Optima Energy, widely regarded as one of the leading domestic energy consultancies in the UK, has merged with the Foundation's trading subsidiary company, National Energy Services Ltd, on 1st April 2003.
The new organisation - still called National Energy Services (NES) and based in Milton Keynes - will be greatly enhanced by the integration of Optima's industry knowledge, technical skills and consulting expertise. It will enjoy a stronger competitive position and will be able to offer significant new benefits to NHER members.
The first of these benefits will be free access to the 'Energy Advice and Education Database' for registered NHER Assessors. This web-based database was previously only available to Optima subscribers who paid over £500 a year to use its comprehensive library of material on domestic energy efficiency. NHER Assessors will have access to this substantial resource as part of the benefits of registration. This includes receiving a monthly electronic newsletter with details of key legislative and policy developments plus other information of relevance to energy efficiency professionals.
Austin Baggett, Head of Energy Programmes at NES, said: "Our organisations have been very close for many years now; in fact, Optima Energy was one of the first members of the NHER scheme and has been one of its most energetic and enthusiastic advocates."
"Recently it has become obvious that if we could combine our respective skills and pool our resources, we could create an organisation that would really be able to take on the very real challenges that lay ahead in delivering the UK's energy efficiency targets. That is now our mission: to take NES forward as a major player and source of expertise in all aspects of home energy efficiency, and to deliver increased value to all NHER members."
Dyfrig Hughes, Richard Macphail, Mark Sreeves and Ellen Matschke will join NES's Energy Programmes business unit from 1st April 2003 and will focus on developing the new organisation's strengths in training, technical research, information services and software. Dyfrig Hughes, MD of Optima, said: "Through merging with NES, we have the opportunity to create something bigger and better, to resource real innovation and to provide very high quality, practical solutions for everyone involved in home energy efficiency."
For more information, please contact Austin Baggett at National Energy Services Ltd on 01908-672787.
11 April 2003
The National Energy Foundation: Registered in England - Charity No. 298951
