Case Studies

Two worked retrofit funding assessments showing how we build an eligibility case, plus projects delivered by our founder: six site decarbonisation surveys under the LASER Zero Carbon Fund programme for the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (2024–2025), and a PAS 2035 external wall insulation quality review covering 270 properties in North Wales (2026).

Retrofit funding · Worked eligibility assessments

What a funding assessment from us actually looks like

The two assessments below are worked examples, built to the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 requirements and shown at full depth so you can judge the method before you engage us. Client names, stock profiles and figures are composites, so no private client information is disclosed. The eligibility logic, the rules tested and the evidence standard are exactly what we apply to a live application.

1,180
Homes across both assessments
£18.12m
Combined programme value
£8.65m
Modelled funding requested
100%
Residential retrofit

The two assessments at a glance

AssessmentHomesProgramme valueModelled awardOutcome
Housing association, East London420£6.32m£3.10mEligible and application-ready
Local authority landlord, Outer London760£11.80m£5.55mEligible and strongly competitive

Eligibility means a project may apply. It does not guarantee an award. Competitive strength, evidence quality, budget availability and the funder's final decision remain separate considerations. Award values shown are modelled, not confirmed grants.

Worked assessment 01 · Housing association

Fabric-first retrofit across 420 social homes

Location: East London · Client type: Registered provider · Route: Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 · Outcome: Eligible and application-ready

420
Homes in scope
£6.32m
Programme value
£3.10m
Modelled award
91/100
Application readiness score

The starting position

A registered provider managing around 6,800 homes identified 420 occupied social homes with poor thermal performance, high heating demand and recurring reports of cold, condensation and mould risk. Starting stock was 310 EPC D and 110 EPC E, against a target of EPC C or better. The provider had £3.22 million of its own funding available and needed the programme to be deliverable without displacing essential repairs and building-safety spending.

The proposed programme

  • External wall insulation to 128 solid-wall homes, subject to final design and planning approval.
  • Cavity wall insulation or remediation to 166 suitable homes.
  • Roof and loft insulation improvements across 238 homes.
  • Floor insulation to 74 homes where surveys confirmed technical suitability.
  • Targeted windows, doors and draught-proofing where required by the whole-dwelling design.
  • Ventilation assessment and upgrades coordinated with the insulation strategy, all delivered under PAS 2035.

What the assessment changed

Two criteria came back as pass with action, not pass: 43 EPC certificates needed refreshing before the evidence would stand up, and the procurement route needed final tender approval and price validation. Both were fixable in weeks. Neither would have been visible from the programme summary alone, and either could have undermined the application at assessment.

Modelled outcome

  • 420 homes to EPC C
  • ~520 tCO₂e saved per year
  • ~£165k modelled annual bill saving
  • 28-month delivery period
  • £3.10m modelled award
  • £3.22m provider contribution (50.9%)

Rule-by-rule eligibility assessment

Eligibility criterionResultEvidence reviewedConclusion
Eligible applicantPassRegistration status, ownership records, organisation accounts.Eligible social housing landlord in England.
Eligible homesPassTenure records for all 420 properties.All properties are existing social housing within the project boundary.
Starting EPCPass with action310 EPC D and 110 EPC E records; 43 certificates required validation.Stock meets the below-EPC-C requirement, subject to refreshed evidence.
Minimum scalePassConfirmed schedule of 420 in-scope homes.Exceeds the 100-home threshold.
Performance outcomePassRdSAP modelling and archetype-level option appraisal.Every home modelled to reach EPC C where reasonably practicable.
Eligible measuresPassMeasure schedule, surveys, design assumptions, cost plan.Measures improve dwelling energy performance and are technically linked.
Co-fundingPassBoard approval and budget allocation of £3.22 million.Provider contribution represents 50.9% of eligible project costs.
Delivery standardsPassPAS 2035 roles, TrustMark route, quality plan.Compliant delivery and assurance structure established.
ProcurementPass with actionProcurement strategy, programme, draft evaluation criteria.Route credible but required final tender approval and price validation.
Resident protectionPassEngagement, safeguarding, access and complaints plans.Resident impacts and vulnerable-household needs addressed.

