Retrofit Review

Welcome to the new issue

As the new 'Deeper Devolution Deal' lands - is it an encouraging indicator of intent to help the supply chain and labour market start scaling up in anticipation of a major retrofit drive? Or just another 'ambition' that falls short of instilling market confidence?

Scroll on down for more detail on this and plenty more of the latest retrofit-focused news and info - curated by us for you.

Read on, retrofitters...

News & Opinion

Spring Budget: energy efficiency at scale still missing piece of the puzzle - UKGBC

UKGBC responds to the government's Spring Budget 2023, particularly on its Energy Efficiency Task Force.

Spring Budget: Key climate and energy announcements - Carbon Brief

The budget announced little new in the way of energy efficiency. Speaking in parliament, Hunt made reference to the government’s Energy Efficiency Taskforce, which was first announced in the government’s autumn statement in November 2022.

RIBA criticises Spring Budget for ignoring retrofit and planning departments | News | Building Design

While the institute’s president Simon Allford welcomed the Spring Budget’s measures on regeneration schemes and levelling up, he said bolder action on both was needed to make an impact.

Government unlocks nearly £2bn to boost energy efficiency of homes and public buildings | BusinessGreen News

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has unlocked various pots of public funding designed to boost the energy efficiency of homes and public buildings around the country, in a bid to cut emisisons and bring down energy costs for consumers.

Households face years-long waits for solar panels, heat pumps and insulation due to retrofitter shortage | inews

Households hoping to cut energy bills by adding insulation, solar panels, double glazing or heat pumps face years-long waits to upgrade because of a shortfall of 200,000 installation workers, research shows.

Contractors snubbed as govt appoints energy efficiency taskforce | Construction News

Contractors have called for greater involvement in developing the UK's retrofit and energy efficiency strategy after being excluded from the government's energy efficiency taskforce.

Government & Policy

Membership of Energy Efficiency Taskforce announced - elemental

The government has announced the members of the new Energy Efficiency Taskforce, which is chaired by Minister Lord Callanan and NatWest CEO Alison Rose.

The groundbreaking deal that will change Greater Manchester forever - Manchester Evening News

...Government has agreed to pilot the devolution of net zero funding by giving Greater Manchester funding to retrofit housing to make them more energy efficient, rather than requiring the city-region bids for cash. Subject to confirmation of funding, this should happen from 2025 onwards.

New powers and £1.5 billion investment to level up West Midlands | WMCA

Highlights include: A commitment to devolve retrofit funding from 2025, to allow the WMCA, and partners, to set priorities for investment in insulation and green energy for homes.

Home Upgrade Grant: Phase 2 successful local authorities - GOV.UK

List of local authorities awarded funding under the second phase of the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG 2) to be delivered from April 2023 until March 2025. These local authorities have funding in principle based on meeting certain conditions set out by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero.

Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2.1: successful bids - GOV.UK

£778 million has been offered to 107 projects for Wave 2.1 of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. Match funding from Wave 2.1 applicants provides an additional £1.1 billion.

Local/Regional Action

Fourth-generation Harrogate builder calls on fellow tradespeople to fill retrofit skills gap | Harrogate Advertiser

A Harrogate builder is calls on fellow tradespeople to meet growing demand from local homeowners to make houses more energy efficient and says it doesn’t need to be all Grand Designs.

Reports, Research, Guides

Infrastructure Progress Review 2023 - National Infrastructure Commission

There have been negligible advances in improving the energy efficiency of UK homes, the installation of low carbon heating solutions or securing a sustainable balance of water supply and demand.

Heat pumps shown to be three times more efficient than gas boilers - Energy Systems Catapult

Real world monitoring has shown that Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) can operate with high efficiencies, even in cold weather conditions, according to interim heat pump performance data released as part of the Electrification of Heat Demonstration Project.

The effect of energy poverty on mental health, cardiovascular disease and respiratory health: a longitudinal analysis - The Lancet Regional Health

(Australia) Reducing exposure to energy poverty should be considered as an intervention with clear benefits for mental health and potential benefits for cardiovascular health.

Guest post: How the energy crisis is boosting heat pumps in Europe - Carbon Brief

For the first time in 2022, heat pump sales in Europe reached 3m, up 0.8m (38%) from a year earlier and doubling since 2019. Sales doubled in a single year in Poland, Czech Republic and Belgium.

Jobs

Business Development Lead - Low Carbon Housing Innovations | The Growth Company

The post holder is required to identify, develop, and realise a pipeline of innovations, which the Agency can then develop into commercial products and services which facilitate the rapid decarbonisation of the GM and wider UK economy, and to provide the clear and accurate monitoring of information to the Agency’s governance structure

Director - National Retrofit Hub

We are looking to recruit an influential Director who can bring together all stakeholders across the UK to guide the delivery of retrofit locally

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