It is essential that householders feel confident in the people carrying out retrofit upgrades to their homes if the UK is to deliver the scale of rollout needed, according to research from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), by professor Alice Owen, University of Leeds, and professor Gavin Killip, Nottingham Trent University.
The key findings of the research were:
- There is low consumer demand for work to reduce the carbon impact of existing homes, with consumers typically showing little or no interest in energy efficiency or low/zero carbon technologies (LZCTs).
- When firms work on new-build projects, client interest in energy efficiency and LZCTs is stronger than for projects in existing homes.
- Firms’ reported confidence* in their own ability to answer customer queries and deliver energy-related works is higher than the amount of consumer interest reported.
- Smaller firms are markedly less confident than larger firms in their ability to answer customer questions about energy and deliver energy efficiency and LZCTs on projects.
- Builders have confidence they will meet market demand for retrofitting, should it increase. However, this confidence highlights the need for clear, robust standards of competence to ensure quality delivery.
- Small construction firms have clear preferences for the kind of training that works for them, which may not be sufficient to ensure that quality criteria are met.
- Firms identify several barriers to energy efficiency and LZCTs, with the most frequently cited barriers being high costs and low consumer demand.
- Cost barriers include the additional time and labour required to increase competence, not only technology costs.
- Many construction firms rely on regulation or design by others to guide their work, where such regulation or design exists.
- Many firms believe that it is easier to incorporate low carbon concerns into new build compared to Repair Maintenance & Improvement (RMI) because the regulatory position is clearer.
Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, commented: “What this research clearly shows is that SME builders across the country stand ready to deliver the retrofit revolution the UK desperately needs. However, presently there is limited demand from consumers to actually carry out the work on their homes.
“The key to boosting this will be putting a robust regulatory system in place to guarantee the competence of builders, setting minimum standards to ensure high-quality work that people can trust. This is an issue which has been ignored by successive governments for far too long. The first King’s Speech following the election is taking place this week, and there is an opportunity to generate real momentum in the retrofit sector, which must not be wasted.”
Prof. Alice Owen, director of the Sustainability Research Institute at Leeds University, said: “This research brings to light the opinions of small, local building firms who are often forgotten in the discussions of how we reduce home energy bills. It will be this group that end up doing the work of upgrading – retrofitting – millions of the nation’s homes, so their opinions matter.
“It appears there is work to do to ensure that the nation’s local builders are able to retrofit homes, not least in getting clear guidance from Government on a robust set of standards to support the rollout. However, the builders themselves seem ready and willing to take up the challenge; they need help in creating the real market demand that will lead to action.”
Prof. Gavin Killip, professor of buildings & energy policy at Nottingham Trent University, added: “The findings of this research are a valuable guide for how government and business must move forward with plans for retrofitting the UK’s homes.
“Clearly, if we are to meet climate targets, consumer incentives to instil confidence to upgrade homes will be a necessity and this in turn will create a much-needed market for the builders delivering it. There is huge potential for businesses growth, with the added benefits of improved standards, local job creation, warmer homes, reduced bills and ultimately lower emissions and healthier people – there just needs to be an ambitious plan to make it a reality.”
*It is beyond the scope of a short survey like this to evaluate competence, which is why questions were framed in terms of self-reported confidence to answer queries, offer advice or deliver projects. None of the survey responses should be taken to indicate robust evidence of competence.
