29^th April 2016

We are now beginning to look beyond the publication of the report to how the recommendations will be implemented. Elements of this were discussed at the implementation board on Tuesday 5^th April and an action plan is shaping up well. Detail on the next steps will be set out in the report itself.

We really appreciate all the hard work the workstream groups have put into their vison for the way forward and the recommendations and milestones on how, together we can achieve this.

·        Signing up to a comprehensive Consumer Charter.

·        Undertaking installations or assessments in accordance with defined Codes of Practice.

·        A Quality Mark for the domestic retrofit sector.

·        Providing agreed standards for advice.

·        A simplified, single redress process for the industry sector.

·        A stronger more consistent level of core competency training.

·        A robust, consistent and efficient quality assurance framework.

When we publish the report we may not have all the answers but we will have a good strong foundation for the implementation phase of the recommendations.

·        Elaine Simpson met with UKAS to discuss the direction of the Review in relation to accreditation.

·        Sherif Kahky met with “checkatrade.com” to update them on the Review report. Sherif also met with Trustmark to further discuss the Review’s  progress.

·        The Review team spoke with a Local Authority to share the reports proposed recommendations and to hear about their local energy efficiency scheme already in place.

·        Matt Webb met with DECC and other government department officials to run through the Review recommendations

·        Peter Bonfield attended a meeting with representatives from the solar industry including from the Solar Trade Association.

Future Events

In attendance was some of the UK’s leading experts in the finances and techniques of low energy retrofit alongside exhibitors demonstrating leading products and services. The conference was focused on helping small and medium-sized builders understand and access the growing market for energy efficiency retrofit of domestic properties.

Will talked through the current government approach to energy efficiency as well as some of the emerging findings from the Review.

One common theme, particularly on the advice side has been the importance of utilising “trigger points”, such as general renovations, to engage consumers in the benefits of energy efficiency. General builders are key here as they have a unique opportunity to engage the householder at the point that other work is taking place and  potentially reducing cost and disruption by combining work.

We are pleased that organisations such as the FMB are promoting the importance of the retrofit market to their members and recommendations for how we can upskill and involve the wider supply chain are likely to be part of our final report.

Peter Bonfield, Kanta Nar, Ben Golding, Matt Webb, Pam Wynne, Diana Menville and;