The document discusses establishing a 'Fabric First' model for building refurbishment in the UK. It reviews the rationale for refurbishment due to climate change targets and the age of the UK housing stock. Legislative drivers like the Climate Change Act and Green Deal are outlined. A Fabric First approach focuses on insulating major elements like walls and roofs as an effective way to improve energy performance. Case studies show reductions in CO2 emissions from this approach. However, no single solution fits all building types. There are skills gaps across the refurbishment supply chain for approaches like solid wall insulation. The document recommends areas where CoRE could provide training and establish best practices like for assessment methods and achieving refurbishment excellence.

1. Fabric First and
Refurbishment Excellence
17 May 2012

2. Dr Andrew Ainsworth
Room4 Consulting

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

10. 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

11. Fabric First in practice

12. 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

13. No ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach

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

15. 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’

16. 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

17. 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

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

19. 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

20. 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

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

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

23. Discussion