UK Retrofit Momentum: Homes Upgraded, Skills Built, Net Zero Moves Forward

Welcome to Net Zero News, your daily briefing on the UK’s transition to a low‑carbon future.

Recent developments in the UK’s built environment signal important progress in decarbonising existing homes and training the workforce to deliver at scale. Several retrofit schemes, innovative programmes, and industry initiatives are advancing the retrofit agenda.

In Liverpool, Abri and Low Carbon Exchange have delivered an effective fabric‑first retrofit for over 150 homes across London and the South. The works raised properties from EPC D or C to B while cutting energy bills by nearly half. Residents reported marked improvements in comfort and cost savings, helped by strong community engagement and streamlined delivery that fully utilised available funding.

Up in the North and Scotland, Plus Dane Housing and Next Energy transformed 17 hard‑to‑let homes on The Welsh Streets in Liverpool. Tackling issues like damp and mould, they upgraded properties using local specialists and emphasised resident dignity and cultural sensitivity with work adapted for Ramadan, multilingual support, and local economic benefits at the forefront.

In the Midlands and Wales, Birmingham City Council’s SHDF programme with Equans delivered retrofit upgrades for over 300 homes, installed Switchee smart monitors, and took many homes to EPC A. Pre‑ and post‑installation monitoring showed better air quality, humidity control, and temperature regulation. Tenants praised the professionalism, and one tenant noted their energy bills dropped by over half.

Housing associations are also making significant investments. Riverside has launched a £72 million retrofit programme to upgrade 3,064 homes across Liverpool, Halton, Carlisle, Middleton’s Langley estate, and Enfield. It is backed by £36 million from the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF) Wave 3 and matched funding aiming to build on Wave 2.1’s earlier success in reaching over 1,000 homes.

Meanwhile, WHG has committed £55.5 million in energy‑efficiency and modernisation upgrades and set a 2050 net‑zero target. It aims for all existing homes to achieve at least EPC Band C by 2030, with new homes at EPC B or above. As part of this, the Dudley Fields project in Walsall will deliver retrofit on 85 homes including insulation, solar PV, and air‑source heat pumps alongside community training and jobs, apprenticeships, and an energy hub.

These retrofit efforts, however, are unfolding amid growing concerns about funding and delivery. Less than a third of homes targeted under SHDF Wave 2.1 have been upgraded—25,009 out of 94,096 homes, though those completed saw EPC improvements from just 2 % at Bands A–C beforehand to 99 % after works. Financial constraints persist. A ratings agency warns up to £18 billion will be needed to retrofit social housing to EPC C, raising debt and credit risk for housing associations. Only a third of the cost is covered by existing government funding, potentially leaving hundreds of thousands of homes without support and financial strain increasing for landlords.

Efforts are also underway to fill the skills gap. NatWest Group has partnered with the Supply Chain Sustainability School to launch a free, CPD‑accredited retrofit training programme for industry professionals. This responds to the critical need to scale-up workforce capability so that eight homes can be retrofitted every minute, in line with national net‑zero targets.

On the innovation front, Innovate UK, the National Home Decarbonisation Group, and event organiser Futurebuild have launched the second Big Retrofit Challenge. This competition seeks new products, services, and solutions that can drive decarbonisation of residential and non‑residential buildings while promoting occupant health.

What This Means:
The UK retrofit sector is advancing through local projects, large-scale programmes, and skills development. Real-world benefits improved comfort, lower bills, healthier homes—are emerging, accompanied by job creation and community engagement. Yet, delivery still lags behind targets and is hindered by financial shortfalls and administrative bottlenecks.

Scaling retrofit at the pace required demands urgent policy clarity, increased funding, and greater capacity in the workforce. Investments like those from WHG and Riverside, coupled with training initiatives and innovation challenges, provide encouraging momentum. The sector must now transform these pilots and programmes into sustained, widespread delivery if the UK is to meet its built‑environment net‑zero ambitions.

Upcoming Events:
Net Zero Scotland Projects Conference -16 June 2026, Edinburgh

Net Zero Nations Projects Conference – 6 October 2026, Westminster

Do you have technologies, innovations or solutions that can help public‑sector net‑zero projects?
Email: lee@net‑zero.scot