingham
University with an honours degree in engineering and coming from a
construction background, identified a gap in the market for a
renewable energy company that offered a comprehensive consultancy
and installation service centered on bespoke solutions for
domestic, commercial and public sector applications.
Unlike other specialist providers, IES focuses on the full range
of renewable energy solutions including solar photovoltaic panels,
solar thermal collectors, air and ground source heat pumps and
rainwater harvesting systems. By not confining itself to one
system, IES has positioned itself as a consultancy, offering
bespoke solutions to clients' requirements as opposed to a generic,
'one size fits all' approach. This, combined with the technical
expertise and passion of its in-house design and installation
teams, has been the pinnacle of the business' success in its first
three and half years of trading.
"From the very beginning I wanted IES to be different, and with
renewable energy being a fairly new concept for consumers, I saw
our role as advisory and educational, we are not sales people, we
are technical engineers installing systems and providing solutions
to help homes run more efficiently and economically, that is the
ethos of the business," explains Peter, "And because we have a
technical background our range of products is extensive, innovative
and reliable."
By combating the 'fit and forget' culture that epitomises so
many of its competitors, IES rapidly developed a loyal client base
from both domestic and commercial sectors, resulting in the need
for additional staff and office space. Since inception, the
business has grown from one employee to 16, including four
apprentices, and one depot in Loughborough to a new head office in
Hamilton and two offices in Gloucestershire and Leeds.
Looking ahead, the next phase in the business development plan
is to expand geographically, incorporating a franchise scheme and
thereby providing other likeminded individuals with the opportunity
of starting their own business secure in the knowledge that they
will have expert back-up.
"To date, we have helped over 300 families towards a greener,
more cost effective future. Looking globally, we must address how
people heat their homes, because gas and oil is not a long term
solution, that's why informed, technical advice is important,
especially with all the incentives the government and the
Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) are considering,"
Peter said. "I am sure this is one of the reasons our business is
growing, we're not just a sales company, we want long term
relationships with our customers that will help us continue to
bring the renewable energy sector from the margins to the
mainstream." He concluded.