By Sarah George

Copyright edie

The nine innovations were selected following a competitive process led by construction and property services giant Wates Group, in collaboration with the Sustainable Business Consortium.

More than 100 startups, scaleups and spin-outs applied for the chance to pilot their innovations across UK banking buildings. Nine solutions were successful, namely:

Tepeo, for its heat battery boiler which boasts zero operational emissions.
Tyle Solarlyte, which produces solar roof tiles that are easy to install.
Voltalis, for its smart thermostat that is suitable for homes and commercial buildings.
Voltsmart, for its energy-efficient fuse boards which optimise building voltage.
FutureSix, which produces a high-performance insulation coating called Thermacote, made using hollow ceramic microspheres and water-based acrylic resins.
The Energy Savers for its draught-proofing system called ‘Quattro Seal’. This claims to offer energy savings of up to 27%.
Coltraco Ultrasonics’ handheld airtightness testing device, the Portascanner Airtight.
Two digital energy intelligence products from Smartcool – namely its ‘Panoramic Power’ energy management platform and Energy Saving System (ESS).

These solutions will now be tested across the UK estates managed by the five banks. Their creators will also have the opportunity to join the Wates Innovation Network (WIN) portal – a curated platform that offers access to a marketplace of cutting-edge technologies, materials and solutions for the built environment.

Lloyds Banking Group’s sustainability manager Daniel Coakley said: “The solutions presented have been truly impressive, and we’re looking forward to working together on the pilots and seeing them deliver cost and carbon savings for our organisations.”

The competition has been running since 2021. Previously held in partnership with Lloyds Banking Group alone, the 2025 edition saw it expand to four additional banks.

“We’ve already seen strong results from collaborating with partners who pitched in previous years. But when it comes to sustainability, there’s always room to go further,” Coakley added.

Join edie’s upcoming webinar on decarbonising buildings

Readers tasked with reducing the operational and/or embodied emissions of buildings are encouraged to join an upcoming free webinar providing guidance, hosted by edie in partnership with Mitsubishi Electric.

Taking place on 23 October 2025 from 1pm British Summer Time (BST), this 45-minute session is free to join.

Expert speakers will highlight key findings from Mitsubishi Electric’s recent research on how businesses of all sizes and sectors can reduce emissions from their buildings in line with long-term climate targets, while maintaining a commercial edge.