Risks and mitigations identified

  • Outdated energy evidence: update the 43 older EPCs and reconcile the final eligible-home schedule before phase approval.
  • Planning risk: early engagement and facade design review for two visually sensitive blocks.
  • Resident access: appointment protocol, vulnerable-resident support and a structured no-access escalation process.
  • Cost inflation: validate tender prices, retain a controlled contingency, phase homes by archetype.
  • Ventilation interaction: whole-dwelling ventilation assessment and post-installation commissioning.

The pre-submission improvement plan

1.Refresh EPC and retrofit assessments for the identified evidence gaps.
2.Finalise the property schedule and remove technically unsuitable homes.
3.Secure written confirmation of the provider's co-funding allocation.
4.Complete planning and facade reviews for the two sensitive blocks.
5.Strengthen resident access, safeguarding and complaints procedures.
6.Link every application statement to a named document in the evidence register.
7.Complete tender validation and update the delivery risk allowance.
Worked assessment 02 · Local authority landlord

Estate-scale retrofit across 760 council homes

Location: Outer London · Client type: Local authority landlord · Route: Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 · Outcome: Eligible and strongly competitive

760
Homes across six estates
£11.80m
Programme value
£5.55m
Modelled award
93/100
Application readiness score

The starting position

A local authority landlord responsible for more than 12,000 council homes developed a programme for 760 EPC D and E homes across six low-rise estates built between the 1950s and 1980s: a mixture of solid-wall houses, cavity-wall homes and low-rise flats. Residents reported high energy costs, cold external walls and recurring condensation. The authority needed grant support to accelerate improvements without disrupting its wider capital programme.

The proposed programme

  • External wall insulation to 224 solid-wall homes and selected low-rise blocks.
  • Cavity wall insulation and remediation to 286 suitable properties.
  • Roof, loft and flat-roof insulation upgrades across 610 homes.
  • Floor insulation to 132 suitable houses following intrusive surveys.
  • Solar photovoltaic systems to 176 homes where roof condition and orientation supported value for money.
  • Ventilation upgrades, moisture-risk management and post-installation commissioning.
  • Estate-based resident engagement, retrofit advice and support for vulnerable households.

What the assessment changed

Archetype modelling showed 742 of the 760 homes reaching EPC C. The remaining 18 needed further design work and, if they could not reach the target, a documented reasonable-practicability exception. Handling those 18 homes explicitly, rather than quietly averaging them into the total, is the difference between a claim a funder trusts and one they probe.

Modelled outcome

  • 760 homes improved
  • ~930 tCO₂e saved per year
  • ~£330k modelled annual bill saving
  • 32-month delivery period
  • £5.55m modelled award
  • £6.25m authority contribution (53.0%)

Rule-by-rule eligibility assessment

Eligibility criterionResultEvidence reviewedConclusion
Eligible applicantPassLocal authority ownership and housing-revenue-account records.Eligible social housing landlord in England.
Eligible homesPassAsset register, tenancy records, estate schedules.All 760 homes are existing council-owned social housing.
Starting EPCPass548 EPC D and 212 EPC E records, checked against the asset database.Every funded home starts below EPC C.
Minimum scalePassProperty-level schedule covering six estates.Pipeline comfortably exceeds the minimum project size.
Performance outcomePass with actionArchetype modelling: 742 homes reaching EPC C, 18 requiring further design.Target credible, with a technical-evidence plan for constrained homes.
Eligible measuresPassWhole-house option appraisals, survey evidence, measure-cost schedules.Measures appropriate and connected to identified defects.
Co-fundingPassCabinet and housing-capital approvals totalling £6.25 million.Authority contributes 53.0% of eligible project expenditure.
Cost and valuePassBenchmarking, cost-plan review, estate-level benefit modelling.Demonstrated cost control and measurable resident outcomes.
Delivery capabilityPassProgramme team, procurement framework, governance, mobilisation plan.Roles, approvals and delivery controls clearly established.
Resident engagementPassEstate engagement plan, equality assessment, vulnerable-person support.Resident needs, disruption and consent risks addressed.

