Kindly sponsored by ecomerchant: together promoting ethical, healthy sustainable building materials.

It is widely acknowledged that there is a pressing need to retrofit homes across the UK to improve their energy efficiency if we are to have any hope of achieving the country’s net zero targets. Campaigners such as Insulate Britain have increased visibility of the issue, but how such work is delivered remains to be seen. Whilst we hope for more funding and direction from central government, some of the challenges are clear – key amongst them the shortage of contractors experienced and knowledgeable in energy saving retrofit works.

In this Twilight Talk, speakers from The Green Register described the new qualification they have developed to help address this need; Retrofit Skills, an accredited Level 2 qualification aimed at contractors. Kelly Vaughan-Watkins, who leads on Adult Skills at Bath College, outlined the courses they offer and those they are developing to address other training needs, and how contractors are using these to deliver work across the region.

The recording is available below. The slides are available here and the chat is available here. To view all previous Twilight Talk recordings, please visit our YouTube channel

You can find more information about Retrofit Skills Level 2 on the qualification homepage. Retrofit Skills will equip you and your team with the essential skills to lead the way in energy-efficient construction for existing buildings through hybrid training designed to fit your schedule and on-site commitments.

If you want to learn more about sustainable construction, check out our upcoming events:

• On 17th September, a team of three specialists will talk through the use of heat pumps in both new build and retrofit projects in our ‘Heat Pumps – From Design to Installation‘ training. The talk will discuss the principles of good heat pump design and installation, and how the ability to deliver high energy efficiency, performance and control starts with the heat pump’s design characteristics.
• We have a Passivhaus development site visit coming up on 19th September! Join us and Green Register member Stonewood Homes for a tour of Elm Grove in Nailsea, near Bristol. Each property features Solar PV panels, Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery systems, under floor heating, Air Source Heat Pumps, Water Heat Recovery and EV chargers.  The build is currently halfway through, with plots ranging from slab only to a completed show home, allowing you to see the various stages of construction.
• On 24th September, Green Register partners Ecological Building Systems will describe how their range of natural building products can be used to achieve Passivhaus whilst minimising embodied carbon in our new event ‘Natural Material Solutions for Passivhaus: Minimising Embodied Carbon‘.
• There are a few series on this fall, including our Ventilation series covering demand controlled ventilation and MVHR. Each session can be attended as a stand-alone seminar, or book both session to secure a discount!
• Airtightness and vapour control are crucial when creating a low energy or Passive House building. Achieving and installing stringent levels of airtightness may feel daunting, but our Airtightness training series will guide contractors and builders on both theoretical and practical training for both domestic and commercial projects.