Trailblazing Retrofit Coordinator Launches Consultancy After Training at The Retrofit Academy
A Shropshire-based Retrofit Coordinator has opened his own consultancy business after upskilling in the industry. Following the completion of the Level 5 Retrofit Coordination and Risk Management course through The Retrofit Academy, Sam Gwilliam has launched Roost Building Consultants alongside his wife Kate to provide clients with services such as retrofit advice, assessment and coordination.
The consultancy aims to help businesses who are making use of funding such as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) and Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) as well as individuals looking to retrofit their home privately. Using a variety of sustainable upgrades to existing homes, Roost Building Consultants can reduce the amount of carbon released through Shropshire properties into the atmosphere, helping reduce its negative impact on the planet.
What is a Retrofit Coordinator?
A Retrofit Coordinator is a highly skilled professional who oversees the process of retrofitting existing buildings to improve their energy efficiency and reduce their carbon footprint. They are responsible for ensuring that retrofit projects adhere to the PAS 2035 standard, the official framework for whole-house domestic retrofit in the UK. Retrofit Coordinators are crucial in helping the UK reach its target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
As a Retrofit Coordinator, Sam is one of the most highly qualified retrofit specialists which enables him to ensure projects adhere to PAS 2035 – the official framework for whole-house domestic retrofit in the UK. As a result, he can guarantee compliance with procurement, specification, and delivery of all aspects of domestic retrofit activity.
Funding for the Course
To help finance his learning journey to become a qualified Retrofit Coordinator, Sam was able to apply for funding made available through the West Midlands Combined Authority DfE Skills Bootcamps to help upskill individuals in the Midlands. Funding is currently available for fully funded for unemployed, self-employed and career changers. For learners put forward by their company (co-funded), the employer pays match funding up to 10% for an SME (1-249 employees) and up to 30% for a Large Enterprise (250+ employees).
Sam Gwilliam’s Journey:
Speaking on his journey to open Roost Building Consultants, owner Sam Gwilliam said:
“In 2022, following the sale of our previous business, my wife and I decided to spend a year upskilling ourselves to launch our own consultancy company. For me, this included gaining a qualification in retrofit. Due to my background in the built industry sector, I went straight into the Retrofit Coordination course at The Retrofit Academy and was taught everything I needed to retrofit homes to the PAS 2035 standard.”
Since its launch in 2019, The Retrofit Academy has trained 1680 Retrofit Coordinators through its Level 5 Diploma in Retrofit Coordination and Risk Management to help lower the skills gap in the sector. To reach the Government’s target of reaching net zero by 2050, 400,000 qualified and competent professionals are needed to retrofit 27 million UK homes to the PAS 2035 standard. The Retrofit Academy is aiming to train 200,000 of those by 2030.
Sam added, “Following the completion of my course using the online learning platform, I’m now able to lead the retrofit services at Roost Building Consultancy and help provide the necessary changes and upgrades needed to decarbonise buildings in the Shropshire area. We can’t wait to make a positive difference and provide all the needed services to help build a more sustainable community.”
Become a Retrofit Coordinator
As awareness of the importance of energy efficiency and carbon reduction grows, the demand for Retrofit Coordinators is expected to increase significantly in the coming years. The Retrofit Academy’s efforts to train and upskill professionals in this field are crucial to meeting this demand and ensuring that the UK has the necessary expertise to achieve its net zero goals.
For more information about becoming a Retrofit Coordinator through The Retrofit Academy, please click here.
