Retrofit Futures: Workshop to maximise the retrofit workforce

Workshop to develop a toolkit supporting social housing procurement that drives employment and skills outcomes for the retrofit workforce.

Ashden in partnership with EN:Able Communities CIO, National Retrofit Hub and UKGBC are delivering a project entitled ‘Retrofit Futures’. This project will seek to develop a practical Toolkit to support Social Housing Providers through the procurement process to embed greater social value, in particular relating to Employment and Skills outcomes.

We are hosting an in person workshop in Nottingham to build on the E Midlands Retrofit Strategy developed through the Local Area Retrofit Accelerator (LARA) also funded by the MCS Foundation work earlier this year. The report is here.

This project is being funded by the MCS Foundation Grants 2025 programme.

Ashden are currently working in collaboration with the DESNZ Skills team on how to maximise employment in the retrofit sector through procurement. We have invited a member of that team to attend this workshop.

Arrival and agenda

Upon arrival please report to the reception on the ground floor where you will be asked for your name. We will then escort you to our meeting room on the 6th floor.

• 09.15 Tea/coffee Networking
• 09.30 Welcome & Introductions
• 10.15 Retrofit Futures: project background & outcomes sought
• 10.30 Co-designing how to increase employment and skills through procurement
• 11.30 Refreshments break
• 11.45 How can employment outcomes be measured and enforcement measures needed
• 12.45 Next steps
• 13.00 Lunch & networking
• 13.45 Close

Who is being invited to this event?

• Social Housing Providers: a mix of Procurement, Sustainability/Asset Management and Social Value delivery roles 
• Contractors that deliver retrofit works for social housing providers 
• Framework providers 
• Combined Authority staff – from Retrofit and Skills services 
• DESNZ Skills Team