Award in Domestic Retrofit Assessment Level 4

On successful completion of the Level 4 Award in Domestic Retrofit Assessment, learners may progress directly into employment as a Retrofit Assessor or progress onto higher learning in the Retrofit field, such as the Open College Network West Midlands Level 5 Diploma in Retrofit Coordination and Risk Management.

Are you a qualified Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) with at least a year of full-time experience in the role?

Open up new professional opportunities with a Retrofit Assessor qualification. A PAS 2035 assessment can be done under RDSAP+, that is, the methodology you currently use to create Energy Performance Certificates PLUS ventilation, condition, occupancy, site issues, etc.

Find out what you need to know to provide the Retrofit Coordinator and Designer with the information they need to create the medium term plan and retrofit design. The Level 4 qualification enables learners to meet the requirements of the retrofit industry standard PAS 2035 and includes practical property assessments to ensure competency.

Upcoming schedule:

The modules are as follows:

Module 1 PAS 2035 and Retrofit Assessments
Gives an overview of PAS 2035 and how this impacts on the Retrofit Assessor’s role. It also covers the roles and responsibilities of others in the PAS 2035 retrofit process.

Module 2 Context of Dwellings
'Context of Dwellings' is, in essence, looking at the areas that need to be addressed in preparation for carrying out a retrofit assessment. So, knowing what you need to have in order to do the assessments, as well as the information that will underpin them.

Module 3 Assessing the Condition of a Dwelling and Recording any Defects
This is the assessment of the condition of the dwelling and includes the recording of defects. It is critical that defects, including leaks and cracks, are addressed prior to the installation of new measures.

Module 4 The Requirements of Occupancy Assessments
The occupancy of a dwelling; the number of people who live there, ages, lifestyle patterns, etc. is a key part in the successful planning of a retrofit. The occupants are often incorrectly left out of the process, so it is important this information is recorded.

Module 5 Ventilation Requirements of a Dwelling
Ventilation is an essential requirement for any home. It is needed to ensure there is fresh air for breathing, as well as for removing and reducing pollutants in the home. Adequate ventilation will also help to control the amount of moisture in the air and thus reduce the risk of condensation and problems such as mould growth. So, the key to a healthy home is a functional ventilation strategy, and for a design to facilitate this, a comprehensive understanding of a dwelling’s existing ventilation system should be recorded by the Assessor.

Module 6 Energy Performance of a Dwelling
This module covers estimating energy usage and cost, and carbon dioxide emissions using industry models, such as the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) or the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP). A Retrofit Assessor should be familiar with the use of SAP or PHPP software to support their work.

Module 7 Significance of a Dwelling
This module covers the classification of a building, i.e. 'traditional' or 'protected' and reporting on its age, built form, setting, and so on.

Module 8 Retrofit Assessment Reports
This module includes a virtual retrofit assessment of a domestic dwelling, including being able to inspect for defects. Followed by the completion of the assessment report.

Module 9 Retrofit Advice to Customers
PAS 2035 spells out what retrofit advice needs to be provided on a project, and by whom, so this module sets out what the Retrofit Assessor’s responsibilities are in this respect.