John Marsh, Chief Operating Officer, BUUK
John started his career in 1980 with Manweb as a student electrical engineer, moving on to set up their New Connections business in 1995 for the start of competition. This introduced a multi utility model, adding gas, water and telecom assets. John has had senior roles with responsibility for all aspects of the utility sector, including construction and asset management. John was General Manager for the Cheshire Region of Scottish Power with 500,000 customers before taking up the role of Operations Director, responsible for the Connections business of United Utilities.
In 2006, John joined BUUK and established their Metropolitan business, which focuses on delivering heat networks for new developments. At the King’s Cross site in London, BUUK deliver seven site energy networks: electricity, gas, water, fibre, wastewater, heating and cooling for c2,000 homes and 500,000m2 of commercial space. The energy and utility networks are owned and operated by BUUK. This is a unique connections model, with all site networks owned and operated by a single company.
John is now Chief Operating Officer at BUUK, who deliver, own and operate utility and energy infrastructure for new sites – ‘last mile’ networks. The assets include gas, electricity, water, wastewater, district heating, cooling and fibre-to-the-home. A key focus is energy transformation and creating alternative solutions to gas to help house builders achieve Future Homes Standard. John led the BUUK team in developing the Community Heat Hub, with a modern heat network providing heat and hot water to homes on low density sites. This includes a Smart Grid approach, to integrate with the grid to reduce site capacity.
John is married with two sons and lives in Warrington. Cycling is the main hobby with Land’s End to John O’Groats and Austria to London ride as particular highlights, plus Lon Las, riding the length of Wales from Holyhead to Anglesey.
A watershed moment for housebuilders
John Marsh, water director at GTC, explains how new rules being introduced this month (April) will open up the water market
