Catherine supports BWCE to develop it’s outreach to new organisations and audiences in order to build awareness of our work, support our marketing campaigns, build collaboration and increase community investment.

She has a background in marketing, community engagement and business development specialising in engineering and the construction sector, has a keen interest in retrofit and the built environment and is a regional leader for a marketing community.

Lyle is working as a Home Energy Advisor as part of the Home Energy Service.

Lyle began his career as an Energy Assessor 2 years ago with previous experience in the fire safety sector, and has worked with architectural firms and building contractors across the South West to improve the energy efficiency of new homes of every shape and size. He is an experienced SAP assessor, Heat Geek certified assessor, Level 3 Award in Energy Efficiency for Older and Traditional Buildings.

In his spare time Lyle is an avid rock climber and admirer of wildlife, who is equally passionate about all kinds of music and art.

Mike is one of our Retrofit Associates in the BWCE Home Energy team, who will be helping deliver the new Home Energy service by providing homeowners with expert impartial advice on the most appropriate retrofit measures for their home.

Mike has been undertaking energy assessments for 17 years since setting up his own business. Whilst Part L Building Regulations is a speciality, retrofitting existing buildings is of special interest too. Over the years he has assessed all types of buildings ranging from Park Homes to Nuclear Power station sites, Listed buildings to Goldsmith Prize winning architecture. He is a qualified Retrofit Co-ordinator both to PAS 2035 requirements and also AECB Carbon Lite Retrofit, however, his focus is on the assessment of buildings – their condition, energy status, and a focus on what can be achieved to make them a better, more comfortable home.

Eve is a Renewable Energy Project Developer with BWCE and an Associate with the zero carbon consultancy, Empowered. During her BSc Geography degree at university, she developed a love for geology, vegetation and sustainability, leading to her these roles where she develops community rooftop solar projects and advocates for onshore wind energy. Lastly, Eve has experience in project management and working in cross-cultural teams.

Rowena is a Retrofit Associate surveyor in the BWCE Home Energy team, who will be helping to deliver the new Home Energy service by providing homeowners with expert and impartial advice on the most appropriate retrofit measures for their home.

Rowena has been in the sustainable building industry for 3 years and is passionate about low carbon building and energy efficiency, with experience of retrofit, thermal image surveying and heritage craft. She is a qualified Retrofit Coordinator and a Futureproof approved builder. Rowena has also been involved with environmental organising and energy efficiency workshops in partnership with Transition Bath. Community empowerment, accessibility and trust in retrofit are important to her.

Alex is one of our Retrofit Associates in the BWCE Home Energy team, who will be helping to deliver the new Home Energy service by providing homeowners with expert and impartial advice on the most appropriate retrofit measures for their home.

Alex is an experienced architect who has lived and worked in Bath for nearly 30 years. After running a successful local practice he retrained, first as a Passivhaus Designer, then as a Level 5 PAS 2035 Retrofit Coordinator. Wanting to make a more positive impact, he now undertakes energy efficiency and retrofit advice for domestic and commercial clients in his new practice. His past project experience includes work for public and private sector clients covering education, offices, rail, healthcare, industrial, retail and residential. He has worked on Listed Buildings and is an RIBA Conservation Registrant, plus an RIBA Client Adviser.

Nick manages BWCE’s community outreach and engagement work. He has over 30 years’ experience of managing community projects and events, promoting community engagement and delivering training. He has run community engagement projects in Wiltshire, London and Leeds, worked in a community arts centre and, in a voluntary capacity, helped to develop Larkhall Festival and Bath Co-operative Alliance. He has worked for Neighbourhood Initiatives Foundation, Tenant Participation Advisory Service and London Voluntary Services Council.

Stephanie develops and delivers communications across our Home Energy Programme (Home Energy Service, Green Heritage Homes and Green Open Homes). She also provides support and basic energy advice to our Home Energy Service customers.

Stephanie has worked in content marketing for eight years in various sectors, including education, healthcare and not-for-profit organisations. During her recent MA in Literature, she focused on texts that communicate environmental and social issues and explored the intersections between the two.

Peter is co-founder and Managing Director of Bath & West Community Energy and Interim Chair of Community Energy England. He is also co-chair of the BEIS ministerial advisory group on community energy.

Peter has worked in the sustainable energy field and on community energy for nearly 40 years, having led the early development of the Centre for Sustainable Energy as Chief Executive, where he originally started in the mid eighties working with schools and communities. Since resigning from CSE in 2002 due to family illness, Peter has worked as an independent advisor on a range of energy efficiency, renewable energy and fuel poverty projects for various government, private and voluntary sector clients, with a strong focus on community action.

