Independent testing crucial to bridge retrofit confidence gap, BSRIA study reveals
New research from the Building Services Research and Intelligence Association (BSRIA) highlights a significant confidence gap between construction professionals and the general public regarding the effectiveness of building retrofits.
BSRIA commissioned a study of 2,000 UK homeowners and tenants to investigate the factors holding back home energy efficiency. It also polled 500 construction professionals to understand the industry’s understanding of retrofit approaches.
The study reveals that while four out of five construction professionals (80%) feel optimistic about the long-term performance of current retrofit solutions, only a fifth of UK consumers believe that retrofitting homes makes a difference in achieving Net Zero targets.
A retrofit, defined as modifying existing buildings with energy efficiency measures and low carbon technology to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, is widely recognised within the construction industry as essential for meeting the UK’s legally binding climate targets. BSRIA data shows that only a fifth of Brits live in an energy efficient home.
However, the research highlights a critical awareness gap among the public, with 55% of UK consumers not clear about what a building retrofit is.
The study also uncovered concerning trends in how retrofit performance is validated within the construction industry:
• Half (51%) of construction professionals rely solely on self-certification to validate retrofit performance
• Only four in 10 (43%) use independent physical measurements to verify results
• Just a third (32%) conduct post-occupancy evaluation surveys to gather feedback over time
Construction professionals who use independent testing methods reported significantly higher confidence levels in retrofit outcomes. Architects (46%) and engineers (44%) who employ physical measurements showed above-average confidence in retrofit performance.
Tom Garrigan, BSRIA Director – Applied Engineering, commented: “These findings highlight a disconnect between industry confidence and public understanding of retrofitting, which is often overshadowed by concerns about cost. While construction professionals largely believe in the effectiveness of current approaches, we’re clearly failing to explain the benefits of retrofitting our homes.”
