
Edinburgh company's contract success
The company has been appointed to the Scottish Procurement Alliance's (SPA) Retrofit and Decarbonisation (N9) framework, ensuring it will be considered for publicly funded contracts in the next few years.
The new public sector framework – worth an estimated £120 million in Scotland – was developed by the LHC Procurement Group (LHCPG) and runs until the end of February 2028.
N9 aims to drive Scotland's transition to net zero and also addresses the country's green skills shortage while creating wider economic opportunities for organisations of all sizes.
Appointed firms such as EBC can expect to drive significant energy upgrades in public sector buildings, including schools, hospitals, social housing, and community spaces.
EBC has been appointed to Lot 15 Domestic Renewables Space Heating Systems, which focuses on the design, selection, installation and commissioning of a range of renewable energy-based domestic systems for central heating, hot water, and other related applications. Typically, this will be air source heat pump and ground source heat pump systems.
Edinburgh's boiler and renewable energy installer also came through a rigorous evaluation process to be appointed to Lot 22 Solar PV and Battery Storage. This covers the design, selection, installation and commissioning of a range of solar PV and electrical energy storage systems (EESS).
EBC managing director Dougie Bell said: 'It was a tough and very competitive tendering process and I'm proud that we have been recognised as an approved supplier for this major framework.
'Our inclusion underlines to myself and the rest of the team, that the hard work and commitment we all put in to make the business successful is having tangible results. This will hopefully open up more opportunities for EBC to support more communities across Scotland.'
Lesley Anderson, SPA regional director, said: 'Addressing the green skills gap is going to be vital in supporting Scotland's energy transition. With an ageing workforce and a shortage of skilled professionals, the demand for green skills far exceeds the current supply.
'That's why we've pledged to invest a portion of the income generated through the N9 Framework into organisations that are innovating and training the next generation of green-skilled workers, ensuring the sector is equipped to meet both current and future challenges. This framework will not only deliver high-quality retrofit solutions, but it will invest in organisations that are nurturing the next generation of green talent, ensuring long-term sustainability for our partners and communities.'
This is the second major framework success for EBC in recent years, after the company winning a place on the £728m Warmworks framework in 2023. This delivers The Scottish Government's Heat in Buildings Scotland National Scheme. The scheme aims to help households manage rising energy costs by improving energy efficiency. EBC's involvement allows them to install air source heat pumps, solar PV and battery storage in eligible homes, funded by The Scottish Government.
www.theedinburghboilercompany.com
Like this:
Like
Related
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Auto Car
8 hours ago
- Auto Car
A Corvette designed in England? Inside GM's new Leamington Spa base
GM's new European design base was set up by director Julian Thomson Close Ashbourne Drive sounds a bit more like a street full of retired bank managers than the location of an imposing, all-new General Motors advanced car design studio. But then Spa Park, through which Ashbourne Drive runs, isn't your usual British industrial estate either, missing out on shabby factories, Portakabins selling burgers and cars badly parked on every footpath. Instead, GM's new European design base, quietly set up around three years ago on the outskirts of busy Leamington Spa by its director, Englishman Julian Thomson, is a tribute to the designer's art in itself. It is one of those impressive industrial buildings of the modern era designed for maximum interior flexibility – in this case, spacious mezzanine floors front and rear for offices and meeting rooms, a covered working area on one side of the ground floor for around 30 people and huge windows on the other to flood the working area with light. The whole thing provides 25,000 square feet of space, dedicated to unbridled creativity, and outside is a high-walled yard for exterior viewings, complete with its own dark Tarmac, because cars look different on real roads. In the centre of the building – occupying the approximate space of two tennis courts – are spaces for half a dozen full-sized car models in development, overhung by automated milling machines that can shape designs, according to digital instructions, even when the human staff are asleep or away for the weekend. All rooms are sparsely but expensively furnished: this place may have started life as an industrial unit, but there's an aura of warmth and homeliness about it that encourages pride and feeds creativity. 'The amount of work we've done in the past couple of years is immense,' says Thomson. 'We've touched every brand, we've made lots of good friends and contacts in GM and we're already very much part of the process.' Still, the question hangs: why does GM need a design operation in Europe? After all, in the medium term, it will sell only electric Cadillacs, Corvette sports cars and some top-end commercial vehicles here, and these will very much be American cars. There used to be an impressive GM design studio at Luton, back in the heyday of Vauxhall, and an even bigger one at Rüsselsheim in Germany when Opel became the senior brand, but those were swept away when the PSA Group bought Opel-Vauxhall eight years ago. Thomson has no doubts about his usefulness. If you run a multi-branded car company such as GM, he contends, more than anything else you need good ideas. And plenty of them. 'It's no longer good enough to design cars for one territory or another,' he says. 