He has an MSc in Energy Resource Management.

Steve is responsible for mapping domestic rooftop solar installations in Bath and Shepton Mallet onto grid network maps to identify potential participants for our Flex Community Peer-to-Peer trading trial. His previous work in the Speciality Chemical Industry helped Aylesford Paper Mill in Kent to become the first major UK Newsprint Manufacturer to use 100% Recycled Paper and he also had a small part to play in the development of Quorn. Steve is a BWCE member and is involved in Go Green Widcombe, especially their group-buy solar scheme.

Cathy is taking a lead on the development of BWCE’s new home energy retrofit service. Cathy has worked in sustainable energy for over 20 years and brings a wealth of expertise on home energy efficiency, having advised government, housing associations, local authorities, builders and householders on low energy retrofit policy and practice. She’s worked as a home energy surveyor with Parity Projects and the SuperHomes Network, and locally she co-founded Bath Green Homes to showcase energy efficient homes.

Skye supports the renewable energy element of the Community Energy Network, working with partners and communities to identify and develop community owned generating projects through the Future Energy Landscapes process.

Skye has worked in various community engagement roles across the community energy sector, charities, and the public sector. She has a passion for people-centered movements towards climate and ecological sustainability.

James is Project Manager for our Heat Pump Support Project, focusing on recruiting Heat Pump Champions, building the supply chain, and ways to speed up the decarbonisation of homes in BANES.

James is also a practising Architect (James Gallie Architecture and Design) working in Bath and across the South West primarily on private residential homes, with a particular interest in creating simple beautiful places with ecological and energy efficient design. Before 2011 he was an Associate at van Heyningen and Haward Architects where he was responsible for several award-winning public projects in London and the South East, all designed with high levels of sustainability. James also teaches Architecture at the University of Bath, and is currently undergoing training to become a PAS2035 Retrofit Coordinator.

Kamla Gardner is BWCE’s Financial Controller responsible for financial reporting, financial planning, debt financing and budget management

She has a degree in History from the University of London and is an FCCA (Fellow Chartered and Certified Accountant). She has mostly worked in the commercial real estate sector as a Finance Director in London for public listed and private companies, before moving to Bath. Kamla is interested in Bath community engagement projects and has recently been appointed the Accounts Examiner for FoBRA ( Federation of Bath Residents Association)

Sara is taking a lead on BWCE’s new business development with an early focus on home energy efficiency. She worked in local government for 13 years on climate initiatives, including the Cooperation Agreement between BWCE and B&NES Council and planning policies on renewable energy and net zero buildings. Prior to this, she worked in the USA as a community organiser and as regional director of an environmental and consumer advocacy group.

Anna is responsible for coordinating local consultations, surveys and events relating to renewables projects in development, as well as liaising with members of local communities to help answer queries and build support for projects. Anna is employed by zero carbon consultancy Empowered, who carry out renewable development work for BWCE and other community energy organisations.

Anna brings a wealth of experience from finance, the building materials sector, translation, teaching and acting. She has a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Durham University, and is passionate about empowering local people to take part in the energy transition.

Alex has a decade of operations experience, and has managed complex projects for charitable and commercial organisations. Her background is in education, and she has worked in partnership with universities, embassies and cultural organisations to deliver academic courses in Latin America which explore the social impact of the conflict in Colombia and the recent peace process there. As well as a first class history degree from University of Bristol, Alex has also trained in data law, policy and regulation at LSE.

She currently serves as Non-Executive Director at One Housing Group, a G15 Housing Association with a strong social purpose and over 35,000 residents, and as a Trustee at Children Change Colombia, a charity that defends the rights of children through community-led programmes.

For BWCE, Alex will be helping us strengthen the operational systems and processes needed for this growing organisation.

Jenny is responsible for ensuring that all operational systems at BWCE operate smoothly and provides administrative support to the BWCE team across various projects. Jenny has a wealth of experience in various administration roles, working in both Charity and Education settings including Anti-Slavery International, Children on the Edge, Renewable World, Bristol University and West Dean College of Arts and Conservation. 

