A Norfolk company that builds eco-homes from scratch in a former-juice factory said it’s exceeded growth predictions, adding hundreds of new jobs amid soaring demand.
Beattie Passive, based at Norwich's former Britvic factory at Carrow Works, builds properties to Passivhaus standard - an internationally recognised certificate that guarantees houses have low energy usage and high level of comfort.
And Ron Beattie, founder and managing director, said business was flying as people looked for alternatives to traditional construction methods.
He said: “We’ve seen a big change. People realise now that climate change is a huge issue.
“Fuel poverty has grown massively since the Ukraine war, and we’ve got more and more people in desperate situations, so we should be building every home to these standards.”
With new clients, including Great Yarmouth and Cardiff Councils, the company has added more than 80 new team members since April, and is looking to add 40 more in the next couple of months.
Mr Beattie said most of the new hires were young people with no prior experience – but that the build system was simple enough to pick up in a matter of weeks.
He said: “In two weeks, we can train someone to build a whole house from scratch.
“Because the system itself is very simplistic, all you need is a bench, a battery drill, and a chop saw.
“We’ve got some great kids, some are young offenders and have been in prison, but now they’ve built 20 odd houses they’ve got themselves flats, they’re living a normal life, they’ve turned it all around and that’s from working with a bit of ply. “
Next month, the business will expand into a third space at Carrow Works, increasing their 116,000 sq.ft operation "significantly".
Mr Beattie added: “It’s an exciting time here at Beattie Passive. We’re also looking to retrofit about 18,000 buildings in the coming year, so watch this space.”
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