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What is a Retrofit Strategy and why do you need one?  

A Retrofit Strategy is a service that provides a thorough plan to enhance your home’s thermal performance, energy efficiency, and your health. 

Many homes in the UK are thermally inefficient, meaning they lose heat quickly and are expensive to keep warm. It’s estimated around 48% of homes in the UK have an EPC rating of D or below. Which means means they’re hard to heat and would benefit from significant improvement.

Our Retrofit Strategy helps tackle these inefficiencies by systematically identifying issues and recommending improvements that will make your home warmer, more comfortable, healthier and cheaper to run.  


Why have a Retrofit Strategy with HEM Architects? 

Many different companies offer home energy assessments, but ours is different. We collect much more data about your home to be as precise as possible, rather than making more generic assumptions.

We’ll send you a questionnaire, carry out a measured survey of your home and use thermal modelling software to accurately understand the space heating demand of your home. 

Also we’re independent experts in improving homes. Think of us like a mortgage broker rather than a mortgage provider. We’re not promoting or ‘selling’ any particular products or suppliers that then tie you in to a certain way of improving your home. 

We lay out what’s best for you and your home – considering all the options available. Not just one approach. 


case study: penmore close

John and Janet live in a 1950s semi-detached home in Chesterfield, that felt cold and was difficult to heat despite its Energy Performance Certificate rating of C.

Hoping to create a warm, comfortable, and energy-efficient home, they approached HEM Architects to carry out a Retrofit Strategy.

With only a limited budget they focused on the recommendations from the ‘Easy DIY Wins’ section of the strategy and successfully implemented many of the suggested improvements.

  • Sealed their plasterboard walls with airtight foam
  • Improved the fit of their doors and windows
  • Applied fresh sealant around window frames and doors
  • Added cavity wall insulation to their external walls

john and janet

The impact of our Retrofit Strategy was that for the first three months of the year we used 2883kWh less gas than we had in the same period the previous year.

This was a saving of £173, based on the gas price at the time.


The key principles of a Retrofit Strategy  

Fabric first approach

The foundation of our Retrofit Strategy is the fabric first approach. This means we focus on the building’s envelope—it’s walls, roofs, floors, and windows—before adding new technologies like solar panels. 

By reducing your home’s heat loss and improving its airtightness, you’ll make your home more energy-efficient, healthy and comfortable to live in.

This will also help to prolong the life of your home and protect it from damage caused by issues such as moisture.

Whole house thinking

Your home is a complex system, and every change can have knock-on effects. Our Retrofit Strategy takes a whole-house approach, considering how all the elements work together. 

For example, adding insulation might affect ventilation, or upgrading windows could change heat distribution. By planning holistically, we help you avoid unintended consequences that can cause problems in your home such as condensation or overheating.  

Reducing energy demand and switching to low-carbon heating

Most UK homes rely on fossil fuels like gas for heating. We to need to change this quickly to achieve our zero carbon targets. 

All of our retrofit strategies will suggest a suitable point to move to a fossil fuel free heating system such as an air source heat pump.

Heat pumps use low carbon electricity and are 3-4 times more efficient than a gas condensing boiler.


case study: Sycamore Hall

At Sycamore Hall in Bolsterstone, Sheffield we used a simple internal wall insulation combined with a well-designed and installed MVHR system to deliver a comfortable home.

The result was that the annual space heating demand reduced by a huge 90%.

Achieving the AECB Retrofit Standard of 50 kWh/m².a.


What’s involved in your Retrofit Strategy?

At HEM Architects, we tailor a Retrofit Strategy to suit your home and your personal aims. Here’s how it works:  

  • Initial Survey
    We assess your home’s condition, identifying any issues with the fabric of your home and take detailed measurements.  
  • Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) modelling
    We put all the data we collect from your home into the PHPP software to model your home’s energy performance. This is a detailed and accurate way of assessing your home’s current space heating demand and identifies what performance improvements can be achieved.
  • Your Retrofit Strategy
    We outline a step-by-step plan, starting with easy DIY wins that may cost a few hundred pounds. For example, adding loft insulation or installing air tightness tape in easily accessible locations. Progressing to more significant renovation works that can cost tens of thousands of pounds and usually need to be carried out by a professional contractor.
  • Follow-Up Meeting to Discuss Your Options  
    Once your report is ready, we arrange a follow-up meeting to talk you through the findings. During this session, we’ll explain the findings of the report and discuss your options. It’s an opportunity to ask questions, refine your goals, and explore what’s achievable within your budget and timeline.  

Why Start Now?  

Retrofitting your home will make it more comfortable but it’ll also future-proof it for years to come. With energy costs remaining high and the need to move to zero carbon more urgent, there’s no better time to take the first step.

Wearing three jumpers indoors isn’t the answer

Book your customised Retrofit Strategy with us from £2495 + VAT