Retrofit Coordination

Retrofit Coordinators are specialist retrofit project managers who oversee energy efficiency improvements in your home. Their role was born out of the creation of a new Standard. PAS2035 – Retrofitting dwellings for improved energy efficiency which is available here.

Approaches to Retrofit Coordination
Delivering Retrofit Coordination services is new for the whole energy efficiency industry. Having been one of the trailblazers on the original Retrofit Coordinator training run by the Retrofit Academy, our CEO Adrian Hull has gone on to complete the follow up course with the same organisation; ‘PAS into Practice’. PAS into Practice Retrofit Coordinator Support Programme – Retrofit Academy

At Retrofit Solutions, we have carefully considered what type of service we want to provide and our aim is to deliver as true to the PAS2035 intended ethos as possible.

It is important to understand when procuring Retrofit Coordination Services what type of service you need and ultimately what you are going to receive.

The Retrofit Academy have published a comprehensive guide for Local Authorities and Social Housing Providers which contains further information on the Retrofit Delivery Model Options and a range of other useful information covering the procurement of Retrofit Coordination Services and outlining the scope and limitations of the Retrofit Coordinator’s role.

At THS Retrofit Solutions Ltd our preferred Delivery Model is the Managed Assessment Coordination and Evaluation Model (MACE). With this approach you outsource your Assessment, Coordination and Evaluation Roles to us, and we provide a comprehensive service which follows the sequence of events and processes laid out in PAS2035 (See Figure 0.2 PAS2035:2019).

We understand that for some funding streams such as ECO, this delivery methodology does not currently align with the existing supply chain process. Whilst we expect supply chain processes to evolve towards the PAS2035 compliant route as we move into ECO 4 from April 2022, in the interim we understand that you may wish to procure parts of our service. Where this is the case, you will need to complete an application form which details who fulfils the other key roles in the process together with evidence of their competencies, and demonstrate a commitment to the PAS2035 process and meeting compliance with the standard. If you successfully progress through this evaluation stage, we will consider delivering bespoke standalone services where acceptable commercial rates can be agreed.

Your ethos should be aligned to ours, which is to deliver ‘Responsible Retrofit’, As members of the Sustainable Traditional Building Alliance (STBA) we use their very handy and user-friendly Guidance Wheel which considers measure interactions and assists in delivering the right solutions for the property.

FAQs

What is the Role of the Retrofit Coordinator?
The Retrofit Coordinator can fulfil a number of other roles too (where they are suitably qualified and competent to do so).
These include;

  • The Retrofit Advisor
  • The Retrofit Designer
  • The Retrofit Evaluator

Whilst we do provide Design Services for some measures (specifically ventilation) our customers normally utilise their inhouse design team or a third party specialist.

The Retrofit Coordinator (unless they are also acting as the Retrofit Designer) does not ‘sign-off’ or claim compliance for the Design against PAS2030 – that is the role of the Designer. They do however have a responsibility to ensure that the design is complete and meets the requirements of PAS2035.

If you are looking for validation that the measure type is suitable for the property and meets the requirements laid out in the relevant Measure Annex of PAS2030 then you may want to utilise our RETROFITcheck service.

Are you a consumer looking for A Retrofit Coordinator – but don’t know how to select one?
As a householder or landlord putting your trust in an individual to help you delivery energy efficiency improvements can be a big step. It is important to ensure that the individual is Registered with Trustmark, appropriately qualified, experienced in the industry and holds adequate insurance.

You can find a Retrofit Coordinator here: Whole House Retrofit – Making Homes More Energy Efficient and also download a handy Consumer Guide to Whole House Retrofit.

How much do Retrofit Coordinator Services cost?
This very much depends upon any additional roles that you wish the Retrofit Coordinator to fulfil and on the scale of the project you are undertaking. We would be happy to give you a bespoke quotation.

You need to be aware that not all Retrofit Coordinator Services are equal! You can obtain relatively cheap solutions, if you want someone to tick a few boxes and submit a few documents, but that’s not the way we do things at Retrofit Solutions Ltd.

Questions you should be asking of any Retrofit Coordinator before you engage with them:

  • Firstly, are they registered with Trustmark via a Scheme Provider and do they have a Trustmark Licence Number?
  • Do they actually visit the site or property at any point in the process?
  • If acting as a Designer, what insurance cover do they have to cover Design Liability?
  • What internal checks and audits do they undertake on their own work?
  • What are their ventilation qualifications where they are recommending PAS2035 compliant solutions? Are they part of a domestic ventilation Competent Person Scheme (CPS)?
  • Do they understand what a non-compliant installation looks like and how to communicate remedial requirements back to the installer, to protect the householder, the building and any associated funding for the measures?
  • What is their process for Evaluation of work were they are fulfilling the role or the Retrofit Evaluator?
  • How do they store their data and are they registered with the ICO?

In domestic energy efficiency retrofit, like many other sectors, you get what you pay for. The role of the Retrofit Coordinator is ultimately to manage risk throughout the process. You need to be certain that you are in a safe pair of hands.