When I look at the UK’s housing and building stock, one thing is clear: if we are serious about achieving net zero and delivering meaningful improvements in people’s lives, we cannot afford to take a fragmented approach to decarbonisation. For decades, our industry has too often relied on piecemeal interventions. A new boiler here. A patch of insulation there. Each measure has its place, but without a joined-up strategy, the impact falls short.
At EARNZ, our vision is to lead the consolidation of the retrofit and energy services sector. By bringing together strong regional players under one group, we can deliver at scale while preserving the quality, care, and technical expertise that local communities rely on. In this blog, I want to share why whole-building decarbonisation is the future, why it underpins our strategy, and how EARNZ is positioning itself to lead.
The UK has some of the oldest and least energy-efficient housing stock in Europe. Millions of homes still fall below EPC band C. The government has committed significant funding through programmes such as ECO4 and the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. Local authorities, housing associations, and the NHS are under pressure to deliver upgrades at speed. The challenge is huge. But so too is the opportunity. The retrofit sector is fragmented, with thousands of small operators and limited scale. What is needed now is a group that can combine the strengths of local delivery with the resources, governance, and credibility of a listed PLC. That is precisely where EARNZ comes in.
Buildings are systems. Walls, roofs, heating, ventilation, energy generation — they all interact. Tackling them in isolation can sometimes undermine the very outcomes we want. A poorly insulated home with a heat pump may still be draughty and expensive to run. Over-insulating without proper ventilation risks damp and mould. Only by taking a whole-building approach can we deliver lower bills for residents, improved comfort and health, sustainable EPC uplifts, and long-term value where interventions complement rather than conflict. Whole-building decarbonisation is not just more effective; it is the only way to achieve durable, meaningful change.
Our strategy at EARNZ is simple: buy and build. We acquire high-quality businesses with proven track records in retrofit and energy services, integrate them into the group, and support them with the scale, governance, and systems of a PLC. Crucially, we don’t just buy anything. We look for businesses that share our culture of care, our technical credibility, and our commitment to quality delivery. We are not building a group of disconnected assets. We are building a platform. One that can deliver end-to-end whole-building retrofit across the UK. One that can tender for the largest contracts with credibility, while still delivering locally through trusted teams.
The timing has never been more urgent. Energy bills remain volatile. Public sector budgets are under pressure. The government has set ambitious targets. And the climate crisis is not waiting. At the same time, investors are rightly looking for businesses with both purpose and profit. EARNZ offers exactly that: a business model that delivers financial returns through a buy-and-build strategy, and a social and environmental impact by tackling fuel poverty and carbon emissions.
There are three things that I believe set EARNZ apart: leadership and experience across scaling businesses and delivering public sector contracts; subsidiary strength, with technical excellence and long-standing relationships with clients, suppliers, and subcontractors; and culture and care — big enough to deliver, small enough to care. This blend of scale and care is powerful. It means we can grow quickly without losing the qualities that made our subsidiaries successful in the first place.
Over the next 12 months, our focus is twofold: integration and operational excellence, ensuring our portfolio companies are supported, efficient, and able to scale sustainably; and pipeline and acquisitions, continuing to add strong businesses to the group, building regional depth and national reach. As we grow, we will also invest in our brand, our digital presence, and our relationships with housing associations, local authorities, and institutional investors. We want EARNZ to be the partner of choice for public sector decarbonisation programmes and the consolidator of choice for ambitious regional businesses.
Whole-building decarbonisation is the only way forward if we are to meet the UK’s climate targets, tackle fuel poverty, and deliver lasting value. At EARNZ, we are committed to leading this agenda. Our buy-and-build strategy gives us the platform. Our subsidiaries give us the technical excellence. And our culture gives us the credibility. This is just the beginning. The challenge is enormous, but so too is the opportunity. Together, with our teams, our clients, and our investors, we are building something that will make a real difference.