Alex leads BWCE’s asset development team and provides supply chain and technical support to BWCE’s innovation project, Flex Community. He has wide experience of developing new projects including renewable energy and low carbon technologies as well as strategic consultancy. He has worked in the renewable energy industry for 14 years, owning and running businesses which design, install and operate all forms of renewable energy including Solar, Wind, Biomass, Heat Pumps. With John Rawlins, Alex has set up the zero carbon consultancy Empowered.

John is a renewable energy engineer and project manager specializing in community-owned renewable energy.

He has been involved in the renewable energy sector for 30 years. Prior to joining Empowered, John was Development Director of Energy4All, supporting the development and operation of community renewable energy co-operatives across the UK. During more than 15 years with E4A, he worked on wind and ground-mount and roof-top solar projects. He was the E4A representative on the boards of 5 E4A co-operatives.

John now supports a wide range of Community groups across the UK on large scale projects.

Sally is part of BWCE’s Home Energy team helping to lower carbon emissions and increase comfort in homes across Bath and surrounding areas. Sally has a MSc in Renewable Energy and a BSc in Energy Studies and 30 years business experience. She has managed carbon reduction projects for the Welsh Assembly Government and Birmingham City Council’s building stock, as well as numerous large and small scale renewable energy projects.

Sally is currently undertaking a deep retrofit of her own Victorian house to improve energy efficiency and end its reliance on gas.

Isabella is a dedicated Renewable Energy Project Developer at BWCE alongside her associate role as a Graduate Consultant at Empowered. Isabella developed a strong passion for sustainability and renewables during her Environmental Science degree with a Year in Industry. She aims to apply her array of experiences and love for the environment to community energy projects, particularly on rooftop solar and onshore wind. Isabella is motivated to contribute to a climate resilient future and help achieve net zero.

Julia is responsible for overseeing the internal and external communications across the organisation. She brings over 20 years experience of working in Marketing Communications both in the private sector, but more predominantly within charity and not for profit organisations. She has worked for national charities such as RNIB, Penny Brohn Cancer Care and Hft, as well as Bath Centre for Psychotherapy and Counselling and Places for People Leisure.

Christina supports the home energy element of the Community Energy Network, recruiting and supporting energy champions, and working with partners to deliver events.

Christina has worked in engagement and training roles in Higher Education and Housing Associations for seven years, where she championed sustainability and inclusion. She has a passion for spending time in and protecting nature, and volunteers with UK Youth for Nature where she focuses on creative campaigning and policy change.

John is responsible for developing BWCE’s rooftop solar projects, in collaboration with Joe Hurley. He has worked for a variety of well known companies, completing training as a Chartered Management Accountant and then an Executive MBA at the University of Bath and was awarded 1st Prize in a cross-discipline renewable energy project by the Royal Academy of Engineering.. More recently he has spent 2 years as the Chief of Staff to the CEO of a FTSE 250 energy retailer. He is a partner with Alex Lockton in their zero carbon consultancy Empowered.

David is a Chartered Engineer with 34 years experience in the utility sector, predominantly working on simulation models of gas and water systems.  He recently designed an energy efficient timber framed extension for his home and is longstanding campaigner on climate issues.

David is currently working towards the heat geek “mastery for installers” qualification for heat pump assessors.

Kate is responsible for managing BWCE’s work as part of BANES Community Energy Network, a joint project with Bath & North East Somerset Council, BANES Community Wellbeing Hub and the University of Bath. Kate previously managed BANES Green Open Homes.

Kate has over 20 years experience of marketing and communications, project management, events and brand work across the public sector and business. Kate worked as Brand Manager at Investors in People UK in London (a non-departmental government body) and more recently as Marketing and Events Manager at Oldfield School, in Bath, where she also undertook some mentoring work with GCSE students. Kate has volunteered with primary and secondary school PTAs, eco-groups and Forest School.

Benny is responsible for exploring and developing new areas of work for BWCE, and providing technical support to ongoing projects. Having recently returned to the area after 10 years working on community led energy innovation in Scotland, his previous experience includes work on flexibility services, local energy supply, low carbon transport, hydrogen electrolysis, and the education and capacity building required to enable communities to engage with these emerging technologies. He has worked for Community Energy Scotland, Skill Share Dundee, Demand Energy Equality, and SP Energy Networks.

Alison manages BWCE’s innovation projects, with a current focus on Flex Community. She has worked in the renewable energy industry for 20 years at AEA Technology and at ESD as a renewable energy consultant. She has worked on the development of small-scale PV community schemes with BWCE, CoCoEnergy and Frome Renewable Energy Co, where she is on the Board and she managed BWCE’s first demand management programme, Empower.