Financing and delivering the retrofit revolution

‘Retrofit South East’ project

Paul Ciniglio - Sustainability Manager, Radian

• First use of 4% European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) for retrofit of social housing in 2009.

• £421,000 grant secured for programme of research to build low carbon retrofit capacity.

• ERDF project outputs related to retrofit business assistance provided to 85 SME’s.

• Partnership project:

‘Retrofit South East’ project

To retrofit or build a new community?

“An Ideal setting for a Council estate. This aerial picture of part of the Cranford Road estate shows the neat and airy spacing, with pleasant greens between the rows of houses. Although in complete contrast to the old town, with its splendid examples of Georgian architecture, this essential development is probably as tasteful as a Council estate can be”.

Local newspaper 1950

‘Retrofit South East’ project centrepiece (14 homes)

Solar street community + show home

• Modelled a 77% – 90% reduction in regulated CO2 emissions post retrofit.

• Water efficiency improved by average 16% to 92 l/p/d.• 85% of waste was recycled off site under SWMP.• BREEAM domestic refurbishment pilot project.

Environmental strategy

How C88 was achieved, Show home full SAP modellingScenario SAP

2005Rating

EPC / SAP Band

Annual Regulated CO2 Emissions kgC02/yr

Approx cost of measure £

PercentageReduction in RegulatedCO2 Emissions %

Baseline as extg (Gas) 49 E 5,868 - -+ 100mm Phenolic foam EW Insulation 69 C 3,461

10,50041%

+ Double loft insulation to 300mm thick 70 C 3,284

25044%

+ 50mm vertical floor raft edge insulation 71 C 3,219

1,75045%

+ A-energy rated windows and doors 73 C 2,792

6,00052%

+ Improved air tightness & heat recovery ventilation 74 C 2,650

3,00055%

+ New ‘A’ rated boiler & cylinder plus controls 80 C 1,965

4,50067%

+ 100% low –e lighting 81 B 1,923 250 67%

+ 2.1 kWp solar PV 91 B 972 9,250 83%

'+ Solar thermal 3msq 92 A 816 5,000 88%

+ 20mm aerogel ground floor insulation 92 A 692

5,50090%

Sum of all measures 92 A 692 £46,000 90%

Continuity of insulation & air tightness

Before After

Before, REEMA panels After retrofit EWI -100mm

Air pressure test

Working with residents

• 8 months lead in time / consultation period with residents.

• Full time community liaison officer appointed.• On-site drop in office available throughout refurbishment.• Decant period was 10-12 weeks.• Community energy efficiency training and 1:1 home

visits.

Research and dissemination• Retrofit pioneers group established.• SME retrofit network set up.• Mapping of regional retrofit exemplars.• Conferences, seminars and workshops.

Regional retrofit benefits study • Establish a market worth £460-850m/yr, on top of current RMI.

• Create 4,100 - 33,000 jobs in installation, supply and support.

• Enhance the asset value of regional homes by up to £22.4 billion.

• Liberate over £1 billion a year in energy savings.

• Take at least 360,000 people out of fuel poverty.

• Save up to £80 million on healthcare and up to 3,700 winter deaths.

• Save 3% of total regional water consumption.

• Future-proof homes against climate change impacts.

• Improve regional energy security.

• And cut regional carbon emissions by one fifth!

Through life emissions report release Retrofit v demolition and new build• Comparison analysed over 50 year period.• Advanced retrofit compared with:

– Traditional and timber frame construction– Building Regulations Part L 2010, Code 4 & ZCH 2016

• Emissions considered:– Embodied energy associated with new and existing

materials (‘locked in’), construction processes– The ‘in use’ emissions for heating and power

Through life emissions report cont’d…Comparison of Lifetime CO2e emissions over 50 years between build types

0 50 100 150 200

Brick & Block (ZCH 2016)

Brick & Block (CSH Level 4)

Brick & Block (BRegs 2010)

Timber Frame (ZCH 2016)

Timber Frame (CSH Level 4)

Timber Frame (BRegs 2010)

Advanced Retrofi t

Tonnes of CO2e

Deliveries by thirdparties - LGVDeliveries by thirdparties - HGV

Materials - Substructures

Materials -SuperstructuresRemoval of waste fromsite - LGV/HGVSite energy consumption -gas oil

Site energy consumption -electricitySite energy consumption -natural gasLandfilled waste

In-use regulated energysources

In-use appliances &cooking

Through life emissions report key findings

• Advanced retrofitted homes have lower emissions than a new home built to CfSH level 4 and ZCH 2016.

• Considering ‘all in’ costs for similar energy performance:– Advanced retrofit costs almost 40% less– A saving of approx £53,000 per dwelling

• Around 20,000 UK homes are demolished every year. If we retrofitted instead:– 422,500 tCO2/year could be saved,– Equivalent of 211,000 new homes.

Project Summary Report release Key learning points and findings

• Advanced retrofit is expensive but brings significant environmental, economic and social benefits over demolition and new build.

• Scaling up retrofit regionally has potentially massive benefits.• Understand the home, select correct whole house strategy.• Follow energy design hierarchy and use proven innovation for

more positive carbon value / abatement outcomes. • Energy modelling and targets:

– rdSAP is inadequate to model true benefits of advanced retrofit.

– kg/m2/yr or CO2/m2/yr makes a better target and gives fairer comparison than % emissions reduction targets against baseline.

Project Summary Report Key learning points & findings cont’d…

• A community liaison officer is essential.• Briefing residents on energy efficiency requires a

sustained campaign approach.• Running cost savings of up to 60% post advanced

retrofit are possible (be circumspect on predictions given to residents).

• Always evaluate the social, economic and environmental aspects of the project.

• The construction industry needs to up skill and gain knowledge to sell new services - but where is customer demand?

Project Summary Report Key learning points & findings cont’d…

• Continuity of air tightness and insulation is key – detailing!• Ensure good Project Management

– sequencing of work, integration of trades and on-site quality control.

• Beware the hidden costs of retrofit – not only capital costs of work.

• ERDF / EU project management is very demanding.• The Green deal won’t work for C80 advanced retrofit

– What proven alternative financial mechanisms are available?

• Improved resident comfort, well-being and satisfaction is rewarding - Here’s what they said…

Resident feedback:

“It’s like having a new home on the same plot of land, they are so much warmer, before they were so cold and damp, we even had mould growing. It’s so much better now.”

“ I’ve been running on solar again all day today!”

“The bills are so much cheaper. Bearing in mind what sort of winter we have had, I was really surprised how much I’ve saved.”

THANK YOU