Fabric First and Refurbishment Excellence

17 May 2012

Dr Andrew AinsworthRoom4 Consulting

Objectives

•Establish the rational for building refurbishment•Test the hypothesis for a ‘Fabric First’ model•Define the regulatory and legislative framework for refurbishment•Identify the skills and training gaps within the supply chain to meet the requirements of the existing and emerging regulatory framework.•Recommend the next steps in the development of skills related material in the context of CoRE’s ‘Fabric First’ approach.

Approach

•Review of information:•Rationale for building refurbishment•Rationale for ‘Fabric First’•‘Fabric First’ in practice•Review of published information on skills and training•Consultation with stakeholders within the refurbishment supply chain•Facilitated Green Deal workshop

The rationale for building refurbishment

•Climate Change Act 2008 •80% reduction in GHG emissions by 2050•34% reduction in GHG emissions by 2020•Buildings responsible for c.50% UK energy consumption•UK has one of the oldest housing stocks in the developed world•24 million homes will still exist in 2050

Legislative drivers for refurbishment

•Climate Change Act 2008 •80% reduction in GHG emissions by 2050•34% reduction in GHG emissions by 2020

•Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT)•Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP)

•Energy Act 2011•Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation

Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation

•Code of Practice – Minimum Standards•Accreditation – Providers, Assessors, Installers, Manufacturers•National Occupational Standards – Minimum Technical Competencies•PAS 2030•Green Deal Oversight Body•Green Deal Quality Mark•Aftercare and Warranty

The rationale for a Fabric First approach•Insulating the major elements of dwellings is considered one of the most effective ways to improve the energy performance of the UK’s housing stock

•Significant potential to improve basic insulation levels•86% of housing stock would benefit from cost effective measures•41% of homes would benefit from Cavity Wall and Loft Insulation•Mean SAP would rise 10 pts to 63 if all cost effective measures were installed

•1.4-12.3% of solid wall homes have some form of wall insulation

Fabric First in practice•Extensive range of pilot projects

•60-65% reductions in CO2 emissions

•Up to 80%?•High ‘C’ EPC rating•Low ‘B’ EPC rating?

•Lessons learned

Fabric First in practice

No ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach•English Housing Survey - 16,150 representative dwelling types•Green Deal consultation – 3,840 physical typologies•5 million ‘traditional’ buildings•500,000 listed buildings

•Complex range of housing types•Difficult to identify ‘Fabric First’ approach by housing type

No ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach

Skills Gap Analysis

•Review of published information on skills and training•Consultation with stakeholders within the refurbishment supply chain•Facilitated Green Deal workshop

Skills Gap Analysis•Demand for skills limited by policy framework•Energy Efficiency Commitment•Carbon Emissions Reduction Target•Community Energy Saving Programme

•Green Deal / ECO expected to stimulate new skills opportunities•Skills gaps and training needs across the supply chain•Opportunities for upskilling and retraining existing operatives•Quality and Finish – ‘Excellence’

Skills Gap Analysis•Fabric First•Most appropriate approach to refurbishment of existing buildings•‘Fabric First’ not ‘Fabric Only’•Trigger Points

•Current skills and knowledge•Improve skills in lower cost fabric measures•Improve technical knowledge•Specific measures – Solid Wall Insulation•Project Management

Skills Gap Analysis•Capacity•Sufficient capacity driven by existing policies•Opportunities to upskill and retain jobs•Solid Wall Insulation – capacity gaps?

•Project Management •Clients and Contractors•‘Whole House’ & ‘Area-based’ approaches•Sequencing of work for more complex projects

Skills Gap Analysis

•Assessment•Critical stage in refurbishment process•Importance of individual and tailored Assessments•Knowledge of wide range of property types•Traditional buildings

Skills Gap Analysis•Solid Wall Insulation – External & Internal•Unanimous agreement – key area for action•Perceived capacity gaps - Limited supply chain capacity•Clients•Contractors and Installers•Project Management and Sequencing•Retraining and upskilling•Professional and Technical skills•Product and System-specific training

Skills Gap Analysis•Quality and Finish•Achieving ‘Excellence’ is the ‘real skill’

•Traditional Buildings•Assessment•Traditional skills for ‘Fabric First’ refurbishment•Building Physics•Planning / Building Control / Conservation

•Communication•Resident engagement and Behaviour change

Training •Complex landscape•Sector Skills Councils•Asset Skills•CITB-ConstructionSkills•Energy and Utility Skills•Summit Skills•ProSkills•Further Education•Higher Education•Professional Bodies

Opportunities for CoRE•Fabric First•Excellence•Assessment•Solid Wall Insulation•Project Management•Capacity•Traditional Buildings•Communication - ‘The Missing Quarter’

Discussion