ABOUT THE NATIONAL RETROFIT HUB.
The National Retrofit Hub (NRH) is a Community Interest Company focused on improving how housing retrofit is delivered equitably at scale.
We do this by convening the retrofit community, building and sharing evidence on what works, and supporting action that leads to better outcomes for people, homes, buildings, and places.
The retrofit community includes the people and organisations working to improve the existing built environment, including communities and residents, local authorities, housing providers, industry, retrofit professionals, finance, policymakers, researchers, and delivery partners.
HOW THE NRH ENABLES RETROFIT AT SCALE?
The NRH focuses on both the systemic and practical issues that hold retrofit back. We convene the retrofit community around shared challenges and opportunities, use evidence to support better decisions, and help align action so retrofit delivers real improvements to homes, buildings, places, and people’s everyday lives, particularly at local and neighbourhood level.
MEET THE TEAM.
The NRH is led by a small, experienced team with backgrounds across the built environment, policy, research, and community engagement. We are deeply committed to improving how retrofit works in practice and motivated by the difference it can make to people’s everyday lives.
OUR DEFINITION OF RETROFIT.
At the NRH, when we talk about retrofit, we mean improving the homes, buildings and neighbourhoods we already have.
It is about fixing what is not working and improving what can work better, so homes are warmer in winter, cooler in summer, use less energy, have cleaner air and produce fewer emissions, while being better prepared for a changing climate.
Retrofit can include insulation, better ventilation, low carbon heating, renewable energy and water saving measures. It can also involve changes beyond individual buildings, such as improving drainage, planting trees or redesigning local spaces to make them more resilient.
But retrofit is not only about physical measures. It is also about how decisions are made, how investment is directed and how delivery is organised. Who benefits, where funding flows and whether support reaches the right places all matter.
Done well, retrofit improves everyday lives while reducing emissions and building the skills, capacity and systems needed to deliver fairly and at scale.
ENABLING RETROFIT DELIVERY.
How the NRH supports better coordination, evidence, and action to improve outcomes for homes, buildings, and places.
The National Retrofit Hub enables the local and equitable delivery of retrofit at scale. We improve coordination across the retrofit community, strengthen the evidence base, and support action that leads to better outcomes for people, places, and improves the performance of existing homes and buildings.
nrh mission.
We want to help bring about a world where existing homes, buildings, and places support people’s health and wellbeing, are resilient and comfortable to live in, and play their part in a secure, low-carbon future. Retrofit delivers lasting benefits for communities, the environment, and people’s everyday lives.
nrh vision.
THE CHANGES WE ENABLE WILL BRING MEANINGFUL BENEFITS FOR PEOPLE:
WHY RETROFIT MATTERS?
Done well, retrofit delivers benefits that go beyond individual homes, supporting health and comfort, lower energy costs, workforce growth, economic resilience, reduced emissions, and long-term resilience across homes, buildings, and places.
The benefits of retrofit:
Reduced grid load & energy security
Innovation & economic growth
Workforce growth
Lower energy bills
Comfortable, healthy homes & neighbourhoods
Reduced emissions
Meet the Team.
As a Community Interest Company, the NRH is guided by an experienced Board of non-exec directors, responsible for governance and oversight. The NRH is led by its Co-Directors, who are responsible for the day-to-day running of the organisation. They are supported by a wider team of specialists, collaborators and volunteers who help deliver the NRH’s work.
OUR STORY SO FAR.
2023
NRH was established in 2023. Early working groups were set up to focus on priority barriers to retrofit delivery, and the organisation’s Co-directors were appointed in July.
During 2024, NRH shifted from set-up into delivery. Working groups became fully active led by volunteer Chairs from across the country, early outputs were produced, and collaboration across the retrofit community deepened, with a growing focus on evidence, outcomes, and local delivery.
2024
2025
NRH began 2025 by setting out its long-term vision, launched with a keynote from Parliamentary Undersecretary of State, Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh. The organisation also co-convened Retrofit 25 at the Building Centre, a six-month programme exhibition and event series, alongside the delivery of core outputs and wider sector collaboration. 2025 also saw the establishment of Cross Cutting Theme groups.
In 2026, NRH formally became a Community Interest Company, strengthening its governance and reinforcing its role as an independent organisation focused on enabling retrofit delivery and public benefit.
2026
HOW NRH WORKS IN PRACTICE.
AS AN INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY, NRH WORKS ACROSS THE RETROFIT SYSTEM TO SUPPORT COORDINATION, EVIDENCE, AND ACTION.
NRH focuses on the systemic and practical barriers that prevent high quality retrofit being delivered at scale. We work across the retrofit system to drive transformation, improve coordination, strengthen the evidence that shapes decisions, and support action that leads to better outcomes.
Through this work, we support the upgrade and improvement of homes and places, so they better serve citizens, strengthen communities and respond to a changing climate.
Our work is organised around three core ways of working, which together help turn shared priorities into coordinated delivery across the retrofit community.
We bring together the retrofit community to identify shared challenges, align priorities, and coordinate efforts that would not happen effectively in isolation.
convene.
We develop, test, and share evidence on what works in practice, helping improve decision-making, performance, and confidence across retrofit delivery.
evidence.
We support practical action by translating insight into recommendations, tools, and initiatives that help improve delivery on the ground.
action.
Knowledge hub.
PRACTICAL RESOURCES TO STRENGTHEN RETROFIT DELIVERY.
Our Knowledge Hub is a growing collection of reports, tools, directories, and practical resources. It is designed to support those delivering retrofit, shaping policy, or coordinating programmes at local and national level.
HOW WE ARE FUNDED.
NRH is supported through a mix of project and core funding and through contributions from our partners, and sponsors, alongside grants aligned to specific projects and areas of work. This funding model allows us to remain independent as a Community Interest Company and focus on work that delivers public benefit and improves retrofit delivery and outcomes.
Our major funders include:
Provided core funding during NRH’s establishment phase and continues to support our work on innovation and regulatory science.
Supports NRH’s work linking retrofit delivery to health, wellbeing, and outcomes in homes and communities, including work shaping reforms to the Private Rented Sector and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards.
Supports NRH’s work on standards and place-based, community-led approaches to retrofit, helping to drive greater confidence and quality across the sector.