John Southern, Upowa
With over 20 years of experience in designing, developing and managing technology products across multiple sectors for some of the biggest brands, John heads up product development and strategy for UPOWA.
With a relentless focus on innovation and sustainability, John is driving the development of UPOWA’s cutting-edge sustainable technology solutions that is helping shape a more sustainable future and accelerate the UK’s journey to net-zero.
John is extremely passionate about the energy transition and the role of technology and puts the customer at the heart of everything he does.
John moved sectors to new build as he believed there was no better industry to make a significant change due to the lower cost barriers to take up the technology and drive change while new houses are being built rather than the significantly harder retrofit market.
• John Southern is UPOWA’s internal sustainability champion. He takes the lead on environmental initiatives and ‘giving back’ ideas for UPOWA and Brickability Group. John is driving the uptake of solar, battery and EV charging technology for employees and other companies across the wider Brickability Group.
• To support the electrification of transport and ensure full accessibility to EVCP technology, John is lead on developing a UK made UPOWA Smart EV charger. A fully compliant charger designed with housebuilders, the installer and end-user in mind.
• Working across multiple products from around the world, John is driving the development of UPOWA’s sustainable technology product range. These will help shape a more sustainable future for UK housebuilding and domestic retro-fit markets. The technologies can work alone or combined as a complete system to provide additional benefits.
• John regularly collaborates with housing developers and housing associations to inform, educate and advise technical teams on the challenges and best solutions for Part L and Part S compliance. Persimmon Homes, Taylor Wimpey, Vistry, Cala Group, Wates, Keepmoat and Thakeham Group are just some of clients who have benefitted from John’s up to date knowledge of policy and technology solution benefits.
• As Vice Chair for the Solar Energy UK Residential Rooftop Solar Working Group, John is an advocate for empowering the UK solar transformation through policy and consultation within the industry and government. His 2O years of experience across other industries is now helping to scale up and work though challenges with peers across the industry.