'Your designs must be understood everywhere. You need diversity among designers too – different backgrounds and ages. If you had a studio in just one area, you would get a very strong viewpoint reflecting specific trends, aspirations, lifestyles. GM knows this, and it knows it needs to gather influences from Europe. That's why we're here.' Other foreign locations leave no doubt that GM's global intentions are as strong as ever: there are two studios in the US (Detroit and California), plus one in South Korea and another in China. The establishment in Ashbourne Drive seems to have been driven by when Thomson became available and the empathetic relationship he has developed with Michael Simcoe, GM's vice-president of design. Thomson is very experienced: he trained at the Royal College of Art in London, where he was sponsored by Ford, then joined Lotus, where he took the top job after Peter Stevens left, and famously designed the original Elise. After a couple of years at Volkswagen advanced design in Barcelona, he moved to Jaguar Land Rover, where he formed a happy partnership with Ian Callum, taking the top job when Callum departed. Then came GM. 'They said I could put this place anywhere in Europe,' says Thomson, leaning back contentedly in his Warwickshire office, 'so I suppose we could now be in Nice. But I like this area. It's a real hotbed of car design talent; there are half a dozen other big studios in the area. And I wanted to get things up and running quickly, to make a good impression. I had friends in design here who I absolutely knew were the best in the business so I was able to put a team together quickly. We've got 35 people – designers, engineers, digital designers and clay modellers – and we're a great team.' Thomson acknowledges that he's no architect, but he devised the studio layout himself, using prior experience of other studios, advice from experts and by talking to designer friends in the pub. He sent a detailed proposal off to GM and the bosses agreed to build something very much like it – a decent start. 'Of course there were some tough times,' says Thomson. 'I remember being in Thailand once, turning on a Teams [video conferencing] call late at night and being confronted by a grid of about 10 angry builders wanting to talk about drains and electrical supply. But we worked it out. That was just a low point. We're really happy with what we have now. It's working brilliantly.' Easily GM Design Europe's best-known piece of work so far is their concept for a Corvette C10 – one model beyond the C9 that is approaching production as a replacement for today's C8. It is one of three concepts commissioned by Simcoe as a way of influencing the C9. It's an unusual way of doing things, but the UK effort has evidently been well received across the pond. One of the challenges for Europe is dealing with the issue of Americanness, says Thomson: 'When we did the Corvette, some people thought we would just do a European car with a Corvette badge on it. "But that would have completely missed the point. Corvette has a tremendous history; it's the world's most successful sports car. We had to respect that – but hopefully give it some freshness and some features that would make people think.' The key to this new challenge of doing American cars in Europe, believes Thomson, is to recognise the things Europeans value in American design: 'Everyone watches American films and TV and buys American clothes. Ideas of optimism, of confidence, of entertainment are seen a lot of American design. "You see it in engineering projects like Nasa's Apollo programmes. Our job is to present this from a new viewpoint and not to be stuck in a groove.' The fact that Thomson has been involved in advanced design for much of his career – at VW, at Ford and now at GM – makes him more confident than most might be about the British studio's job of presenting designs that probably won't make production but will probably affect those that do 'We need a certain naivety to be valuable,' he explains. 'We don't know what a [Chevrolet] Silverado is like the Americans do. It wasn't bred into us. We have an impression, but that's a different thing. Our value, part of our brief, is to play the role of the customer and look at the product with fresh, questioning eyes.' I suggest that it's hard not to imagine American design teams, who might be working on their third generation of some well-known model, being irritated by a bunch of British upstarts. But Thomson bats the idea away: 'Our aim is to be surprising with no surprises. We don't want just to annoy people but to stretch their thinking a bit and to present new ways of reaching design goals. Sometimes we're there to shock people.'Thomson has in a long career seen unfortunate examples of an absence of this 'stretching'. He recalls an event at VW when no fewer than 18 full-sized concepts for the next Passat were presented, most of whose creators were intent on 'winning' by anticipating what other teams did rather than presenting their best work. At Jaguar, he recalls, a constant comment on advanced design proposals was: 'That's not a Jag.' This experience is the main reason why Thomson always involves his entire team in formative discussions about every new project. He has seen the value of diverse ideas and the dangers of not hearing them. 'A lot of our younger people are better than me,' he says cheerfully. 'I know how to design a car, but I'm not one of them. There are plenty of times when I don't represent the customer as well as they do. Why would I employ a designer who has just done five years' training just to scribble down what I think? Thomson can't say when – or even whether – a car designed at Ashbourne Drive will ever appear in showrooms, and in a way he doesn't care. But if he comes to recognise certain lines on the C10 Corvette (and on other models that can't be named), he will know that he has fulfilled the brief. Join our WhatsApp community and be the first to read about the latest news and reviews wowing the car world. Our community is the best, easiest and most direct place to tap into the minds of Autocar, and if you join you'll also be treated to unique WhatsApp content. You can leave at any time after joining - check our full privacy policy here. Next Prev In partnership with


Scotsman
4 days ago
- Scotsman
Scottish businesses celebrate partnership of almost £89m
