Tag Archives: Consumer Energy Solutions

Business, Energy, Swansea, Wales

Consumer Energy Solutions cracks on with Easter donation

SWANSEA based energy-efficiency firm, Consumer Energy Solutions (CES), has donated 200 chocolate eggs to local charity Faith in Families this Easter.

 

For every insulation project completed by the team in March, CES has donated and delivered an Easter egg to Faith in Families’ Community Cwtches Easter events. The firm donated 200 Easter eggs to correspond to 200 projects.

 

Established in 1999, Faith in Families has grown to encompass three community cwtches in the Swansea area. Each setting is based in deprived areas of Swansea, aiming to provide help and support to families within the community while also running Wales’ first multibank.

 

The charity transforms lives across Swansea Bay through its Community Cwtches & Multibank. It provides vital support to children and families facing challenges such as poverty, crisis, and trauma. The wide range of services include parent and toddler groups, 1-2-1 child therapy, parental & child support, outreach work & home support.

 

For its Easter events, Faith in Families will host three Easter egg hunts for children to enjoy, with food and resources available for both the children and their families.

 

CES is an ongoing supporter of Faith in Families’ work and has stepped in to support vulnerable families through multiple campaigns. These include the Back to School with a Cwtch campaign, donating to the distribution of hundreds of backpacks filled with essential school supplies, and making a £2500 donation to their Cwtch Up Appeal which provided new winter coats.

 

Cherrie Bija, CEO at Faith in Families, said: “We are incredibly grateful once again to CES for their generosity. Donations like this really make a huge difference to what we do, and it’s a great way of tracking their success with the number of eggs donated. Our Easter egg distribution was a great event, and with CES’ ongoing support we have been able to provide for low-income families in our area.”

 

Stephen Williams, Sales Director at CES, said: “We were delighted to get involved with another incredible campaign by Faith in Families. The work they do for vulnerable families in Swansea is incredible, and it’s an honour to have contributed to their long-lasting impact. Looking after our local community is one of our core values at CES, and so we are delighted to be working with such a meaningful charity.”

 

CES has permanent bases across Wales and the south west and a workforce of more than 800 people. The firm supports customers in energy-proofing their homes to reduce their carbon footprint and ultimately, their energy bills. CES is an approved installer of the Government-backed scheme ECO4.

 

For more information about CES and their community initiatives, visit: https://www.consumerenergysolutions.co.uk

Charity Events, Education, Swansea

CES helps young people go back to school with confidence

Swansea-based Consumer Energy Solutions (CES) has given back this winter by supporting local charity Fath in Families with a £2500 donation to their Cwtch Up Appeal.

 

Established in 1999, Faith in Families has grown to encompass three community cwtches in the Swansea area. Each setting based in deprived areas of Swansea, aiming to provide help and support to families within the community while also running Wales’ first multibank.

 

The charity transforms lives across Swansea Bay through its Community Cwtches & Multibank. It provides vital support to children and families facing challenges such as poverty, crisis, and trauma. The wide range of services include parent and toddler groups, 1-2-1 child therapy, parental & child support, outreach work & home support.

 

The Cwtch Up Appeal supports vulnerable families and children in the Swansea Bay area by providing a distribution of new winter coats as well as food and a safe, warm space, ensuring low-income families can feel well-equipped to start the school year with confidence.

 

CES is an ongoing supporter of Faith in Families’ work, as they also stepped in late last year to support the Back to School with a Cwtch campaign by contributing to the distribution of hundreds of backpacks filled with essential school supplies to children in need and low-income families.

 

CES, which has permanent bases across Wales and the south west and has a workforce of more than 800 people, supports customers in energy-proofing their homes to reduce their carbon footprint and ultimately, their energy bills.

 

Cherrie Bija, CEO at Faith in Families, said: “CES’s support has been invaluable in making our winter campaigns some of our most impactful yet. Providing both these school supplies and winter coats brings much-needed relief to families and builds children’s confidence as they go back to school. We’re hugely grateful for CES’s generosity and commitment to supporting the local community.”

 

Stephen Williams, Sales Director at CES, said: “Supporting children’s education and wellbeing is a core value for CES. We are thrilled to collaborate with Faith in Families once again to ensure children in our community are provided with the essentials they need and can now feel confident about going back to school. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this will have on both the children and their families, and we’re proud to play a role in creating a brighter future for our community.”

 

Founded in 2016, Consumer Energy Solutions specialises in providing cost-effective energy efficiency enhancements to residences throughout south Wales and the south west. CES is an approved installer of the Government-backed scheme ECO4.

 

For more information about CES and their community initiatives, visit: https://www.consumerenergysolutions.co.uk

Business, Energy

Sustainable businesses take over Swansea for Green Economy Conference

The Green Economy Conference and Exhibition 2024, organised by 4theRegion and sponsored by the City Energy Network in collaboration with Consumer Energy Solutions (CES), brought together green businesses and organisations in South West Wales on Tuesday 19 November.

