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Knowledge Hub

Practical retrofit knowledge.
For everyone in the supply chain.

Guides, references and practical resources covering PAS2035, funding schemes, project management, resident engagement and retrofit technical considerations.

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Getting Started

New to retrofit? Start here. What retrofit is, why it matters and how the PAS2035 process works from beginning to end.

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Project Management

Managing the stages, roles and key decisions in a PAS2035 retrofit project — from procurement through to TrustMark lodgement.

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Technical Considerations

Housing stock types, construction constraints, ventilation, fabric first — the technical foundation of sound retrofit planning.

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Resident Engagement

Strategy, communication and consent — why resident engagement is the most important factor in retrofit programme success.

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Delivering at Scale

Consortia, procurement frameworks, supply chain management and quality assurance across large-scale retrofit programmes.

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Funding Schemes

WH:SHF, WH:LG, Boiler Upgrade Scheme — a practical guide to the main UK retrofit funding schemes and how to access them.

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All Guides

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knowledge library.

Getting Started
Retrofit and Planning Permission: What You Need to Know
Understanding when planning permission is required for retrofit works is essential. This guide explains the rules, exemptions and practical steps for housing associations and installers.
5 min readRead guide →
Getting Started
The Business Case for Whole-House Retrofit
Understanding the financial, environmental and social returns of whole-house retrofit helps organisations justify investment and secure funding for deep energy efficiency improvements.
5 min readRead guide →
Scale Delivery
How to Manage Multiple Retrofit Contractors
Managing multiple retrofit contractors requires clear coordination, robust communication systems and rigorous quality oversight. This guide covers essential strategies for scaling delivery whilst maintaining standards.
5 min readRead guide →
Technical
Condensation Risk in Retrofit: Assessment and Control
Condensation is a common retrofit risk that damages properties and health. Learn how to assess moisture risk and implement effective control strategies.
5 min readRead guide →
Getting Started
Understanding EPC Ratings for Retrofit Planning
EPC ratings form the foundation of retrofit planning. Understanding how they're calculated and what improvements drive upgrades is essential for cost-effective energy performance projects.
5 min readRead guide →
Technical
Cavity Wall Insulation Failure: Causes and Remediation
Cavity wall insulation failures compromise thermal performance and building fabric. Understand the causes and proven remediation strategies to restore energy efficiency.
5 min readRead guide →
Getting Started
How Digital Tools Are Changing Retrofit Coordination
Digital tools are transforming how retrofit projects are coordinated, from planning through completion. Discover how modern software improves efficiency, reduces errors and enhances communication across teams.
5 min readRead guide →
Project Management
Post-Installation Assessment: What It Covers
Post-installation assessment verifies retrofit work quality, compliance and performance. This guide outlines the essential checks, documentation and procedures required under PAS2035.
5 min readRead guide →
Scale Delivery
Decarbonisation Roadmaps for Social Landlords
A structured approach to developing and delivering decarbonisation roadmaps that enable social landlords to scale retrofit programmes efficiently and meet carbon targets.
5 min readRead guide →
Scale Delivery
How to Set Up a Retrofit Programme from Scratch
A step-by-step framework for establishing a retrofit delivery programme, covering governance, supply chain setup, quality assurance and resource planning.
5 min readRead guide →
Project Management
Understanding Retrofit Risk Levels Under PAS2035
PAS2035 defines three retrofit risk levels that determine project governance, surveying depth and installer competency requirements. Understanding these levels is essential for effective project planning.
5 min readRead guide →
Technical
Retrofit for Hard-to-Treat Properties
Hard-to-treat properties present unique retrofit challenges. This guide explores practical solutions for non-traditional construction, solid walls, and other difficult cases.
5 min readRead guide →
Project Management
Stage Advice Letters: Purpose and Requirements
Stage Advice Letters document retrofit decisions at each project phase, ensuring compliance and protecting all parties. Essential for PAS2035 project management.
5 min readRead guide →
Getting Started
How to Select a Retrofit Assessor
Selecting the right retrofit assessor is crucial for project success. This guide outlines key competencies, qualifications and evaluation criteria for housing retrofit professionals.
