Hertfordshire has launched its first ever countywide Retrofit Strategy...
This follows a 50-strong stakeholder event on 8 July – a collaborative roadmap developed by councils, businesses, colleges, housing associations and local organisations to accelerate home energy efficiency improvements across the county.
Retrofit – the process of improving a building’s energy performance – is critical to reducing emissions, cutting energy bills, and creating warmer, healthier homes. Yet many residents face barriers like high costs, confusing advice, and limited access to skilled workers.
The strategy responds to these challenges by uniting key players in the retrofit system – from planners and contractors to educators and community groups – to deliver joined-up action and investment.
The launch builds on earlier steps such as the “Retrofitting Your House: For a cosier, greener home” guide (recently featured in The Times) and the Greener Homes skills initiative, and has been shaped through three major co-design workshops, regular working group meetings, and the support of over 50 stakeholders across the retrofit supply chain.
“Hertfordshire has some of the oldest housing stock in the UK, and many of our homes are leaky, cold and difficult to heat efficiently,” said Cllr Stotesbury, Chair of the Hertfordshire Climate Change and Sustainability Partnership (HCCSP). “This strategy is about tackling that head on – not in isolation, but together.”
Elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor, said: “Watford Borough Council is proud to endorse the Hertfordshire Retrofit Strategy. In Watford, we’ve seen the real benefits of retrofit – from installing 655 solar panels at Woodside Leisure Centre to cutting emissions at our Grade II listed Town Hall by 166 tonnes a year through major energy upgrades.
Cllr Ian Stotesbury, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Sustainability in Watford, additionally said: “We are also making future improvements across sites like Watford Palace Theatre and community centres, as well as homes in the town, using technologies like heat pumps and insulation to drive down carbon and costs. We’re committed to sharing our experience and supporting greener homes and buildings across Hertfordshire.”
A highlight of the launch event included a powerful talk from Hertfordshire resident Judith Leary-Joyce, who shared her experience retrofitting her Victorian terrace to reduce energy bills and increase comfort. The launch was also introduced by the MCS Foundation, whose Local Area Retrofit Accelerator project funded the development of the strategy.
The scale of the task is huge – nearly 483,000 homes need to be retrofitted by 2050, requiring thousands of trained professionals and a strong supply chain. But the potential is equally big: a retrofit economy worth billions, significant carbon and bill savings, and a better quality of life for residents.
Already, local partners have secured over £100 million to upgrade homes and buildings, including a recent £40 million package delivered through partnerships between councils and housing providers. The Retrofit Strategy provides the next step forward – a framework to coordinate action, unlock long-term success and grow a thriving low-carbon economy in Hertfordshire.
