Are you a homeowner looking to upgrade your home? We run the Green Homes Wales scheme, which helps homeowners in Wales to improve their homes with energy efficiency upgrades, cutting carbon and leading to lower energy bills in the long run.
The word “retrofitting” gets mentioned a lot when we discuss the scheme. Which then leads to the question – what is retrofitting? And what is a “retrofit co-ordinator”?
While it sounds complicated, retrofitting just means adding something to a building which wasn’t thought of as necessary, or just wasn’t available, at the time it was built. So it comes up a lot when we talk about energy upgrades and improvements, because a lot of those improvements weren’t around when a large proportion of homes in Wales were built.
Some of them - like air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, solar panels, external wall insulations and smart home energy systems - have only been available at a consumer level for the last few years.
Because a lot of this is quite new and potentially complicated, it’s best to seek the advice of a retrofit co-ordinator when looking at making energy-efficiency improvements to your home.
What is a retrofit co-ordinator?
Retrofit co-ordinators are qualified professionals who take a look at your property’s whole energy output – a bit like a surveyor crossed with a project manager, but with specific expertise on energy use, along with bigger issues like planning, compliance and quality assurance.
They can look at how your home currently uses energy, where there might be wastage or potential improvements, and make recommendations.
And through the Green Homes Wales scheme, homeowners can get specialist advice from a retrofit co-ordinator to help decide which sort of new technologies would work best for their homes. They don’t just make assessments. After looking at your home, they’ll develop a tailored improvement plan based on what your home needs, and what you want to do. They’ll make sure the recommendations they put forward are sound, cost-effective and in line with standards. And they’ll help to plan the work so it all works in the right order.
How to choose your retrofit co-ordinator
As with any time you’re looking for a professional to work on your home, it’s worth checking the retrofit co-ordinators in your area. If they have strong case studies or references, that’s a good sign. They’ll also need to be TrustMark registered and PAS 2035 compliant to carry out work under the scheme, along with holding Retrofit Coordination trade accreditation.
As well as someone who understands the jargon and complexities involved in home retrofitting, they’ll also need to be able to help you compare quotes and weight up your options when it comes to getting the work done – as well as prioritising those upgrades which are more cost-effective and fundable.
They’ll also need to have a good working knowledge of the Green Homes Wales scheme and its criteria, because that’ll mean they can target the scheme to the improvements you need.
And they’ll need to be involved throughout the installation and work on your home, ready to advise at any point.
Working with a retrofit co-ordinator – FAQs
Will the scheme help with assessment costs?
As well as providing loan support for the work, Green Homes Wales funds the initial assessment up to a value of £600.
Will I be pressured into upgrades?
The retrofit co-ordinator will recommend improvements, but you won’t be pressured into anything. The end decision on whether or not you go ahead with any work will always lie with you, as the homeowner.
What if I live in an older property?
Your retrofit co-ordinator will be able to suggest improvements based on the specifics of your home, and tailored to its needs. They won’t have a generic, one-size-fits-all approach.
How the Green Homes Wales scheme can help
The Green Homes Wales scheme is there to look at every route possible to help make a home more energy efficient. For example, some homes might not see their energy output improved by installing solar panels on their own – the energy-gathering capabilities of those solar panels might also need to be smartly controlled and organised by a new energy system.
If you’re looking to take the next steps, work with a retrofit co-ordinator and cut your home’s energy bills, see what the Green Homes Wales scheme can do for you.
