Renewable Energy Company Profile - Invisible Heating Systems

The dynamic growth expected by Invisible Heating Systems over the next few years indicates that at last the tide is turning in favour of enterprising firms prepared to seize an opportunity when it's there.  

Less than a decade ago the prospect of encountering a business that could truly thrive in a remote, rural corner of the UK would have seemed wildly optimistic. 

Not any more. IHS can rightfully boast to be one of the Highland’s most progressive companies involved in Scotland's rapidly emerging renewable energy sector.

Based in Ullapool, IHS started 12 years ago by Liz Stewart and her partner Henk Verweijmeren.  

They began by specialising in underfloor heating systems using proven technology from Holland. The systems were soon bringing in business from across the UK and remain the cornerstone to IHS's commercial success.

The move into renewable energy systems was an obvious progression as Liz Stewart explains: "Underfloor heating is about the closest thing you can get to the ideal heating system. It's energy efficient and provides a very even distribution of heat.  

"The system also works extremely well with a ground source heat pump which extracts energy from water or soil to provide heating and hot water so it was a very obvious step to offer both these solutions to customers which we did four years ago."  

Today, IHS operates from new, purpose-built, energy-efficient offices providing a complete package of energy efficient systems. 

To underfloor heating and ground source heat pumps, the company has added solar panels and domestic water systems. 

The company has also designed and developed its widely-acclaimed new road energy system. This was another technology developed in Holland together with IHS which has been adapted for the UK market and is arousing significant interest.  

"UK interest in the road energy system has been quite incredible," says Liz Stewart. 

"We're in talks with a number of customers about some large commercial projects and there's been massive interest from elsewhere including airports and city centre car parks. And, of course, we've already installed it at our own design centre which was first for the UK." 

With the rapid growth in micro renewables, encouraged by grants from the Scottish Executive under the Scottish Community and Householder Renewable Initiative (SCHRI), IHS is determined the needs of the customer come first. 

Edel Walsh, who handles IHS's marketing, says: "There is a very real need for people to have the right information about what technologies will and won't work in their particular situation.  

"Heat pumps, for example, work particularly well in new builds. If a customer has an older house it must be properly insulated otherwise they're simply wasting their money. 

"Giving customers the right information so they can make an informed decision is central to what we do."  

The company's success has brought the inevitable challenges which, not surprisingly, Liz Stewart and the team are meeting head on. 

"We're without doubt a significant employer in the Highlands but property prices are such that finding affordable housing for our staff has proved virtually impossible.  

"In the end we decided to do something about it we've just been given planning permission to build six zero-carbon houses in the centre of Ullapool.

"This is great news for our staff, many of whom were getting fed up with living in caravans."  

While Ullapool remains IHS's main base, it recently opened a smaller office in Staffordshire to cope with orders which are coming in from across the UK. 

"It's a time of tremendous growth which we need to manage well," says Edel Walsh.  

"People are looking to take more control over their energy bills so it's customers who are driving our growth and that's as it should be." 

IHS contact
Edel Walsh
Tel:  01854 613161
Web:  www.invisibleheating.co.uk

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