Insulation Crisis Questions

Insulation Problems Affected Thousands of Customers

Insulation Company Failures Reveal Weaknesses in Retrofit Progress

The announcement by MP Miatta Fahnbulleh regarding sub standard insulation installs has swept across social media and fanned the flames of the 'greenlash'.

It's unhelpful to presume the point of failure in so many companies but wiser heads in the sector had been worried about suspected weak points for some time.

Spray Foam

Evidence of the effect of spray foam on properties that had become unsellable because of moisture ridden timbers had been revealed well before the turn of the year, the ban from government has been swift. But the compensation for victims will take time.

With mortgage companies making blanket bans on owners trying to sell their properties with defective foam in place it will be an uphill struggle for companies supporting retrofit works - to convince prospective clients their insulation is a credible choice.

Open Cell and Closed Cell Spray Foam - What's The Difference?

If you didn't already know. Spray foam comes in two categories and if you spray closed cell foam on a surface which needs to be water permeable, you have a problem. There are luckily expert advice resources available from the Energy Saving Trust.

You can download the HSE guidance on spray foam in timber roofs here;

Getting The Basics Right

The climate for retrofit is challenging enough and whilst private homeowners bore the brunt this time, poor quality installs affect us all.

Bad retrofits don't happen in a vacuum. Weak enforcement of standards, projects rushed through and a shortage of suitably qualified tradespeople mean this problem may happen again.

We spoke to Andy Sutton, chief innovation officer and co-founder, Sero, specialists in the huge social housing sector. Andy reacted to the announcements from a social housing perspective:

“The government’s focus on protecting households from poor-quality insulation is an important and welcomed move, but it's crucial that the spotlight also extends to social housing across the UK. High-quality retrofits are vital for improving energy efficiency, reducing fuel poverty, and building trust with residents."

Andy's staff work directly with social housing organisations and the recipients of retrofit works, their customers. He said to us;

“The sector, from assessments to design and installation, still has much to learn regarding the understanding and interpretation of the PAS 2035 standard. Our team of Retrofit Coordinators has observed a wide variance in understanding and quality. The skills shortage, coupled with pressures to meet delivery timelines and budgets, can lead to insufficient ventilation measures and other sub-standard works. These issues can sadly result in unintended consequences, such as damp and mould, later in a home's journey."

We spoke to the air quality specialist Simon Jones a podcast guest for the magazine, regarding the effect of poor quality installations. Simon made the important point that failure to understand the mechanics of moisture, air and retrofits basic principles is disastrous. Simon said;

If we talk about buildings in the context of damp and mould, which is obviously often one of the visible signs of poor outcomes in buildings and retrofits, I'd receive many calls from people that have had work done, and find damp and mould appearing shortly afterwards.

Retrofit Skills Shortage

Many of the wisest head in retrofitting have been calling for an accelerated programme of skills training and retraining for retrofit assessors and practitioners;

That call for more staff isn't because the existing workforce is poor quality. And.

Suggesting the latest insulation crisis is down to a few bad actors is a naive and simplistic analysis of a endemic and widespread malaise.

With shortages in most of the construction sector, it's difficult to push standards of works when the spread of qualified and capable staff is so thin.

This skills shortage is even less likely to be filled by an aging workforce that is woefully short of a diversified and youthful cohort of new recruits;

But it's not tradespeople that are the root of problems like this latest one.

Lessons Learned

It is unfair too, to suggest that anything else other than a lot of hard work is being done to rapidly change the fortunes of the retrofit industry.

With grassroots organisations training homeowners in retrofit;

And a rock solid bedrock of new staff being produced by training academies like the eponymous Retrofit Academy, we can get in better shape more quickly.

Courses - Retrofit Academy | Training Courses

Courses Archive - Retrofit Academy | Training Courses

Retrofit Academy | Training Courses

As Andy Sutton at SERO says:

“As an industry, we need to learn from these lessons and work together to improve our understanding of delivering high-quality retrofits."

One of the ways to to do that is to continue with the investment of time and money in training, regulation and standards for those who support the very start of the retrofit journey to those that deliver and measure it's success.

Fix The Cause Not The Effect

The insulation crisis has happened. It's going to need some work, so if we can learn then we can get better.

Andy Sutton again;

The role of an independent Retrofit Coordinator is crucial in ensuring this happens. Their role is not just to ensure compliance but to protect the home, the landlord, and its residents for the long term and to educate the supply chain, fostering a consistent high standard.”

And I think we agree. Start with the basics, train the workforce and high standards will be easier to maintain, enforce and become what we expect, not what we hope for.