Delivering PAS 2035 Risk Pathway C air tightness testing across nine projects in Somerset and Wiltshire, carried out by engineers trained for sensitive, in-home visits rather than empty construction sites.
Project Overview
- Client: Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE)
- Sector: Charity & Community Organisations | Social Housing & Housing Associations
- Location: Somerset and Wiltshire
- Services Provided: Air Tightness Testing (Retrofit)
- Scale: Nine projects to date, ongoing partnership
- Target: PAS 2035 Risk Pathway C compliance
The Challenge
Under the PAS 2035 framework, dwellings identified as Risk Pathway C – which covers all high-rise buildings, complex structures, and any home within a conservation area – require an air tightness test as part of the retrofit assessment. In practice, that captures a large share of social housing retrofit projects. Commissioning that testing falls to the Retrofit Coordinator, but genuinely retrofit-experienced air testers are hard to find: air tightness testing is normally a new-build service, carried out on an empty construction site rather than in an occupied home. An engineer without training in sensitive home visits risks upsetting residents – some of them vulnerable – putting the coordinator in a difficult position through no fault of their own.
The Solution
Retrofit-Trained Air Tightness Testing
Our multi-disciplinary team is qualified in both air tightness testing and retrofit, with thousands of home visits between them – giving CSE the missing piece of their assessment process: air testing carried out by engineers who know how to work respectfully and quickly in someone’s actual home, not just on a building site. That combination has grown into an ongoing partnership, with our team collaborating with CSE across nine projects to date across Somerset and Wiltshire.
The Outcome
CSE gets high-quality, quick-turnaround testing without having to manage the risk of an inexperienced engineer in a resident’s home – peace of mind for the tester, the resident and CSE alike. The partnership has continued to grow project by project, with more planned.
Client Testimonial
We’re proud to partner with Building Energy Experts on retrofit projects where the nature of the building requires us to bring in testing expertise. So far, our team has collaborated on nine projects across Somerset and Wiltshire, with plans for many more.
— Jenna Willcox, Retrofit Coordinator at Centre for Sustainable Energy