5 min readRead guide →
Technical
Retrofit and Mould: What the Assessment Must Address
Mould risk assessment is integral to retrofit design. This guide explains what assessments must address to meet standards and protect occupant health.
5 min readRead guide →
Technical
Understanding RdSAP 10 for Retrofit Professionals
RdSAP 10 is the standard energy assessment method for retrofit projects in the UK. This guide explains how it works and why it matters for compliance and performance.
5 min readRead guide →
Project Management
How to Evaluate Improvement Options Under PAS2035
A systematic approach to selecting retrofit improvement options under PAS2035, balancing technical performance, cost-effectiveness and building-specific requirements.
5 min readRead guide →
Resident Engagement
Resident Engagement Best Practice in Retrofit
Effective resident engagement is essential for successful retrofit delivery. This guide covers communication strategies, consent processes, and managing resident expectations throughout the project lifecycle.
5 min readRead guide →
Technical
Heat Pumps in Older Properties: What to Consider
Heat pumps offer low-carbon heating for older properties, but success depends on careful assessment of building fabric, emitter sizing, and installation planning.
5 min readRead guide →
Project Management
How to Write a Non-Conformity Report Under PAS2035
A practical guide to identifying, documenting and reporting non-conformities on retrofit projects under PAS2035 standards.
5 min readRead guide →
Technical
Ground Floor Insulation: Options and Practicalities
Ground floor insulation is essential for retrofit performance. This guide explores suspended timber, solid concrete and emerging solutions, with practical installation considerations.
5 min readRead guide →
Getting Started
Retrofit Coordination: What the Role Actually Involves
The retrofit coordinator role bridges design, installation and compliance. Understand the responsibilities, practical skills and coordination activities that make retrofits successful.
5 min readRead guide →
Funding
Understanding the Warm Homes Social Housing Fund
The Warm Homes Social Housing Fund provides capital grants to improve energy efficiency in social housing. This guide explains eligibility, application processes and delivery requirements.
5 min readRead guide →
Getting Started
How to Commission a Retrofit Assessment
A comprehensive guide to commissioning retrofit assessments, covering preparation, scope definition, assessor selection and deliverables for UK housing projects.
5 min readRead guide →
Getting Started
What Is PAS2035 and Why Does It Exist
PAS2035 is the UK standard for energy retrofit of buildings. It exists to ensure retrofit work is safe, effective, and delivers genuine carbon savings whilst protecting occupant wellbeing.
5 min readRead guide →
Funding
How to Prepare a Successful WH:SHF Funding Bid
A practical guide to securing WH:SHF funding for retrofit projects, covering eligibility assessment, application preparation and submission best practices.
5 min readRead guide →
Technical
Loft and Roof Insulation: Options and Considerations
Loft and roof insulation are critical retrofit measures. This guide covers material options, installation methods, and key considerations for compliance and performance.
5 min readRead guide →
Technical
Overheating Risk in Retrofit: Assessment and Mitigation
Retrofit work can inadvertently increase overheating risk. This guide explains assessment methods, design strategies and mitigation measures to protect occupants.
5 min readRead guide →
Getting Started
How to Build a Retrofit Business Case for Your Board
A practical guide to building a compelling retrofit business case for board approval, covering financial analysis, risk assessment and stakeholder engagement.
5 min readRead guide →
Resident Engagement
Managing Vulnerable Residents in Retrofit Programmes
A practical guide to identifying vulnerable residents, adapting retrofit delivery, and ensuring inclusive communication throughout energy efficiency upgrade programmes.
5 min readRead guide →
Technical
Internal vs External Wall Insulation: Making the Right Choice
Choosing between internal and external wall insulation requires careful consideration of property constraints, budget, and long-term performance. This guide outlines the technical and practical factors to inform your decision.
5 min readRead guide →
Project Management
Medium Term Plans: What They Are and How to Use Them
Medium term plans bridge the gap between strategic vision and daily delivery. Learn how to develop and implement them effectively in retrofit programmes.
5 min readRead guide →
Technical
Air Source Heat Pumps: Is Your Property Suitable?
Assessing whether an air source heat pump suits your property requires evaluation of building fabric, heating demand, space, noise and grid capacity. This guide covers the key suitability criteria.
5 min readRead guide →
Project Management
The Role of the Retrofit Designer in PAS2035
The retrofit designer is central to PAS2035 compliance, responsible for creating robust technical specifications that guide successful energy efficiency improvements from planning through completion.
