Retrofit Review

Welcome to the new issue

Hi everyone 👋🏼

Hope you're all settling back into the 'back-to-school-or-work' routine that is early September. Autumn's chill has arrived - and with it, concerns about rising heating costs. Government plans to remove Winter Fuel Allowance payments for all but the poorest pensioners have exacerbated this perennial issue, leaving many worried and struggling to stay warm this winter.

Accelerating retrofit at-scale - and growing the retrofit market within the wider green economy - is key. Keep banging that drum. Greater Manchester's Retrofit Action Week (RAW) action campaign - designed to accelerate regional retrofit delivery at speed (do join us) - is less than a month away.

In this issue >> new appointments - builders merchants note slowdown - the causes of renovation delays - Essex heat pump purchase scheme - eco advice for landlords - can fuel poverty ever be eliminated - retrofit discount for remortgagers - big lessons shared from at-scale retrofit - solar milestone - and all the details on Greater Manchester's week of action 5-13 Oct.

Read on, retrofitters...

📰 News & Opinion

Solar gains further boost in latest CfD auction, as industry awaits publication of the Solar Taskforce Roadmap - elemental

The UK solar industry is celebrating another important milestone, as it works to deliver the new Labour government’s 50GW by 2030 ambition. The latest CfD auction round has provided a big boost to ground-based solar, with a record breaking 93 projects and a combined capacity of 3,288MW, securing support under the sixth allocation round. This beats the previous record of 2,209MW set in the fourth allocation round in 2020.

SHDF Wave 3: Lessons learned from working in partnership : Housing Digital

Together Housing and RPS Group formed one of the UK’s most ambitious domestic decarbonisation partnerships. The latter’s Graham Rothwell shares some of the big lessons learned retrofitting social homes at scale. I’ve looked on with interest as the new government has identified housing and the green economy as a significant way of stimulating the economy, strengthening green supply chains and contributing to net zero.

Perenna launches retrofit discount to boost home decarbonisation - Renewable Energy Installer & Specifier

The retrofit discount is a feature that remortgage customers can opt-in to when they apply for their Perenna mortgage. Customers who complete a qualifying solar panel or heat pump installation at their home within 2 years are rewarded with a 0.20% reduction in their mortgage rate. The discount applies to the outstanding mortgage amount and across the remaining term.

Learn more about retrofit finance at Greater Manchester's Retrofit Summit - Morning Two's theme is Unlocking finance to meet demand growth - online sessions with Green Finance Institute, People Powered Retrofit, Carbon Co-op, Digital Buildings and Groundwork.

Retrofit Action Week (RAW) 2024

Retrofit action around Greater Manchester

The week offers a unique chance to enhance your retrofit expertise and network around Greater Manchester. Discover the growing list of extra events during the week of action examining issues such as Fuel Poverty Awareness, SHDF for Housing Associations, UK Energy Policy Overview, Area-Based Approaches to Retrofit - and more. Open to everyone from local authorities to residents, the list of events is growing as October's action week approaches. Sign up for something! Info and Register

Still time to list your own event - enhance your retrofit expertise and network by hosting your own activity >> Info and listing - we list your event on our campaign page and share it ⏳ But hurry - the deadline for new listings is coming up soon.

Retrofit summit kicks off the week

Greater Manchester aims for zero carbon by 2038, with housing retrofit crucial to this goal. Join us online 🆓 at the 5th Greater Manchester Retrofit Summit during Retrofit Action Week, over 3 mornings, Oct 7-9, to explore how the city region leverages soon-to-be devolved powers for retrofit advancements. The programme is themed each morning around growing the market, unlocking finance and how devolution can plug gaps in delivery at-scale. Free to attend, the format is fast-paced, focused and friendly. Register and drop into online sessions to suit your schedule.

Manchester's largest in-person retrofit event

The Home Upgrade Show, is a two-day practical showcase featuring a wide range of local and national retrofit suppliers and service providers. This practical and sociable event is designed to offer vital information and support, fostering long-lasting relationships to help advance your retrofit projects. Register 🆓 and spend a very worthwhile day (or two) away from your office or work site to enhance your retrofit knowledge and network.

✍🏽 Government & Policy

Can fuel poverty be ended? Committee on Fuel Poverty Annual Report 2024 - GOV.UK

When the Government introduced a fuel poverty strategy in 2001, and set a goal to eliminate fuel poverty within fifteen years (2016), did they ever anticipate that this challenge would be unfulfilled well into the third decade of this new century? Perhaps not. This report will address whether eliminating fuel poverty; all too real for at least 3 million households in 2024; can become a thing of the past. Or must this goal always remain just beyond our grasp.

🤩 Local/Regional Action

Eco-upgrade schemes worth £20m for landlords now live across England | Landlordzone

Landlords can get free or subsidised advice on eco upgrades from a raft of new government-funded schemes that are now up and running across England. Severn Wye Energy Agency is the latest to launch a Local Energy Advice Demonstrator (LEAD) Project, helping private landlords – particularly those with HMOs - get in-person home surveys and practical advice. The project aims to give landlords a clear understanding of potential carbon and cost savings and a practical roadmap for making the right improvements in the right order. It’s one of 36 such projects that have shared £20 million in grant funding from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to test innovative ways to provide in-person energy efficiency and clean heating advice.

Join us on Morning 3 of Greater Manchester Retrofit Summit when Tony Seasman from Northwest Net Zero Hub will be giving an overview of Greater Manchester LEAD projects.

Heat pump group buying scheme launched | Essex County Council

Air source heat pumps can cut carbon emissions by 44% each year. Their efficiency ratings also typically reach 300%. As a result, air source heat pumps can save on energy bills over time. However, they can also come with a high upfront cost. Switch Together is able to keep the cost down for Essex homeowners through group buying.

💬 Reports, Research, Guides

The biggest causes of renovation delays revealed  - Professional Builder

With home renovations becoming increasingly popular, more individuals are pursuing their ideal living spaces. However, despite this trend, setbacks are common, with many citing significant obstacles that slow down their projects, with tradies sometimes bearing the brunt of this blame. 

Market slowdown continues for builders’ merchants | Construction Index

Numbers in the second quarter of 2024 Builders Merchants Building Index (BMBI) report show another year-on-year decline in sales, although the rate of decline is lower than was seen in the first quarter of 2024. Builders’ merchants’ takings in Q2 2024 were down 5.8% compared to Q2 2023, with volumes down 7.2% and prices up 1.5%. With two extra trading days this year, like-for-like sales (which take the number of trading days into account) were 8.8% lower.

🆕 🗣 Retrofit People

Heatio supercharges leadership team with two new appointments - Renewable Energy Installer & Specifier

Heatio leadership expands following oversubscribed investment round.

📢 Media Partner

Media Sponsor for Retrofit Action Week Greater Manchester!

Renewable Energy Installer & Specifier (REI) is the leading information source for professional installers, technology suppliers and service providers in the renewable and microgeneration sector keeping the sector informed through regular, free to access, communications and strong web presence.