A new report, ‘Energy Retrofit, Repair, Maintenance and Improvement of Homes in Great Britain: Towards a Sector Skills Strategy’ commissioned by CITB’s Repair, Maintenance and Improvement (RMI) Sector Skills Advisory Group, reveals the repair and maintenance and improvement of existing homes represents £41 billion of total construction turnover. The report also outlines key guiding principles covering what the RMI sector needs to grow and progress, with particular focus on competence, improved industry coordination and quality assurance throughout delivery.

The guiding principles underpin the new RMI (Retrofit) Sector Skills Plan developed with the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), employers and industry stakeholders. The plan sets out how industry will work together to streamline training initiatives, and strengthen the skills, competence and confidence of the workforce delivering retrofit across the UK. It will also create clearer standards for employers and workers to train towards.

Good retrofit improves energy efficiency and makes homes healthier for occupants. However, poorly executed retrofit can create significant risks for buildings and occupants. This new plan is combatting poor retrofit by putting quality at the centre of the skills agenda, helping to make sure the RMI and retrofit workforce is fully equipped to maximise the benefits of retrofit while minimising the risks as much as possible.

This plan comes at a vital time for the construction industry as it faces growing pressures to deliver on housing, net zero, and building safety ambitions. Retrofit places a key role in improving the performance of existing buildings, but delivering this at scale is a challenge and will greatly depend on having a skilled and competent workforce in place.

Tim Balcon, Chief Executive Officer at CITB, said:

“Delivering retrofit at the scale needed across the UK depends on having a workforce with the right skills, knowledge and competence. The RMI Sector Skills Plan brings the industry together around a shared approach, helping to simplify what can often be a complex landscape and making it easier for businesses and individuals to access the support they need.

“This is also an important example of the change in how CITB is investing the Levy. We are increasingly focused on backing training and skills interventions that deliver clear, measurable impact for industry – improving competence, productivity and long-term workforce capability. Because this plan has been developed by industry, for industry, it is precisely the kind of targeted investment where the Levy can deliver greater value: focusing collective effort on the skills that employers need most and helping to raise standards consistently across the retrofit workforce.”

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said:

“The RMI sector is often treated as the Cinderella of the construction sector, but domestic RMI represents 20% of UK constructions economic output. That is more than new housing and more than infrastructure.

The research from the University of Oxford and Nottingham Trent University is arguably the most comprehensive overview of RMI skills and acts as a solid bedrock for the future direction of building industry funding into training. The bigger picture is that retrofit is no longer niche, it is just everyday RMI work, carried out by thousands of small, local builders on a daily basis. It is therefore time that we invest in the skills and competence outcomes that this sector deserves.”

The plan will now move into delivery, with industry partners working closely together to progress its key actions and ensure the sector has the skills, standards and support needed to deliver retrofit at scale.

To find out more about the RMI Retrofit Sector Skills Plan, and to read the full Energy Retrofit, Repair, Maintenance and Improvement of Homes in Great Britain: Towards a Sector Skills Strategy report visit the RMI Sector Skills Plan page.