The project proposes an innovative, community-led decentralised model for scaling retrofitting homes through self-managing teams of local tradespeople. By leveraging local skills and regional materials, we are creating a replicable, community-driven model to rapidly expand retrofit capacity while boosting regional wealth and sustainability. Our novel approach considers the requirements of PAS 2035 in the context of a decentralised solution inspired by the Buurtzorg model.

The challenge

The UK’s Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee estimated that 29 million homes require upgrading to low-carbon heating by 2050, requiring a retrofit investment of about £250 billion (£9 billion per year) from the late 2020s. In social housing, the current mode of grant-funded, large-scale contractor-led delivery has limited scalability. The able-to-pay market is faced with conflicting advice, unpredictable pricing, and a lack of accountability and quality assurance. Approaches to retrofitting homes in the UK have been subject to decades of policies, standards, and government-led schemes, resulting in a fragmented market where bureaucratic hurdles deter small contractors, innovators, and homeowners by inducing uncertainty. Whilst the latest revision to PAS 2035 (“Retrofitting dwellings for improved energy efficiency – Specification and guidance”) presents a comprehensive framework for retrofit projects, we desperately need complementary delivery pathways to enable scaling.

Applying successful models to new sectors

The Buurtzorg model has been successfully implemented in the Netherlands for home healthcare, scaling from a single team to over 800 self-managing teams. The specific application to retrofitting homes has not yet been tested. However, the principles of autonomy, minimal bureaucracy, and community engagement have proven effective in other sectors such as criminal justice. Evaluations of the nursing model have noted high client satisfaction and efficiency.

The power of community

The main application for this innovation is in the retrofitting of homes to improve energy efficiency, comfort, and aesthetic integrity. It can be tailored to homeowners, private landlords, and social landlords, depending on context. The model is particularly suited for areas with established community infrastructures and local resources. By engaging directly with residents and leveraging local trade skills, the innovation aims to create resilient communities and enhance long-term sustainability. The simplified pricing and transparent billing make it accessible to a wider audience, including those with lower awareness of retrofit benefits.

Where we are now

We are drawing on current research activity from the Transforming Homes project, which is trialling community retrofit approaches. Specifically, a project in Knowle West, Bristol with collaborators WeCanMake Together, and which is also adopting low-carbon retrofit solutions, has provided valuable real-world feedback on engagement, recruitment and training. From February 2026, we are moving forward to developing a framework where learnings can be scaled, interfacing with PAS2035 and the benefits identified in the Buurtzorg model.