Healthier homes on the horizon thanks to business team-up

By Rob Kelly

04 Nov 2024

Deyrick Allen, Niamh Allen, Derek Horrocks and Tom Allen

Two of the Lancashire’s leading organisations in creating healthier homes and buildings have teamed up – with Sustainable Investments Ltd (SI) making a strategic investment in smart building technology organisation IoT Horizon.

SI – which is headquartered in Skelmersdale and includes retrofit  decarbonisation contractor Sustainable Building Services (SBS) and energy retrofit service provider and consultancy Sustainable Energy Services (SES) – has acquired a 76% stake in family-owned, Rawtenstall-based IoT Horizon.

The move solidifies a partnership founded on the organisations’ shared commitments and vision to creating healthier, warmer, and well-maintained buildings and living spaces.

IoT Horizon helps its clients to collect data and gain insights on their buildings, people, processes, and assets to make better and more-informed decisions, including the use of AI for advanced insights, monitoring, evaluation, to create healthier spaces to be in, while also identifying opportunities to improve energy and cost efficiencies. Collected by smart sensors, this data is captured via industry-leading digital Neronis® platform on elements like heat, humidity and air quality, vital in enhancing comfort, health and safety within buildings, while also driving significant reductions in energy consumption.

IoT Horizon’s expertise – solidified over the past seven years – in larger building management has already proven adaptable for residential applications, making it a natural fit with SI’s housing focus and adding to its now 150-strong team.

Derek Horrocks, owner and chair at Sustainable Investments Ltd, said: “There are real synergies between our two businesses, with a shared vision for delivering real and positive social impact on society. Both being headquartered from the North West but operating nationally just goes to illustrate the leading expertise coming out of the region that’s making a difference to people UK-wide.

“This investment is a purpose-led one, and our onward partnership is all about encouraging growth and innovation that directly improves and transforms lives – in this case delivering warmer, drier, healthier, and cheaper to heat buildings and homes.

"Founder Deyrick, Niamh and the wider IoT Horizon team have been doing fantastic things over the past seven years in the smart building space, all informed by Deyrick’s previous experience working for household names like Hewlett Packard.

“Combining IoT Horizon’s data-led approach to everything from occupancy to energy consumption through to air quality with our own specialism in delivering housing decarbonisation works will mean we’re able to accelerate delivery at scale. The team also brings with them excellent experience from working on Innovate UK funded projects and being members of Make UK.

“That means we can go even further – creating greater social impact together than separately.

"Our partnership will advance that shared mission and commitment to delivering measurable impact through reliable, data-informed solutions that enable people to live in homes that are not only energy efficient but are healthier and more comfortable for millions of people around the country.”

SIs investment represents a collaborative approach, with the current management team retaining 24% ownership and continuing to lead day-to-day operations alongside managing director Niamh Allen.

This will provide business continuity and leadership for existing client networks, and continuing to lead the field in smart buildings in the North West, including success on the Liverpool Tech Climbers list and an ever-growing prominent position in Lancashire’s technology scene.

Deyrick Allen, founder of IoT Horizon, said: “Our work over recent years has really examined air quality and tackling ‘sick building syndrome’. This focus has only been solidified in recent years with high profile media stories around the impact of such things on people’s health.

“If there is one thing we want to do, it’s to play our part in ensuring healthy buildings, and being able to work within SI to apply what we do in the housing decarbonisation space is a way we can make transformational difference to real situations and people.

"While our services will really help the likes of registered providers of social housing in measuring operational and energy efficiencies, the real crux is their residents feeling the positive impact – from improved comfort and health to reduced energy usage.

“The ethical alignment of our businesses is what makes this such a significant moment for everyone involved, and having the backing of SI is only going to help us make our vision a reality in a faster fashion.

"We will be continuing to work with clients across other areas as well, and they will see no changes day-to-day in how we are already working with them. This is simply an exciting next step to scale up and make an even bigger difference to people around the country.”

The new chapter will see IoT Horizon rebranded as Sustainable Smart Technologies, bringing its new name and visual identity in line with other SI businesses.

Enjoyed this? Read more from Rob Kelly

Latest news

1

fulfilment crowd delivers profitable, double-digit revenue growth LeeThompsonfulfilmentcrowd

fulfilment crowd delivers profitable, double-digit revenue growth

01 May 2025

2

Leyland Trucks celebrates more than 1,700 years of combined long service Leyland Trucks staff celebrating

Leyland Trucks celebrates more than 1,700 years of combined long service

01 May 2025

3

Chiptech announces major innovation initiative at high-profile reception with the New Zealand Prime Minister in London. The Rt Hon Jonathan Reynolds, the Rt Hon Christopher Luxon and the Rt Hon Steve Reed (L-R Front Row) David Hammond, and Daniel Knowles

Chiptech announces major innovation initiative at high-profile reception with the New Zealand Prime Minister in London.

30 Apr 2025

4

Northstone secures full planning permission for 50 new homes in Edenfield Edenfield housing development

Northstone secures full planning permission for 50 new homes in Edenfield

29 Apr 2025

5

Ring Stones Maintenance and Construction celebrates completion of Dovestone Gardens Dovestone Gardens launch

Ring Stones Maintenance and Construction celebrates completion of Dovestone Gardens

29 Apr 2025

Pc Prestonmacan Gif980x120 March
Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV122 May/June Launch Event
121 Lancashire Business View Magazine Launch
Networking
21 May 2025

LBV122 May/June Launch Event

Lancaster and Morecambe College, Lancaster, LA1 2TY

08:30 - 10:30

Sub36 Networking
Networking
11 Jun 2025

Sub36 Networking

British Jewellery School, Scorton, PR3 1BA

15:00 - 17:00

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference
Net Zero Carbon Social 1200px 2
Networking
18 Jun 2025

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference

Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort, Burnley, BB12 0RT

08:30 - 13:00

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers
WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion copy.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
02 Apr 2025 - 08 Oct 2025

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:00 - 15:30

Planning for the future + navigating Inheritance Tax changes
Planning for the future + navigating Inheritance Tax changes for website.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
01 May 2025 - 01 May 2025

Planning for the future + navigating Inheritance Tax changes

Stanley House Hotel, Mellor, Blackburn, BB2 7NP, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

08:00 - 10:30

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 2
EV-land-2025-05B.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
02 May 2025 - 02 May 2025

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 2

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Manchester Road, Burnley, BB11 1JG

09:00 - 11:00

A night at the races
1.png.png
LBV Hub Dinners / Balls
02 May 2025 - 02 May 2025

A night at the races

Morecambe FC, Morecambe, LA4 4TB

19:00 - 23:59

Celebrating 50 years of KTP
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
07 May 2025 - 07 May 2025

Celebrating 50 years of KTP

University of Central Lancashire , Preston, PR1 2HE

16:00 - 18:00

Research and Knowledge Exchange Showcase
13421_research_knowledge_exchange_2025_600x300.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Awards
07 May 2025 - 08 May 2025

Research and Knowledge Exchange Showcase

University of Central Lancashire , Preston, PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more Lbv121 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin