Retrofit Review

Welcome to the new issue

Hi everyone 👋🏽

It's beginning to feel a bit like... Aaagh, no, let's not go there just yet. Don't panic - there's still time to get plenty of good stuff done before the festive season. So let's get straight to it.

In this issue: GSHPA's Laura Bishop shares her heat pump experiences - Funded PhD to reimagine energy retrofit and home adaptations - Green Finance Institute's green loan market analysis - how landlords can get ahead of upcoming efficiency requirements - downturn in building work (a skills opportunity for retrofit, surely) - ASHP planning relaxation ahead - 2025 retrofit campaign diary dates - Warm Homes plan booster - impact of MCS progress for installers - Demand Flexibility Service expands.

Stay focused and read on, retrofitters...

📰 News & Opinion

Britain's year-round Demand Flexibility Service launches - edie

The National Grid Energy System Operator (NESO) has launched a new, year-round Demand Flexibility Service (DFS). Originally introduced during the energy crisis as a winter contingency service to balance the grid during times of high demand, NESO explained that as winter margins have improved the DFS can be repurposed as a year-round service. From Wednesday (27 November) NESO said the DFS “will directly compete with power generators such as gas power stations and wind farms”, allowing it to operate year-round rather than only during the winter.

Update on the redevelopment of MCS - What installers need to know - Installer Online

Following an open letter in June, Ian Rippin – CEO of MCS – shares more details on the progress made on the redevelopment of MCS and what this means for your installers.

Retrofit funding allocations confirmed – and Clean Heat Market Mechanism reformed - elemental

The government has confirmed more detail of the Warm Homes Plan, with additional cash for energy efficiency projects, while introducing a reformed Clean Heat Market Mechanism in April 2025. The announcement includes boosting the budget for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme – an extra £30m this financial year and doubling the budget to £295m for next year. This is part of a total of £3.2bn investment in 2025/26 from government, social housing providers and supplier obligations for retrofit and clean heating measures.

📅 Events

📅 Not one but FOUR regional campaigns for your 2025 diaries!

Get ready for plenty of retrofit action next year! Our regional Retrofit Action Week campaigns are extended weeks of events, activities, collaboration and knowledge-sharing to speed up and scale up retrofit across the UK.

As well as returning to Glasgow 8-16 February, we are delighted to add the South West 22-30 March to the 2025 campaign train. Working closely with Retrofit West, Future Leap and The West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris and the West of England Combined Authority, the RAW South West campaign will support everyone interested in scaling up retrofit for homes throughout this region.

And with RAW returning to West Midlands, 10-18 May and Greater Manchester, 4-12 October 2025 - it's going to be a busy year for retrofit around the UK. Naturally, we will keep you updated!

Everyone's invited - 🎫 Registration is 🆓 for all RAW events and activities.

✍🏽 Government & Policy

Air Source Heat Pumps to be installed without planning permission, plus new CHMM in April - Warm Homes Plan announced - Installer Online

The Government has announced the Warm Homes Plan, aiming to support 300,000 households with home upgrades in the next year. Two of the highlights for installers will be plans to remove the need for planning permission for Air Source Heat Pumps, and the introducing a reformed Clean Heat Market Mechanism in April 2025.

🤩 Local/Regional Action

Trio secure Birmingham deal to retrofit 3,000 homes a year | Construction Enquirer News

Birmingham City Council has appointed three contractors to assist in retrofitting over 3,000 homes across the city each year. Contractors City Energy Network, Next Energy Solutions and Golden Globe Merchants will form a partnership with the council to leverage private funding of up to £45m each year from the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) programme.

Learn more about West Midlands retrofit scale-up: returning 10-18 May 2025, join us for RAW West Midlands week, with returning Thought Leaders Next Energy and Equans

💬 Reports, Research, Guides

Downturn In Building Work For Small Building Companies, Says FMB - ConstructUK

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB commented, “The FMB’s latest State of Trade Survey for Q3 2024 reveals a challenging economic climate for small building companies across the UK with 32% of FMB members reporting falling workloads over the past quarter. Enquiries are also down, as is employment, with over a third of members struggling to recruit bricklayers and carpenters. What is concerning is that the poor numbers reported by builders seem to be here to stay as they have been a constant throughout 2024. The last time such a negative trend was reported was in the years following the financial crisis of 2008.”

Your guide to energy efficiency funding | NRLA

NRLA Public Affairs Officer Mia Rotaru explores upcoming energy efficiency requirements and how landlords can get a head start. Read on to learn more about the national grants available and if you’re eligible to apply.

International retrofit models could cut bills for 675,000 homes | The Intermediary

Research from the Green Finance Institute (GFI) has found that replicating successful international approaches to retrofit finance could potentially reduce bills in 675,000 UK homes each year. The analysis, titled ‘Unsecured Green Home Loans: Consumer Protection and Scale in International Markets,’ highlighted how international practices can help drive demand for energy efficiency in the UK. The report welcomed the Department for Energy and Net Zero’s new steps for the Warm Homes Plan, designed to support retrofitting UK homes. However, it noted that provisions must be made for low-interest loans and grants as outlined in the Labour Party manifesto to scale up financing for the 23.3 million privately owned homes, which contributed to 20% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2022.

🆕 🗣 Retrofit People

GSHPA chair shares her heat pump experience after ‘putting her money where her mouth is’ - Renewable Energy Installer & Specifier

Chair of the Ground Source Heat Pump Association, Laura Bishop, has recently added solar, storage, EV charging and a heat pump to her home. She spoke to REI ...

👩🏽‍💻👨🏽‍💻 Jobs

Re-imagining energy retrofit and home adaptation to deliver safe and resilient homes during interconnected energy, health, housing and climate crises | Nottingham Trent University

Funded PhD: Housing energy retrofits can improve thermal efficiency and reduce energy costs; home adaptation measures like handrails and ramps enhance accessibility; climate adaptation measures can include shutters, shading and green spaces. However, these strategies have not been studied together in research or policy. At a time of interconnected housing, energy, health, cost-of-living and climate crises, this PhD research aims to re-imagine energy retrofit and home adaptation practices toward climate adaptation.

⏭ Coming up

That's it for this issue

Perhaps a slightly lighter issue this week - maybe due to the fact we're edging closer to... Aaagh, no, we said we're not going there just yet!

Let's see you back here in 2 weeks with our final 2024 retrofit news round-up. And then, OK, let's allow ourselves to wind down a little, ready for the festive break 😉

📢 RAW Media Partner

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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.