Risks and mitigations identified

  • Technically constrained homes: complete detailed design for 18 properties and document any reasonable-practicability exception.
  • Structural condition: intrusive surveys before confirming insulation specifications for non-traditional homes.
  • Planning and facade approvals: estate design guides and coordinated applications before contractor mobilisation.
  • Resident refusal and disruption: estate drop-ins, translation support, named liaison officers, flexible access windows.
  • Multi-contractor interface: a single programme controls system, shared evidence standards, gateway inspections.
  • Solar generation assumptions: validate roof condition, shading and electrical capacity before final inclusion.

The pre-submission improvement plan

1.Complete technical validation for the 18 constrained homes.
2.Lock the eligible-home schedule to current asset and tenancy records.
3.Confirm cabinet authority and annual cash-flow profiling for the £6.25 million contribution.
4.Complete structural, roof and electrical surveys before phase approval.
5.Align planning submissions with the procurement and mobilisation timetable.
6.Create a single evidence standard for all designers, assessors and contractors.
7.Strengthen benefits tracking for EPC, energy, carbon, comfort and resident satisfaction.
8.Introduce a stage-gate review before each estate enters construction.
The method

How we assess a funding application

The assessment does not rest on a single percentage. It tests mandatory eligibility first, then evaluates evidence quality, delivery readiness, financial credibility and competitiveness as separate questions.

1

Verify the basics

Applicant, property tenure, location and current funding-round status.

2

Extract the rules

Every mandatory rule taken from the official scheme guidance, not from memory or precedent.

3

Match rule to evidence

Each rule matched against your information and a specific named supporting document.

4

Classify every requirement

Pass, fail, pass with action, or human review. No requirement left ambiguous.

5

Identify what is missing

Strengths, weaknesses, missing documents and delivery risks, stated plainly.

6

Prioritise the fixes

An improvement plan sequenced by what most improves the application, before submission.

7

Recheck before you submit

Official guidance and evidence rechecked immediately before the application goes in.

The worked assessments above are modelled on the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 requirements, including eligible social housing below EPC C, the expected EPC C performance outcome, application scale, co-funding, delivery standards and evidence requirements. The Wave 3 application window is closed; we assess against whichever round is currently open.

Featured · North Wales · 2026

PAS 2035 EWI Review: 270 traditional properties

Location: North Wales, Exposure Zone 4 (very severe) · Scope: 270 traditional solid-wall dwellings · Role: Retrofit quality & compliance review

The challenge

External wall insulation on traditional solid-wall housing in a very severe exposure zone is one of the highest-risk retrofit measures in the UK. Across the 270-property scheme, recurring defects were putting performance, durability and compliance at risk: render discolouration and fungal growth, thermal bridging from discontinuous insulation, cold spots around openings, and water-ingress pathways at sills, base tracks and flashings.

What we did

  • Systematic defect review across the portfolio, categorising failures by root cause: substrate preparation, board cutting and gap-filling, mesh embedment, bead/trim/flashing detailing, and finish application.
  • Benchmarked every defect class against INCA Best Practice guidance and the system designer's installation requirements, quoting the specific compliant detail for each failure.
  • Traced consequences through to resident impact: heat loss, condensation risk and internal mould growth.
  • Produced a good-practice playbook for site teams: unambiguous, manufacturer-backed instructions.

