The language of retrofit, part 3

Introduction

From SAPs to ZDEH, the world of retrofit is not short of acronyms and technical language but finding more accessible terms can make a huge difference when it comes to resident (and internal) engagement.

This is the last in our three part series on the language of retrofit, and how to find more accessible ways to describe retrofit measures to residents and colleagues.

You can find part one of the series here, and part two here.

Quality assurance

This check to ensure that any work has been carried out to the correct standards is crucial to successful retrofit. Explain to residents that this is an important step when any issues can be picked up quickly and resolved for them.

Retrofit

We know that the term retrofit itself can sometimes be a real barrier when talking to residents - it’s not a very widely used term outside of the sector, and can be misunderstood. Explain that you’re actually referring to all the different actions that can be taken in a home to make them warmer and more affordable to heat.

Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP)

This is the methodology that is used to assess a home and create an Energy Performance Certificate. It can be explained more simply by saying that the SAP is the UK’s official way of measuring how energy efficient a home is, and it looks at things like how well the home is insulated, what kind of heating and hot water systems it has, the type of windows and ventilation and any renewable energy systems (like solar panels) there are.

Thermal bridging

Sometimes cold bridging (which was explored in part one of this series) is referred to as thermal bridging. It’s the same thing - a gap in insulation which allows heat to escape.

U-value

This is a measure of overall heat loss through a particular section of your home, e.g. the roof. A lower u-values mean less heat loss.

Zero Direct Emissions Heating (ZDEH)

This is a type of heating that doesn’t produce any carbon emissions at the point of use. A ZDEH system might still produce indirect carbon emissions, for example, a heat pump which runs on non-renewable energy.