WHY IS RETROFIT IMPORTANT?

The term ‘retrofit’ has exploded into popularity over the past decade, especially in the United Kingdom. Hundreds of thousands of homes, not only in the British Isles, but all over the world will need to be retrofitted to achieve a sustainable world. Regarding sustainability, the term retrofit means to upgrade/improve buildings to make them more energy-efficient. In the UK, many homes are more than 50 years old, meaning that the technology that exists today to help homes waste less energy did not exist when they were built. Retrofit helps these homes save heat, and use less energy – which will be crucial in the fight against climate change. 

A large percentage of the UK’s homes will need retrofit, there are also amazing work opportunities for construction workers in every town and city. Construction companies could really benefit from investing in retrofit qualifications for staff and getting the right accreditation, such as PAS2035, to be able to get this work. 

Retrofit will become a huge part of the construction industry in the next few years – but why is it so important, and how can you get your company involved? 

What is Retrofit? 

Retrofit refers to upgrading something old to make it more energy-efficient, usually in terms of homes and buildings. There are three main components for retrofit – energy conservation, energy efficiency, and promoting renewable energy. If you want to retrofit your home, all three of these concepts need to be considered. 

Conserving energy through retrofit methods are very useful if you want to make your home more sustainable. There are many structural changes you retrofit to your home to conserve energy and reduce the amount that you use. For example, you can install smart meters that allow you to control the amount of heat that you use, to prevent you from using too much energy. Energy isn’t the only valuable resource that needs to be conserved through retrofit – water should also be conserved as much as possible. Having water controls on your showers, toilets and sinks will also help you to conserve this important resource. 

There are many ways that you can retrofit a home to be more energy-efficient – one of the most common ways being through insulation methods. Insulation works as a retrofit method because it is one of the most effective ways to prevent heat and energy from escaping a home. Insulation slows down conductive and convective heat flow – which means that insulation will trap more heat within your rooms. As well as insulation, there are other ways to prevent energy and heat from escaping the home – such as double or triple glazing. 

Retrofit can also refer to adding renewable energy sources to a home to reduce the amount of traditional energy that the inhabitants use. For example, adding solar panels, heat pumps, and in some cases hydroelectricity – you can supplement your energy use with renewable energy. This will drastically cut down your energy bills, as well as reducing your carbon footprint. In some cases, you might even be able to sell excess energy back to your energy company! 

Furthermore, using recycled and reused materials in the push for retrofit is one of the best things to invest in if you want to make homes even more sustainable. There are many ways you can use recycled materials in retrofit, including insulation made out of recycled wool and plastic. Using recycled glass in double and triple glazing is also a great way to further improve the sustainability of retrofit. There are many developing innovations in construction material reuse, and the use of recycled materials in construction will be extremely prevalent in the coming years, as the need for a sustainable construction industry develops. 

There are many benefits when it comes to all three components as a part of a wider retrofit plan for your home. Retrofitting homes to become energy-efficient will become increasingly needed over the next couple of decades, in order for the UK to meet its net zero goals. 

What does it mean to retrofit a home?

However, retrofit is not a ‘one size fits all.’ To be able to carry out retrofit effectively, each individual home must be assessed. This is because certain homes may not need insulation or may need specific types of insulation to keep the integrity of the home. Some homes that are grade listed may need to have specific types of retrofit done, and in some cases, no work at all. 

Deciding to retrofit a home or building often involves a process of assessing the home’s attributes and deciding which retrofit methods are suitable. For example, if you don’t have the right sort of roof, it might not be the best idea to install solar panels. 

If you need a retrofit package done for your home, you should definitely do as much research as possible or find a retrofit expert who will give you the best advice on what you should invest in for your home. 

How many houses will need to be retrofitted per year?

To be able to reach the goals set out at the Paris Climate Agreement by 2050, hundreds of thousands of homes will need to be retrofitted each year. A recent study conducted by Element Energy found that 210,000 homes will need retrofit work by 2030 for the UK to reach its 2050 net zero goals. This is an intense task – and getting as many construction companies on board as possible will help our homes become energy-efficient quickly. 

If your company needs help getting the right retrofit qualifications and getting the right construction NVQs for your staff, please get in touch – DMR can point you in the right direction.

Do commercial and public buildings need retrofit? 

All buildings that have been built before certain energy-efficient building practices were introduced may need retrofit work, with some exceptions. Public and commercial buildings also need to be retrofitted in order to meet the UK’s net zero goals. The Greater Manchester Combined Authority estimates that 2,700 public buildings will need retrofit in the city alone – so you can imagine how many buildings across the UK will also need this work. There may be certain exceptions for listed buildings, however, most older buildings will need this work over the next two decades. 

What are the key risks associated with domestic retrofit?

Just like other ambitious projects, there can be some key risks associated with domestic retrofit work. For example, if the wrong type or form of insulation is used on the property, damp can become an issue. Furthermore, any retrofit work that isn’t conducted properly could unfortunately damage the structural integrity of the property. This could result in homeowners losing a lot of time and money trying to fix these issues. 

That’s why it’s vital that retrofitters have the right retrofit training and qualifications to be able to do a good job. If you’re looking for the best retrofit qualifications for your staff, get in contact with us today. 

What are the benefits of retrofit? 

Retrofit has the power to change the world as we know it. The amount of energy that is wasted by homes that aren’t energy-efficient has a significant impact on our environment, and isn’t sustainable in the long run. By utilising retrofit in as many homes and buildings as we can, we help our planet and help carve out a more sustainable future for generations to come. Through retrofit, we can make our homes sustainable without the logistical issue of building all new green homes. By retrofitting existing homes and buildings, we are creating a better, more sustainable future. 

There can also be many personal benefits when you have retrofit work conducted on your home. Once your home has been retrofitted, you may find that your energy bills have been significantly reduced. This is because energy-efficiency means that your home will lose less energy through your walls and windows, meaning less energy will go a longer way. 

There are also many benefits to construction companies if they take on retrofit work and invest in retrofit training for their workers – because this work will be so highly in demand over the next two decades, your company could win many contracts by helping the UK reach its net zero goals. Retrofit should be an integral part of a sustainable construction industry – and there could be many opportunities for your company as this movement to make homes sustainable continues to grow. 

How do I find a career in retrofit? 

As the world-wide push for sustainability grows, there could be many opportunities for you or your company to get more work in this field. 

If you’re a construction worker who wants to start your career in retrofit, but don’t know where to start – please get in touch with us. We have many retrofit qualifications available, including NVQs in External Wall Insulation, Internal Wall Insulation, Cavity Wall Insulation, Loft Insulation, Floor Insulation, Insulating Framed Sections, Room in Roof Insulation, Wood Preserving & Damp Proofing, and Solar Panel Installation. We offer on-site assessment, meaning you will need 2-3 years of experience in the chosen trade to do your NVQ. Once you have got your qualification, you will be able to gain access to higher level CSCS cards and get more work.

If you own a construction company and want to get your workplace accredited to carry out retrofit jobs, we can help you. If you need multiple workers to get their NVQ, we can help you by providing on-site assessment and learner support to help your workers get qualified!
Retrofit will become increasingly important in sustainable construction over the next decade – make sure that you and your company are prepared for the change.