To ensure successful outcomes to retrofit projects, a standards framework exists that separates the installation work (PAS 2030) from the overall end-to-end project management (PAS 2035). Within both disciplines, clear professional and/or vocational qualifications are needed to even qualify to apply for opportunities.
The primary role is the Retrofit Coordinator, who is responsible for providing end-to-end project oversight (including for any monitoring work). The Retrofit Coordinator commissions the design of the measures, contracts the installer and acts as the homeowner’s advocate for any issues. The Coordinator can be employed by the client or any other party involved, but is ultimately responsible for protecting the client and public’s interest and ensuring processes comply with PAS 2035.
PAS 2030 and PAS 2035 outline a clear, staged process through which all retrofit projects should proceed.
1. A Retrofit Assessor discusses options for reducing energy consumption with the householder, both through improvements to the property and changes in occupant behaviour.
2. If the householder opts to further explore improvement opportunities, the Retrofit Coordinator must conduct a risk assessment using information including existing Energy Performance Certificates, surveys, interviews with occupants/owners and observations during site visits. This data will be used to grade the property risk from A (lowest) to C (highest) and will determine which path the project follows during subsequent stages. The risk assessment must be repeated and updated as new measures are implemented.
3. A whole-dwelling assessment is undertaken by a retrofit assessor. This assessment includes:
- A comprehensive appraisal of the dwelling’s heritage, construction, any installed services and existing defects
- Identification of any planning constraints
- An appraisal of the building envelope dimensions, U-values, moisture properties and suitability for improvement.
- For projects on risk paths B or C, additional assessments must be undertaken. These may include:
- An appraisal of occupants and any special requirements they may have
- Assessment of existing ventilation
- Estimate of annual fuel use and emissions
- Assessment of air permeability
- Assessment of the significance of the building using the guidance in BS 7913:2013 – Guide to the conservation of historic buildings.
4. A Retrofit Designer uses the outputs from the whole-dwelling assessment to design a package of suitable EEMs. The designer is expected to pay particularly close attention to construction details for any fabric EEMs and how measures that do not physically connect may interact e.g., considering how changes to the insulation level will impact the capacity requirements for new heating systems. For projects on risk paths B or C, the retrofit co‑ordinator must carry out an improvement option evaluation prior to the retrofit design to calculate the payback period and carbon cost-effectiveness of the improvement options.
5. The Retrofit Coordinator creates a medium-term improvement plan for the next 20 to 30 years, creating a sequence for implementing the EEMs to maximise long-term benefits for the owner. This sequencing will also be designed to prevent one measure negatively impacting another or preventing the implementation of future measures.
6. The Coordinator communicates the improvement plan to the client, outlining any statutory approvals that may be required and obtain their approval for any work. They will then provide retrofit installers with briefings to explain the design intent, sequencing and provide advice on any new technologies.
7. Installation of the EEMs is carried out by the retrofit installers in accordance with PAS 2030. It is the installers’ responsibility to demonstrate these processes comply with PAS 2030 and to provide evidence of this to the retrofit co-ordinator.
8. The Retrofit Installer will also oversee any testing and commissioning of EEMs. The requirements for both these stages should be contained within the retrofit design and be carried out in accordance with PAS 2030.
9. The Retrofit Coordinator will arrange to ensure handover is completed with the occupant and owner of the property. This includes a physical inspection of the measures and clear information about safe operation, care and maintenance. The co-ordinator will retain any testing certificates, commissioning records and other manuals and paperwork, making copies available to the client. They will also recommend that a new EPC is prepared and, if accepted, undertake this work.
10. PAS 2035 also requires that retrofit projects are subject to evaluation and potentially monitoring to confirm if the expected outcomes have been achieved and to feed lessons back to all parts of the supply chain, including the building owner and occupants. This work is carried out by a retrofit evaluator.
11. Initially, the retrofit evaluator carries out a basic evaluation within three months of handover. This includes a measure-specific questionnaire for homeowners, confirming if the expected outcomes have been achieved and allowing them to raise any points of dissatisfaction or highlight unintended consequences of the work. If the homeowner, Evaluator or Coordinator feels the outcomes are significantly different than expected then two further levels of evaluation and monitoring can be carried out: intermediate and advanced. These include a variety of assessments such as airtightness tests, fuel use metering and thermographic surveys, and must be completed with six months of handover for the intermediate and two years of handover for the advanced. The Retrofit Evaluator makes recommendations for any remedial actions and circulates these to all other parties within the retrofit process.
-source: PAS 2035 & Kingspan