Exploring the lessons of Retrofit for the Future
What was the problem?
Retrofit for the Future awarded funding to project teams to develop and implement strategies to achieve an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions in domestic properties.
The programme has been instrumental in building the knowledge base of retrofit in the UK. Around 500 organisations were involved, many of which were new to undertaking retrofit at this scale. Project teams used new products and innovative approaches to delivery and resident engagement. Monitoring carried out since the projects were completed has produced a breadth of data on retrofit properties that has not been seen before.
How could this wealth of information best be used to support the retrofit sector? What were the key findings, who needed to see them, and how could they be presented in a way that would make a real difference to delivery on the ground? SE2 was brought on board to produce two key reports: one providing high-level analysis of the data emerging from the programme, and one looking in-depth at project delivery.
What did we do?
The first report - Retrofit Revealed - presented the first analysis of data collected from the Retrofit for the Future programme. As Technical Writers for the report, SE2 reviewed data on energy and carbon performance, comfort levels and running costs, and reviewed the final reports submitted by project teams to draw out key lessons and best practice.
What we found was both inspiring and practical: carbon emissions reductions of over 80% can be achieved through retrofit with existing technologies, supply chains and ways of working. Even the poorest performing property in the analysis saw a reduction in CO2 emissions of almost 40%, with the vast bulk of properties retrofitted during the competition achieving savings between 50% and 80%.
Further evaluation was carried out in a process called the ‘360 analysis’, through which a team of experts analysed the full suite of information provided for 40 of the properties. The experts looked in depth at strategy, measures and project delivery to identify what was done well and what could be improved. SE2’s role was to distil these findings into a report that would help professionals in the retrofit sector to improve their market offer, build competitiveness, and scale up to meet future demand.
What difference did we make?
Retrofit Revealed and the 360 Analysis report are fundamental reading for anyone involved in the delivery of retrofit projects. They explore what can be achieved in our existing housing stock and the impact this level of improvement can have on carbon emissions, energy costs and occupant comfort. They identify common challenges to project delivery and how these can be successfully addressed, and provide key lessons for businesses to improve their market offer.
Drawing together the lessons from Retrofit for the Future has been a fascinating experience. We have identified some valuable, practical insights for retrofit designers and onsite operatives, and we hope these lessons will help the retrofit sector to ensure quality and consistency of performance as it continues to develop in the coming years.
To find out more about our research and analysis capabilities, email liz.warren@se-2.co.uk or give us a call on 020 8469 1333.