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ECO3 adopts PAS

ECO3 adopts PAS 2035 standards

Ellie Dinsdale, Technical Consultant

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The Energy Company Obligation (ECO3) is set to run until March 2020, delivering energy efficiency measures to domestic properties. Its primary aim is to reduce fuel poverty and carbon emissions.

To improve the process of determining ECO funding availability and potential improvement measures the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) released a consultation in 2019, proposing ECO3 adopts PAS 2035 standards.

The majority of responses following the consultation supported the proposals for incorporating PAS 2035 into ECO3 funding. This has led to an introduction of the newly adopted standards from 1st January 2020, with an extended transition period for installers to become certified and compliant with PAS 2035 standards ending 30th June 2021.

The new regulations include:

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n Applying a 20% uplift to all measures which are completed during the transition period by projects delivered through PAS 2035 and with measures installed by those compliant with the new PAS 2030:2019 standard.

Require guarantees for all ECO measures, with a minimum length of two years. Guarantees for underfloor and room-in-roof insulation measures to be accompanied by a guarantee of 25 years.

n Retain an uplift for replacement broken boilers delivered outside the broken heating system cap but will reduce the uplift to 200% where they are not renewable heating measures.

n Change the way first time central heating (FTCH) measures are treated under the scheme by increasing the lifetime for certain FTCH measures and allow FTCH to be installed in private rented sector EPC Band F&G rated properties.

These new changes to the industry will drive the need for skilled retrofit roles within the PAS 2035 framework, capturing a potential 150,000 homes per annum where ECO3 requires a retrofit improvement plan. Minimum government requirements for homes receiving ECO funding mean a secured number of retrofit property improvement plans per year, improving the future security of retrofit roles until at least March 2022.

Dedicated government funding of £640 million per year for the retrofit improvement of homes will push the demand for qualified retrofit assessors and coordinators. Further backed by banks and lenders willing to

provide loans for retrofit energy efficiency measures for the ‘able to pay’ with the requirement that a sufficient quality assurance regime is in place.

The determined quality assurance regime is covered by TrustMark and PAS 2035, where property retrofit plans can be submitted to the TrustMark ‘Data Warehouse’ where they can undergo quality assurance.

Whilst the Requirements include those from an RdSAP assessment, it must also include an Occupancy Assessment and a Condition Report, requiring additional training and increasing

More recently, Elmhurst have launched the Retrofit Assessor training online, allowing assessors to take the course from the comfort of their own home.

the demand and skill for competent energy assessors. Besides the role of a Retrofit Assessor, there is also opportunity for many roles within the industry, including Retrofit Coordinators, Installers, Designers and Advisors, all taking a ‘wholehouse’ approach to the retrofit of energy efficient measures in homes. For the purposes of ECO3, this will mean energy efficiency measures will be more suitable to what is currently available for the property but also the condition of the properties assets and tailored measures for the occupants, ensuring the funding available is spent on the most appropriate improvements. Elmhurst has been involved in the design of the new PAS 2035 taking into account its impacts on the wider industry. Elmhurst launched its new TrustMark Approved Retrofit Assessor and Coordinator schemes in July 2019 and has run regular training courses to upskill energy professionals ever since.

More recently, Elmhurst has launched the Retrofit Assessor training online, allowing assessors to take the course from the comfort of their own home. Managing course progress, undertaking tests and downloading their certificates remotely. We also offer software and support to these trained professionals with access to the TrustMark Data Warehouse.

Our hopes are to push PAS 2035 as a benchmark for energy efficiency measures and work with the industry to provide professionals in these key roles to aid in the delivery of the retrofit process, reducing both carbon emissions and fuel poverty. Creating warmer, more affordable homes to vulnerable groups.

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