People's Assembly on Retrofit: Recap & Outcomes
- Ines Alanah & Crystal Cheung
- Jun 26
- 4 min read
Event outcomes synthesised by Ines Alanah, blog post written by Crystal Cheung
On 19th June 2025, community members, retrofit professionals, local changemakers and authorities representatives gathered at the Christ Church Community Centre for a People’s Assembly on Retrofit (or shall we say Future-proofing?). This event was held as part of the London Festival of Architecture 2025 with the aim to collectively deliberate on the following question:
"How might we retrofit our buildings in effective, efficient and fair ways?"
The People’s Assembly was structured in three stages:
Input phase: Framing the process and input from retrofit experts
Deliberation phase: Facilitated roundtable discussions in small groups
Integration phase: Sharing of ideas to wider group and pledges
You can read more about People’s Assemblies here.
Event image credits: Celine Cheung
Check out the rest of the photos via this link.
Below is a summary of the key outcomes from the event:
Key Challenges
Public awareness of retrofit remains low, with many people unfamiliar with the term or deterred by overly technical language. This limits engagement and slows uptake. Meanwhile, the retrofit workforce remains underdeveloped. There are not enough trained professionals and local councils often lack the technical expertise to lead. Compounding this is the fact that retrofit is not widely seen as a viable or attractive career path.
Funding and incentives present another major barrier. Support is often unavailable or inaccessible for those in private rented homes, and the timing and communication of financial schemes require improvement. On the governance side, despite national measures such as the Warm Homes Plan and National Retrofit Plan, there is fragmentation between local and national efforts. Finally, fairness and inclusion are significant concerns. Benefits are unevenly distributed, and tenants are frequently excluded from the decision-making process, leaving vulnerable groups behind.
Actionable Solutions
1. Education & Communication
To improve public understanding, retrofit messaging should use inclusive language and visuals that speak to a wide audience. Educational efforts must start early, using schools and community events to build awareness. Sharing relatable case studies and using storytelling, open homes, and lived experiences can make retrofit tangible. A central hub for retrofit information, complemented by standardised, audience-specific materials, would streamline public outreach and raise awareness..
2. Community Co-Creation
Communities must be partners in retrofit, not passive recipients. Co-designing projects with tenants and residents encourages ownership and ensures local relevance. Councils can support collective solutions, such as coordinating estate- and street-wide retrofit efforts, also leading with exemplary retrofit case studies. Local champions, open home events, and information hubs at community centres are all effective tools.
3. Governance & Regulation
Fair governance means allocating resources based on need and ensuring tenants have a voice in retrofit planning. National standards are necessary to guarantee minimum outcomes across all housing types, supported by independent retrofit co-ordinators. Local efficiency will be driven by designated retrofit zones, greater technical capacity within councils, and strong alignment between national policy and local delivery frameworks.
4. Funding & Incentives
Funding strategies must prioritise equity. This includes targeted grants for low-income renters and community co-design of funding access. Clear, early communication about financial options is critical. Effective schemes should be measurable and outcome-driven, potentially including tools like a “Good Landlord” certification. Efficient solutions include bulk-buying programmes (e.g. for solar panels), low-interest government loans, and a simplified, user-friendly Planning Application process.
5. Workforce & Skills
Expanding the retrofit workforce begins with creating accessible and alternative pathways. Local training opportunities, career fairs, and DIY skill-building programmes can introduce retrofit as a hands-on, purpose-driven field. For long-term impact, we need higher intakes in paid apprenticeships and accredited training routes, alongside strong promotion of retrofit jobs in schools and colleges. Regional skills mapping, local training centres, and contractor refresher courses will ensure supply meets local demand.
6. Strategic & Systemic Change
At a strategic level, retrofit must be seen as a long-term opportunity, not just a technical fix. A just transition should be embedded in all planning, with special care taken to protect vulnerable populations during change. Local data should inform national strategies and help councils prioritise action. Piloting scalable models, such as RAFT (Retrofit Action for Tomorrow), can accelerate learning and impact. Systemic efficiency will come from economies of scale, integrating retrofit into asset management, and coordinating procurement across boroughs.
Retrofit is much more than buildings, it is about people and future-proofing communities
The People’s Assembly on Retrofit was more than just a discussion, it was a shared vision for warmer homes, lower bills, and a more resilient future. The key outcomes highlight our collective commitment and enthusiasm for future-proofing our buildings in Islington and across the UK.
The Islington Climate Centre is committed to bringing these ideas to life, but we cannot do it without you. Whether it is getting involved in local retrofit projects, advocating for equitable funding, or simply raising awareness of retrofit, every action matters.
Call to action
Feeling inspired and motivated? Here are ways you can get involved!
Join our Future-proofing working group on Whatsapp to pool ideas and collaborate
Participate in the upcoming Mass Lobby on 9th July 2025 to make retrofit a national priority
Involved with retrofit initiatives, add it to our ICC Retrofit Directory
Thank you!
Special thanks to our four speakers, event facilitator and fellow Islington Climate Centre volunteers for making this event possible:
Main event organisers
Anna Hyde (Co-founder and Director of Islington Climate Centre)
Crystal Cheung (Volunteer of Islington Climate Centre, lead event organiser)
Speakers
Richard Martin (Senior Strategic Lead for Climate Action, Islington Council)
Eloise Hanney (Retrofit Programme Officer, Islington Council)
Christopher Procter (Architect & Director, Procter-Rihl Architects)
Linda Clarke (Retrofit Educator, Greener Jobs Alliance)
Main event facilitator
Aneira Roose-McClew (Co-founder of TRUST THE PEOPLE)
Download this PDF to see the original ideas, notes and comments discussed during the People's Assembly:
Presentation slides from the speakers:
Decarbonising housing and opportunities for domestic retrofit in Islington by Richard Martin & Eloise Hanney (Islington Council)
Retrofitting in Conservation Areas by Christopher Procter (Architect)
Overcoming problems with construction labour, vocational education and training for large scale retrofit of social housing by Linda Clarke (Retrofit Educator)
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