Urban streets or rural lanes? Retrofit location matters

Claire Brown of project consultant Turner & Townsend details why it is important that approaches to retrofit take into account building location.

Location defines everything in a retrofit project – how long engagement takes, which solutions will work, and how easy it is to access the property for installations.

A retrofit measure that is straightforward to install in a city centre may be complex or impractical in a rural village, while resident engagement approaches that work well in suburban estates may fall short in high-rise urban environments.

Understanding the differences between urban, suburban and rural retrofit, to build an area-based approach to your retrofit programme, will help you to plan for the property type which will help to ensure a smooth delivery of the project.

Installation barriers, access and logistics

When it comes to installation in urban areas, we are also often faced with tight parking and restricted access causing difficulty in bringing materials and installers to site. Temporary parking permits can help mitigate some of these issues.

Rural delivery brings longer travel times, fewer local specialists, and higher costs for return visits. Contractor proximity, clustering homes sensibly, and realistic scheduling all become critical.

These challenges can all lead to higher costs and careful planning to ensure there is the resources and time available to bring materials and specialists to site.

Measures shaped by space

In low-rise buildings, measures like glazing, external wall insulation, solar PV or heat pumps can be more straightforward. When installing these measures in high-rise buildings, you need complex scaffolding and skills to work at height, requiring careful planning and budgeting. Heat pumps may not be practical due to restricted outside space, and solar PV must work on one shared roof with shared energy costs between households.

Lewisham Council (a borough located in the South East of London) tackled this exact challenge when they carried out retrofit on the Hermitage Building, an Art Deco block of flats in a conservation area. Thanks to support from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (now known as the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund), they installed the borough’s first Allume SolShare system. This innovative setup allows all residents to directly benefit from onsite solar PV generation. The Hermitage now boasts 100 solar panels across its roof, utilising three SolShare systems to generate 41.15 kWp.

In urban areas, overheating risk can also be higher – due to the heat island effect they can reach up to 10°C warmer! Shutters or shading can be considered, and PAS 2035 approaches to overheating should be followed.

Rural homes tend to offer more space, but bring other challenges: older construction types, solid walls, heritage considerations and areas prone to storms and power cuts may result in resident caution towards grid-reliant systems.

All of this takes time – to screen for hard-to-treat properties, design suitable alternatives to measures, and build in the right level of advice and reassurance for residents.

PAS 2035 supports this process by setting out the considerations and planning requirements that are more likely to arise in rural or urban settings.

Compliance differences, shared solutions

In England there are estimated to be 77,500 high rise residential buildings, estimated to contain 691,000 dwellings. These types of properties are more frequently found in urban areas, and come with their own safety considerations and standards. The RISE Supply Chain Advice Pack: Introduction to high rise retrofit breaks down the relevant legislation and the qualifications required from contractors.

Urban compliance pressures often centre on fire safety, cladding remediation, noise standards and working at height. Retrofit works may need to align with wider building safety programmes.

In rural areas, ecological surveys and heritage or planning rules are more likely to impact timelines. Protected species and listed buildings need to be identified early to avoid programme delays.

There is one shared solution – identify constraints early to ensure that all compliance considerations are in place.

Resident engagement – one size never fits all

In urban areas, teams can take a street-by-street or block-by-block approach to engagement, reaching many residents in a single day. Rural engagement is different. Homes are more spread out, travel takes longer, and conversations often need more time.

Anyone who lives in a house – so particularly in suburban or rural areas – may be more conscious about curbside appeal, which could impact on the measures they are happy to install. If they share a boundary, roof or party wall with any neighbours then agreements might be required, and everything should be carefully sequenced to avoid disruption.

In any location it’s important to build in enough time to reassure residents, and their neighbours, while tailoring engagement to their needs.

Take an area-based approach to retrofit to reduce costs and stay on track

Geography will always shape retrofit. Planning for this is essential for successful and efficient delivery, to reduce costs and keep a project on track.

Grouping properties by archetype and location can help you to streamline your retrofit programme, reduce costs and simplify logistics. By working on multiple properties with shared characteristics, you can account for the individual challenges of the project, plan realistic timelines and tailor engagement to resident needs. This will reduce the risk of costly delays or changes to the planned works, creating a smooth process which will deliver better outcomes for residents and communities.

Be prepared for retrofit in any area by taking a look at the RISE Supply Chain Advice Pack: Retrofitting from Rural Roots to Urban Heights – you’ll find a full list of considerations for urban, suburban and rural retrofit programmes.

You can also watch the RISE Masterclass-on-demand Urban vs Rural Approaches to Retrofit. You’ll gain practical insights for your project, whether you’re working on a city block, a suburban street or a rural village.

RISE – or Retrofit Information, Support and Expertise – supports local authorities, social housing providers and their supply chains to plan and deliver successful domestic retrofit programmes. Resources are available at www.riseretrofit.org.uk