📺 A House Without Bills, hands-on skills & community power

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Subject: 📺 A House Without Bills, hands-on skills & community power

Hi Friend,

Welcome to the April newsletter! Spring is traditionally a time of renewal and taking action, and this month's edition reflects exactly that.

First up, we are marking a massive milestone: the formal close of our two-year, Energy Redress-funded Retrofit for All project. We are sharing our final impact report and a new policy concept note calling for a national standard for Resident Liaison Officers.

But big policy ideas need practical application. So, we are also sharing our brand-new guide to solar energy for community buildings, shining a light on some brilliant hands-on retrofit training from the School of Natural Building, and celebrating a new book on community-led research from long-term collaborator Misty Hay of Shortwork.

Plus, spot a familiar face on Channel 4 as People Powered Retrofit's Gervase Mangwana joins Guy Martin to test just how leaky our homes really are!

Dive into all the updates below.

Retrofit for All: Wrapping up two years of people-centred retrofit

A photo of a group of people at a networking event, sitting at a table with a lot of biscuits and snacks

This month marks a major milestone for Carbon Co-op as we formally close our two-year, Energy Redress-funded project: Retrofit for All. Over the past 24 months, we have been exploring the barriers to people-centred social housing retrofit, developing new resources, and working directly with tenants, housing providers, and policymakers to change how retrofit is delivered.

To wrap up the project, we have released two final publications:

A National Standard for Resident Liaison Officers

An illustration of a person carrying a semi-circle towards a house with solar panel on the roof

Large-scale social housing retrofit is central to tackling fuel poverty, but delivery is often undermined by weak and inconsistent resident support. Where communication is poor, programmes face refusals, delays, and complaints.

Our new policy concept note argues that this isn't just a technical challenge - it’s a gap in how resident engagement is structured. The paper outlines a best-practice standard for the Resident Liaison Officer (RLO) role, establishing them as a trusted, embedded point of contact for tenants before, during, and after works.

👉 Read the concept note

Retrofit for All: Impact and Reflections

An illustration of two people carrying a solar panel near a tree

What does “people-centred” actually mean in practice? Our new impact report reflects on the tools and approaches we piloted, from tenant-led research and service design to creating Easy Read guides and driving policy engagement.

The report is for us, our funders, and the wider sector, capturing vital lessons learned and feedback from participants. As one tenant participant beautifully summed up the experience: “To feel part of a team, no 'us vs them'. Everyone was of equal importance”.

👉 Read the full impact report

Ready to jumpstart your community energy journey?

The cover of 'An introduction to solar energy for community organisations' showing an illustration of the sun and a solar panel on a yellow background

The wide-ranging benefits of solar energy and batteries are ready to be realised. From lowering electricity bills and reducing carbon emissions to engaging your local community on climate justice, solar projects can be the catalyst for something much bigger.

To help you get started, we have published a new guide for community organisations in Manchester, supported by the city council.

Whether you are looking at a direct purchase or partnering with a community energy group, this guide walks you through the key considerations, delivery models, and potential funders. It even features local success stories like The Fuse in Partington, and 422 Community Hub in Longsight to show you what is possible.

☀️ Download the guide to explore the possibilities

Training Spotlight: Get Hands-On with the School of Natural Building

A graphic promoting the Practical Retrofit Skills series with the School of Natural Building, showing people undertaking a range of practical retrofit skills at their workshops

We know that Carbon Co-op members love to get stuck into the practical side of retrofit especially when it comes to natural materials like wood fibre and lime. While there is a lot of excellent theory and management training out there, getting on-site, hands-on experience can be much harder to find.

Our friends at the School of Natural Building (SNaB) are bridging this gap with their new Practical Retrofit Skills series. Aimed at homeowners, DIYers, and tradespeople, these intensive courses are designed to move you out of the classroom and onto the work site.

This is a fantastic, grassroots-led initiative prioritising low-carbon materials that respect the history of traditional buildings while boosting modern thermal performance. The first wave of courses will take place on a live retrofit project at Tod College in Todmorden, West Yorkshire.

Upcoming Course Dates:

5-Day EWI & Lime Plasterin g: Wed 15 – Sun 19 April (or Wed 13 – Sun 17 May)
Learn to install a continuous thermal envelope using rigid wood fibre boards and lime render, including precision detailing at eaves, corners, and junctions.
3-Day Lime Pointing: Tue 21 – Thur 23 April
Focus on carefully removing damaging cement and restoring breathable lime mortar to improve the longevity and moisture-handling properties of traditional walls.

As an entirely unfunded project, SNaB relies on grassroots support to reach the people who need these skills most. If you are ready to learn how to detail a wood-fibre junction or apply vapour-open lime render, this is your chance.

👉 Find out more and book your spot

As seen on TV: Guy Martin's House Without Bills

How To Make Your Home Cheaper | Guy Martin's House Without Bills | Channel 4

Is it really possible to get rid of home energy bills altogether? In a recent episode of Channel 4's Guy Martin's House Without Bills, the engineering enthusiast sets out to find the answer by getting his hands dirty on a deep Passivhaus retrofit of a 1930s semi-detached home right here in Stretford, Greater Manchester.

But the real highlight for us? Seeing People Powered Retrofit's very own Gervase Mangwana make an appearance!

Gervase joins Guy to carry out an air-tightness test on his home, using a smoke gun and pressurised fan to demonstrate just how much expensive heat British houses are leaking directly into the sky! Gervase's test goes to show why precision engineering and high-quality retrofit are the only ways to fix our homes.

It is a fantastic watch that unpacks the science of warm housing, air source heat pumps, and the pursuit of a zero-bill home, culminating in a visit from Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.

📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube

Collaborator Spotlight: A Practical Guide to Participatory Action Research

The front cover of 'A Practical Guide to Collaboration in Participatory Action Research' with an illustration of people lifting and passing mechanical gears

If you read our recent Retrofit For All Impact Report, you will know just how vital community-led research is to creating better housing solutions. That is why we are absolutely thrilled to celebrate the publication of a new book by long-term Carbon Co-op collaborator Rowena (Misty) Hay from Shortwork, co-authored with Susie Hay and Roger Newton.

A Practical Guide to Collaboration in Participatory Action Research explores how research can be made more ethical, inclusive, and community-driven. Rooted in over 25 years of practice, the book shows how PAR empowers communities to take control of research processes - from design to analysis, while ensuring that those most affected by social issues are the ones shaping the solutions.

Inside, you will find:

Real-world case studies and reflections from community researchers.
Practical processes and interactive visual tools to overcome barriers like literacy and numeracy.
Honest explorations of the thorny ethical questions encountered in collaborative research.

As Fran Harkness (Kohlrabi Research) notes in her review: “A practical, inspiring guide... making PAR feel both accessible and genuinely empowering in real-world projects.”

Huge congratulations to Misty and the team for getting this labour of love out into the world.

📖 Grab your copy from Policy Press

Member Benefit: Tap into peer-to-peer knowledge on our Community Forum

A screenshot of the community forum homepage, showing the range of topics and areas of discussion for the forum

Did you know we host an active, open community forum dedicated to all things retrofit and renewable energy?

As one of our key member benefits (though completely open to non-members aligned with our values!), the forum is a thriving peer-to-peer space. It is the perfect place to ask technical questions, share helpful resources, and gain insights from people who have actually lived through the retrofit process.

Whether you are a seasoned expert or just starting to think about solar panels, there is a place for you in the discussion.

💡 Create an account and say hello today

Registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965, registration number 31342R.

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Subject: 📺 A House Without Bills, hands-on skills & community power