The value for clients

This review demonstrates exactly what a competent Retrofit Coordinator brings to a large-scale EWI programme: detecting systemic quality failures early, tying every defect to a specific compliant detail, and preventing installations from requiring remedial render or insulation replacement, protecting the guarantee, the funding compliance and the residents.

Good-practice playbook highlights

  • 40 mm minimum sill overhangs with drip details
  • Starter track at DPC and 150 mm above ground
  • 300–400 mm base-profile extension below DPC
  • L-shaped boards at openings, no edge under 150 mm
  • Mineral-wool slithers in all board gaps
  • 100 mm minimum mesh laps in the top third of the basecoat
  • Correct two-coat silicone finish application
LASER Zero Carbon Fund · LB Hammersmith & Fulham · 2024–2025

Six site decarbonisation surveys for a London borough

Each survey combined a physical site inspection, metered energy analysis, fabric U-value and heat-loss calculation, and a costed, ranked set of carbon-reduction options , supporting the borough's strategy of reaching net zero by 2030.

School
75% CO₂e reduction

Melcombe Primary School

A multi-building primary school with significant fabric losses and gas-fired heating. The whole-site plan combines internal wall insulation, roof and glazing upgrades, a low-temperature heat pump and solar PV, cutting emissions 75% and eliminating on-site fossil fuel reliance. 538,705 kWh and 97.1 tCO₂e saved per year; 2,516 lifetime tCO₂e.

IWIRoof + glazingHeat pumpSolar PV
School
68% CO₂e reduction

Normand Croft Community School

Fabric-led plan including 1,512 m² of internal wall insulation (11% cut in total building heat loss), glazing replacement cutting glazed-surface heat loss by 28%, LED lighting, heat-pump conversion and a district-heating connection assessment.

IWI 1,512 m²GlazingDistrict heating
Sports / community
47% CO₂e reduction

Bishop's Park Bowls Club

Air-to-water heat pump and solar PV package saving 22,400 kWh and 4.0 tCO₂e per year with a net annual running-cost saving. 80.9 tCO₂e saved over measure lifetimes for a £63,000 investment.

Heat pumpSolar PVNet cost saving
Community building
1.9-year payback

22 Exhibition Close

A tightly-scoped, high-value intervention: air-to-air heat pump with supplementary electric heating, saving 12,000 kWh/yr with a 39% emissions reduction, evidence that decarbonisation does not always require major capital works when the analysis is done properly.

Air-to-air heat pump39% CO₂e cut
Theatre / heritage
33% CO₂e pathway

Lyric Theatre

A landmark theatre with a 416 kW design heat load, complex occupancy and heritage constraints. The survey assessed heat-pump conversion, solar PV, lighting upgrades and district-heating options, a pathway that respects the building's operational and architectural constraints.

HeritageHeat pumpDistrict heating
Sports pavilion
Fossil fuels eliminated

South Park Cricket Pavilion

Heat pump and solar PV plan that fully removes on-site fossil fuel use, with the site modelled to become a net exporter of clean electricity in summer months.

Heat pumpSolar PVNet exporter

Melcombe Primary School: the measures in detail

MeasureEnergy saved (kWh/yr)CO₂e saved (t/yr)Project costLifetime tCO₂e
Internal wall insulation112,91720.6£582,800721.5
Flat roof to pitched (rafters)23,0014.2£52,119126.0
Pitched roof (loft)35,0776.4£22,778172.9
Glazing upgrade111,42020.3£381,600569.5
Heat pump (low temp.)224,67339.0£610,785780.7
Solar PV31,6166.5£56,511145.8
Total538,70597.1£1,706,5932,516.4

Figures are taken from the published survey reports; savings shown are modelled annual and lifetime values from the recommended-measures analysis in each report. Full reports available on request, subject to client permissions.

Is your funding application actually ready?

Most are not, and the gaps are usually small, specific and fixable. Tell us about your stock, your funding position and your deadline, we'll tell you the smallest first step.

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