FAQs

What is an Ecofurb Coordinator?

Ecofurb Coordinators are certified Retrofit Coordinators. They hold the Level 5 Diploma in Retrofit Coordination, which means that they are trained to manage technical risks of retrofit projects. They have a range of backgrounds, for example architects, energy experts and green building assessors. Ecofurb Coordinators work with qualified Assessors; it is often an Assessor who carries out the home visit.

Can I use some but not all of your services?

Yes!

The Home Survey and Ecofurb Plan can be a stand alone service: the information helps you decide which improvements to carry out and is just as useful if you decide to use your own contractors.

Building Performance Requirements can also be a stand alone service. If you aren’t sure which improvements are suitable for your home you will need an Ecofurb Plan first. This document makes sure you’re well informed and know what contractors need to include in their quote and be aware of.

We may be able to make installer recommendations if you haven’t had advice services first. However, if we have doubts about the suitability of the measures you would like to install we will recommend a home survey and Ecofurb Plan.

Do I need Building Performance Requirements?

It depends on your project. Our Building Performance Requirements document is designed for multi-measure or complex works. It can help make sure you get the most from the energy efficiency work you have done.

Yes, there are two ways you can do this:

  • You could use our advice services (Home Survey and Ecofurb Plan, and Building Performance Requirements) to inform works you book yourself.
  • Or, if you have contractors you would like to work with but want to retain the services of an Ecofurb Coordinator, your contractor may want to get in touch with us to ask about membership.

We aren’t able to oversee installations if works are being carried out by non-members as we haven’t assessed the quality of their work and practices.

Can I use Ecofurb if I’ve already started works?

The Ecofurb service takes a ‘whole house approach’ to energy efficiency, so normally applies to works yet to be started.

However, we may be able to help if you are in the middle of a building project when you realise you would like to bring in energy efficiency measures. Please get in touch using the Plan Builder to discuss how we may be able support this.

What standards do you work to?

Find out all about our Contractors, the cooperative model of working and the standards we work to here

Where do you get the data in the Plan Builder?

We have made a best guestimate about your home using leading housing, energy and mapping data sources:

Alaine, “the brains”, built an algorithm which cleverly gets what we can from the database of Energy Performance Certificates (EPC). This data is published by the government to help services like Ecofurb provide advice.

Chris, “the brawn”, (and now a few helpers!) has spent days and weeks and months looking at towns, villages and cities on Google Earth Pro, using local building characteristics to help fill in information we can’t get elsewhere.

Dave, “the artist”, strung it all together and filled the gaps with statistics magic with some help from Ordnance Survey data. He also brings in LIDAR data to give the size and shape of the roof to give an accurate prediction of Solar PV suitability.

Put all of these together and voila! as far as we know, the best housing dataset available for Great Britain.

But it won’t be as good as a survey done by yourself or an Ecofurb Coordinator, so your first step should be to change our guestimate by editing the info about your home on the Plan Builder.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) data:

This data includes addresses and postcodes in which intellectual property rights are owned by Royal Mail Group Limited (‘address data’). The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has published the address data with the consent of Royal Mail Group Limited, which reserves all its copyright, database rights, trademarks and other intellectual property rights.

You can read more about acceptable uses of this data here.

All data fields from EPC datasets other than the address and postcode data (address, address 1, address 2, address 3, postcode) are licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Ordnance Survey (OS) data:

We access OS mapping data by kind arrangement with the Greater London Authority and local authorities.

OS is Britain’s mapping agency. As well as making the most up-to-date and accurate maps of the country, it is also a digital business. Together with its Partners it provides content helping governments, companies and individuals to be more effective both here and around the world.

  • © Crown copyright and database rights 2020 OS 100032216
  • © Local Government Information House Limited copyright and database rights 2020 100032216

CASE STUDIES

1990s detached house, South Croydon
1990s detached house, South Croydon

Vaughan completed his plans to retrofit in 2021, using Ecofurb to advise on which measures to install and to help him find a heat pump and loft insulation installers. read more

Flat in mansion block, Clapham
Flat in mansion block, Clapham

When Andy and Agi did up their top floor flat they wanted to solve the draughts, damp and condensation problems. read more

Victorian house, Peckham
Victorian house, Peckham

This case study is about putting your money where your mouth is: Chris is a director of Parity Projects, and has helped to set up Ecofurb. read more

VICTORIAN TERRACED HOUSE, BATTERSEA
VICTORIAN TERRACED HOUSE, BATTERSEA

JP and Gabi had been living in their house for seven years when they got the opportunity to renovate after their wedding. read more