Tom Garrigan is executive director at the Building Services Research and Intelligence Association<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
The UK\u2019s retrofit ambitions risk collapse under the weight of misplaced priorities. Current policy focuses heavily on installation targets, yet the reality on the ground tells a very different story.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe fallout from failed work isn\u2019t abstract \u2013 it\u2019s a direct blow to taxpayers\u2019 pockets and trust in retrofit\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n In October, the National Audit Office (NAO) reported a staggering 98 per cent failure rate in work on homes insulated under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, uncovering major defects that are causing issues such as damp and mould.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This has resulted in substandard housing that compromises energy performance and increases health risks for residents. The colossal waste and costly misuse of public funds represents a profound breach of trust.<\/span><\/p>\n At the heart of the problem is a fundamental oversight: much of the UK\u2019s retrofit work is being carried out without the essential steps of assessment and measurement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Skipping to intervention without a thorough understanding of a building\u2019s fabric is effectively a blind retrofit. It\u2019s akin to baking a cake with the right ingredients but no measurements: outcomes will never be consistent or reliable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Yet this is our reality \u2013 and the consequences are far worse than an undercooked dessert.<\/span><\/p>\n It is fundamental to pivot our approach away from \u201cHow many installations were done?\u201d to a disciplined focus on \u201cHow well do they perform?\u201d\u00a0<\/span>If we\u2019<\/span>re asking consumers to decarbonise, decisions must have scientific grounding \u2013 otherwise trust will evaporate.<\/p>\n With so much at stake, we should be measuring the performance of buildings with the same rigour as any other audit. If that approach is applied, we will not see NAO reports telling us what went wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n This is not about pointing fingers \u2013 it\u2019s about getting it right. First time. That means embedding measurement as the cornerstone of retrofit, not as an afterthought. Only then can we shift away from installing to meet political targets and instead towards upgrading homes in a way that genuinely delivers on promises.<\/span><\/p>\n Effective retrofit isn\u2019t about chasing the latest technology, but taking a fabric-first, evidence-based approach. Without investigation and evidence, intent cannot meet reality. We may know there\u2019s a performance gap, but without quantifying its scale on a project-by-project basis, we cannot diagnose problems or implement solutions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nEvidence begins with measurement\u2028<\/span><\/h3>\n