Hosted in Swansea Arena, the Conference was a place for knowledge sharing and inspiration surrounding sustainability and green practises, with talks and workshops hosted by market leaders. The event also featured a Sustainable Construction Showcase, a Decarbonisation Workshop, and a session on Sustainable Construction Skills & Training, offering attendees valuable insights into the latest advancements and best practices in sustainable building and energy-efficient construction.

The event featured over 70 leading organisations from Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea, and Neath Port Talbot, all showcasing their efforts to support Wales’ transition to a more sustainable future. As the headline sponsor, CES stood out as a champion of energy efficiency, helping households across the region embrace sustainability.

CES, part of the City Energy Network, employs over 750 people and specialises in delivering energy-saving solutions to homes in South Wales and the South West. By providing services such as renewable heating, solar PV installation, and insulation, CES empowers customers to lower their carbon footprints while cutting energy costs. The company has played a pivotal role in improving the energy efficiency of over 2,400 homes annually, contributing significantly to Wales’ green ambitions.

Stephen Williams, Sales and Marketing Director at CES said: “The Green Economy Conference is an essential event for connecting businesses, fostering collaboration, and showcasing the incredible work being done to drive the green economy. It was fantastic to meet so many inspiring businesses from our region who are committed to sustainability.

“As the headline sponsor, CES is honoured to have supported this initiative, which is not just about raising awareness but also about driving real action towards a sustainable future for Wales. We look forward to continuing our journey toward a greener future and to contributing to the progress of next year’s event.”

Energy

Swansea energy efficiency firm supports government’s clean power drive this Wales Climate Week

This Wales Climate Week, Swansea energy efficiency firm Consumer Energy Solutions (CES) is supporting secretary of state for energy security and net zero Ed Miliband following his recent article in The Guardian, where he insists that a shift to clean power by 2030 is not just achievable, but in progress.

With the cost-of-living crisis highlighting the UK’s dependence on fossil fuel markets and leaving families and businesses exposed to energy price spikes, Miliband emphasised the importance of transitioning to clean energy sources like renewables.

He claims that renewable energy will not only improve our environment but will lead to more financial security, and the significant economic opportunities the shift will bring can lead to job creation.

This is an idea encompassed by CES, as the fast-growing company employs over 750 employees, creating 581 jobs in Swansea this year alone. Established in 2016, CES delivers money-saving energy efficiency improvements to homes across South Wales and the South West, supporting customers in energy-proofing their homes to reduce their carbon footprint, and ultimately, their energy bills.

Having saved customers over 31,000 carbon tonnes over the last three years alongside monetary savings through the government’s Energy Company Obligation (ECO) 4 grant, which directly contributes to reducing carbon emissions and supporting energy efficiency in low-income households, CES is an example of Miliband’s vision of a government and industry working together to tackle energy challenges.

Sal Furreed, Operations Director at CES, said: “Ed Miliband’s recent discussion of clean energy has resonated with us at CES as the alignment between our goals and activities and his are undeniable. We are in the process of redeveloping Welsh homes through the ECO scheme, allowing many low-income households to access life-changing energy efficiency measures and reap the rewards of supporting a green future.

“As we set out a vision for energy efficiency and renewable energy to intersect to create a sustainable future, we envision our role in the transformation as supporting the government’s goals whilst continuing to address the needs of the more vulnerable communities of which we are a part.”

Miliband’s article follows the UK Autumn Budget where an additional £6 billion was allocated towards home retrofit and energy efficiency improvements from 2025 to 2028, with a focus on training and scaling up the retrofit workforce in order to implement energy-saving measures more broadly and efficiently across homes in the UK.

CES has recently opened a training academy in Treorchy, South Wales, to continue to upskill their retrofit workforce and to provide wider services as an accredited training partner for SWIP.

In response to the budget, Lewis John, Managing Director at CES, said: “It’s great to see the government’s funding and training strategy as part of a broader push to improve home energy efficiency, prioritising retrofitting social housing and low-income homes. The maintenance and extension of the ECO scheme is brilliant as we can continue to provide essential work to those in low-income areas.

“However, whilst these actions are welcomed, we believe more can be done. Extensive long-term funding and regulatory clarity is needed to meet the UK’s broader climate targets and achieve deeper retrofitting across all housing types.”

For more information about CES, visit: https://www.consumerenergysolutions.co.uk/

Apprenticeships, Education, Energy

CES announces new apprenticeship programme

Leading energy efficiency company, Consumer Energy Solutions (CES), has announced it will be offering a two-year apprenticeship in NVQ Level 3 in Insulation & Building Treatments.

 

In contrast to regular apprenticeships, Swansea-based CES will be paying National Minimum Wage per age bracket to ensure fair compensation as the apprentices develop their skills and experience to accelerate their careers.

