Fulcrum Utility Services : introduces new energy solutions to help housebuilders tackle Future Homes Standard challenges

Fulcrum, the leading independent net-zero focused multi-utility infrastructure and services provider, is increasing its support for housebuilders across the UK with the introduction of its new Future Living service, which features renewable energy and smart control solutions.

With housebuilders faced with addressing the challenges brought by the introduction of the Future Homes Standard, Fulcrum has devised a new service and package of technologies to help housebuilders meet the green energy requirements of current and future developments.

Combining its extensive multi-utility infrastructure track record with new expertise and partnerships in renewable energy technologies and funding, Fulcrum can ensure that housebuilders can not only meet the standards set out by government and being applied by local authorities, but can also build homes that better appeal to environmentally conscious homebuyers who place a high value on low energy solutions.

Leading this focus is Steven Green, who has joins Fulcrum as Head of Future Living.

We spoke to Steven to find out more about his expertise and how Fulcrum will support its housebuilder customers in delivering their low carbon strategies and to meet the requirements of the Future Homes Standard.

Q. What is your background in the home energy sector?

A. Joining Fulcrum actually takes me back to my roots in the utilities sector, as I began my career as a British Gas apprentice, but since then I have developed a specialism in the application and funding of renewable energy systems, which will be integral to this new role.

I also worked near the start of my career in our family business, Greenheat Solutions Ltd. We were actually one of the first providers of renewable energy solutions for the home. There was a lot of education involved, as the technologies were very new, which meant that customer service and education to ensure our clients saw the benefits of the systems we were providing, was as important as the solutions themselves.

It was when I moved to Worcester Bosch, as part of their national renewables team, that I gained the expertise to draw down available funding to help housing providers, such as local authorities and housing associations, reduce carbon emissions.

I continued this approach when I joined builders' merchants Grafton Group, where I had national responsibility for the operational delivery of an ECO funded boiler scheme, leading a team of national contractors who installed free boilers in properties across the country. I then became National Account Director within their public sector division.

Q. What is Fulcrum's approach to help home builders meeting their low carbon home building requirements under the Future Homes Standard?

A. Despite its name, the Future Homes Standard is very much about the here and now and presents huge challenges for homebuilders. This is amplified by savvy homebuyers who are far more focused on energy costs and the environment than ever before.

We are already seeing this in the electric vehicle market, where consumers are willing to pay more for their car to provide longer-term cost savings on fuel while also contributing to the low carbon agenda. They will want the same with their homes.

At the same time, housebuilders will need to make sure that the homes they build will meet ever greater energy efficiency standards and Fulcrum is perfectly placed to help them.

People often use the phrase 'one stop shop' and when it comes to Fulcrum's approach to 'future living' and that is very accurate. Essentially, our ambition is to provide the most comprehensive home energy solution to our customers - a 'one stop shop' for all energy and utility needs.

Our Future Living solution combines Fulcrum's established capabilities in the delivery of multi-utility infrastructure, residential EV charging solutions, and its expertise for the installation and maintenance of Smart Meters, with technology and energy partnerships that can provide the latest and greenest home energy systems. This means we will be able to help homebuilders and housing companies meet their energy efficiency targets, reduce carbon, and meet the needs of more environmentally conscious homebuyers now, and in the future.

We can work closely with housebuilders to deliver solutions for individual homes or entire developments, which also offers them the additional benefit of an extra income stream, by being able to offer and a supply a range of solutions before the buyers move in, rather than homebuyers investing in retrofitted solutions.

We are talking to several technology providers that are keen to partner with Fulcrum to play a part creating greener, more energy efficient homes and look forward to announcing our first partnerships soon.

Q. How will Future Living support homebuilders meet increasing energy efficiency standards and the needs of homebuyers?

A. Homebuilders have a big challenge ahead of them. Not only will they need to build 300,000 new homes each year, they'll need to make sure these meet increasingly stringent energy efficiency standards.

Also, homebuyers are far more energy aware than ever before and are increasingly focused on how green properties are when making their decisions about where to live. We are going to support housebuilders not only meet energy standards with a selection of energy efficient and green technologies, but we'll also housebuilders make decisions easier for their customers.

As well as providing the essential utility infrastructure, we will help housebuilders take their homebuyers on a journey through all the technologies and solutions they need to help make their homes greener and reduce their ongoing energy costs, including the best choice of energy providers and tariffs to suit their lifestyles. We think this will help make a big difference for homebuilders in appealing to more environmental and cost-conscious homebuyers and will deliver an added benefit of additional revenue for them too.

This is an exciting but also challenging time for the housing industry as it focuses on how it will power and heat greener homes of the future and make its contribution to the net-zero ambitions of the UK. The 'future' is happening now, and Fulcrum is here to support housebuilders meet their obligations and the evolving needs of their customers.

If you'd like to find out more about our Future Living solution for home builders, you can reach out to Steven directly on 07774 135631 or at [e-mail].