5 min readRead guide →
Project Management
Procurement Frameworks for Retrofit: Which One Is Right for You?
Selecting the right procurement framework is critical for retrofit success. This guide explores the main options available to UK housing organisations and how to choose the best fit.
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Getting Started
How to Read a Retrofit Assessment Report
A retrofit assessment report contains vital information about a building's condition and upgrade requirements. Learn how to interpret each section effectively.
5 min readRead guide →
Technical
Understanding Thermal Bridging in Retrofit
Thermal bridging undermines retrofit performance. This guide explains how heat bypasses insulation, where it occurs, and practical strategies to eliminate it.
5 min readRead guide →
Scale Delivery
Data Management in Large-Scale Retrofit Programmes
Effective data management is critical for delivering retrofit programmes at scale. This guide covers systems, processes and best practices to maintain quality whilst handling hundreds of properties.
5 min readRead guide →
Scale Delivery
Building a Retrofit Supply Chain from Scratch
Establishing a retrofit supply chain requires strategic planning, supplier vetting, quality frameworks and logistics coordination. This guide outlines essential steps for delivering retrofit programmes at scale.
5 min readRead guide →
Technical
Battery Storage in Retrofit: When Does It Make Sense?
Battery storage can enhance retrofit schemes, but only when aligned with generation capacity, occupancy patterns and financial viability. This guide helps retrofit teams assess when batteries deliver genuine value.
5 min readRead guide →
Resident Engagement
How to Handle Retrofit Refusals and Access Issues
Retrofit refusals and access barriers are common challenges in housing decarbonisation programmes. This guide covers proven strategies for engagement, negotiation, and resolution.
5 min readRead guide →
Scale Delivery
Managing Contractors on a Multi-Site Retrofit Programme
Effective contractor management is critical to delivering retrofit programmes on time and to standard. This guide covers procurement, performance monitoring, and risk management.
5 min readRead guide →
Getting Started
Carbon Literacy for Retrofit Professionals
Understanding carbon emissions, embodied carbon and operational carbon is essential for retrofit professionals delivering genuine energy performance improvements.
5 min readRead guide →
Technical
Smart Heating Controls and Their Role in Retrofit
Smart heating controls are now essential in retrofit projects. This guide explains their function, integration with building fabric improvements, and role in meeting energy performance standards.
5 min readRead guide →
Resident Engagement
Resident Surveys in Retrofit: What to Ask and When
Effective resident surveys are essential to retrofit success. Learn what questions to ask, when to ask them, and how to use responses to improve outcomes.
5 min readRead guide →
Technical
Floor Insulation Options and When to Use Them
A comprehensive overview of floor insulation methods used in retrofit projects, covering suspended timber floors, solid floors and below-ground solutions with selection criteria.
5 min readRead guide →
Project Management
Measuring Retrofit Outcomes: What Good Looks Like
Establishing clear success metrics and monitoring systems is essential for demonstrating retrofit effectiveness and informing future improvement decisions.
5 min readRead guide →
Getting Started
How to Work Effectively with a Retrofit Coordinator
A retrofit coordinator plays a crucial role in delivering successful home energy upgrades. Understanding their responsibilities and how to work effectively with them ensures smoother project delivery.
5 min readRead guide →
Technical
Draught Proofing: Simple Measures, Significant Impact
Draught proofing is one of the most cost-effective retrofit measures available. This guide explains assessment, specification and installation best practice.
5 min readRead guide →
Funding
The Warm Homes Local Grant: A Guide for Local Authorities
Understand how the Warm Homes Local Grant works, eligibility criteria, application processes and delivery requirements for local authorities managing retrofit programmes.
5 min readRead guide →
Technical
Solar PV in Social Housing: What the Numbers Show
Solar PV deployment in social housing requires careful financial and technical analysis. This guide examines the real-world performance data and economic factors driving decisions.
5 min readRead guide →
Project Management
How to Assess Retrofit Readiness Across a Housing Portfolio
A systematic approach to evaluating your housing portfolio's retrofit readiness, covering technical, financial and operational assessment across all property types.
5 min readRead guide →
Technical
Whole-House Ventilation Strategies: MEV vs MVHR
Compare MEV and MVHR systems to select the right whole-house ventilation strategy for retrofit projects, considering cost, performance and building fabric.
5 min readRead guide →
Project Management
Managing Non-Conformities Under PAS2035
