Breathing Buildings was formed as a spin out company from
the University of Cambridge in 2006, following the discovery and
development of the proprietary low energy e-stack mixing
ventilation system as part of a major research programme at the BP
Institute, through the Cambridge-MIT Institute, with funding from
BP plc. The technology was filed for patent by the University of
Cambridge, and Breathing Buildings has exclusive rights to the
technology.
Breathing Buildings was set up to develop and commercialise this
low energy ventilation system. During 2006-07 prototypes of the
system were developed and tested in the Breathing Buildings
laboratories, with a team of highly qualified ventilation experts.
The value and potential of the innovation has been recognised by
several awards for innovation. Furthermore, since the e-stack
system was commercially introduced in 2007, the success of the
product and associated consultancy has been recognised by industry
via an increasing number of awards.
Already e-stack systems are operating in over 65 different
buildings across the UK, ranging from retail projects to local
primary schools, and there is a substantial pipeline of new
projects for which Breathing Buildings is actively engaged in
supplying e-stack systems.
The Breathing Buildings team contributes
significantly to research into natural ventilation. Our links with
the University of Cambridge research team at the BP Institute are
very strong. Click here for
a reference list of background papers and to watch Dr
Shaun Fitzgerald giving an introductory lecture on Natural
Ventilation please click here.
Meet the team
Dr Shaun Fitzgerald-
Co-Founder and Managing Director
Shaun is a co founder of Breathing Buildings. He completed his
PhD in Geothermal Reservoirs at Cambridge University before moving
to Stanford University, CA and later spending five years at Bain
and Company. He returned to Cambridge carrying out research into
natural ventilation at the BP Institute before turning his hand to
energy reduction using his expertise in natural ventilation to
found Breathing Buildings in 2006.
David Wilkinson - Finance and
Operations Director
David joined Breathing Buildings in September 2009 having
completed his MBA at Cambridge University's Judge Institute. David
qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst and Young before
working for WPP in London and New York. Breathing Buildings is a
return to David's roots having studied Engineering at Durham as an
undergraduate.
Kevin Sargeant-
Chairman
Kevin Sargeant. A qualified accountant by profession, Kevin
founded Flowsave/Airstream Products in the late '90's,
following a successful early career with Initial Services (
Rentokil ). The business was acquired by Vent-Axia in 1990,
following which Kevin's career progressed at Vent-Axia through to
him taking the position of Group Managing Director in 1996.. During
this time the Group was acquired by Smiths Industries Plc. In 2000,
Kevin joined the Smiths Industries, Industrials Board and in 2002
lead the £125m MBO of a number of Engineering Companies out of
Smiths into Volution Holdings, a vehicle he formed to facilitate
the acquisition. Kevin was, as CEO, the principle management
investor with support from a private equity backer.
A secondary buyout was undertaken in 2006, for £170m, with the
business being very active in the M & A market, notably
disposing of its Airstream ( £25m) and Cable Management ( £60m
)Businesses. Kevin disposed of his interests in Volution Holdings
in 2012 when the business was sold for £164m.
Kevin currently has a number of Non Executive positions and
investments in Breathing Building Ltd, Ventilair Be and Mexicam
Ltd, and through his Advisory business he also undertakes
short-term consulting appointments around preparing businesses for
sale.