This blog post summarises the key takeaways from Jack Hannon’s presentation on retrofit assessment as part of the National Retrofit Conference at Futurebuild, exploring the significance of PAS 2035, the challenges it addresses, and Building Energy Experts’ innovative approach to retrofit assessments.
The recent Futurebuild conference brought together industry leaders to discuss the future of sustainable construction. Among the many excellent presentations was one by Jack Hannon, our Head of Operations and Retrofit here at Building Energy Experts, focusing on Speeding Up and Improving Retrofit Assessment. This session offered valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities surrounding PAS 2035, a crucial standard for ensuring high-quality, safe retrofits in the UK.
The Importance of PAS 2035
PAS 2035 is a standard for retrofit assessments, which are essential for ensuring that retrofit projects are carried out safely and effectively. It sets out clear guidelines for assessors, ensuring consistency and quality in the retrofit process. By following PAS 2035, homeowners and building owners can be confident that their retrofit project will be completed to a high standard, delivering the expected energy savings and improvements in comfort.
Why Retrofit Matters
The UK faces a significant challenge with regards to energy-inefficient homes.
- 80% of the UK homes occupied in 2050 are already built. These homes are often the oldest and leakiest in Europe, with some estimates suggesting they cool three times faster than those in Norway and Germany.
- An estimated 15 million homes in the UK are energy-inefficient. This translates to wasted energy and higher heating bills, pushing many into fuel poverty. The consequences extend beyond individual households, from higher NHS costs to children’s education suffering.
- Energy security. The war in Ukraine exposed our dependence on foreign energy and highlighted the need for greater energy security.
- National and global climate targets underscore the urgency of addressing our inefficient housing. Reaching net zero by 2050 requires significant improvements in energy efficiency, and retrofits play a crucial role in achieving this goal.
Challenges of Retrofit Assessments
There are a number of challenges associated with the retrofit assessment stage:
- Scale: The UK has a massive number of homes that need to be retrofitted – 15 to million to reach net zero by 2050, which is two every minute between now and 2050. This creates a significant demand for qualified assessors, potentially leading to longer wait times and higher costs.
- Accuracy: Assessment information forms the bedrock of any retrofitting project. Inaccurate assessments can have costly consequences, including delays, rework, and additional on-site discoveries that weren’t identified initially.
- Funding: There are a number of funding schemes available for retrofit projects, but they can be complex and difficult to navigate.
- Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2.2: Aims to upgrade social housing stock currently below EPC band C.
- Energy Company Obligation (ECO4): Obligation of energy companies to deliver energy efficiency measures to help domestic premises reduce their energy bills and carbon emissions.
- Great British Insulation Scheme: For homeowners, landlords or tenants to improve energy efficiency in homes by providing free or heavily subsidised insulation measures.
- Access: Unlike newbuilds, these homes are habited. The whole retrofitting process, from assessment to insulation needs to work around the occupants and can be disruptive to their everyday life.
Our Approach to Retrofit Assessments
At Building Energy Experts we are passionate about driving sustainability in the construction industry, and retrofit assessments are a key area of our expertise. While we originally focused on sustainability consulting and testing services like air testing, Part F, thermography, and SAP assessments predominantly for new builds, the introduction of PAS 2035 presented an exciting opportunity to expand our services into the crucial realm of retrofit assessments. We believe in a holistic approach to retrofitting, recognising the value of comprehensive data collection to inform the most effective solutions.
This is why we go beyond the standard PAS 2035 assessment by offering a range of additional services during the same visit:
- Full Part F ventilation survey: This ensures proper ventilation strategies are incorporated into the retrofit plan.
- Air pressure testing (blower door or pulse): We determine the airtightness of the building envelope, a crucial factor in energy efficiency.
- Cavity wall inspections: We assess the condition of cavity walls to identify potential issues and inform insulation decisions.
- Thermography: We use thermal imaging to help identify areas of heat loss, allowing for targeted retrofit measures.
By combining these services, we can often gather all the additional information a client might need in a single, efficient appointment. This not only saves time and resources but also ensures a more comprehensive understanding of the property’s condition and retrofit needs. It also removes the need to rely on assumptions throughout the retrofit process.
Recognising the need for efficient data management, we developed a bespoke reporting system and later transformed it into a data collection app. This innovative app streamlines the assessment process, allowing our team to gather data quickly and accurately while ensuring no crucial information is missed. This commitment to innovation and efficiency is what led to Jack Hannon being awarded Retrofit Assessor of the Year 2023.
