Greener homes from the ground up: the man working to redefine the new build market

He never planned to work in housing. But for someone who’s spent his life chasing impact – from nanotech labs in France to reshaping energy markets in Turkey – perhaps it was inevitable that Matt Hart would one day turn his sights on something even more fundamental: the homes we live in.

Today, as E.ON Next’s Director of Residential New Build, he’s leading a bold transformation. His role is to ensure the homes of tomorrow (the ones we are building today) are not just more energy-efficient, but more accessible, more affordable – and built for the world our children will inherit.

Matt’s early life might have hinted at a different path. Raised in a creative household in South East London and the Isle of Wight, with a graphic designer father, he could have followed in artistic footsteps. But science stole his heart. "I was always more drawn to the ‘why’ of things," he says.

That curiosity took him to university in Nottingham for a degree in Chemistry, then on to a Master’s focused on Nanotechnology in Toulouse. But academia didn’t stick. "I realised research could take years and still end in failure. I wanted to do something more tangible."

A stint in sales at Procter & Gamble gave him his first taste of business. That was followed by a role in scientific publishing and web design in Germany – the perfect blend of logic and creativity. It was also the beginning of a career defined by reinvention.

And one of the most transformative periods came during his time at Enerjisa, E.ON’s Turkish joint venture, where he and his wife moved for "a bit of excitement" – and got much more than they bargained for.

"The market was liberalising, and we were starting from scratch. We built a team from an empty office floor to 750 people in two years. We had 9.2 million customers to transition. It was intense, but incredible."

That adventure also brought something more personal: their daughter, born in Turkey. "We call her our little Turkish export. That experience will always be close to my heart."

Now back in the UK, Matt leads E.ON’s Residential New Build division, overseeing around 200 people – including more than 190 from Eco2Solar, which E.ON acquired earlier this year. Eco2Solar, a business whose ambition is to make solar standard across homes, finally joined E.ON in full after four years of working together, driven by a long term strategy to make sure sustainability and affordability are baked into the future of homes.

"We identified new builds as a huge growth area. Eco2Solar had weathered a lot – the Feed-in Tariff solar boom, then the pandemic, the affordability crisis, even the mini-budget housing slowdown. But they had heart, potential, and incredible expertise. They just needed support to scale."

Since the acquisition, Matt and his team have been helping them to do just that. E.ON has brought forecasting tools, commercial strategy, and product innovation to the table – helping Eco2Solar to look to the future with greater confidence.

“We saw a 400% increase in demand during one month last summer,” says Matt. “That gives you a sense of just how volatile – and full of potential – this market really is. With the right innovation and processes in place, we’re not just keeping up with the pace of change, we’re reshaping what’s possible for new builds and home energy.”

“Affordability is everything,” he says. “We’re in the process of designing innovative solutions – not just for homeowners with big roofs or deep pockets. Everyone should have access to low energy bills and greener, more comfortable living. Leave no one behind. That’s what a fair energy future looks like. Everything we’ve done has been guided by the same principle – deliver homes for the future that lower bills for everyone.”

Matt’s day-to-day isn’t easily defined. It involves everything from strategic planning to team coaching to hands-on problem solving. "What excites me most is the chance to make a tangible impact. I came back to E.ON to do something meaningful for the future – for my children’s future."

Matt’s no stranger to the role of government policy, either. "It’s not a blocker, it’s an enabler. Recent regulations on solar and EV charging for new homes are opening up huge markets. And though the Future Homes Standard is delayed, when it lands it will supercharge everything."

So, what’s next? Matt lays it out clearly: by 2029, E.ON aims to be helping 1 in 4 new build homes in the UK access clean, flexible and low cost energy.

"That means homes with installed, connected, steerable assets such as solar, EV chargers, heat pumps. To get there, we need to integrate Eco2Solar fully, align our teams, launch flexible products, and retain customers as they move. We're working towards cost effective and intuitive energy systems for customers that adapt to their lifestyle, and help them save more over time. It’s about putting people, not just property, at the centre of how we think about energy.”

Matt’s journey has taken him across disciplines, countries and cultures – but it’s always circled back to impact.

"We don’t have a choice but to tackle the energy crisis. The longer we wait, the harder and more expensive it gets. This is about doing the right thing – and doing it in a way that’s fair and accessible for everyone."