Summary of "Retrofit-at-Scale" publication

Introduction

• The report addresses the urgent need to retrofit UK homes to meet climate targets, highlighting the shortcomings of current policies that prioritize wind farms over home retrofitting.
• Fuel poverty and rising energy bills underscore the need for a mass home retrofit strategy, emphasising the vulnerability of household energy costs.
• The document is a call to action for policymakers and industry to implement a mass retrofit of 28 million UK homes, focusing on an affordable and equitable path to net-zero carbon emissions.

Key Points of the Report

1. Current Challenges and Objectives

   • The UK is falling short of the necessary retrofits needed to meet climate targets, with less than 1% of the housing stock being retrofitted.
   • There is a significant increase needed in the uptake of heat pumps and retrofitting to address fuel poverty.
   • The report proposes a new BASIC retrofit standard designed to be low-cost and applicable to a majority of homes, reducing heat demand by 50%.

2. Policy and Industry Collaboration

   • There is a need for a comprehensive national retrofit strategy that bridges the gap between top-down policies and bottom-up industry practices.
   • The current target of a 12% energy efficiency improvement is inadequate; a halving of heating demand is proposed.
   • Policy Support: A robust policy framework is needed to support the mass rollout, including incentives and funding redirection from energy supply infrastructure to retrofit initiatives.

3. Economic and Social Benefits

   • Implementing mass retrofits can significantly reduce national grid capacity requirements and energy supply costs.
   • Retrofits can lead to social benefits, such as reducing fuel poverty and improving public health by enhancing indoor living conditions.
   • The BASIC retrofit aims to be within the 1% GDP cost target for net-zero carbon delivery, making it financially viable on a national scale.

4. BASIC Retrofit Standard

   • The BASIC retrofit is a performance-based approach, not prescriptive, allowing flexibility in implementation while focusing on achieving a 50% reduction in heating demand.
   • It emphasises the use of existing heating systems and low-cost measures to reduce costs and household disruption.
   • A mass rollout of the BASIC retrofit could enable productivity improvements and cost reductions, making retrofitting accessible and appealing to more homeowners.

5. Consumer Engagement and Protection

   • The report stresses the importance of consumer trust and engagement, proposing a community-based approach to foster local involvement and acceptance.
   • Consumer Protection: Current retrofit practices lack adequate consumer protection; the report advocates for performance guarantees and third-party verification to ensure quality and effectiveness.

6. Technical and Practical Considerations

   • Improved survey techniques, such as 3D Lidar scanning and thermal imaging, are recommended for more accurate assessments and efficient retrofits.
   • The report suggests using a single integrated delivery team to streamline processes and reduce overhead costs.
   • Fabric-first Approach: Focus on adequate insulation and airtightness to optimise heating systems and reduce overall energy consumption.

7. Innovations and Future Directions

   • Emphasizes the need for new products and processes that enable quick and cost-effective retrofits.
   • Innovation case studies highlight successful approaches and technologies that can be scaled for broader application.
   • Encourages industry stakeholders to develop solutions that align with the BASIC retrofit standards, driving down costs and improving delivery efficiency.

Conclusion

• The "Retrofit-at-Scale" report presents a comprehensive strategy for mass retrofitting UK homes, advocating for a shift in policy and industry practices to achieve significant energy savings and carbon reduction.
• By focusing on the BASIC retrofit standard, the report outlines a practical and equitable pathway to net-zero carbon that addresses both economic and social challenges.
• The success of this initiative relies on collaboration between policymakers, industry professionals, and communities, ensuring a cohesive approach to retrofitting at scale.

The full report can be found here Retrofit at Scale – Sustainable Development Foundation (sdfoundation.org.uk)