Save energy and money at home

How to do it

Retrofits can happen in stages, or be carried out all at once. It is best to combine upgrades, extensions or building works with more advanced energy efficiency measures. Installations and upgrade needs depend on the house type and age. The most important measures include:

Standard upgrades - LED lighting, window replacement, door replacement
Intermediate upgrades - External wall insulation, ground floor insulation, loft insulation, ventilation
Enhanced upgrades - Thicker insulation, solar PV, low-carbon heat, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery

For help and advice about where to start, visit the Energy Saving Trust website.

Doing works together is recommended. This ensures all energy efficiency measures work with one another. For example, glazing and draught-proofing measures can increase the risk of damp problems without providing proper ventilation. Staged retrofit works are possible, but it is useful to plan with the whole house in mind.

For staged approaches, it is important to follow a ‘fabric first’ approach. This means that your house needs to be properly insulated before other measures are installed to avoid an increase in energy costs.

It is important that any retrofit works are undertaken properly with a tailored plan and design. TrustMark offers an overview of local skilled tradespeople who are certified to work to high standards.

There are many benefits of retrofit and they and can be tailored to your specific needs, for example:

Reducing energy costs
Reducing your impact on the climate
Improving living comfort

The Ecofurb tool can help you understand which retrofit options work best for your individual needs.

Links to information about key retrofit aspects can be found below. For further information, the Energy Saving Trust website provides informative guidance and support. You can call them for free on 0808 196 8260.