Retrofit - developing homes fit for the future
What is retrofit?
Retrofit refers to any improvement work on an existing building to improve its energy efficiency, making it easier to heat and able to keep that heat for longer.
How do we decide which properties to work on?
We developed a five-year Sustainability Strategy and roadmap for energy decarbonisation in late 2022. This provides details on how we’ll deliver programmes that improve the energy performance of council homes in line with Barnsley Council’s strategic priorities and government targets.
Our aim is that all council homes have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C by 2030.
To better understand the stock profile we commissioned Savills to undertake an appraisal of our housing stock during 2022/23 to understand the scale of programme required to retrofit all property types to both EPC C and net zero carbon where this is possible.
From the Sustainability Strategy, our approach is to target the worst performing properties first using a 'fabric first' approach. This means we're looking at the components and materials that make up the building fabric itself, identifying works we can do to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.
Our short film explains a bit more about retrofit including what works can be involved, and how this is already bringing benefits and cost savings direct to Berneslai Homes tenants.
Retrofit areas of work
Here are some of the different ways we've delivered retrofit works to homes in Barnsley.
Local Authority Delivery (LAD) scheme
The purpose of this scheme was to raise the energy efficiency of low income and low energy performance homes. During 2022, two phases of works included cavity wall, external wall, and loft insulation along with ventilation works.
Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF)
This is a partially Government-funded scheme and Barnsley Council were successful with wave 1 and wave 2.1 bids. SHDF aims to make homes warmer, reduce carbon emissions, and improve the comfort, health, and wellbeing of tenants, as well as tackling fuel poverty through reducing energy bills. During 2023 as part of wave 1, works included external wall, internal wall, and loft insulation, along with ventilation works. Works are ongoing for wave 2.1.
Barnsley Homes Standard
This includes energy efficiency works such as boiler replacements, loft insulation, and cavity wall insulation.
Berneslai Homes Construction Services are qualified to deliver retrofit works having achieved Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) standards 2030 accreditation. For Government-funded energy efficiency schemes there’s a requirement that PAS is followed. Construction Services can install energy efficiency measures to PAS standard with staff having a minimum Level 2 qualification to evidence competency in the relevant area of energy efficiency building treatment.