Affordable Housing & Retrofit

Could retrofitting be the scalable solution?

If you’re responsible for delivering affordable housing, you’ll understand how challenging it is. With demand far outweighing supply, the pressure to deliver safe, sustainable, and cost-effective homes is greater than ever. With a shortage of nearly 4 million homes in the UK, it’s estimated that around 340,000 new homes must be built annually to meet demand. 

Bridging this gap requires a sustainable, innovative approach. The solution needs to be faster, more affordable, and environmentally friendly while future-proofing housing for years to come. Retrofitting, the process of repurposing underutilised or vacant properties into homes, offers a scalable solution, enabling the delivery of much-needed homes quickly, cost-effectively, and sustainably. 

In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of retrofitting and how Evolution5 help turn your projects into an efficient and viable way to tackle the housing crisis. 

The case for retrofitting in affordable housing 

While retrofitting can provide a quicker, more sustainable way to meet housing demand, there are barriers to its widespread adoption. Key challenges include: 

• Unequal Access to Funding: Securing funding for retrofitting projects can be difficult, with what limited funding there is going towards new builds.

• Shortage of Skilled Workers: A shortage of professionals trained in retrofitting techniques can slow down projects.

• Unique Structural Needs: Every building has its own specific requirements, making retrofitting more complex than starting from scratch. 

Partnering with a construction consultant can help address these challenges, ensuring projects stay on track and are delivered successfully. Evolution5 offers the expertise and hands-on management needed to navigate these issues, turning retrofitting into a viable solution for affordable housing providers. 

How Evolution5 can help

Whether you’re a local authority, registered social housing provider, or arms-length management organisation (ALMO), we provide expert support across all stages of your retrofitting project:

• Expert Guidance on Planning and Regulatory Barriers: Navigating planning laws and funding requirements can be overwhelming, particularly in conservation areas. There can be seasonal constraints, such as nesting birds, that can impede progress. Without support from expert consultants, balancing building regulations, planning, and legal issues can incur excessive costs and disruptions.  

• Project & Cost Management: Managing tight budgets and ambitious timelines is no easy feat. Our team oversee every project stage, control costs, and mitigate risks to keep developments on track and within budget. 

• Unlocking Conversion & Retrofit Potential: Rather than relying solely on new builds, Evolution5 help identify opportunities to convert unused buildings or retrofit existing housing, accelerating delivery and reducing costs. 

• Sustainability & Future-Proofing: With evolving regulations like the Future Homes Standard, balancing affordability and sustainability is challenging. Evolution5 help integrate energy-efficient designs, low-carbon materials, and renewable technologies without blowing the budget. 

• Stakeholder Management & Community Engagement: Affordable housing projects involve multiple stakeholders, from residents and community groups to developers and contractors. Our team acts as facilitators, aligning everyone toward a shared vision. 

Urban and rural opportunities 

Urban areas like London and Brighton have the worst shortage of affordable homes, while rural communities face logistical barriers to new construction. Converting unused buildings, such as vacant office spaces, retail units, or derelict structures, offers a unique opportunity to bring housing to market faster without the complexities of starting from scratch.  

Retrofits can be more cost-effective and align with sustainability goals by reducing the need for extensive groundwork and infrastructure development. However, successful retrofit projects require careful planning, regulatory knowledge, and expert project management, all areas where Evolution5 can add significant value. 

Retrofitting: An innovative and sustainable solution 

The demand for affordable housing is growing, and retrofitting offers an effective way to address this issue. Repurposing existing buildings is a win-win!  Getting homes to market faster, reducing costs, and helping contribute to sustainability goals. 

With Evolution5’s expertise, you can turn these opportunities into successful projects, ensuring that homes are delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards. 

Why choose Evolution5? 

If you’re responsible for delivering affordable housing, now is the time to consider how retrofitting could be part of the solution. With Evolution5 as your trusted partner, we can help you navigate the complexities of construction and deliver sustainable, cost-effective homes that meet your community’s needs. 

Contact us today to find out how we can help you shape the future of affordable housing. 

• Expertise You Can Trust: Extensive team experience improving housing quality and delivering successful residential projects.

• Client-Centric Approach: Tailored solutions designed to meet your specific needs and challenges.

• Innovative Support: Leveraging proven methods such as off-site construction to drive efficiency and value.
• Sustainability Commitment: Supporting clients in achieving environmentally friendly and future-proof housing solutions. 

Affordable Housing FAQs

What services does Evolution5 offer for affordable housing projects?
Evolution5 support every stage of your project, from planning and design to construction and handover. With a full range of services, we provide consultancy and construction management through to principal contracting.  

Who can benefit from Evolution5’s services?
We work with local authorities, registered social housing providers, and arms-length management organisations (ALMOs) to deliver affordable housing projects tailored to their unique needs.

What is retrofitting and why is it a sustainable option for affordable housing? Retrofitting, the process of repurposing underutilised or vacant properties into homes, offers a scalable solution, enabling the delivery of much-needed homes quickly, cost-effectively, and sustainably.

What are some of the barriers to widespread adoption of retrofitting for affordable housing?
While retrofitting can provide a quicker, more sustainable way to meet housing demand, there are barriers to its widespread adoption, such as unequal access to funding, shortage of skilled workers, and unique structural needs.

How does Evolution5 help with sustainability goals?
Through our extensive supply chain and expertise, Evolution5 help clients achieve sustainability targets and deliver energy-efficient projects. 

Get in Touch 

Contact Evolution5 today to discuss how we can help you deliver sustainable, high-quality, and cost-effective homes that meet the needs of communities across the UK. Together, we can shape the future of affordable housing.