INDUSTRY UPDATE NEWS
Insulation overhaul T he government has launched a major initiative to tackle widespread issues with solid wall insulation (SWI) installed
these schemes failed to meet acceptable standards. Fahnbulleh noted that Ofgem has contacted 60,000 affected consumers and that remediation is underway, with “thousands of households” already having had on-site checks. As many as 90 per cent of poor-quality installations have been remediated. Updated standards The government also pointed to the implementation of updated standards – PAS 2035/2030:2023 – as a step forward. These include mandatory site visits by retrofit coordinators and higher qualification thresholds for designers. The newly established Retrofit System Reform Panel will meet every six weeks for a year, gathering insights from industry leaders such as Brian Berry (Federation of Master Builders), Charlotte Lee (Heat Pump Association), and Lynne Sullivan (National Retrofit Hub), among others. Fahnbulleh stressed that deeper reform is on the way: “An overhaul of the retrofit system and the consumer protection landscape is urgently required.”
under recent energy efficiency schemes. This follows a wave of complaints from homeowners who say poorly installed insulation has led to damp, mould, and ventilation issues in their homes. The problems surfaced earlier this year when 39 firms were suspended from installing insulation under the Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4) and the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS). Now, the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) is conducting a full audit to determine the extent of the damage. Energy Consumers Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh acknowledged the situation as a “systemic failure” and announced the formation of an expert advisory panel to drive reform. “We have taken immediate action to improve the oversight of installations whilst we bring forward root and branch reforms on the wider consumer protection system,” Fahnbulleh said. Preliminary audit data indicates that most SWI installations under
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