Purdy is part of Kinovo Group, alongside Dunhams and Spokemead, which has recently released its Annual Report and Accounts. Together, the group leads in the provision of specialist property services centered on safety and regulatory compliance, home and community regeneration, and sustainable living.
Purdy specialises in:
- Installing turnkey renewable technologies to reduce energy costs
- Advising clients on how to enhance sustainable credentials and work towards carbon reduction
- Delivering accredited electrical, heating, and property maintenance solutions across commercial and domestic markets.
The report highlights Purdy’s significant contribution, which includes:
- Expanding geographically to a new Dereham office
- Establishing a brand-new specialist retrofit hub
John Lord, Managing Director of Purdy, comments on the year’s most exciting developments: “Nearly every conversation we had last year involved regeneration or renewables. Works that were once considered discretionary spending are now a requirement. For this reason, we appointed an individual to strengthen and support Kinovo’s upward trajectory to becoming the UK’s leading social housing decarbonisation provider.
Enhancing retrofit skills
“We were delighted when Lorraine Clayton agreed to join us. An accredited Retrofit Assessor and qualified co-ordinator herself, Lorraine has extensive stakeholder knowledge and experience in the energy efficiency and renewables sectors, focusing on Government initiatives and working with local authorities and housing associations on the successful delivery of retrofit programmes.
“Having initially joined Purdy, Lorraine is now working across the Group, helping us and partnering with our clients to navigate the complex web of acronyms, standards, regulatory updates, funding, and tenders. Her focus is on normalising the conversation around retrofit, turning the current narrative into straightforward language that everyone can understand and aiding decision makers.
Improving the customer retrofit experience
“Key to this is appreciating retrofit’s massive impact on residents when their homes are being upgraded. For this reason, Lorraine is working closely with the Kinovo HR team and Contract Managers to upskill and train our people in the conversation. We have also appointed Retrofit Liaison Officers, a key part of our service, often being the glue that holds a project together. Taking this approach, we are supporting clients in their drive to hit decarbonisation targets while delivering better insulated and heated homes, which will go some way to helping reduce fuel poverty.
Land and expand in Norfolk
“We were pleased to establish a satellite office in Dereham, Norfolk, in FY24. This was initiated by securing work through two framework agreements, Eastern Procurement Limited’s Asset Improvement and Sustainability Framework and the National Housing Maintenance Forum Framework. These frameworks are over four and seven years, respectively with additional awards directly from members up to eight years anytime within the framework period.
“The new retrofit hub in East England employs eleven retrofit and operations delivery specialists and will grow as we secure more contracts. The office already has two apprentices and offers work experience to young people in the area. This approach enhances Purdy’s position in the region and enables us to provide more effective and efficient services to its clients while delivering on its social value commitments.
“We focus on giving clients and residents the best service possible and building the Purdy brand as a recognised and trusted partner embedded in our communities. To date, we have been awarded over £4.0 million in works from framework agreements servicing six new clients. These contracts already give us visible revenues over the next 18 months and provide a solid base to build and develop a successful team in the area. This “land and expand” approach is a prime example of how we plan to grow organically.”
David Bullen, Kinovo’s Chief Executive Officer adds:
“As we continue to deliver on our strategic goals, with an excellent performance ahead of previous expectations that is underpinned by our improving operational efficiency, it’s clear that Purdy has made a significant contribution to our success.
“My thanks to everyone in the Purdy team, and everyone else in the group, for working so hard to make this year as positive as it has been. Our growth and values-based culture will help us continue to raise living standards across the UK, supporting families and communities, keeping them safe, and making tomorrow’s possibilities a reality.”