RISE podcast

Host Claire Brown explores the importance of retrofit guides for residents through a case study from Stoke Climsland Parish Council in the South West of England. Claire is joined by Richard Davies, Vice Chair of Stoke Climsland Parish Council and Chair of its Carbon Zero Committee, who discusses the council’s work to support whole-house retrofit across the parish. The conversation introduces the l...

In this episode, Adam Armour-Florence is joined by Charlotte Lee, Chief Executive of the Heat Pump Association UK (HPA UK), and Laura Bishop, Co-Chair of HPA UK.  The discussion begins by introducing the newly formed organisation, which brings together three previous trade bodies to provide a single voice for the sector. HPA UK works with government and industry to improve standards, support insta...

In this episode, host Adam Armour-Florence is joined by Ed Andrews, Commercial Director at InstaGroup, to explore the transition from the ECO and GBIS funding schemes to the government's new Warm Homes Plan. Drawing on InstaGroup's extensive experience in retrofit delivery, Ed discusses how the sector is adapting to a fundamentally different operating model that places greater emphasis on whole ho...

Adam Armour-Florence speaks with Nathan Wood, Managing Director of Farmwood, about the growing importance of indoor air quality and building health in the drive towards more energy-efficient homes. Nathan shares insights from over two decades working across residential and commercial ventilation systems, discussing how retrofit projects can succeed or fail depending on whether ventilation is prope...

In this episode, Claire Brown is joined by Antoine Pellet, Head of Retrofit Credits at HACT, to explore how social landlords can unlock additional funding from retrofit projects through the Retrofit Credits programme. The conversation examines how retrofit measures such as insulation, solar panels and heat pumps can generate verified carbon credits, alongside measurable social value linked to impr...

Host Claire Brown is joined by Jack Mason, LGBTQ+ Housing Pledge Coordinator at Stonewall Housing, and Sarah Willcox-Jones, Property Services Improvement Specialist at L&Q, to explore the importance of inclusive resident engagement within retrofit programmes. The episode highlights the unique housing challenges faced by LGBTQ+ residents, including safety concerns, isolation, discrimination and...

Claire Brown from Turner & Townsend is joined by Sara Edmonds, Co-Director of the National Retrofit Hub, to explore the growing importance of community health in retrofit delivery. The conversation focuses on Community Health Impact Assessments (CHIAs) and how they can help local authorities, housing providers and communities better understand the relationship between housing, neighbourhoods a...

In this episode, host Adam Armour-Florence is joined by Christopher Price, Technical Development Manager at Knauf Installation, and Nick Johansen, Commercial Director at Knauf Energy Solutions, to discuss why data measurement is becoming critical to successful retrofit delivery for housing providers. The conversation explores the growing gap between EPC assumptions and the real world thermal perfo...

In this episode of the RISE Podcast, Claire Brown speaks with leadership coach Barbra Carlisle of Glee Coaching about the critical role leadership and coaching play in delivering successful retrofit programmes. The episode explores how retrofit leaders can navigate ambiguity, manage complex teams, support behaviour change and create psychologically safe environments where people feel heard and emp...

In this episode, Adam Armour-Florence is joined by Sean Brennan, Benchmarking and Corporate Director at Acuity Research & Practice, to explore how data and insight can strengthen retrofit delivery across the housing sector. With over 17 years’ experience in local government and social housing, Sean shares practical perspectives on using benchmarking, resident satisfaction data and service perf...

In this episode, host Claire Brown is joined by Richard Fitton from Energy House Labs at University of Salford and Richard Jack from Build Test Solutions to explore how we measure the real world thermal performance of buildings. Focusing on U-values, the conversation unpacks why traditional ‘calculated figures often fall short, and how in situ measurement is transforming our understanding of heat...

In this episode, Adam Armour-Florence introduces the Retrofit Success Guides, developed in collaboration with Sustainable Housing Action Partnership (SHAP). The discussion explores how these guides aim to support organisations delivering retrofit projects by providing structured, practical and evidence-based approaches. Guest Poonam Sakarsudha shares her background in communications, highlighting...