We are confident that our holistic approach, combined with innovative tools and expertise, positions us as a valuable partner in delivering high-quality, efficient, and safe retrofit projects.
Archetyping
To optimise costs, we conduct full-scope testing for archetype assessments. This involves:
- Gathering detailed data about a representative sample of dwellings within a specific group.
- Using this data to create a model applicable to other similar dwellings within the group.
- For Pathway B assessments, we adopt a scaled-back testing process to balance efficiency and accuracy.
- For clients seeking deeper analysis, we can input data into full SAP software to:
- Identify discrepancies internally.
- Ensure the utmost confidence in our results.
Utilising archetyping allows the retrofit designer to develop cohesive design packages for each archetype, streamlining the process and improving efficiency. A Retrofit Assessment is still required for each dwelling to account for variations within the archetype group.
Grouping dwellings through archetyping allows for:
- More efficient and precise reports
- Time and cost savings for both on-site and office operations
By minimising individual assessments, we minimise disruption to residents, crucial for project success
PAS 2038 Expertise
While our primary focus is on PAS 2035 domestic projects, we also have expertise in the commercial sector.
We are one of the few companies with experience conducting multiple PAS 2038 commercial retrofit assessments, demonstrating our commitment to staying at the forefront of the industry.
Industry Trends
The retrofit industry is constantly evolving, and there are a number of key trends and considerations that are worth noting:
- PAS 2035 is being updated: The PAS 2035 update is planning to remove risk pathways. Therefor requirement for air tightness testing is at the discretion of the client. However, it still emphasises the importance of having an air tightness strategy in place.
- RdSAP10 is being introduced: RdSAP10 is a new standard for Domestic Energy Assessments (DEAs). It includes a number of changes, such as the requirement to measure all windows, an existing requirement of Retrofit Assessments. It is also expected to enable the inclusion of an air tightness value.
- The EPC MEES regulations have been scrapped: The EPC MEES regulations required landlords to upgrade their rental properties to have an EPC rating of C or higher. However, these regulations have now been scrapped, highlighting the need for alternative strategies to encourage property upgrades.
- Concern regarding the Labour Party’s commitment to green spending: The party has recently made a number of U-turns to it’s to green spending plan, which has raised concerns about its commitment to tackling climate change.
Future Outlook
The future of the retrofit industry is uncertain, but there are a number of things that need to be considered:
- Resident engagement: It is important to engage residents in the retrofit process from the beginning. This can be done by holding community meetings to educate residents on the purpose and benefits of the project and an allocated resident liaisons officer to foster connections between the community and contractors
- Resident education: Residents also need to be educated on the different retrofit technologies that are available, such as Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHRs), Decentralised Mechanical Extract Ventilation (DMEVs) and heat pumps. This will help them to make informed decisions about their homes and participate actively in the process.
- National campaigns: There is a need for national campaigns to raise public awareness about retrofits to engage the broader public and encourage participation and support for these initiatives.
- Funding strategies: Funding strategies need to be rethought to take into account the scale, timeframes and deliverability of the retrofit challenge to ensure sufficient resources for large-scale retrofit projects.
These measures combined seek to enhance resident engagement, education and the successful implementation of energy efficiency measures in retrofit projects going forward.
Inspiring Day at Futurebuild 2024!
I had an incredible time at The National Retrofit Conference, where I had the privilege of presenting and participating in a thought-provoking panel discussion.
Sharing insights on not necessarily Speeding up, but Scaling up PAS 2035 Retrofit was truly fulfilling, and engaging with fellow industry experts during the panel discussion added valuable perspectives to the conversation.
Grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the knowledge exchange at Futurebuild and connect with so many passionate professionals in the retrofit sector.
A big shout-out to The Retrofit Academy CIC and my fellow panellists for making it a memorable experience and congratulations to all the winners of this year’s awards!
Looking forward to more opportunities for collaborative learning and growth in the future.
Jack Hannon, Head of Operations & Retrofit
The retrofit industry is rapidly evolving, and we consider ourselves to be at the forefront, offering a comprehensive and efficient approach to retrofit assessments. We are committed to providing high-quality services that ensure the success of your retrofit project, from initial assessment to completion.
If you are considering a retrofit project, get in touch today to discuss your options and learn how we can help you achieve your energy efficiency goals.