Logo with orange and yellow circle and the words, Eastbourne Carbon Neutral 2030. Sustainable Business and Solar Summit 2022

The Sustainable Business & Solar Summit

  • When

    Friday 18th November 2022

  • Where

    The Welcome Building, Devonshire Park, Eastbourne, the UK's sunniest town

Click on + to find out about trains, buses, free Wi-Fi and other facilities at the venue.

The event is being held in the Shackleton and Mallory Halls which are on the lower floors of the Welcome Building. There are stairs and lifts to all levels.

Getting there

The Welcome Building is a 12-minute walk from Eastbourne railway station.

Buses to the Welcome Building include:

  • Stagecoach 3 and 3a
  • Brighton & Hove Coaster Service 12a

More travel information here.

Free Wi-Fi service

The Public Wi-Fi service in the Welcome Building is Link Free

  1. Once in the building, look for the _Link Free option in your list of available Wi-Fi services
  2. If you have not used Link Free before, you must register – open a web browser and go to any site, e.g. bbc.co.uk – A sign-in screen for Eastbourne Borough Council WIFI will appear –
    • select Create an Account if this is the first time you have used Link Free -then turn to step 3
    • or, if you already have a Link Free account, simply sign in using your email address and the password you last used for this service
  3. Creating an account: Select Create New Account and fill in details including your name, email address, chosen password and mobile phone number – a text will be sent to your mobile phone with a verification code
  4. Enter the verification code into the validation screen that appears on your device and select Verify
  5. when you have registered you will be prompted to sign into the Wi-Fi service

Other facilities

Lunch, teas and coffees will be provided,  during breaks, in the Mallory Exhibition Hall. If you wish to purchase other items, there is a cafe on the ground floor of the Welcome Building, overlooking the Tennis courts.

Breakout spaces (tables and chairs) will be provided in Mallory.

Book your place

Tickets for the event cost £15 per person and include teas, coffees and lunch.

Book your tickets through Eastbourne’s Chamber of Commerce online booking system.

The morning activities will explore sustainable business practice including reducing energy use and reducing our carbon footprint. Afternoon activities will focus on solar energy opportunities and funding available to business.

Refreshments will be provided during the breaks, including lunch.

09.00 Doors open

09.30 – 09.50 Welcome: 

  • David Tutt, Leader of Eastbourne Borough Council; 
  • Caroline Ansell, MP Eastbourne and Willingdon

09.50-10.05 Working together to create a Net Zero neighbourhood:
The big picture: challenges and opportunities. Countdown to zero-carbon 2030

  • Ollie Pendered, Chief Executive of Community Energy South

10.05 – 10.35 Carbon reduction – Strategies for businesses

  • Shelaine Siepel, The Sustainable Business Partnership; 
  • Ian Fitzpatrick,  Eastbourne Borough Council; 
  • Matt Roberts, East Sussex College Group 

10.35 – 11.05 Enabling the transition: 
Net Zero 360 (workshops and carbon accounting tool), green innovation, business grants and subsidies including LoCASE: 

  • Mark Riminton,
  • Kerry Byott and
  • Ian Smallwood, Green Growth Platform, University of Brighton

11.05 – 11.30 Coffee break – networking

11.30-11.45 Addressing energy use in Victorian and Edwardian buildings:

  • Joanna Saady, Ecotecture Ecological Designs Ltd.

11.45 – 12.15 Making waves:
Case studies of businesses taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint and energy costs:

  • Matthew Knight, Akro Valve;
  • Sam Keam,  Zedify;
  • Matthew Bird,  Lewes District Council

12.15 – 13.00 Panel discussion: How do we cut costs and get greener?

  • Chair: Christina Ewbank,  Eastbourne UnLtd, Chamber of Commerce;
  • Richard Garland, Gradient Consulting;
  • Adam Bastock, Small99;
  • Patrick Allcorn, Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy;
  • Shelaine Siepel, The Sustainable Business Partnership CIC;
  • Joanna Saady, Ecotecture Ecological Designs Ltd.;

13.00 – 13.45 LUNCH – networking

A light lunch will be provided in the foyer.

