In simple terms it is improving the energy efficiency of the dwelling via a whole house retrofit programme. The eventual aim is what you, the client, would like this to be, and could include a number of measures from improving insulation, replacing a heating system, improving ventilation and indoor air quality, installing renewable technologies or all of these. It can be undertaken on a room by room basis over a period of time, or the whole dwelling in one period. It can be a way of dealing with other problems like damp, mould and condensation issues too and of course should result in lower energy bills and reduce co2 emissions.
The important aspect of any retrofit is to have a good team to plan/design what is to be done, to implement the changes, the manage the process throughout, and provide a good handover at the end.
How can we help and why use Energy Saving Experts?
Any retrofit programme must have clear goals and expectations that the designer and installers understand and must work to achieve. The newly published PAS2035 is a UK standard that sets a prescribed course of action to be followed by the whole design team to ensure those set goals are achieved. PAS2030 is the other standard for the installation teams to follow. Overseeing these is a retrofit co-ordinator to ensure the process runs smoothly from start to finish. This is where we come in, as a qualified Retrofit Co-ordinator and Retrofit Assessor under PAS2035. We will not only oversee the process but also be actively involved in aspects of it, based on our expertise as an energy assessor and home inspector.
Not every project is required to go through the PAS2035 requirements, but as we are qualified in this process it should give you confidence that we’ll look after you and your project through whatever improvements you decide to make.
What is the Retrofit process and PAS 2035?
Image: The Retrofit Academy
With the design team we look at the following:
A Retrofit Plan
Evaluate Retrofit Options for each measure in terms of Capital Cost, Disruption & reduction in fuel use, costs, and co2 emissions, payback period and more.
Apply a whole house approach looking first at the Building Fabric, then building services and then renewables.
Or other trigger points could be – an extension, loft or garage conversion, moving to a new home, inheritance funds, essential repairs & maintenance.
The important point is to formulate an integrated retrofit plan, if required to be undertaken over many years.
The aim of the Retrofit plan is to apply a fabric first approach considering insulation, air tightness, and thermal bridges before considering building services and then renewables.
- Develop with you a medium-term whole house retrofit plan to plan for future measures.
- Reduce thermal bridges with even and continuous insulation, improve air tightness to create a comfortable indoor environment with no risk of condensation and mould.
- Design efficient and effective heating that is responsive to the needs of the occupants.
- Design effective ventilation to improve indoor air quality.
With a retrofit project, especially a whole house retrofit, there are several risks that must be managed to ensure that by doing one thing, it doesn’t have an adverse effect on something else. This is where the role of a Retrofit co-ordinator qualified to PAS2035 standards is so important. Our role is to identify and manage those risks to an acceptable level, to safeguard the interests of you the client, whilst ensuring the retrofit project delivers its intended outcomes.
PAS2035 – from this comes the retrofit process with set standards at each level:Project Pre Assessment, Risk Assessment, Project Management
Each dwelling assessment and design brief
All of the above require qualified retrofit specialists – assessor, designer, co-ordinator, project manager
The Design Brief includes important annexes regarding ventilation and how all the retrofit measures will interact with one another – a key area of risk.
PAS2030 has a similar approach for the retrofit installation teams, those who will actually carry out the works and test, commission and handover.
Our specialities:
We will undertake the Retrofit Co-Ordinator role, covering the project from inception to completion and to ensure compliance with PAS2035.
We will also undertake the role of the Retrofit Assessor, more details below.
Mike is a qualified PAS2035 Retrofit Co-ordinator, has qualified in the Retrofit diploma from the Retrofit Academy, and completed and qualified using the AECB Retrofit Carbonlite programme.
Retrofit Dwelling Assessment
If a potential retrofit project is assessed poorly, then the outcomes are likely to be poor also with unintended outcomes like damp, condensation, poor performance resulting in higher than expected fuel bills and co2 emissions.
PAS2035 takes a holistic approach with a detailed assessment of the dwelling prior to retrofit, and must be carried out by a qualified Retrofit Assessor. The scope of the assessment required by PAS2035 will depend on the risk level, the number of improvement measures and the type of building involved.
We will use simulation models appropriate to the project, usually SAP, and undertake a detailed survey of the existing building to understand its condition and what may affect possible improvement measures.
This leads to an improvement option evaluation for each improvement measure which is reviewed with the client and forms the basis of a medium terms whole house improvement plan.
The improvement plan is important because it establishes the extent of the retrofit to reduce emissions and be resilient to the effects of climate change.
It will identify the most appropriate measures over the coming years with estimates of capital cost and effects on the building performance.
Importantly, it will determine the order of improvement for cost effectiveness without blocking future improvements and will identify measure that must be installed together.
The two important attributes of an improvement evaluation are the savings in fuel use, fuel costs and co2 emissions attributed improvement measures will depend on the order they are assessed and installed. Savings attributable to a measure or many measures will always be assessed separately.
Contact us for more details and find out how we can help you.
