Neil May

Neil May is managing director of Natural Building Technologies (NBT) and a leading light in the responsible retrofit movement which is increasingly informing government policy and industry practice on sustainable refurbishment.

Neil earned his stripes with 15 years in the construction industry as building labourer, tradesman and then in running his own conservation and environmental building company, which gave him a hands-on knowledge of buildings and natural materials.

He founded NBT in 1999, building its reputation for a holistic and responsible approach to retrofit and newbuild projects measured always on benefits to people, buildings and the wider environment.

Today Neil is one of the most well-connected figures in the retrofit industry. He brings people together in bodies such as the Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance, the Alliance for Sustainable Building Products, and the Good Homes Alliance – all groups founded with his vision of learning and sharing the journey to better buildings.

He is also an honorary senior research associate at UCL Energy Institute (where he is working on a project on the unintended consequences of decarbonising the built environment), and is currently working for the Department of Energy and Climate Change on a number of projects including a guidance tool for the retrofit of solid wall buildings in the UK.