MIMA Enter Like Sheriffs

It's a bit wild out here in retrofit land. There's no laws. There's a fine dandy at the bar holding court and he's beguiling everyone with his tales of daring do. A courtesan flicks the interest of a passing drunk.

A gruff woodsman is there in his hemp poncho muttering how mother earth should be respected - and the oil men sit dominating the card table. Big money is being won.

Swing doors burst open. And in walks three sheriffs. Knauf, Rock and the one they call The SUPER.

They over turn the card table. A fight erupts. And when the dust settles there is only one person left standing.

MIMA and The Policy Vacuum

The Mineral Wool Insulation Association (MIMA) have stepped into the debate of regulation and retrofit. And they have taken a stance that should have been filled years ago by government.

From their opening gambit in their recent report on retrofit policy, every step of what has been written reflects a refreshingly non partisan examination of the possibilities for improvement in insulation and retrofit in the UK.

The fact that outcome based evaluation of retrofit measures is not a statutory measure of government initiatives - says more about the culture of self regulation in UK construction than pinning blame on schemes that could or should have worked. It is also a subtle wink to the heat pump industry too, that they might have the limelight right now, but the sheriffs are now in town.

They're not asking for a new standard. Just a mandated level of performance.

The Elephant In The Room

It is correct to say that heat pumps are capable of immense efficiency, as proved by Adam Chapman at Heat Geek. It is also correct to acknowledge that a poorly insulated home loses heat, fast.

So what the MIMA paper does is stop apportioning blame to failed retrofit measures. One retrofit measure, when applied without another makes the a Affordability Equation a zero sum game. You cannot equate success of retrofit with the promised performance of a single measure if it is;

1. Not actively monitored for performance after installation.
2. Is validated without other recommended retrofit solutions in place.

Clean heat is a pointless offering if it is delivered in a home which has had no fabric improvements.

We'll Say It Slowly - Insulate First

Its a bit like maths. For Homer Simpson. If a home requires less energy to be heated. Then less energy will be used. An insulated home just needs less energy to be made warm.

There's a joyful by product of this emphasis on insulation.

Energy demand for carbon heavy solutions will diminish if less gas. Which is the energy source used to heat a couple of million homes, is not required, because they are insulated better. Look, what they said. ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

So if you're an energy security specialist, you kinda need to get behind the insulation industry as much as you're boosting the heat pumpers. 'Cause until that home stops leaking, it's using too much heating. And that. Is dollars in the pocket of the gas companies - in whatever country we're buying it from

Its About The Size

Like a an erectile dysfunction advert. You sort of need to make this point without making it. An insulated home needs a smaller heat pump.

That's it.

Thanks MIMA, for making the point in a more politic way in your paper, but we don't need to worry, so we'll say it for you.

Insulation is not a prophylactic. It's viagra for your home.

EPC Reform

It would be remiss of the MIMA crowd to miss out a reflection on how EPC's could be used to push the importance of having a well insulated home. Let's face it, retrofit is a blank wall of poor comms, boring copy, and easy targets for lazy journalists who want a bit of the climate denier buck.

So really EPC's, which are linked to house values are going to be the most effective way to nudge people to think about their insulation first.

Reduce Demand - Speed Up Transformation

There's some great chat in the MIMA report regarding measurement, outcome based measurements, but the brass tacks are this.

Insulated homes require less energy, which reduces;

1. Demand on the energy network
2. Costs of heat pump installations.
3. Loss of confidence in retrofit measures.

Which in turn accelerates our gap in the race to reduce consumption and achive the bogey man phrase, Net Zero.

Insulation, Insulation, Insulation

Retrofit bores will talk about the good 'ol days and the argument of 'fabric first'. Its now time to come together and agree. We're getting there on heat pump adoption.

Public opinion is just about weathering the 'greenlash'.

So let's agree, that getting a home healthy and more efficient. Means insulating it.

Retrofit solutions that don't lock in all the measures needed to fix the leakage, and the energy use, is like entering a gunfight with a rubber chicken.

Oh, and that last man standing. The hemp wearing woodsman. Just saying.