Intent and outcomes from the Retrofit for the Future programme: key lessons

Abstract

The Retrofit for the Future programme, sponsored by UK government's Technology Strategy Board (TSB) from 2009 to 2013, demonstrated innovative approaches to deep retrofitting of social housing, using a whole-house approach for achieving an 80% CO₂ reduction target. The intent and outcomes of this programme (in which all authors participated) are critically examined through a cross-project meta-study of the primary data, substantiated by insights from secondary sources. Given that only three (out of 45) projects met the expected CO₂ target in reality, despite generous funding and professional expertise, it suggests that decarbonizing existing housing will not be particularly easy. Important lessons are found in this initiative's formulation, target setting, monitoring and evaluation procedures, and feedback mechanisms. These lessons can inform the formulation, delivery and effectiveness of future national energy retrofit programmes. Furthermore, to support the ‘scaling up’ of effective retrofit programmes and reduce the gap between intent and outcome, it is recommended that attention be moved from what level of CO₂ reductions are to be achieved to how (delivery models) these radical reductions can be achieved and by whom (supply chain). Such alternative delivery models to the ‘whole house’ approach include retrofit over time, city-scale retrofit and community-based energy retrofits.

Keywords:

• buildings
• dwellings
• energy policy
• low carbon
• outcomes
• performance gap
• policy design
• retrofit

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the project teams of the RfF programme, the Energy Saving Trust, and the post-occupancy evaluation teams for their work in completing the projects, collating and analysing the data. The authors are also grateful to Laura Barnfield, Mariam Kapsali and Bob Irving of the Low Carbon Building Group for their assistance and contribution to the meta-study; and to this journal's anonymous reviewers for reviewing the paper and providing helpful comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09613218.2015.1024042

Notes

1 The Golden Rule is the central mechanism for determining which measures can be financed by using the Green Deal. The rule: ‘Estimated savings must be greater than or equal to repayments.' The caveat: ‘Actual savings may be less than these repayments (if your energy use changes or if energy prices fall)' (DECC, 2012a).

2 The Green Deal is a UK government-initiated private investment in the carbon reduction of the existing building stock. Energy-efficiency improvements will be offered by the private sector to homeowners and businesses at little or no upfront cost with payment recouped through customers’ energy bills (DECC, 2012a).

3 Electricity demand reduction (EDR) summarizes electricity savings as a result of the installation of more efficient electrical equipment. Savings are calculated by comparing energy use before and after a project, whilst making appropriate adjustments (DECC, 2014a).

4 ESOS is a mandatory energy assessment and energy saving identification scheme for large ‘undertakings’ in the UK. Large undertakings are defined by either a large number of employees or a large annual financial turnover and balance sheet (DECC, 2014b).

5 ECO operates alongside the Green Deal placing the obligation on larger energy suppliers to deliver energy-efficiency measures to domestic premises of vulnerable consumer groups and hard-to-treat homes (Ofgem, 2014).

6 A deep retrofit implies that interventions introduced will have a strong impact on the energy use and CO₂ emissions of the existing building, typically aiming for a 80% reduction in line with the UK's Climate Change Act target figure.

7 A whole-house approach means considering a household's energy needs and CO₂ impacts as a whole, and establishing a comprehensive package of measures to reduce them.

8 The Soft Landings approach provides a five-stage alternative to the conventional brief, design, build and occupy system, which aims to close the performance gap (Usable Building Trust and BSRIA, 2009). Though designed for non-domestic use, the Soft Landings approach provides a methodical approach to improving the review and communication of intent, assessment of knowledge and understanding of the construction team, and appropriate handover and aftercare steps for the occupant, which could all be applicable to construction in the domestic sector.