Menu coming soon!

13.45-14.05 Solar power: overview – latest technology, opportunities & challenges: 

  • Melissa Briggs, Bee Solar Technologies Ltd;
  • Richard Wise,  Polysolar Ltd.
  • Mitchell Van Oosten, Naked Energy

14.05-14.30 Sussex solar: Opportunities & challenges of installing solar-PV in the south-east: 
Battery storage, electrics, connecting to the network:

  • Matt Woodward,  OHM Energy  Ltd;
  • Neil Madgwick,  UK Power Networks

14.30-15.00 Community Energy: Overview – how does it work? 
Case studies from the South-East:

  • Kayla Ente, BHESCo;
  • Chris Rowland, OVESCo/Community Energy South

15.00-15.30 Leading by example: case studies of solar installations: 

  • Ed Hussey, SAS Energy (Cavendish School, Sussex University);
  • Paul Vine, OHM Energy Solutions Ltd
  • Richard Watson, Energise Sussex Coast

15.30 – 15.45 Tea break – networking

15.45 – 16.20 Panel discussion: How can we enable solar PV on commercial and institutional buildings?

  • Chair: Lord Ralph Lucas
  • Richard Watson, Energise Sussex Coast
  • Clare Bottle, UK WareHousing Association;
  • Leigh Palmer, Lewes & Eastbourne Borough Councils
  • Kayla Ente,  BHESCo;
  • Chris Rowland, OVESCo ;
  • Jason Lindfield, OHM Energy;

16.20 – 16.30 Closing remarks:

  • David Tutt, Eastbourne Borough Council; 
  • Caroline Ansell, Eastbourne and Willingdon MP

Meet the presenters and panel members

Follow the links (green text) to find out more about our speakers.

Patrick Allcorn
Head of Local NetZero,
Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Caroline Ansell,
MP for Eastbourne and Willingdon

Adam Bastock
Cofounder,
Small99

Matthew Bird,
Chartered Environmentalist,
Lewes District Councillor

Melissa Briggs,
CEO,
Bee Solar Technologies Ltd.

Kayla Ente
CEO and Founder,
BHESCo

Christina Ewbank,
CEO Eastbourne UnLtd, Chamber of Commerce

Ian Fitzpatrick wearing blue shirt, open-necked

Ian Fitzpatrick
Deputy Chief Executive, Lewes & Eastbourne Councils; Director of Regeneration & Planning

Richard Garland,
Chartered Surveyor, Cofounder Gradient Consulting

Ed Hussey
Business Accounts Manager, SAS Energy

Sam Keam,
Cofounder and Chief Sustainability Officer,
Zedify

Matt Knight,
Managing Director,
Akro Valve

Jason Lindfield,
OHM Energy Solutions Ltd.

Lord Ralph Lucas,
Environment and Climate Change Committee, House of Lords

Neil Madgwick,
Head of Service Delivery,
UK Power Networks

Leigh Palmer
Head of Planning,
Lewes District and Eastbourne Borough Councils

Ollie Pendered - man with beard wearing grey t-shirt

Ollie Pendered
Chief Executive, Community Energy South

Mark Riminton,
Business Development Lead,
Green Growth Platform,
University of Brighton

Matt Roberts - with beard, smiling, standing in front of cylinder tank and copper pipework

Matt Roberts
Head of Green Curriculum,
East Sussex College

Chris Rowland,
Director, OVESCo & Community Energy South

Joanna Saady,
Director of Ecotecture Ecological Designs Ltd.,
Chartered Architect, Ecological Design and Historic Building Expert

Shelaine Siepel,
Managing Director,
The Sustainable Business Partnership CIC

David Tutt,
County Councillor and Leader of Eastbourne Borough Council

Paul Vine,
OHM Energy Solutions Ltd

Richard Watson, grey beard and blue shirt

Richard Watson
Energise Sussex Coast

Robin Dyer
OHM Energy

Matt Woodward,
OHM Energy

Clare Bottle
UK Warehousing Association

Meet the Exhibitors

Event organisers

eastbourne eco action network logo, Carbon neutral 2030
Eastbourne Borough Council logo, includes white yacht
Eastbourne Chamber of Commerce logo, Eastbourne UnLtd

Event sponsors

cds logo
logo for GM Monk renewables
logo for Go Green Sustainability

The morning activities will explore sustainable business practice including reducing energy use and reducing our carbon footprint. Afternoon activities will focus on solar energy opportunities and funding available to business.

