Domestic Energy Efficiency Retrofit: A Review of Supply Chains, Quantifying Historical Trends and Future Potential

This report delves into the current state and challenges of the UK's housing energy efficiency (EE) retrofit market post-2015, highlighting a significant decline in insulation upgrades following the cessation of public schemes like CERT and Warm Front. With a substantial drop in cavity wall and loft insulation installations, the report uncovers a poorly understood private retrofit market, where a considerable number of installations have occurred outside public initiatives, suggesting an underestimated potential for private investment in EE. It further explores issues such as outdated retrofit business models, a shortage and ageing of the EE workforce, insufficient customer demand understanding, and increased consumer interest spurred by recent economic pressures. The analysis underscores a critical opportunity for growth, particularly in improving insulation in millions of dwellings across ownership types, to meet impending net-zero targets.