Host Adam Armour-Florence speaks with Stephen Fernandez, Director and Global Building Retrofit Leader at Arup, to examine how international approaches can inform more effective, scalable programmes across the UK. Drawing on over 25 years of global experience, Stephen shares insights from leading retrofit projects and working across multiple regions. Key themes include the role of international col...

In this episode, host Claire Brown explores the vital role of communication in delivering successful retrofit programmes. Joined by communications specialist Polly Buckland and Andy Piper, Head of Sustainability at VIVID, the discussion explores why clear, accessible and resident focused communication is essential across every stage of retrofit projects. Polly and Andy share practical strategies t...

Host Adam Armour-Florence is joined by industry experts Andrew Champ and Mitch Gee from SWIGA to explore the critical role of third-party guarantees in retrofit projects. Drawing on decades of experience in construction and external wall insulation, the guests unpack what 3rd party guarantees are, why they matter, and how they protect both homeowners and project stakeholders. The discussion highli...

The importance of putting people first with TPAS In this episode, host Claire Brown is joined by Kai Jackson from TPAS (Tenant Participation Advisory Service) to explore why putting people first is essential in retrofit and housing projects. Drawing on lived experience as a social housing tenant and sector leader, Kai shares powerful insights into meaningful resident engagement, the importance of...

In this episode, host Claire Brown explores the vital connection between housing and health. Joined by Dr. Faye Sanders, a doctoral researcher at the University of Bath, the conversation dives into how the quality of our homes directly impacts both mental and physical wellbeing. From common issues like damp, mould and overcrowding to broader environmental factors such as access to green space and...

Host Adam Armour-Florence speaks with Rafe Bertram, Asset Retrofit and Sustainability Manager at Enfield Council. They explore how retrofit can be effectively integrated into asset management within local authorities and housing providers. Rafe shares insights from his career from architecture and private practice to working within the public sector, highlighting the challenges and opportunities o...

Jonathan Newton is joined by Jessica Scott, Retrofit Manager at Procast, who brings over five years’ experience delivering retrofit projects across social housing and private consultancy. Drawing on her experiences working both client side and in coordination roles, Jessica shares insights into managing compliance, navigating evolving regulations and ensuring retrofit projects achieve their intend...

Host Adam Armour-Florence is joined by Sean Lemon, Head of Digital, and Dai Grady, Data Scientist and Consultant at Energy Saving Trust. Drawing on their experience supporting local authorities and housing providers across the UK, Sean and Dai share practical insight into how digital tools, analytics and structured data approaches can strengthen retrofit planning and delivery.  The discussion focu...

Claire Brown is joined by Adam Boam, Tenant Liaison Officer at Midlands Rural Housing, to explore one of the most common challenges in retrofit delivery: managing resident refusals. Drawing on his experience supporting Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund projects, Adam shares honest, practical advice on engaging tenants, building trust and addressing concerns before they become barriers. From inst...

In this episode, host Claire Brown is joined by Gary Robinson, Managing Director of Aura Retrofit. Together they discuss Aura’s evolution from a traditional plumbing and heating business into a leading provider of whole house, low carbon retrofit solutions. Gary shares his personal journey from gas engineer to retrofit specialist, discussing lessons learned along the way, the realities of grant fu...

Clare Brown is joined by Iain Duncan, Business Development Director at Tepeo, to discuss the role heat batteries can play in decarbonising housing stock at scale. The conversation introduces heat battery technology in a clear, accessible way, outlining how it works and why it is gaining attention as a low-carbon heating option for retrofit programmes. With a focus on the realities faced by housing...

Claire Brown welcomes Niall Gibson, Head of Sales at IES, to discuss the practical realities of delivering retrofit projects using building performance modelling. This episode focuses on how data-driven tools can support better planning, reduce uncertainty and create clearer pathways for decarbonising existing buildings at both project and portfolio scale. With more than 15 years’ experience worki...

In this episode, Claire Brown speaks with Jo Butterfield, Sustainability Engagement Lead at Southern Housing, about the Little House of Retrofit project and the critical role of resident engagement in successful retrofit delivery. Jo shares insights from over 20 years of experience working directly with residents across supported housing, community services, and retrofit programmes, highlighting h...