Midlands Enterprise Awards 2021

25 | Midlands Enterprise Awards 2021 The general growth in awareness of climate change and sustainability means that the energy efficiency industry as a whole is undergoing a period of unprecedented change. We speak to energy pioneer and business owner, James Kirkwood, about how his services can not only help lower your bills but also help enable the change that is so badly needed. kW Energy Consultants provides expert energy efficiency compliance and consultancy services nationwide to any industry, any sector, any size, and anywhere, to help them achieve compliance, save energy, reduce carbon emissions and protect the planet. “We’re passionate about our services,” explains James Kirkwood, the company’s owner. “Every individual, every property, every organisation has a duty of care to reduce its impact upon the environment. We are the last generation that can stop devastating climate change and we want to play our part in that.” As a one-man-band, James is incredibly proud of the services his business provides and this passion is what he also seeks in when taking on sub-contractors to ensure their service is up to the mark. “With every client we work with it is not enough to provide the bare minimum, for example, to produce a certificate with a building rating on and walking away; we work hard with that client to go the next step, to improve that rating, to achieve something that might not be thought possible or would not be doable if the bare minimum approach was followed.” It is this core value and dedication to commitment that sets kW Energy aside from others and differentiates it in what is a very competitive industry. “The energy industry is definitely a ‘boom’ industry to be involved in, which in a way is a worrying sign as it shows how much needs to be done to solve the climate crisis,” James elaborates. “However, at the same time it is wonderful to be involved in such a large and growing movement.” The UK was the first country to introduce a climate change law to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 with subsequent amendments setting milestone in the 2030s to ensure this is achieved. With this as a basis, along with a heightened awareness amongst the public of climate change, its dangers, its impacts and most importantly, what everyone can do to help prevent or mitigate it, James has seen a natural take up of building energy efficiency improvements and generally improvement in people’s behavioural habits to help save energy. Now, technology and regulations in the UK are developing swiftly, making building energy compliance a more powerful and useful product for organisations, and the options to improve energy efficiency are ever-evolving and becoming more affordable. “Having a reliable energy consultant who can cover all this and more is a key advantage to any business in the quest to significantly reduce its energy bills and improve wellbeing of staff and productivity in general, as well as doing their bit to help the planet.” The firm was recently awarded the title of Green Business of the Year 2021 in the SME News Midlands Enterprise Awards, and James hopes that this will boost everyone’s awareness of the need for change. “The pandemic seems to have opened everybody’s eyes and climate change is regularly towards the top if not the top of bill for business priorities, political campaigns and the news. “As regulations continue to change, kW Energy Consultants will be there to offer advanced services to all sectors and industries to ensure they are energy efficient, compliant and on their way to achieving net zero carbon emissions.” Contact: James Kirkwood Company: kW Energy Consultants Web Address: www.kwenergyconsultants.com Jul21062 Green Business of the Year 2021