National Retrofit conference even bigger for 2025

The National Retrofit Conference returns for its second year in 2025 with an exciting new expansion, the launch of a dedicated Expo, making it bigger and more engaging than ever before. Taking place alongside Futurebuild 2025, this enhanced and immersive three-day event will bring together visionaries and industry leaders. Attendees will have opportunities to engage with cutting-edge solutions and actionable strategies for tackling retrofit challenges head-on.

National Retrofit Conference

The National Retrofit Conference, sponsored by Sustainable Building Services, centres on Scaling the Ambition and Delivering the Promise with Retrofitting with its main theme of Regenerating Our Cities and Regions. Curated by the Retrofit Academy CIC and the National Retrofit Hub, the conference will deliver practical, actionable solutions that attendees can implement to advance their retrofit programmes.

Tuesday 4th March: Leadership, Innovation, and Skills

This day explores how strong leadership, policy direction, and a skilled workforce are vital in accelerating retrofitting across the UK. Highlights include:

"Pioneering a Net Zero Future for a Global City"
Megan Life, Associate Director of Environment and Energy at Greater London Authority
Megan will outline London’s strategy for achieving net zero, setting an example for urban centres worldwide.

"Delivering Labour’s Net Zero Vision: Strategies, Challenges, and Opportunities"
Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, Minister for Energy Consumers
A deep dive into Labour’s commitment to net zero and how policy will shape the future of retrofit and energy efficiency.

Panel Debates and Discussions:

The Warm Homes Plan: Examining Successful Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency Strategies – hear from Caroline Withey, Programme Director at DFESNZ and Shaun Garvey, also Programme Director at DFESNZ

State of the Nation – Retrofitting for a Sustainable Future

Leadership in Retrofitting – Driving Change Across Cities and Regions

Skills and Workforce Development for the Retrofit Revolution

Wednesday 5th March: Retrofit Done Right at Scale

Scaling up retrofit efforts efficiently and effectively is crucial to meeting the UK’s decarbonisation targets. This day will focus on the technical, financial, and logistical aspects of delivering retrofit at scale. Highlights of the day include:

"Is Retrofit Investible?"
Andrew Sutton (Co-Founder & Chief Innovation Officer – SERO), Ryan Jude (Built Environment Programme Director – Green Finance Institute), Jeremy Barker (Banking & Investment Director – National Wealth Fund), Chris Brown (Managing Director – Climatise) and Dr Zack Gill (Net Zero Technical Analyst – Energiesprong UK)
A panel discussion on economic models and financing strategies to make retrofit attractive to investors, with input from Green Finance Institute, National Wealth Fund, Climatise, and Energiesprong UK.

“Driving Standards and Volume in Large Scale Retrofit Markets”
Simon Ayers, Chief Executive at TrustMark
Gain insights into balancing efficiency, affordability, and performance to meet ambitious decarbonisation targets.

“Retrofit Our Buildings, or Our Brains?” Science, History and Giving People Agency to Improve Health, Comfort and Carbon.”
Dr Bill Bordass, Research and Policy Advisor at Usable Buildings and Dr Robyn Pender, Director at Whethergauge
Explore the human-centred approach to retrofitting, with strategies for creating healthy, comfortable living environments.

Thursday 6th March: Community-Led Retrofit – Building from the Bottom Up

This day, curated by the National Retrofit Hub, focuses on grassroots-led solutions and financial innovations making retrofit more accessible. Key sessions include:

"EPC Reform – Perspectives on Change in Action"
Hosted by Rachael Owens, National Retrofit Hub Co-Director
With speakers from Which?, MHCLG, Elmhurst, and Ecology Building Society.

"Community-Led Retrofit – Redefining Retrofit at Scale”
Hosted by Sara Edmonds, National Retrofit Hub Co-Director and Head of Citizen Engagement at BE-ST
Featuring BE-ST Retrofit Scotland, Footwork Trust and Ecological Building Systems.

National Retrofit Expo

New for 2025, the Expo expands the National Retrofit Conference, featuring a dedicated exhibition with leading exhibitors such as Parity Projects, E.ON, Corksol, Trustmark, q-bot, and more. Attendees can explore innovative products, solutions, and technologies to tackle retrofit challenges and deliver impactful projects.

The Big Retrofit Challenge

A key highlight is The Big Retrofit Challenge, presented in partnership with NHDG and Innovate UK. This dynamic competition culminates in a live-finale, showcasing shortlisted groundbreaking innovations designed to address the toughest challenges in retrofit.

Attendees will witness contestants pitch cutting-edge tools, materials, and systems to a panel of experts, providing actionable insights to accelerate the decarbonisation of buildings across the UK.

The Retrofit Academy Awards

The Retrofit Academy Awards, held during the National Retrofit Conference, celebrate excellence in retrofitting across the industry. Recognising outstanding achievements and rising stars, these awards shine a spotlight on the individuals and organisations driving innovation and delivering impactful solutions in this vital and fast-evolving sector.

David Pierpoint, Founder and CEO at the Retrofit Academy commented: “The National Retrofit Conference & Expo marks a pivotal point for the retrofit sector. By expanding with a dedicated exhibition, we are creating an even more dynamic platform for innovation, collaboration, and practical solutions. This event is about turning ambition into action and empowering industry professionals to scale up retrofit efforts and progress towards decarbonisation across the UK’s built environment.”

Rachael Owens, Co-Director at the National Retrofit Hub, is also looking forward to the event: “The National Retrofit Conference & Expo embodies the ambition and collaboration needed to tackle one of the UK’s most pressing challenges: retrofitting our building stock. As part of this vital event, the National Retrofit Hub is proud to support the industry by addressing challenges, offering practical solutions, and fostering collaboration to drive meaningful progress.”

The National Retrofit Conference & Expo embodies the ambition and collaboration needed to tackle one of the UK’s most pressing challenges: retrofitting our building stock. As part of this vital event, the National Retrofit Hub is proud to support the industry by addressing challenges, offering practical solutions, and fostering collaboration to drive meaningful progress.

To find out more about the National Retrofit Conference and Expo visit the website

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