Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about our retrofit assessments and energy audits.

What is an EPC and how it is different to a Retrofit Assessment?

Providing an Energy Performance Certificate involves assessing the current energy performance of your home. EPC's are required when selling or letting a property.

A retrofit assessment builds on this basic energy assessment with a comprehensive, technical audit of your home, resulting in a detailed report with tailored recommendations. We identify significant areas of heat loss, and existing defects in building structures, assess levels of insulation, and assess ventilation, glazing, heating and hot water systems, then provide personalised recommendations to improve efficiency and comfort.

Beyond energy savings, our assessments help reduce your environmental impact by suggesting ways you can lower your carbon footprint. You get a prioritised list of repairs and upgrades that improve indoor air quality and thermal comfort while also maintaining the structural integrity of your home.

What are the benefits of a retrofit assessment?

I am a fully certified Retrofit Assessor. I follow the fabric-first approach mandated by PAS 2035, ensuring that structural integrity and ventilation are addressed before installing high-tech energy measures, guaranteeing safety, long-term effectiveness, sustainability and efficiency. This industry standard ensures a holistic approach to retrofitting, specifically identifying the best opportunities for decarbonisation and thermal performance tailored to your home.

How do your assessments meet PAS 2035 standards?

PAS 2035 is the official UK standard that sets out how domestic energy retrofit projects should be carried out. It was developed to make sure all retrofit work, such as insulation, ventilation, heating upgrades, or renewable energy improvements, is done safely, effectively, and with long-term benefits for you and your home. Comfort, health, and satisfaction are high priorities, ensuring improvements reduce energy bills, improve indoor air quality, and make your home warmer and more efficient.

PAS 2035 provides a structured, quality-controlled process designed to make your home more energy-efficient, comfortable, and future-proof, while ensuring all work is done to a consistent national standard.

What is PAS 2035 and why does it matter to me?

What is the ''Fabric First'' approach and how does it relate to energy efficiency?

PAS 2035 uses a ‘Whole House Approach’, which means looking at your home as a complete system. Instead of fixing one issue in isolation, it considers how different improvements affect each other, for example, how adding insulation might change ventilation or damp levels.

A structural audit evaluates the original foundation and fabric of your property. The goal is to ensure that every energy measure we recommend is built on a solid, repair-ready structure, preventing future complications with retrofit installations.

The different roles in PAS 2035 and what the journey looks like

In summary, the process flows like this:
Assessor –> Coordinator –> Designer –> Installer –> Evaluator
With the Coordinator overseeing every stage to ensure quality, safety and compliance.

Can you help with solar or renewable energy planning?

Part of the technical audit includes evaluating your property's suitability for renewable solutions like solar PV panels or air source heat pumps, providing you with a clear roadmap for site-specific decarbonisation. To install these, and for further specialist advice you would need to consult an accredited installer, or engage the services of a Retrofit Coordinator to manage your entire retrofit project. Fully accredited retrofit professionals can be found at www.trustmark.org.uk

TrustMark is the UK Government-endorsed quality scheme that protects homeowners and tenants when having energy efficiency or home improvement work carried out, including all work done under PAS 2035 retrofit standards.

As a customer, TrustMark offers you confidence that your retrofit is done properly, safely, and by qualified professionals. TrustMark is your assurance of quality, safety, and accountability.

It means your retrofit is carried out by qualified experts, under strict national standards, with proper documentation and protection if anything doesn’t go as planned.

It ensures you’re using accredited, vetted professionals:
As everyone involved in a PAS 2035 retrofit must be TrustMark registered or work under a TrustMark approved scheme. This means they have been independently checked for competence, qualifications, customer service, and financial stability.
It gives you formal protection and a record of the work:
Every TrustMark registered retrofit is recorded in the TrustMark Data Warehouse.
This means:

- You get a lodgement certificate showing the details of your retrofit.

- There is a clear record of who did the work, when, and to what standard.

- You have access to dispute resolution and complaint procedures if anything goes wrong.

TrustMark is required for most funded retrofit schemes:
If your retrofit is being supported by a government or local authority grant (e.g. ECO4, SHDF, or Home Upgrade Grant), TrustMark registration and PAS 2035 compliance are mandatory.
It protects your investment long-term:
As the work is quality-assured and fully documented, TrustMark helps protect your home’s value and ensures future work builds on a verified record of what’s been done.
It guarantees compliance with PAS 2035 and PAS 2030:
TrustMark registration confirms that all retrofit work is being carried out in line with national standards PAS 2035 (how retrofit projects are managed) and PAS 2030 (how the installation is done)

What is Trustmark and why is it significant for you, the customer?

Click to see my resources page for advice on grants and funding and specific information for landlords