Framework partnerships benefits hundreds of communities and projects Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A leading Scottish business has greatly benefited from a partnership that has seen its firm secure millions of pounds of public sector contracts over the last two decades. Scotland's largest free to join not for profit procurement organisation, the Scottish Procurement Alliance (SPA), is celebrating a milestone partnership with the country's leading window and door manufacturer, Sidey, which has been awarded over £89 million in public sector contracts over their 20-year relationship. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The collaboration has contributed to the Sidey Group being able to expand from a £4.5 million annual turnover business in 2002, before the LHC partnership began, to a £65 million operation employing 300 people directly and an additional 150 indirectly. L-R, Lesley Peaty (SPA) and Steve Hardy (Sidey) Steve Hardy, Joint Managing Director at Sidey, said: "Our partnership with SPA has been transformational for our business, which has always been very focused on sustainability and community engagement. 'SPA's solutions work because they provide quality assurance for clients while giving companies like us the opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities and to work collaboratively with the public sector to deliver positive community-based outcomes. 'We're proud that our success has also contributed millions back into Scottish communities through SPA's charitable giving." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The partnership, which began when SPA operated as the London Housing Consortium (LHC), has grown from Perth-based Sidey's first Scottish framework contract to become one of the company's largest framework relationships. L-R, Stuart Holligan, Steve Hardy, Rachel Carmichael, Simon Dunn As a not-for-profit organisation, SPA reinvests all rebates into Scottish communities through its Community Benefit Fund (CBF) and charity partner, Lintel Trust. Lesley Peaty, Regional Director for SPA, commented: "Our partnership with Sidey exemplifies how framework procurement can drive both business growth and distinct community value. 'Over the last 20 years, we've watched Sidey grow from being a local supplier to a major manufacturer, while consistently delivering quality outcomes for our public sector partners. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Their commitment to community benefits, including having a dedicated in-house community benefits manager, shows how seriously Sidey takes community investment and demonstrates how successful businesses can give back to the communities in which they operate. Procurement can be an essential driver for the greater good of achieving meaningful community impact and positive outcomes." The teams from Sidey and SPA celebrate partnership The partnership has facilitated contracts ranging from £2,500 to almost £8 million across housing associations and local councils throughout Scotland. Major community projects from Sidey include the largest project ever awarded under SPA's windows framework at £7.8 million. This four-year contract with Clackmannanshire Council involves the supply and installation of windows to more than 1,800 properties across the area which is now approaching its final year. Steve added: "The beauty of SPA's solutions is that it removes procurement barriers while maintaining quality standards, along with their commitment to social value and maximising community benefits to improve local areas. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It's created a sustainable model for growth that benefits everyone - our business, our employees, our clients, and the communities we serve." SPA's success has enabled significant reinvestment in Scottish communities. Since 2017, the organisation's Community Benefit Fund has awarded over £1.1 million in grants and supported more than 116 local groups, generating £5.9 million in social value. Projects have included Holiday Hunger programmes, community gardens, digital and social inclusion initiatives, employability programmes, apprenticeship support funds and specialist mental health services, helping improve the lives of at least 35,000 people. The Sidey partnership represents just one success story within SPA's broader impact. SPA works with hundreds of public sector partners including housing associations, councils, blue light services, the NHS and other public bodies offering them a compliant route to deliver their project plans and ambitions. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Sidey's growth, enabled by the SPA partnership, has allowed it to further invest in all areas of operations, facilities and people whilst also opening a new 40,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Perth last year.


BBC News
02-08-2025
- BBC News
New Eastbourne council planning controls to limit HMO conversions
New planning controls to curb the creation of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in parts of Eastbourne town centre have been introduced by the borough Borough Council (EBC) said numbers in the area were already high, but properties that wished to become a HMO would now require planning Article 4 Direction is now in place, alongside new planning guidance, EBC said.A council spokesperson confirmed it related to the conversion of houses into small HMOs for between three and six people - who share basic amenities such as a kitchen or bathroom facilities. The council said this related to properties within Devonshire, Meads and Upperton wards, and a small part of St Anthony's Stephen Holt, EBC leader, said: "I have been campaigning for many years to improve the standard and quality of HMOs."I want to be really clear, HMOs play a crucial role in Eastbourne's housing landscape. "By introducing this comprehensive planning guidance and these new controls, this council is showing its commitment to improving living conditions for HMO residents, as well as their neighbours." EBC said the change did not apply to conversions that were completed before 30 July 2025, and those properties would not require planning permission. Owners of existing small HMOs may, however, apply for a Certificate of Lawful Development to formally confirm their property's lawful council added it had also recently adopted a new Supplementary Planning Document that provided detailed guidance on how existing planning policies would be applied to HMO planning applications. It would consider factors such as concentration, loss of family homes, impact on neighbour amenity, and accommodation standards.