Retrofit House in Edgbaston Demonstrates Sustainable Home Improvements
The Retrofit House at No 33 Link Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, recently acquired by Civic Square, is set to host an open week featuring talks, classes, and DIY workshops on retrofitting homes using natural materials.
The project aims to showcase retrofit ideas that improve energy efficiency, enhance indoor air quality, provide flood protection, and encourage wildlife, all with the goal of lowering fuel bills while boosting residents' comfort and quality of life.
This initiative comes in the context of the UK having one of the worst thermal housing stocks in Europe. Government schemes such as Hug, LAD, and the Warm Homes Plan have underperformed due to their complexity, and the ECO4 cavity-wall insulation program faced issues including mould scandals.
Civic Square positions the Retrofit House as an exemplar to inform policymakers and potentially influence council procurement, while recognizing current constraints on government capacity.
A national network named Retrofit Reimagined connects neighbourhood groups with organisations like Material Cultures to share skills and empower residents to self-build or hire trained local builders.
Funded by philanthropic organisations including the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, funders are encouraged to support strong ideas through endowments. The aim is to embed retrofit knowledge locally via apprenticeships and workshops that extend beyond mere building performance improvements.
It is noted that Link Road is situated in the Edgbaston constituency, not Ladywood, as previously misstated. This correction was published on 18 November 2025 following the original article on 17 November 2025.
