TrustMark has now launched its “Guide to Retrofitting your home”. The guide aims to help clarify and explain for homeowners what ‘Retrofit’ means, how it works and the benefits it can bring for how we live in our homes. The guide launches at the inaugural ‘Building Sustainable Communities’ event, in partnership with Bradfords Building Supplies, being held this evening (24 November) at the Somerset County Cricket Club.
With UK homes using 35% of all its energy and emitting 20% of the carbon dioxide emissions, retrofitting existing homes with energy and emission-reducing measures is ever-increasingly important in the drive to meet the UK Government’s target of Net Zero by 2050.
Simon Ayers, CEO of TrustMark explains, “Retrofit is a well-used term in the construction and Repair, Maintenance and Improvement (RMI) industry that’s been around a long time and understood by many. For homeowners though, it’s a relatively new term and getting to grips with what it actually means and the options and benefits open to them can be a little overwhelming. We felt we could help improve their understanding, demystify some of the jargon and technical terms used and assist homeowners to understand how they can benefit from retrofitting their home.”
With around 28 million homes in the UK and the average Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D or below, there is an opportunity for homeowners to improve not only the energy consumption and emissions of their homes but also the health and wellbeing of their families.
“Making our homes healthier and more comfortable to live in is increasing in priority for many of us,” continues Ayers. “But to get the best result from installing any energy efficiency measures and to avoid making an existing problem worse, they should be properly planned, well-thought through and carried out by skilled, technically competent tradespeople who commit to high standards of workmanship and protection for their customers.”
