Kensa Group, the leading ground source heat pump specialist, has appointed a dynamic new senior leadership team to help meet the UK’s target for 600,000 heat pump installations a year by 2028.
Ready to rise to the challenge, Dr Matthew Trewhella, former Managing Director of Kensa Contracting, has been newly appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Kensa Group, following the retirement of former CEO Simon Lomax.
Matthew said: “With scientists advising that CO2 emissions must peak by 2030 to stave off the worst impacts of global warming, the way we heat our homes has to change. Recent Government announcements demonstrate that the decarbonisation of heating is being taken ever more seriously. The whole heat pump supply chain – including Kensa – will have to expand dramatically in the next three years to the 2025 new build gas boiler ban, and beyond to meet the UK’s 2028 heat pump installation target, to help reduce emissions to net zero.”
He continues: “Kensa has been operating since 1999, but has grown considerably over the last few years. We have assembled an incredibly talented and committed team. We are ready, able and all hugely looking forward to the upcoming challenges and opportunities as the pace of decarbonisation quickens.”
Kensa’s senior team is further strengthed by James Standley, former Managing Director of Kensa Heat Pumps, being appointed as Chief Operating Officer (COO).
James said: “Deploying ground source heat pumps at scale is one of the very lowest cost ways to decarbonise our heating systems and each of the three operating companies in the group – Kensa Heat Pumps, Kensa Contracting and Kensa Utilities – will play a key part in demonstrating and delivering this solution as part of our pathway to net zero. I am delighted to be able to continue working with the excellent team at Kensa whose phenomenal depth and breadth of skills will be key in the exciting journey ahead.”
Every low carbon ground source heat pump installed is the equivalent of taking a combustion engine car off the road, yet their true benefits won’t make the impact needed unless they are introduced at scale. Rather than replacing gas boilers on a house-by-house basis, Kensa is urging stakeholders to focus efforts on street-by-street installations of networked heat pumps to propel a mass transition to the low carbon technology.
In order to drive forwards this vision, new recruit, Wouter Thijssen, previous Strategy Lead at National Grid, has joined as Managing Director of Kensa Utilities, a heat pump infrastructure asset company spear-heading the delivery of renewable heating upgrades across entire communities.
Wouter said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Kensa as Managing Director of Kensa Utilities. Kensa is a pioneer in the space and is perfectly positioned to help deliver the massive growth in heat pumps required to heat our homes. Kensa Utilities will fund, own and operate shared ground arrays, making it much cheaper and easier for millions of households in the UK to access the cleanest form of heating: ground-source heat pumps.”
Further internal promotions have been made to strengthen the leadership teams of the Group’s operating companies, Kensa Heat Pumps and Kensa Contracting to help the group scale up to meet market expectations.
Paul Eveleigh has been promoted from Operations Director to Managing Director (MD) of Kensa Heat Pumps, the UK’s leading ground source heat pump manufacturer. Kensa Heat Pumps recently broke production records by doubling its output in the past 18 months and is working towards a further twofold increase in capacity by 2023.
Paul said: “Kensa Heat Pumps has been a pioneer in the UK heat pump market for 20 years, and is perfectly placed to drive the next phase as heat pumps become mainstream in the UK, as we have demonstrated with our rapid growth. Heat pumps are the best technology to directly decrease actual energy consumption, both reducing carbon footprint and fuel poverty. It’s a very exciting time to be in the heat pump business!”
David Broom moves from Commercial Director to Managing Director (MD) of Kensa Contracting, the specialist large-scale heat pump installation business. To date over 1 million tonnes of carbon will be saved as a result of Kensa’s ground source heat pump installations across social housing, new build developments, private retrofit homes, and businesses.
David said: “Having worked for Kensa for over 13 years I’m immensely proud of what we have achieved so far, but the really exciting times lie ahead. Networked Heat Pumps are set to play an increasing role in the decarbonisation of heat in the UK, and I expect Kensa Contracting to continue to be at the forefront of this sector, helping developers, social housing providers and Local Authorities deliver on their carbon reduction ambitions.”
Over the next few years, the new Kensa leadership team, along with further investment into the group will underpin some major development initiatives to embed this vision at the forefront of the UK’s decarbonization strategy.
