SCOTTISH company Integrated Environmental Solutions, which provides software and consulting services to help customers deliver low-energy-consuming buildings and communities, has acquired North American sector stablemate BVM Engineering in a £1 million-plus deal.

The purchase of Atlanta-based BVME ramps up IES's presence in the key North American marketplace.

Glasgow-based IES, which employs about 100 people, will add about a dozen staff through the acquisition. It already has a presence in Boston and Minneapolis in the US, and in the Canadian city of Vancouver.

IES founder and managing director Don McLean said the acquisition "underpins our reputation further as one of the global leaders in sustainable building technology".

He meanwhile signalled an appetite for similar acquisitions to boost his company's presence in other parts of the world.

Mr McLean said: "We've been expanding our technology in the US market and this deal will permit us greater access to it.

"We are also looking at other foreign markets now that we have a model in place with the acquisition of BVM Engineering."

Mr McLean revealed IES had acquired a small Indian firm operating in its sector recently, and increased this business's staff from four to 17.

IES said it was also expecting to announce business wins in Qatar and Singapore, in which the national governments would roll out its technology "to increase the efficiency of green buildings regulation in their countries".

Financial details of the BVME deal were not disclosed by the parties. However, it is believed the deal value will be in excess of £1m, taking into account an earn-out arrangement.

BVME principal Brenda Morawa, a registered mechanical engineer, will take a senior position within IES's management team as its North America vice-president.

Mr McLean said: "It's not often a Scottish company is in a position to acquire an American one. This is an exciting chapter in IES's development. I have great respect for BVME's founder, Brenda Morawa. We come from a very similar background and share the same passion for sustainability. I'm incredibly honoured to welcome her and her team to IES. BVME's company culture and experience fits very closely with ours and I see an exciting future ahead."

IES, founded in 1994, has an annual turnover of more than £5m. Mr McLean has highlighted ambitions to double revenues within two years.

On its website, IES highlights its provision of "precision, intelligent sustainability solutions for every factor in making new and existing buildings more energy-efficient, dramatically reducing overheads and CO2 emissions".

Mr McLean told The Herald recently that IES's "core audience" had been mostly architects, engineers and owners of large property portfolios.

However, he added that, over the past couple of years, IES had also partnered with an increasing number of other organisations such as building rating systems providers, energy service companies, manufacturers, and software companies.

IES's technology, he noted, helped these companies get their products into their chosen markets.

Mr McLean highlighted BVME's expertise in LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) systems, which IES describes as the "recognised industry standard green building rating system".

IES, based at the West of Scotland Science Park's Kelvin Campus, has worked with BVME for several years on developing technology for the construction industry.