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Delivery / post-retrofit

3. Detailed delivery plan

Introduction

Your detailed delivery plan will help to ensure that you can implement your retrofit project smoothly and successfully.

Contents

    Why it matters

    Having a delivery plan is key to controlling timescales, budget and managing expectations for both residents and internal stakeholders.

    If the project is receiving public funding such as SHDF or ECO then it will need to comply with PAS 2035, which has a set process that must be followed; in this case, having a retrofit coordinator on board is essential.

    Key steps to take

    1. Make sure you have the right team in place: This should include a project manager who is allocated enough time and resources to be able to manage the project. If your project needs to comply with PAS 2035, then you will need to appoint a retrofit coordinator. We recommend that you read the guidance on creating a team and understanding PAS 2035 to make sure you have everyone you need. The project manager (or retrofit coordinator) will be the key contact for all external consultants and contractors and will oversee all stages of the project.

    2. Define roles and responsibilities: This should include both internal colleagues and external consultants. Roles should be clearly defined, with no grey areas.

    3. Review your intended outcomes: The intended outcomes for the project should be central to the delivery plan; this will set out what you hope to achieve, the project budget and expected timeframes.

    4. Review your risk register: Your risk register should be shared with external consultants such as the retrofit coordinator. Key risks may include going over budget/time, residents not engaging with the project or unexpected circumstances such as structural issues. Risks should be highlighted, and thought should be given to how they might be overcome.

    5. Create your project plan: A realistic project plan should be produced and should allow enough time for each stage, including procurement process, any planning applications etc. The retrofit installer will be able to give a detailed programme of the installation phase once they’re on board.

    Success factors

    Have the right team in place: If you don’t have the right skills or resources in-house including project managers and retrofit coordinators, then appoint external consultants who can run the project for you. Their experience will be invaluable and will ultimately save time and money. Read our guidance on creating a team.

    Resident engagement: When reviewing timescales and the project programme, it is key that residents are engaged and know when they will need to give access to their homes and when works will take place. Residents are much more likely to accept disruption if they are well-informed and have been part of the process. Read our guidance on planning resident engagement.

    Test the market and ask others: When setting budgets and timeframes, it may be wise to speak to the supply chain, other housing providers or the Social Housing Retrofit Accelerator support team, especially if you haven’t done a project like this before. This may give you a more realistic idea of costs, time required and levels of disruption.

    Learn from experience: Each project is a learning experience, and you are not going to get everything right all the time. It is important to review each project at the end in terms of budget control, programme and intended outcomes. Have a space to record lessons learnt as you go through the project and ensure that this knowledge can be fed into other projects.

    Deep dive

    Project delivery using PAS 2035

    PAS 2035 sets out a detailed process that must be followed for compliance. It is also a very useful tool for retrofit projects even if your project doesn’t need to comply. Below is a brief overview of the PAS 2035 framework and the stages that need to be followed:

    1. Preliminary considerations: These are the considerations at the start of the project and would include the high-level project ambitions and business case for the retrofit. This will include your high level ambitions such as reducing residents’ bills, increasing SAP ratings or reducing carbon emissions. You may have carried out overall stock analysis and have selected certain properties that you’d like to retrofit.

    2. Appointment of a retrofit coordinator: Once you’ve selected your properties and know you’d like to embark on a retrofit project, you should appoint a retrofit coordinator.

    3. Risk assessment: Your retrofit coordinator will carry out the initial risk assessment based upon a number of factors including the anticipated retrofit measures, age/construction of the buildings and number of dwellings involved. This will set out the approach to risk management for the project according to a structure set out in PAS 2035.

    4. Dwelling assessment: A retrofit assessor will carry out the full dwelling assessment to establish the baseline energy profile of each property, modelling the dwelling in either SAP or PHPP. The assessment will include an occupant assessment (so resident engagement is key), and a ventilation assessment.

    5. Improvement Option Evaluation: This will involve detailed modelling of different retrofit options to assess which is the best combination of measures for the project. It will be carried out by the retrofit assessor in coordination with the retrofit coordinator.

    6. Medium-Term Improvement Plan: It is likely that your retrofit project will not be carrying out all possible measures in one go due to budget constraints and level of disruption. The medium-term improvement plan will set out a 20–30-year strategy for the dwelling, showing the phased improvements that need to take place and the correct sequencing of these measures in order to reach net zero carbon emissions.

    7. Design: Once the package of measures has been identified for this project, the design of the retrofit should take place. A suitably qualified designer should be appointed for this to produce drawings and specification information. This stage would also involve applying for any planning consents/Listed Building Consent.

    8. Installation: Following the design and tender process, the installation can take place by a suitably registered installer in line with the requirements of PAS 2030. The timeframe for this will vary depending upon the complexity of the project.

    9. Handover: The project handover is a key stage in ensuring quality has been met, the correct tests have been carried out and statutory approvals have been achieved (e.g. building regulations). Warranty information should be provided by the installer during this stage, and training sessions should be arranged with occupants and maintenance staff to ensure correct use of the new building services.

    10. Evaluation: This is a key project stage in reviewing whether the intended outcomes have been met, providing a chance for rectification if necessary, and recording key lessons to be passed onto future projects. A retrofit evaluator will carry out the evaluation – there are different levels of evaluation depending upon project complexity and whether the intended outcomes have been met.

    RIBA Plan of Work

    Most building projects follow the RIBA Plan of Work; therefore it is also relevant to retrofit projects. The plan is a 7-stage process and provides detailed guidance on the sequencing of a building project as outlined in the list below.

    1. Strategic Definition

    2. Preparation and Briefing

    3. Concept Design

    4. Spatial Coordination

    5. Technical Design

    6. Manufacturing and Construction

    7. Handover

    8. Use

    Further resources

    How can I find certified retrofit coordinators, assessors or installers?

    Trustmark holds a database of all certified retrofit coordinators, assessors and installers:

    Visit Website

    How can I learn more about PAS 2035 or train to become a retrofit coordinator or assessor?

    Retrofit Academy offers guidance on the PAS 2035 process, and offers courses for retrofit coordinators and assessors.

    Visit Website

    Retrofit Coordinator training is also available from:

    Eco-Academy

    Elmhurst Energy

    Stroma

    AECB (Starting January 2022)

    Other providers may also be available.

    How can I integrate my project plan into the RIBA Plan of Work?

    The RIBA provides tools in relation to the RIBA Plan of Work, which you can customise depending upon the parameters of the project.

    Visit Website

    I need some general advice about project management. What can you recommend?

    PRINCE2 is a widely used project management methodology which can be applied to all kinds of projects. The PRINCE2 website provides further explanation of the methodology:

    Visit Website

    Get in touch

    If you would like to discuss monitoring and evaluation strategies for your retrofit project, please contact the SHRA Support team.

    We would love to hear about your experiences. What has worked for your housing association? What lessons have you learned? What documents, reports or tools have you found most helpful? Please contact us if you would like to share your experiences.


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