Masterclass - Transforming Retrofit into a Long-Term Infrastructure Investment

Why This Matters

Housing providers across the country are under sustained pressure to improve the energy performance of their stock. Yet for many organisations, retrofit still sits firmly in the cost column, something to be funded when grants arrive, deferred when budgets tighten, and managed as a compliance obligation rather than a strategic investment. That framing is holding the sector back. 

This masterclass explores a different way of thinking about retrofit: one that removes the dependency on upfront capital, generates revenue for landlords, delivers measurable savings for residents, and does not require waiting for the next round of government funding. 

What the Masterclass Will Cover

• How a fully funded, subscription-based model transfers the capital burden away from the housing provider entirely 

• The role of smart meter data in building accurate, resident-specific energy baselines before any technology is deployed 

• How resident engagement is structured to make uptake voluntary, informed, and financially transparent 

• The mechanics of a home comfort charge model — how it is set, what tenants receive in return, and how savings are evidenced 

• How flexibility revenue from battery assets generates an additional income stream for landlords, separate from tenant charges 

• Where private capital funding sits alongside — rather than competing with — the Warm Homes Plan and grant-funded programmes 

• Evidence from a live trial with Oxfordshire County Council, including conversion rates, energy bill reductions, and payment performance 

• How the model can operate across tenure types within a place-based delivery approach 

Who the Masterclass Is For

This session is relevant for housing professionals responsible for energy strategy, asset management, sustainability, or retrofit programmes within housing associations and local authorities.

It will also be of value to those in finance or investment roles who are assessing alternative funding routes for low carbon infrastructure. 

Anyone evaluating whether private capital models are viable — and how they interact with existing programmes — will find the content directly applicable. 

Who It’s Not For

This is not a technical installation session and does not cover the engineering specifications of solar or battery systems in detail. It is not aimed at those looking for grant funding guidance or procurement frameworks. If you are at the very early stages of understanding what retrofit involves, this session assumes a working familiarity with the housing and energy landscape. 

What Attendees Will Leave With

• A clear understanding of how a fully funded retrofit model works in practice, including the financial flows between landlord, tenant, and investor 

• Confidence to assess whether a subscription-based or private capital approach is appropriate for their organisation and housing stock 

• A framework for evaluating resident engagement strategies that support voluntary uptake rather than forced retrofit 

• Clarity on how this type of model complements rather than conflicts with Warm Homes Plan funding 

• Practical reference points from a completed trial, including conversion rates and net savings figures, to support internal business cases 

Speaker Credibility

This masterclass features Tom Woolley, Director of Residential Retrofit at SMS Group, the energy infrastructure company behind the Metis proposition. Tom brings seven years of experience at SMS across smart metering and behind-the-meter asset deployment, and has led the development of a funded retrofit model trialled at scale with Oxfordshire County Council. The session is hosted by Jenny Danson of the Healthy Homes Hub. 

Logistics

Format: Virtual masterclass

Call to Action

If the issues covered in this session are relevant to your current programmes or strategic planning, we would encourage you to register. The content is grounded in evidence from live deployment and is designed to inform practical decision-making, not to advocate for a single approach. 

Watch the full Transforming Retrofit into a Long-Term Infrastructure Investment Masterclass here.

Listen to the full Transforming Retrofit into a Long-Term Infrastructure Investment Masterclass on Spotify.

CPD Accreditation

Keeping pace with the ever evolving social housing landscape has never been more critical. Staying up to date is not optional, it is essential. Our masterclass series offers a flexible, accessible way to enhance your professional knowledge.

You can access this recording at a time to suit your schedule and watching this session and completing this form will provide you with CPD accreditation.