29 July 2025 – A new report by CISL commissioned by Cambridge City Council with funding from the Council and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund identifies actionable strategies for scaling up energy efficiency and low carbon technology retrofits across Greater Cambridge, in support of the Council’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
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About
The UK housing stock is among the oldest and leakiest in Western Europe, heated predominantly with fossil gas. For the UK to meet its medium and long-term greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets, approximately 29 million homes need to be retrofitted with better insulation and electric heating technologies in the coming decades.
Many of the key challenges to scaling retrofits in Greater Cambridge are similar to those seen across the UK. However, some are linked to local contextual conditions such as high housing costs and large numbers of heritage listed homes.
Current barriers include high upfront costs, a lack of skilled retrofit professionals, and inadequate national funding structures which are complex and difficult to access.
The retrofit potential in Greater Cambridge is significant, but realising it requires a co-ordinated, well-resourced, and locally tailored approach.
Combining a literature review with a stakeholder mapping exercise and qualitative research, the research identifies four key areas where Cambridge City Council could intervene to promote retrofitting of the residential building stock: policy and governance, finance, skills, and awareness and engagement, with detailed recommendations for each.
The six targeted recommendations to scale up home retrofits in Greater Cambridge are to:
- Develop a data-driven retrofit strategy through a comprehensive housing stock and public attitudes survey.
- Collaborate on national policy advocacy to influence consistent, long-term support for retrofitting.
- Expand the Action on Energy programme by investing in staffing and digital infrastructure.
- Explore innovative financing models, including council-backed loan schemes and partnerships with academics and industry.
- Strengthen local engagement and skills development by working with colleges, contractors, and community groups.
- Centralise retrofit data and track progress through a robust project management system and public portal.
Read more in the report.
Citing this report
University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL). (2025). Delivering retrofit at scale together: Better homes for healthier, resilient and stronger communities. Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.
