Posted: 03/08/2012
Sustainable design guru and television presenter Oliver Heath will be guest speaker at the 2012 Jersey Construction Awards in September.
Known for his roles in the BBC's Home Front and Changing Rooms, Channel 4's House to Home and ITV's Front of House, Oliver's particular expertise lies in showing people how they can make sustainability a part of their lives, without compromising on style. Most recently, he has acted as a guest designer to the ever-popular BBC DIY SOS, working alongside the regular team.
Oliver can also be seen presenting seminars at events such as EcoBuild, Grand Designs Live and the Ideal Home Show.
He has recently completed a full environmental refurbishment of his own home in Brighton, showing the benefits low-energy living, reuse and ingenious recycling. The house was awarded Super Home status by the Sustainable Energy Academy for reducing its carbon emissions by more than 75%. Last year he was awarded the British Institute of Interior Design's Retrofit award.
Jersey Construction Council Awards Committee Chairman Steve Jewell said he was delighted that Oliver had accepted the invitation to be guest speaker at the awards gala evening on Saturday 22 September.
He said: ‘We were looking for an inspirational individual and someone who was right up-to-the-minute in terms of being a trend-setter for the industry. In Oliver – with his fantastic credentials in sustainability – I think we have found that individual.'
Mr Jewell continued: ‘Oliver has already proved himself to be an imaginative and inspirational force so far in his presenting career and in his business life. Clearly he is very driven, and his experience shows him to be an engaging and authoritative speaker too. We look forward to welcoming him to the Hotel de France for the awards.'
Oliver completed a postgraduate in architectural studies and worked in exhibition and set design before winning the BBC's Young Designer of the Year in 1998.
He then set up the interior and architecture practice Blustin Heath Design, with Nikki Blustin, creating sustainable designs for Barratt Homes and Islington Council, designing their Sustainable Living Centre.
In 2006 Oliver co-founded EcoCentric.co.uk, an online ethical retailer dedicated to products. After four years of successful trading he sold to a competitor and now has a new design company, Heath Design Ltd, which is based in Brighton.
Oliver has written design columns for the Observer, Friends of the Earth, and House Beautiful magazine. He has released three books about home design and style – Oliver Heath's Home Book, Front of House and Urban Eco Chic.
The 2012 award categories are:
Jersey Electricity Sustainability Award
JeCC Tradesperson of the Year
Harsco Infrastructure Apprentice/Student of the Year
Industry Achiever of the Year
Rossborough Sub-Contractor/Supplier of the Year
Condor Logistics Business of the Year
Rowney Sharman Project of the Year Under £1 million
Condor Logistics Project of the Year Over £1 million
Insurance Corporation Consultant of the Year
JeCC Lifetime Achiever Award.
Table bookings for the gala evening can be made by email to info@jerseyconstruction.org. For more information about the awards and details of the gala evening in September go to www.jerseyconstruction.org