Non-conformities are inevitable in retrofit projects. Understanding how to identify, document and resolve them systematically protects quality and compliance under PAS2035.
5 min readRead guide →
Getting Started
PAS2030: What Installers Need to Know
PAS2030 sets quality standards for retrofitting existing homes. Installers must understand its requirements for assessment, installation and quality assurance to deliver compliant work.
5 min readRead guide →
Getting Started
Getting Started in Retrofit: A Practical Introduction
What retrofit is, why it matters for the UK housing stock, and how the PAS2035 process works from initial assessment through to TrustMark lodgement.
6 min readRead guide →
Project Management
Managing a Retrofit Project: Stages, Roles and Key Decisions
How to manage each stage of a PAS2035 retrofit project effectively — from procurement and assessment through to installation oversight and TrustMark lodgement.
7 min readRead guide →
Technical
Retrofit Technical Considerations: Stock, Construction and Constraints
Housing stock types, construction constraints, ventilation strategy, fabric first principle and planning constraints — the technical foundations of sound retrofit planning.
6 min readRead guide →
Resident Engagement
Engaging Residents in Retrofit: Strategy, Communication and Consent
Why resident engagement is one of the most critical factors in retrofit success, and how to build a communication and consent strategy that actually works.
5 min readRead guide →
Scale Delivery
Delivering Retrofit at Scale: Consortia, Procurement and Supply Chain
Moving beyond pilots to large-scale delivery — consortium structures, procurement frameworks, supply chain capacity and quality management across complex programmes.
6 min readRead guide →
Funding
UK Retrofit Funding: A Practical Guide to the Main Schemes
Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, Warm Homes: Local Grant, Boiler Upgrade Scheme — who can access each scheme, what it funds and what it requires.
7 min readRead guide →
Technical
The Fabric First Approach: Principles, Benefits and Application
The government-recognised strategy for retrofit — minimise energy demand through the building fabric before installing technology. What it means, why it matters and how to apply it.
5 min readRead guide →
Project Management
Costing Retrofit Projects: A Practical Guide
Capital vs admin costs, grant scheme cost caps, commonly underestimated costs and how to structure a robust retrofit project budget that survives contact with reality.
7 min readRead guide →
Project Management
Monitoring and Evaluation in PAS2035: What Is Required and Why It Matters
M&E is mandatory for all publicly funded retrofit. This guide explains the three levels — basic, intermediate and advanced — and why planning must start at Stage 1, not after installation.
6 min readRead guide →
Getting Started
The Hierarchy of Retrofit Compliance: PAS2035, PAS2030, MCS and TrustMark
How the interlocking standards and accreditation schemes that govern UK retrofit relate to each other — and what happens when any part of the compliance hierarchy is missing.
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Funding
Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards: What Landlords Need to Know
MEES requirements, exemptions, how they apply to private and social landlords, and how retrofit addresses compliance — including what EPC ratings do and do not tell you.
5 min readRead guide →
Getting Started
Property Data in Retrofit: What You Need and Where to Find It
The types of property data needed for retrofit, where housing providers hold it, how to work with incomplete data, and why data quality determines programme quality.
5 min readRead guide →
Getting Started
What Is Retrofit Coordination? Roles, Responsibilities and Standards
A complete introduction to retrofit coordination, the roles defined under PAS2035, and what organisations need to know before commissioning coordination services.
5 min readRead guide →
Compliance
The Four Stages of PAS2035: A Complete Guide
PAS2035 divides the retrofit process into four defined stages. Understanding each stage and what is required at every point is essential for compliant delivery.
6 min readRead guide →
Compliance
TrustMark Lodgement: A Complete Guide for Coordinators
TrustMark lodgement is the final and most critical step in every PAS2035 project. This guide covers every requirement, common causes of rejection and how to avoid them.
6 min readRead guide →
Funding
Warm Homes Fund: A Complete Guide for Housing Providers
Everything housing associations and local authorities need to know about Warm Homes funding, eligibility criteria, scheme requirements and building a compliant programme.
6 min readRead guide →
Delivery
Resident Engagement in Retrofit: Practical Guidance
Effective resident engagement is one of the most important and most overlooked aspects of retrofit delivery. This guide covers what good engagement looks like and how to achieve it.
5 min readRead guide →
Technology
Retrofit Coordination Software: What to Look For
Retrofit coordination software can significantly improve compliance, document management and project oversight. This guide explains what features matter and what questions to ask.
5 min readRead guide →