For 80 years, Kind & Co has delivered quality projects; championing sustainable construction and sharing Passivhaus expertise
Operating across London and the Southeast, Kind & Co is a principal contractor, delivering modern construction projects within the residential, education, health, care and commercial sectors. Building sustainable, quality projects is at the heart of the company’s operations. Kind & Co’s experience includes a wide range of new build and refurbishment projects both in the public and private sector. The team has a particular specialism for complex projects requiring a collaborative and proactive approach to delivery, and in recent years, has significantly grown its skills and expertise in the delivery of Passivhaus developments.
“We have just over 100 employees and in 2020 became an employee-owned trust (EOT) organisation,” begins Steve Juson, Managing Director. “We are celebrating our 80th year of operation this year. Established in 1945, Kind & Co was heavily involved with war damage repairs and regeneration works. Following this, we continued to build much needed housing across London at the time. We built a strong relationship with the Greater London Authority, delivering public sector work across a variety of sectors and our relationships with clients across London and the Southeast have flourished as we’ve continued to grow.
“As an organisation we have always been conscious of the importance of adapting and innovating to ensure we respond to the evolving needs and requirements of the built environment. Building sustainably and with quality has always been at the forefront of our business, as demonstrated by our commitment to Passivhaus housing delivery.”
Indeed, Kind & Co is in the process of delivering approximately 100 Passivhaus homes for several of its local authority clients. This standard of construction is just one way in which Kind & Co is helping its clients tackle the climate emergency, as the team targets high performance, low energy use delivery.
“We have six core values running through our organisation,” he continues, “these are best outlined in what we call our ‘Kind Effect’. Our Kind Effect values: innovative, collaborative, safety, proactive, integrity and quality, underpin how we deliver our projects. These values are unique to us and have not been established in the board room. Ten years ago, for our 70th anniversary, we asked our clients, employees and construction industry colleagues what Kind & Co meant to them, and the enriching results from this survey helped us shape our core message today.”
“At Kind & Co, we have always been blessed with loyal, dedicated employees, many of whom have been with the business for decades,” Bill Bassenger, CEO, adds. “The company has always had a family feel to it. In recent years, we have celebrated the retirement of a few site managers and project managers who have served over 40 years with the company. Over 20 years of service, is not an uncommon event within our workforce. Part of the future legacy of the company has always been centred around our fantastic people, so transitioning to an EOT company in 2020 was the next natural step for us.
“Having a reputation for strong employee retention is an important attribute for any construction company as it demonstrates continuity, consistency and a promise for quality delivery every time. Clients can take comfort in these qualities particularly in the uncertain market we find ourselves in in 2025,” he elaborates.
Kind & Co is proud of the breadth of projects it has already completed as well as of those that are ongoing. “The Clapham Park Estate in Lambeth was a particularly complex and high-risk scheme given its height,” Steve shares, “while Lexton Gardens in Colchester is a fascinating mix of refurbishment, new build, and the sensitive integration of a Grade II listed building. Alongside those, we’re building a care home in Bury St Edmunds and have several housing schemes at different stages, including one for Newham Council that will deliver over 100 units by the end of the year.
“A real focus for us has been becoming market leaders in Passivhaus construction. We’ve introduced a quality assurance process where our supervisors are trained as Passivhaus champions, carrying out rigorous testing throughout the build rather than at the end. That approach has already seen multiple schemes certified, strengthening our reputation and continuing our legacy.
“We are also supporting additional clients, who are looking to begin their journey in either Passivhaus or net-zero housing delivery, through offering CPDs and workshops. A key process from the outset to ensuring successful delivery of these schemes has been in training and upskilling our workforce and engaging with our wider supply chain to ensure we have robust systems in place to deliver to this high standard. These skills are all transferable and adaptable and ensure we can assist our clients in their emissions reduction targets,” he explains.
Sustained, profitable growth
The Morse Close project was delivered for Kind & Co’s client, London Borough of Newham, and consisted of the development of 17 affordable homes with associated hard and soft landscaping works to public garden space. On completion, the scheme received Passivhaus Classic certification and a Secure by Design Gold award.
“Communication is vital between us and our subcontractors and supply chain onsite, to work collaboratively towards achieving the standards required for Passivhaus certification. We have our in-house Passivhaus champion driving the sequenced testing, which takes place at critical points throughout the build. This allows us to monitor the performance of the building as it progresses ensuring we achieve optimum energy efficiency. This process was adopted on our first Passivhaus scheme and was integral to achieving the high standards required for Passivhaus buildings,” Steve explains.
The team at Kind & Co is key to the longevity and continued success of the company, as Bill asserts: “Without their expertise, hard work and resilience through all the challenges we have had in the market over the years, and in the recent legislative changes that have been implemented, our continued growth would not be possible. Looking back, I hadn’t realised just how much training we do; it’s quite phenomenal for a company of our size. We take on young people at 18, support them through day-release degree courses, and over the last 20 years, more than 50 have graduated with strong degrees.”
Looking to the future, Steve shares the company’s plans for the coming months. “We have several larger phased schemes, located outside of the M25 which are continuing into 2026, and we will continue to work hard and collaboratively with our clients on delivering these projects.
“We are also delighted to be entering into several preconstruction services agreements with several clients on future schemes. It’s great to be able to support clients with early buildability and design guidance. Early contractor engagement can be an invaluable tool in successfully delivering a project, particularly with requirements under the Building Safety Act and we are pleased to support our clients and help them navigate the new legislation.
“We have always worked towards achieving sustained, profitable growth and expansion for the business,” he concludes, “so, we would like to see this success continue. With our growing experience in sustainable delivery, we hope to build more highly energy efficient, quality projects for our clients and lastly, we are always happy to see the continuous professional growth of our workforce.”