Merton Council was thrilled to host the South London Retrofit Skills Summit last Tuesday, 14 May, at AFC Wimbledon.

The event, held in collaboration with the South London Partnership and funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, aimed to bring residents, practitioners, and educators together to showcase the innovative skills and job opportunities related to retrofit in South London.

In South London, retrofitting our buildings to be more energy-efficient represents a £17 billion opportunity with high-value jobs and a growing demand for retrofit skills. With over 600,000 properties to decarbonise over the next decade, the importance of this work cannot be overstated.

Secondary schools from across the South London Partnership boroughs attended the morning workshops, and over 100 residents participated in the evening event.

Merton Council also recently launched its new Home Energy Efficiency Loan scheme to support homeowners, in partnership with Lendology. Additionally, the council is collaborating with Thinking Works to help fuel-poor households access national and regional funding for home retrofits.

Councillor Natasha Irons, Cabinet Member for Local Environment, Greenspaces, and Climate, said:

“We’re really excited that we were chosen to host such an important event that highlights the tremendous opportunities in retrofitting for our community. Improving the energy efficiency of our homes is a crucial step toward achieving our net-zero target by 2050. By making homes more energy efficient, we not only help tackle climate change but also reduce energy bills for our residents.”

Residents can explore Merton’s Household Retrofit Guidance to learn how they can join the retrofit journey and contribute to a more sustainable future.