Retrofitting London needs to be ten times faster, say LSDC

A report titled A just transition in London’s retrofits Has revealed that over half of London’s homes will need urgent energy-efficiency action to make 2030 targets

The London Sustainable Development Commission (LSDC) are responsible for the report, and found that 89% of Londoners want climate action.

Despite this, barriers to home retrofit are bogging down the process to unsustainable levels, with the report referring to prior research stating London retrofitting needs to be 10 times faster.

London housing stock accounts for 32% of city emissions

The report states that in London’s journey to net zero, social justice and inclusion is just as important as cutting carbon emissions, meaning “no one is left behind.”

Retrofitting London will need to make 2m London homes more energy efficient by 2030 to hit targets, but progress towards this target is slow due to diverse needs, experiences, and aspirations, and a lack of a “relational approach.”

The report states: “To boost the uptake of retrofit schemes, we need an approach that supports households’ specific needs and circumstances. When retrofit is designed with people and communities, it becomes about wellbeing and local knowledge, rather than technical fixes. This transforms retrofit schemes into a social opportunity, building trust and resilience, and enabling residents to gain additional benefits through home adaptation.”

Challenges include awareness, accessibility, acceptance, adoption, and adaptation.

Recommendations laid out in the report for retrofitting London:

1. The UK government should ensure flexible, long-term funding to engage under-represented residents on retrofits: Successful retrofit programmes depend not only on physical home upgrades, they must also win the hearts and minds of residents so people want to open their doors to the opportunity. This makes delivery more efficient by boosting uptake and reducing drop-out rates, as well as making it more accessible to all.

The government’s recent retrofit programmes have provided longer term funding in response to calls by the retrofit sector and local authorities, which is a welcome step. Current retrofit programmes such as Warm Homes: Local make some allowance for community engagement, but it must be funded from ‘Administration & Ancillary’ costs, which are capped at 15% and must also pay for staffing and other administrative costs. Community engagement could be more effective if this 15% cap was made more flexible.

To help secure the success of any future retrofit policies, the UK government’s forthcoming Warm Homes Plan must ensure it includes funding for community engagement programmes – something that has been missing to date from the majority of energy efficiency retrofit schemes rolled out. A core part of this engagement funding should be specific resource allocated to engage under-represented residents on retrofit.

2. The GLA, boroughs and Warmer Homes London should engage Londoners from all backgrounds in the design and delivery of retrofit programmes. For community engagement to be effective, relevant authorities should consult with the community for each area-wide funded programme. They should meaningfully explore the needs, concerns and aspirations of underrepresented groups, and adjust programmes accordingly, recognising that designing for specific needs (such as factoring in residents’ disabilities) will enhance the overall experience for all residents. Relevant authorities should also put community group representatives on the governance boards of area programmes, and establish systems to gather ongoing resident feedback to ensure successful roll-out.

3. All parts of the retrofit sector need to communicate how retrofit work will impact on residents’ homes and the wider community. The recommended approach is detailed further in our Toolkit, and involves ongoing communication to take residents through the ‘retrofit journey’. This includes sharing the full story at the beginning to avoid ‘drop-off’ later on; communicating the co-benefits for households – beyond the environmental ones; making information accessible to people with a range of needs; reflecting London’s diversity in communications materials; and sharing information through trusted and familiar channels, and meeting people where they are at.
4. Delivery companies and skills providers should incorporate soft skills in retrofit training with support from Warmer Homes London. A number of initiatives are underway to help address the lack of skilled retrofit workers in London. However, in addition to training people in technical skills, it is also important to provide them with ‘soft skills’, such as communication, sensitivity and collaboration. These skills enhance the quality of work and improve the experience for residents. These good experiences can spread by word of mouth, leading to higher uptake and more successful roll-out.
5. Knowledge and best practice must be shared among stakeholders. In order to achieve London’s retrofit goals, best practice must be shared across all levels of government, delivery bodies, and stakeholders, such as community energy groups. This includes explainers, real-world examples, and best practice that reflects the lived experiences of the communities that are most marginalised, or at risk of being left behind in this transition.
6. Residents’ feedback should inform ongoing monitoring and evaluation. London’s delivery of recent retrofit programmes, such as the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (formerly the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund), include monitoring and evaluation of household satisfaction as well as energy performance improvements. This should be adopted and expanded across all retrofit programmes. Post-occupancy evaluations of retrofits should capture the social, financial, health and wellbeing outcomes for households, particularly among marginalised residents to understand how retrofits have made them more resilient. This is crucial as London embarks on a a programme of retrofits that will take many years, and must therefore continually learn and adapt to be successful, while factoring in ‘future shocks’ such as energy price rises and excess heat caused by climate change.

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