Procuring retrofit for healthier homes
Retrofit procurement shapes what improvements deliver for residents. Alongside cost and energy performance, procurement decisions influence how comfortable homes feel and how well they support everyday life.
Why Procure Retrofit with Health and Innovation in Mind? explores how organisations can consider these wider outcomes when commissioning work. It introduces approaches to evaluating innovative solutions and understanding their performance after installation.
NRH produced guide as part of RetroNetZero, an Innovate UK-funded project led by BRE.
Drawing on workshops with procurement teams and innovators, the guide examines barriers to adopting new solutions. It also explores opportunities under the Procurement Act 2023 and provides practical questions to support evaluation throughout the procurement process.
Read the guide
Explore principles for innovation-friendly procurement and guidance on assessing different retrofit solutions. Use the guide to inform discussions with suppliers and plan how you will check results after installation.
Download Why Procure Retrofit with Health and Innovation in Mind? below.
What does the guide cover?
The guide introduces principles for procurement that supports innovation while managing risk. It considers how teams can specify the outcomes they want and gather evidence about what products achieve.
It includes:
- Principles for engaging suppliers and evaluating innovative solutions.
- Considerations throughout procurement, including planning and post-installation evaluation.
- Practical questions to help assess new technologies.
- Guidance covering insulation, heating and hot water, ventilation, cooking, finishes, and monitoring.
Who is this guide for?
The guide supports housing providers and local authorities commissioning retrofit. Procurement teams and asset managers can use it alongside their technical colleagues.
Start with the principles, then use the relevant product sections to inform discussions with suppliers. Consider what evidence you need before making a decision and how you will check performance afterwards.
Why consider health in retrofit procurement?
A specification sets expectations for what a project should achieve. Including resident outcomes helps teams ask questions beyond installation costs and predicted energy savings.
For example, what evidence supports a product’s claimed benefits? How will residents use it? What will the organisation measure once work is complete?
The guide encourages structured testing and learning so teams can evaluate innovation responsibly.
About RetroNetZero and acknowledgements
RetroNetZero is a Regulatory Science and Innovation Network exploring how to support the adoption of innovation in domestic retrofit.
Innovate UK funded the project, led by BRE. The consortium also includes the National Retrofit Hub, Construction Products Association, National Energy Foundation, Constructing Excellence and Planet Mark.
NRH led this guide with support from the BRE team. We thank Lucy Maxwell, Sustainability Consultant, and Pooja Jani, Graduate Research Officer, for their contributions.
Explore related NRH work
For support with understanding community priorities, explore the Community Health Impact Assessment workbook.
To consider how programmes assess results, read Measuring for success?.
Frequently asked questions
What is retrofit procurement?
Retrofit procurement is the process of commissioning the work and purchasing the products or services needed to improve existing buildings.
Why include resident health in procurement decisions?
Considering health helps teams define what improvements should achieve for the people living in the homes. It also encourages questions about how to evaluate those results.
Does the guide recommend particular products?
The guide provides questions and considerations for assessing different types of solutions. Use these to examine evidence and suitability for your project.
How can I use the guide?
Use it to inform internal planning and conversations with suppliers. It is an introductory resource, so apply it alongside the procurement requirements and professional advice relevant to your organisation.
