Join the growing Retrofit Revolution for high performance, energy efficient homes

Russell Smith, Founder and MD of RetrofitWorks discusses how as more and more homeowners choose to make their properties green, what help is at hand for you to add value, optimise your home’s energy efficiency and ultimately, support the very real challenge against climate change  

UK homes use around 35% of all the energy on the grid and emit around 20% of the carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to climate change. Furthermore, over 80% of those existing homes will still be standing and be occupied in 2050. In summary, 28 million existing homes must be made greener which equates to one home being retrofitted every 35 seconds between 2022 and 2050. However, retrofitting can be a complex proposition, involving significant amounts of time, researching and project managing suppliers, materials, architects and tradespeople. And how do you know you’re carrying out the works in the right order, investing in the areas that will make the biggest difference?

The role of a Retrofit Coordinator

Taking a wholistic approach is absolutely critical and fortunately there are specialists like RetrofitWorks on hand to offer impartial advice, guide you through the process, shoulder the burden of project management and most importantly, with Trustmark accredited schemes, ensure quality of materials and installation. RetrofitWorks brings together the best in green building practice by working exclusively with Retrofit Coordinators who can offer impartial advice and ensure that works are being done well. A Retrofit Coordinator will assess your property and work with you to understand usage and create a bespoke report, or “whole house plan”, that shows what can be done to meet the goals of reducing fuel bills, carbon emissions and improved comfort.

Even with this report in-hand, doing retrofit the right way can be complex and likely to involve significant time (and hassle) spent researching, finding suppliers and managing the works. The Retrofit Coordinator can help oversee the whole project and act as a project lead/advisory throughout. They can help you decide what the priorities are, how you would like to proceed and facilitate local, registered contractors to deliver. Their advisory role also extends to inspector on completion of each phase by ensuring quality standards and expectations have been met, leaving you to enjoy your improved, more comfortable, healthy and energy efficient home.

A RetrofitWorks Scheme: Cosy Homes Oxford, Case study

Trish and Tim live in an end-of-terrace cottage in a picturesque Cotswolds village. Their home for many years, the cottage is a mixture of ages and styles from pre-1900, made of of solid ironstone – to 1970s. However, they had failing floor to ceiling glass patio doors, draughty double and single glazing, lack of insulation throughout, some rooms too hot in summer and cold in winter, and ultimately, the desire to get off oil and use the electricity from solar panels more effectively to be sustainable.

Having previously struggled to find the right tradespeople and the huge amount of effort to coordinate the project, when the homeowners discovered Cosy Homes Oxfordshire, they knew the approach was right.

As a result of their RetrofitWorks Whole House Plan, Trish and Tim decided to completely change their heating system, replacing the condensing oil-fired boiler and oil tank with an Air Source Heat Pump; replacing their old hot water tank with a new pressurised hot water system with feed in from their existing solar thermal panels and the new pump; installing underfloor heating; installing new insulated wall material and adding triple glazed windows. As a result, the property EPC rating of D is now an estimated B; carbon emissions down from over 5 tonnes to 2.15 tonnes and most importantly, Trish and Tim have a sustainable, healthy, happy home that is playing its role in the fight against the climate crisis.

In your area

RetrofitWorks has several schemes currently running across the UK and at the start of 2022, the not for profit organisation launched its National Retrofit Service.

For more information on how you can benefit, visit www.retrofitworks.co.uk

AUTHOR Founder and MD of RetrofitWorks and Parity Projects, Russell Smith sits on the Construction Leadership Council, Renovation Maintenance Improvement Working Group, The Green Jobs Taskforce, and is the recipient of the Ashden Award for Sustainable Buildings, the Observer Ethical Award and Building Magazine’s Award for Sustainable Refurbishment.