Refreshments will be provided during the breaks, including lunch.

09.00 Doors open

09.30 – 09.50 Welcome: 

  • David Tutt, Leader of Eastbourne Borough Council; 
  • Caroline Ansell, MP Eastbourne and Willingdon

09.50-10.05 Working together to create a Net Zero neighbourhood:
The big picture: challenges and opportunities. Countdown to zero-carbon 2030

  • Ollie Pendered, Chief Executive of Community Energy South

10.05 – 10.35 Carbon reduction – Strategies for businesses

  • Shelaine Siepel, The Sustainable Business Partnership; 
  • Ian Fitzpatrick,  Eastbourne Borough Council; 
  • Matt Roberts, East Sussex College Group 

10.35 – 11.05 Enabling the transition: 
Net Zero 360 (workshops and carbon accounting tool), green innovation, business grants and subsidies including LoCASE: 

  • Mark Riminton,
  • Kerry Byott and
  • Ian Smallwood, Green Growth Platform, University of Brighton

11.05 – 11.30 Coffee break – networking

11.30-11.45 Addressing energy use in Victorian and Edwardian buildings:

  • Joanna Saady, Ecotecture Ecological Designs Ltd.

11.45 – 12.15 Making waves:
Case studies of businesses taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint and energy costs:

  • Matthew Knight, Akro Valve;
  • Sam Keam,  Zedify;
  • Matthew Bird,  Lewes District Council

12.15 – 13.00 Panel discussion: How do we cut costs and get greener?

  • Chair: Christina Ewbank,  Eastbourne UnLtd, Chamber of Commerce;
  • Richard Garland, Gradient Consulting;
  • Adam Bastock, Small99;
  • Patrick Allcorn, Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy;
  • Shelaine Siepel, The Sustainable Business Partnership CIC;
  • Joanna Saady, Ecotecture Ecological Designs Ltd.;

13.00 – 13.45 LUNCH – networking

A light lunch will be provided in the foyer.

Menu coming soon!

13.45-14.05 Solar power: overview – latest technology, opportunities & challenges: 

  • Melissa Briggs, Bee Solar Technologies Ltd;
  • Hamish Watson,  Polysolar Ltd.
  • Mitchell Van Oosten, Naked Energy

14.05-14.30 Sussex solar: Opportunities & challenges of installing solar-PV in the south-east: 
Battery storage, electrics, connecting to the network:

  • Jason Lindfield,  OHM Energy  Ltd;
  • Neil Madgwick,  UK Power Networks

14.30-15.00 Community Energy: Overview – how does it work? 
Case studies from the South-East:

  • Kayla Ente, BHESCo;
  • Chris Rowland, OVESCo/Community Energy South

15.00-15.30 Leading by example: case studies of solar installations: 

  • Ed Hussey, SAS Energy (Cavendish School, Sussex University);
  • Paul Vine, OHM Energy Solutions Ltd
  • Richard Watson, Energise Sussex Coast

15.30 – 15.45 Tea break – networking

15.45 – 16.20 Panel discussion: How can we enable solar PV on commercial and institutional buildings?

  • Chair: Lord Ralph Lucas
  • Richard Watson, 
  • Clare Bottle, UK WareHousing Association;
  • Leigh Palmer, Lewes & Eastbourne Borough Councils
  • Kayla Ente,  BHESCo;
  • Chris Rowland, OVESCo ;
  • Jason Lindfield, OHM Energy;

16.20 – 16.30 Closing remarks:

  • David Tutt, Eastbourne Borough Council; 
  • Caroline Ansell, Eastbourne and Willingdon MP
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