 

In addition, to improve accessibility, CES will provide an Internal Wall Insulation Apprentice Starter Kit to all apprentices, including PPE, key tools and storage items, as well as offering a £25 per night stay-away allowance.

 

The two-year course will start by covering comprehensive safety training and basic insulation techniques, before moving on to hands-on experience and soft skills development. In their second year, apprentices will aim to enhance their technical skills, work more independently and prepare for certification, if applicable. Modules will include quality control, project involvement and leadership and cost management.

 

Ben Strinati, Insulation Director at CES said: “We are thrilled to be offering this apprenticeship in NVQ Level 3 in Insulation and Building Treatments. It’s a fantastic opportunity for young people across south Wales to kickstart their career in renewable installation by learning the core skills and techniques to become a skilled professional in the insulation industry.

 

“We are honoured to be able to offer our support in providing apprentices with key equipment through the Internal Wall Insulation Apprentice Starter Kit and our overnight expense coverage, as well as paying all apprentices the National Minimum Wage. We want our learning opportunities to be as accessible as possible and leave our apprentices ready for the world of work. With our support options, we hope this opportunity will reach a wide range of young people, and we encourage anyone who is looking to kickstart their career to apply.”

 

CES has its headquarters in Swansea with permanent bases in south Wales, north Wales, west Wales and Exeter. It currently operates 42 teams of insulation installers, each of which includes carpenters, dry-liners, plasterers and multi-skilled installers, alongside eight dedicated loft insulation teams.

 

The company is committed to providing comprehensive training for all staff and arranges regular manufacturer training programmes and seminars to ensure installers are up to date with frequent regulation reviews and advancement in technology. Basic training starts with an NVQ qualification in construction and building treatments with further learning based on the energy efficiency measure and the method of installation. Additionally, all operatives receive annual training in the latest health and safety regulation, promoting a safe installation for themselves and customers.

Business, Business Expansion, Business News, Construction, Energy

Consumer Energy Solutions invests £500k in Treorchy training centre

A LEADING consumer energy efficiency company has opened a brand new state-of-the-art, immersive training facility in Treorchy at a cost of £0.5 million, paving the way for thousands of recruits to learn the skills needed to enter, and progress within, the energy trade.

Swansea-based Consumer Energy Solutions (CES) supports customers in reducing their carbon footprint and reducing their energy bills and has already successfully improved the energy efficiency of over 8,000 homes across the UK.

The new insulation department training facility in the heart of the Welsh Valleys has been purpose-built to allow for comprehensive training in various insulation techniques and complements CES’s heating systems training facility in Cardiff which it acquired last year.

The Treorchy training facility, on the Abergorki Industrial Estate, encompasses a 5,000 ft2 main area, 7,500 ft2 first floor storage plus three classrooms. The facility is also used to train CES installers on the rules, regulations, and techniques involved in installing ventilation equipment, which is necessary before any insulation work begins.

Ben Strinati, Insulation Director at Consumer Energy Solutions, said: “The way the business was growing, and the need to recruit more and more insulation teams, combined with a lack of suitable training infrastructure present in the industry, we took the initiative to construct our own custom-built facility and invested £500,000 in the Treorchy site. We take great pride in our advanced training facilities which have been purposefully designed to educate both new recruits and experienced team members in the CES way. Being able to train individuals in all the necessary trades, means we can execute an installation from start to finish, making it a quick and smooth experience for our customers.”

CES has its headquarters in Swansea with permanent bases in south Wales, north Wales, west Wales and Exeter. It currently operates 42 teams of insulation installers, each of which includes carpenters, dry-liners, plasterers and multi-skilled installers, alongside eight dedicated loft insulation teams. The company is committed to providing comprehensive training for all staff and arranges regular manufacturer training programmes and seminars to ensure installers are up to date with frequent regulation reviews and advancement in technology. Basic training starts with an NVQ qualification in construction and building treatments with further learning based on the energy efficiency measure and the method of installation. Additionally, all operatives receive annual training in the latest health and safety regulation, promoting a safe installation for themselves and customers.

The Treorchy facility is part of CES’s ambitious expansion plans which include recruiting 15 insulation teams every month. Finished to such a high standard, the unit has attracted interest from external companies looking to utilise the centre for in-house development purposes.

Ben continued: “We have a highly experienced recruitment team which is supporting our growth vision by finding the right professionals for the roles available, whether in-house or in the field. Our training facilities then come into play, providing crucial training and coaching opportunities for employees.

“At a time when fuel poverty and the climate crisis is such a high priority, we are determined to do all we can to help people reduce their energy usage and save money on their bills and the best way we can do this is by building and training the next generation of energy efficiency professionals to reach more people.”

For further information, visit www.consumerenergysolutions.co.uk.