About the staff at DEAC

Staff news - DEAC staff all now hold the qualification City and Guilds 6176-02 Renewable Energy in the Home.

Phil Neale - Director/Centre Manager

Phil entered the energy efficiency field as a surveyor in 1990 when the first HEES grant was introduced. Phil was responsible for managing a team of surveyors which worked all over the South East and South West of the country. In 1998, Phil worked with Poole Council to secure funding to start an Energy Advice Centre for Poole and then Dorset. Since then Dorset Energy Advice Centre has developed into the well-recognised centre for advice in Dorset. Phil continues to look at projects to take forward the centre into new areas of sustainability. 

Email:          phil@deac.co.uk 

Gill Birkett - Director/Office Administrator

Gill joined the original team in 1994 and trained as a surveyor working across the M4 corridor visiting clients in their homes, giving energy advice, and assisting them with grant applications. In 1998 the company evolved into an energy advice centre and Gill took on the role as Centre administrator. In 1999 Gill became a Co –Director alongside Phil. Gill continues her commitment to run the ever busy office and also runs the Council Tax A to D scheme now running in many local authorities. 

Email:          gill@deac.co.uk

Peter Bywater - Director/Senior Project Manager

Peter joined DEAC in 2005, and has worked with over 750 landlords, agents and management companies to install insulation and other energy saving measures in over 6500 rented dwellings. Peter is currently running both the Bournemouth and Southampton Landlords projects, the Dorset Landlords discount scheme, DEAC's Energy Performance Certificate Service and looking after some of the marketing activities with Emily.

Before joining DEAC Peter gained considerable experience as an assessor and team leader with EAGA, where he assisted running various projects including Sandwell Warm Zones, Local Authority Stock Condition Surveys and British Gas Here to Help Schemes. Over the last 10 years Peter has assessed over 25,000 properties and so has gained considerable technical expertise in domestic energy efficiency. He is the manager of a multiple award-winning project and has himself won an award - the 2011 NEA Heat Hero !

Email:          peter@deac.co.uk 
 

Theresa McManus - Sustainable Projects Manager

Theresa joined DEAC in 2010, to help develop new partnerships and projects. She sits on the Low Carbon Partnership Group (previously the Dorset Energy Group) which is responsible for implementing the sub-regional Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Strategies and Action Plans. 
Theresa, an experienced project manager, has been an environmental campaigner for twenty years and has a keen interest in renewable energy and sustainable living. Theresa managed the successful Bournemouth and Poole Big Green Fortnight in 2011.

Email:           theresa@deac.co.uk

Austin Sheppard, Sue Hewitt, Becky Windwood

The stalwarts of our advice line are Austin Sheppard, Sue Hewitt and Becky Windwood. They are both always busy dealing in detail with enquiries from the general public. As well as providing advice on energy efficiency and renewable energy, they will ensure that each customer gets signposted to the services they need. 

Staff Cycling

A number of our staff are keen to cycle to work, and so DEAC have signed up to CycleScheme, (www.cyclescheme.co.uk), which provides savings for staff when purchasing a new bike. There are a number of sites that provide useful information about cycling routes : select cycling from the menu at www.poole.gov.uk to list local cycle information, or www.sustrans.org.uk for a variety of cycling services including free maps.