Efficiency improvement framework

Following the publication of PAS 2035, to create a robust framework for high-quality retrofit, TrustMark and Elmhurst Energy have joined forces to ensure standards are maintained and the consumer has a choice of high-quality, safe and trustworthy options when enhancing the energy efficiency of their homes.

Energy assessment accreditation scheme Elmhurst Energy has achieved Scheme Provider status for TrustMark, and demonstrated its commitment to meeting the standard laid out by the Framework Operating Requirements. Elmhurst will be one of 34 TrustMark Scheme Providers working to drive standards and quality in their sectors.

PAS 2035, which spun out of the Each Home Counts Review and recommended TrustMark as the all-encompassing mark of quality for consumers to recognise and trust, has been developed as the route that all organisations must follow if they are to operate as a TrustMark-approved scheme and carry out domestic retrofit work.

This new framework provides a whole building approach to the retrofit process and is designed to improve the quality of the work for domestic properties and thereby improve the energy efficiency of housing.

Simon Ayers, chief executive Officer of TrustMark, said: “To help the government tackle fuel poverty, improve the energy efficiency of the UK’s existing housing stock, and achieve zero net carbon by 2050, TrustMark is increasingly working with a number of energy efficiency bodies to establish excellent practices that will ensure homeowners are protected and efficiency is a priority in existing homes. As the UK’s leading expert in energy assessment, Elmhurst is well placed to help us improve efficiency in the built environment.”

Ant Burd, head of built environment at BSI, said: “The challenge with introducing energy efficiency measures (EEM) is how to create the biggest pay back with the minimum disruption. This is typically easier in green-field projects and new constructions, yet it is imperative we adapt our 29 million existing homes for both environmental and financial benefit.

“This newly revised PAS highlights the requirements for improved process management, ensuring co-functioning of any EEMs already installed in the building and the entire service provision so that problems around over-heating and reduced ventilation are avoided. It also covers the training, skills and vocational qualification requirements for people undertaking such installations.”