When Nicolas Gillanders bought South Coast Insulation Services (SCIS Group) in 2018, he had a vision: make energy efficiency affordable and sustainable. Today, he is recognised for exactly what he is, a trailblazer in energy efficiency.

A Success Story

Gillanders started his career in cavity wall and loft insulation installation in 2009. For a few years, he worked as an installer for SCIS Group, then left in 2014 to take on other industry opportunities in training and senior management. When he returned in 2018, he bought the business, which was struggling financially at the time, with a plan to expand its services beyond insulation. Five years later, the Fareham-based company is healthy and thriving, with profits of nearly £9 million and 220 employees.

For Gillanders, it was always about improving energy efficiency in the UK and driving positive environmental change, for social housing and existing homes, but also new built houses and commercial buildings. Hence, it was a natural evolution to acquire Cotswold Energy Group, a commercial and domestic energy efficiency solutions provider specialising in the installation of ground source and air source heat pumps, solar panels and EV chargers, in May 2023 to bolster their shared goal of helping customers reduce carbon emissions.

“At South Coast Insulation Services, our ambition goes hand in hand with our commitment to sustainable housing. We’re here to demonstrate that building a better future doesn’t have to come at the expense of our planet. This acknowledgment fuels our determination for energy-efficient solutions and contributing to the UK’s net-zero goals. I want to fly the flag for sustainable housing, showing that new homes shouldn’t cost the earth and that energy efficiency upgrades can deliver huge benefits to people and the planet.”

An Ambitious Business Leader

This October, Gillanders was named one of The LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders for 2023. Additionally, he was recognised further with the Trailblazer in Energy Efficiency Award for his role in supporting the UK’s net zero targets and turning a business in difficulty into an important player in addressing the energy crisis.

Congratulating Nicolas Gillanders for his Trailblazer Award, John Garner, Managing Partner at LDC, said: “We started The LDC Top 50 six years ago to champion the remarkable success stories of medium-sized businesses, the unsung heroes of the British economy. In business, ambition is the driving force that propels innovation, growth and success, and the winners, as well as those recognised in The Top 50 and Ones to Watch should be proud of their achievements.

“Nicolas is passionate about the role his business can play in supporting the decarbonisation of the UK’s housing market and he works tirelessly to keep the climate challenge in the spotlight. He is a very deserving award winner and I’d like to congratulate him on his achievements.”

The Trailblazer Awards, as part of The LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders programme, recognise business leaders who are disrupting their markets.

For Gillanders, this recognition is an acknowledgement of his and his team’s work and dedication to providing every home in the UK with an energy efficiency plan that covers the whole house.

“I’m thrilled to have won the Trailblazer in Energy Efficiency Award and to be recognised as one of the UK’s Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders for 2023. I am delighted to be one of the ten Trailblazer awardees amongst all the inspiring business leaders who make up this year’s Top 50.”

This latest recognition from the business community has only spurred on his drive to continue SCIS Group’s efforts to spearhead more energy and cost-efficient ways to future-proof homes and buildings in the UK.

“I’m proud of what the whole company and I have achieved so far, but there is still a lot to be done. We expect to more than double our team over the next two years to continue offering retrofitting services across the UK. Most importantly, we want to show consumers that they can make tangible savings whilst making a sustainable investment in their home and their future.”

It’s safe to say that we haven’t seen the last of this pioneer in energy efficiency.