Phil Norval

Head of Group Energy Efficiency, Renewables, and Storage

Phil has 10 years’ experience of working within the building services and renewable energy industry, and prior to joining Decerna held a number of roles within the sector. Phil currently provides technical expertise within Decerna, with primary focus on energy performance in the built environment covering building fabric, building services, industrial equipment and renewables. Phil led the delivery of decarbonisation support under TVCA’s UKSPF funded Net Zero support for 600 businesses. This included delivery of over 250 Carbon Reduction Plans, 500 grants of £2,000 and achieving significant carbon savings across the project. 

Jenitha Packiaraj

Senior Net Zero Lead

Jenitha is Decerna’s in-house Net Zero for Business Specialist who leads the company’s Net Zero Journey. She has an academic background in Renewable Energy Technologies and Electronics and Communication Engineering, along with a year’s experience as a Software Engineer. During her studies, she completed various projects, including simulating fault detection in photovoltaic systems and designing and fabricating thin-film multilayer solar cells, and interned at Schneider electric as an Energy Management Trainee.

Jenitha plays an active role in helping businesses understand and calculate their carbon footprint, set near-term and long-term emission reduction targets, implement energy efficiency measures and develop carbon reduction plans to achieve Net Zero.  

Toby Kitching

Energy Engineer

Toby is a dedicated Energy Efficiency Engineer with experience across a range of renewable projects. He has supported over 120 businesses in developing carbon reduction plans and emission reduction strategies. Toby delivers net zero and decarbonisation training to help organisations identify effective ways to cut emissions. His skills include onsite assessments using thermal imaging, air tightness testing, and compressed air leak detection. He is committed to finding practical solutions that reduce energy consumption, emissions, and costs..

Mo Abbasi

Senior Sustainability Engineer

Mo is a sustainability engineer with over 7 years of professional experience in building energy systems and the energy-environment startup ecosystem, coupled with 5 years of academic research on sustainable energy transitions. At Decerna, he assists businesses in improving their carbon footprint and developing their decarbonisation plan. 

Julia Cyckowska

Sustainability Consultant

Julia is a recent BSc Environmental Science graduate from Newcastle University, with a strong record of engagement in academic projects focused on sustainability in the built environment and Net Zero. She has experience in measuring and handling comprehensive data on greenhouse gas emissions when she investigated the environmental impact of novel organic growing media in the hydroponic system.

Alby Issac

Sustainability Consultant

Alby is working as a Net Zero Consultant supporting businesses on their Net Zero journey. With a master’s in Environmental Management, Alby brings a comprehensive understanding of sustainable practices, with a particular focus on achieving environmental sustainability and net-zero goals within the energy sector. Alby supports businesses in understanding their emissions, identifying practical steps, and getting started on their Net Zero journey

Tia Morgan

LCA Consultant

Tia Morgan holds a First Class Master’s degree in Environmental Science from Newcastle University. Her dissertation, titled “The environmental sustainability of lithium extraction and processing in the North East and its role in the UK’s transition to go green,” was awarded an Academic Prize for the best performance by a stage 
four MEnv student and is expected to be published soon. At Decerna, Tia has been working on several LCA projects, including heading up a project on the disposal of medical waste and the Decerna elements of the MicroBoost project, which focuses on using microalgae for fish feeds. She is also involved in the REALM Horizon Europe project and works on developing Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). 

Jonathan Forbes

LCA Technical Assistant

Jonathan Forbes is a Chemical Engineer who strongly focuses on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and sustainability. He holds a Master of Science in Sustainable Chemical Engineering from Newcastle University and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Sheffield Hallam University. Jonathan is pursuing a parttime PhD in the LCA of microalgae-based carbon capture systems, demonstrating his expertise and dedication. At Decerna, Forbes has led numerous LCA projects, including the AlgaCycle project and the LCA of the Brilliant Planet Carbon Dioxide Removal system in Morocco. He also leads the company’s Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) development. His experience extends to research on wood product LCA, covering the entire lifecycle from the forest to the final product.

Gladys Castillo

LCA Consultant

Gladys is an Environmental Engineering graduated from Newcastle University with a Masters in Renewable Energy Enterprise and Management. Her dissertation project was “Indicator development for measuring circularity in IT assets”.  

Catherine Scott

EPD Consultant

Catherine Scott is an Life Cycle Assessment Consultant at Decerna, holding a First Class BEng (Hons) in Civil Engineering from Northumbria University. At Decerna, Catherine works on EPD development and Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), playing a crucial role in the Tees Valley Net Zero project. Her background includes experience as a Graduate Geotechnical Engineer at Ryder Geotechnical, working on offshore wind structure foundations. Catherine has researched climate change impacts in the Arctic, presenting findings at the 2022 Arctic Science Conference. 

Helen Brown

EPD Consultant

Helen is a Chemistry graduate from Newcastle University who has recently joined Decerna as a Graduate EPD Consultant. Her Masters project, titled “Terpene Volatility Measurements for Drug Inhalation” focused on quantifying the physical properties of various naturally derived compounds used to alleviate the symptoms of degenerative neurological disease.