Retrofit
Warmer, greener homes and buildings
Making our buildings more energy-efficient is one of the UK’s biggest climate challenges. Solving it will lower household bills and address fuel poverty, and improve public services too – by making places such as schools more comfortable and cheaper to run. Investing in solutions will also boost local economies, supporting good green jobs, and dramatically lower emissions too. Retrofit action targeting homes and buildings in marginalised communities creates benefits where they are needed most. Measures such as upgrades for council housing are a great way to deliver carbon savings at scale – as well as a fairer society.
Ashden’s work in this area includes supporting local authorities and their partners to deliver effective, inclusive retrofit programmes. Our awards accelerate the growth of retrofit pioneers from the public, private and third sectors – and we use our knowledge and stories of proven solutions to inspire national policy progress.
In Grimsby, North East England, we’re part of an exciting project trialling new ways to fund and deliver home retrofit hand-in-hand with communities. Finally, upgrading school buildings is central to Our Let’s Go Zero campaign, backed by more than 7,000 schools.
Our work and programmes
Ashden works closely with retrofit innovators, whose proven solutions are already generating benefits. But these pioneers can’t accelerate their work without more ambitious national policies.
Our three policy asks to UK government are:
Accelerate retrofit to eliminate fuel poverty by 2030, and guarantee warm, energy-efficient homes for all by 2035
Boost locally-driven approaches, to deliver one million home retrofits a year by 2030
Create 200,000 good retrofit jobs across the UK by 2030
Let’s Go Zero is our national campaign uniting teachers, pupils, parents and their schools as they all work together to be zero carbon by 2030.
That’s a huge challenge – but transforming our schools will help safeguard the planet for future generations.
We’re also working with national government to ensure the right support is in place to help all schools reach this goal.
The Warm Homes Plan is providing £13.2bn to decarbonise homes over the next few years with a strong focus on those struggling to pay bills. This home upgrade work will provide opportunities for good jobs across the country. Our Retrofit Futures project, funded by MCS Foundation, will explore how we can support more people to enter the retrofit supply chain through better procurement practices. By equipping retrofit commissioners with practical tools and guidance to embed and enforce social value, we aim to unlock local jobs and training opportunities, boost economic value in communities, and help diversify the sector. We are jointly delivering this work with EN:Able Communities, UK Green Building Council and the National Retrofit Hub.
Energy efficient buildings
In partnership with The Linbury Trust, we’ve helped dozens of organisations – from theatres to hospices – make their buildings more energy-efficient. As well as running a learning network for those receiving the Trust’s grants, we’ve shared insights from their journey in a powerful film.
Local Area Retrofit Accelerator
As a partner in the government-backed Local Area Retrofit Accelerator, we’re helping trial better ways to create cheaper-to-heat, low carbon homes – with pilot schemes in Liverpool, Derbyshire, Hertfordshire, Nottinghamshire and Surrey.
Case Studies - proven retrofit solutions
Winner of The 2025 Ashden Award for Outstanding Achievement (UK)
Cotality empowers landlords, homeowners and local authorities to create warm, energy–efficient homes – addressing one of the UK’s biggest climate challenges.
Winner of The 2025 Ashden Award for Breaking Barriers (UK)
Emergent Energy is helping people in blocks of flats – including those on lower incomes – cut their bills through rooftop solar. Until now, this opportunity has largely been restricted to owners of larger, detached or semi-detached properties.
Winner of The 2024 Ashden Award for Energy Innovation
If we can cut the carbon required to heat our homes, we’ll get much closer to our sustainable future. Right now, domestic heating accounts for 13% of UK emissions. To tackle the problem, we need a variety of solutions for different types of property.
Learn how Greater Manchester’s smart energy plan will improve energy performance and lower carbon emissions.
City of York Council is building 400 zero-carbon homes, using the innovative Passivhaus approach as part of its Climate Action Plan.
Learn how Reading Borough Council is using planning to ensure new homes are built to zero-carbon standards
Guidance for local authorities, produced with Friends of the Earth
Guidance for local authorities, produced with Friends of the Earth
Guidance for local authorities, produced with Friends of the Earth
Guidance for local authorities, produced with Friends of the Earth
Guidance for local authorities, produced with Friends of the Earth
Tools and reports
Retrofit jobs report
How works and training organisations can support good, local skills development
