Retrofit, also sometimes referred to as a smart renovation or smart refurb, is a rapidly growing industry in the UK with the Climate Change Comittee stating that we need to retrofit 1,000,000 homes per year by 2030 to meet our Net Zero target. However, not enough people learn about retrofit: 60% of homeowners aren’t even sure what ‘retrofit’ means.

Retrofit opportunities for contractors

With a million homes per year needing to be retrofitted from 2025 to 2030 in the UK to hit Net Zero targets, that means there is a huge commercial opportunity for contractors in the industry to sell and deliver excellent quality domestic retrofit.

This comes at a time where there are only 900,000 tradespeople in total in the UK and a potential shortage of a quarter of a million tradespeople by 2030. Considering how many homes must be retrofitted and how few people there are to retrofit these homes, that means that demand for retrofit will always be there. As a contractor working in retrofit it would be hard to have an empty order book, which is a win-win for contractors, homeowners and the environment alike.

Homeowners need to learn about retrofit, too

Not only is there a growing need for contractors to learn about retrofit but there is an accompanying need for homeowners to learn about it too.

Homeowners need to be knowledgeable about what retrofit improvements they could benefit from. Does the average homeowner know how much insulation they have in their house, if their windows are double-glazed or if they meet an EPC rating of C or above? Well, only 6% of British homeowners knew what their EPC rating was. Yes, less than one out of 16 homeowners know their EPC rating, and they aren’t to blame.

But if the average homeowner looked at their EPC certificate, they’d even have recommendations on how to increase their home’s energy efficiency.

Additionally, considering a concerning lack of regulation in the retrofit industry at present, they must be wary of businesses that don’t have the level of knowledge required to retrofit houses to an adequate level.

Having retrofit knowledge means that homeowners can better protect themselves from irreputable contractors. Retrofit knowledge means they’d know the right questions to ask their contractors and they would be able to supervise the retrofit project to ensure that it is carried out effectively.

For homeowners undergoing their own DIY retrofit project, knowledge is absolutely paramount in ensuring that the retrofit is carried out smoothly.

How to learn about retrofit

Here at The Green Register, we have created an accredited and trusted Level 2 qualification in retrofit called Retrofit Skills, developed by the co-author of the PAS2035 framework Dr Sarah Price.

Retrofit Skills Level 2 is a hybrid qualification, with both online and practical components, which provides foundational training for individuals and businesses looking to move into retrofit construction.

Homeowners, architects, builders, plasterers and more have joined Retrofit Skills and benefitted greatly from the knowledge they’ve gained in our online and practical sessions.

The Retrofit Skills qualification combines interactive online learning with practical, hands-on sessions. Each module will be assessed and accredited by ABBE, a built environment specialist awarding body. The ‘stackable’ approach to training allows learners to build and evidence training achievements as they move through their careers. The course is suitable for contractors, architects, tradespeople and other professionals who wish to develop or improve their technical knowledge in achieving high quality outcomes in low carbon retrofit in the domestic sector. Specific retrofit experience is not essential. The course is also suitable for homeowners undergoing their own retrofit who would like to know more about how to retrofit a home successfully while avoiding common pitfalls.

For more information about Retrofit Skills and how you can learn about retrofit, click here: https://www.greenregister.org.uk/retrofit-skills-level-2/