Why Data Matters: How data can unlock success in domestic retrofit projects

Whether you’re working towards meeting EPC targets, reducing fuel poverty, or aligning with broader strategic goals, your ability to collect, manage, and analyse data is critical.

Turner & Townsend’s Elizabeth Head and Max Max Leeson (both Subject Matter Experts working on the Retrofit Information, Support and Expertise - or RISE - team) share why data is so important in retrofit, and how housing providers can harness data to strengthen their retrofit resourcing, planning and delivery. 

Elizabeth Head is the Regional Lead for the North and Midlands Warm Homes Social Housing Fund and leads the Data team within RISE. As a Consultant she has supported Grant Recipients from Application through to Delivery for HUG 2, SHDF Wave 2.1, 2.2 and now leads a team supporting the delivery of Wave 3. Her specialism in data allowed her to deliver bespoke data support to over 120 organisations applying into the Warm Homes funds, she continues to develop new approaches to data management within housing projects. 

Max Leeson is a Junior Consultant within Turner & Townsend Real Estate Sustainability Team with an MSc in Environment and Development. Max has spent the last 2 years working on Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2.1 and Warm Homes Wave 3. Working as a Support Manager and specialising in Data Analysis through work in the Data Team as a Subject Matter Expert, leading on the Geographic Information Systems work and delivering strategic mapping and locational services to over 120 organisations.

How does data influence decision-making in domestic retrofit projects?

Elizabeth Head: 

"Data is absolutely central to retrofit projects. Without the right type, and the right amount of data on all key factors influencing property selection, it becomes very challenging to determine which homes are suitable for inclusion in a retrofit project, let alone which measures should be prioritised to get the best outcomes."

What role does data play in targeting homes most in need of retrofit interventions?

Elizabeth Head: 

"The two most important factors when deciding which homes to target are knowledge of which properties hold which EPC rating (especially those with the lower D, E F and G ratings) and understanding  what the current state of the building fabric is. A ‘worst first’ approach is often most effective and with updated regulations regarding the rental of properties below EPC C likely to come in by 2028, there’s even more reason to prioritise homes in the lower EPC bands.

Data that helps you to understand which retrofit measures have previously been installed at a property and can also support the decisions you make on future interventions. This lays the foundation for project costings and timelines, creating the vehicle to develop a database of measures for delivery."

What types of data are most critical for successful retrofit planning and delivery? 

Max Leeson: 

"For anyone looking to deliver Warm Homes funded projects over the next year, the most critical datasets are those that will help you to develop specific projects based on the Warm Homes criteria. These include:

1. 1. EPC band – this will often be the most critical eligibility criteria for properties.
   2. Archetype – this will help you to understand what possible measures may be suitable for that specific property type and if there are any other factors to take into consideration when deciding whether to include a property in a bid or plan.
   3. Indices of Multiple Deprivation - variables such as income decile can help you to tailor the selection of properties to prioritise the most vulnerable residents.
   4. Demographic indicators – understanding your residents’ characteristics will help you to develop good quality, relevant resident engagement techniques. It can also help you to better ascertain possible levels of understanding and interest in retrofit works.
   5. Conservation areas – understanding planning restraints will allow you to get ahead of the game with planning permission or any special requirements of your properties."

What constitutes "good data" when it comes to domestic retrofit?

Max Leeson: 

"For me, good data is defined by how useful it is in helping you to develop a greater understanding in any given area. Good data comes in a huge number of different forms, and what is considered good for one project may not be valuable for another. This is why developing a data strategy for each project, and having a clear plan on how to reach your aims must be the first step before data collection can begin.

Once you have identified what data is good for you, assessing the quality of data itself is about validation. Ensuring data is accurate and up to date is key. There are numerous sources of public housing data, from the Census, Office for National Statistics, EPC Open Communities and Environmental Agency. Many of these are updated regularly and will often be as accurate as you will be able to find online, but these must be joined and cross-referenced against data held within your own organisation. For example, often data captured by housing providers through their own retrofit assessments of properties will be more accurate than EPC certificate data."  

What are the biggest challenges in maintaining high-quality retrofit data?

Elizabeth Head: 

"An important step in maintaining good quality data is to ensure all data is organised and managed in one place, where it can be updated and logged as soon as it is collected, ensuring a single source of truth. This means that, when new retrofit assessments or EPC certificates are produced, or other data is collected, it can be immediately logged with its associated update date alongside the old data. This is a continuous process where old data should not be deleted as it may provide a useful log of how data has been added if it turns out in the future to be proved wrong. 

This approach really is the foundation of all future projects; it allows organisations to efficiently develop  suitable projects for funding and locate specific archetypes and measure suitability to build projects that are easy to manage and deliver."

How can good data help attract additional investment into retrofit projects?

Elizabeth Head:

"If you have strong, reliable, consistent data, then you will be in a great position to argue the business case for carrying out retrofit works, secure senior sign off and access funding that your organisation may have. Often internal funding is limited, so the stronger your data is, the stronger your business case will be, helping you to argue more persuasively for any available funding .

A strong data strategy and high quality data also build stakeholders’ and external funders’ confidence in the project as a whole, adding credibility to your timelines and budgets.  If you can evidence these two well then there is less chance for surprises throughout the project timeline which may lead to increased costs or reduced project scope."

What role can the supply chain play in improving data systems for retrofit projects?

Elizabeth Head: 

"Retrofit suppliers play a really important role  in enabling retrofit, including data collection and management. Contractors are often the ones visiting the properties and creating their data profiles. They often have the most contact with residents during delivery. Housing providers and  contractors working together on data templates and hosting online servers where data can be stored and synced are two practical ways that data management can be improved. This would benefit any current projects in delivery, and it could also support the planning of future similar projects."

RISE supports local authorities, social housing providers and their supply chains to plan and deliver successful domestic retrofit programmes. There is a wide range of resources focused on data - from how to develop a data strategy to approaches to stock assessment and different data software options.

Useful Resources: 
RISE Data for retrofit toolkit
Reviewing your asset data, Warm Homes Social Housing Fund Masterclass
Reviewing your Asset Data, Warm Homes Local Grant RISE Masterclass