As the push towards net-zero accelerates, the refurbishment and retrofit sectors stand at a pivotal point of sustainable transformation in the built environment. Futurebuild 2025, taking place from March 04-06 at London Excel, offers an unmissable opportunity for housing professionals to engage with the latest innovations and strategies driving sustainability. Here’s why attending this year’s event is essential for those committed to advancing retrofit and refurbishment practices.
National Retrofit Conference
Co-located with Futurebuild 2025 is the National Retrofit Conference, designed to address the pressing challenges and opportunities in upgrading existing housing stock. The conference, sponsored by Sustainable Building Services, delivers rich content across three days, as detailed below.
- Day 1 (Leadership, Innovation, and Skills): Highlights include the session on The Warm Homes Programme exploring successful strategies to combat fuel poverty and enhance energy efficiency. Additionally, ‘Leadership in Retrofitting – Driving Change Across Cities and Regions’ will discuss actionable strategies for achieving ambitious net-zero goals.
- Day 2 is labelled ‘Retrofit Done Right at Scale.’ Sessions such as ‘Data-Driven Retrofit – Leveraging Insights for Effective Change’ emphasise the role of data integration in large-scale retrofit initiatives. And ‘People First Retrofit’ focuses on creating healthy, comfortable living spaces while achieving sustainability goals.
- Day 3 is ‘Community-Led Retrofit’. Discussions on EPC Reform and Community-Led Retrofit will showcase how grassroots initiatives and policy evolution can redefine scalability in retrofit practices.
The Big Retrofit Challenge
A highlight for retrofit professionals at Futurebuild is the Big Retrofit Challenge, a dynamic competition where finalists present groundbreaking tools and strategies to overcome barriers in retrofitting. This interactive event offers direct exposure to pioneering solutions that could reshape retrofit practices.
Impact Stages
Futurebuild 2025 features five Impact Stages tailored to critical aspects of sustainable housebuilding and retrofit:
- Buildings Impact Stage (Sponsored by HG Matthews): Learn how to elevate older homes to Passivhaus standards and enhance energy efficiency with insights from Innovate UK, Passivhaus Trust and many more.
- Materials Impact Stage (Sponsored by Aggregate Industries): Explore how circular economy principles, like material passports and supply chain transparency, can minimise waste in refurbishment projects. Partners include Halliwell and Madaster UK.
- Energy Impact Stage (Sponsored by Kensa): Delve into renewable energy solutions, including air source heat pumps and energy management systems, with contributions from the Thermal Storage UK and Celsius Energy.
- Placemaking Impact Stage (Sponsored by Hahn Plastics): Examine how retrofitted homes can contribute to sustainable urban design, with guidance from the Woodland Trust and Anglian Water.
- FutureX Digital Disruptors Impact Stage (Sponsored by One Click
LCA): Discover cutting-edge technologies, such as AI-driven construction tools and smart energy systems, designed to optimise retrofit and refurbishment projects.
Key Arena Sessions
Beyond the retrofit-specific sessions, the Futurebuild Arena offers broader strategic insights which are relevant to the sector. Some highlights coming up at the 2025 include:
- “The Government is Promoting the Circular Economy – How Far Can We Go?” (Day 1): Discusses circular economy strategies critical for sustainable refurbishment.
- “Tackling the Polycrisis – Can We Fix Housing, Climate, Nature, and Health?” (Day 2): This key session will examine ‘integrated solutions for sustainable housing.’
- “Implementing the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard (UKNZCBS)” (Day 3): Provides guidance on aligning retrofit projects
with net-zero building standards.
Lastly, attendees can hear from industry leaders in the Futurebuild Arena, such as Brogan MacDonald, head of sustainability (building structures) at Ramboll, Katherine Adams, director at Reusefully, and Stephen King, head of infrastructure & planning at London Councils.
Why Attend Futurebuild 2025?
For professionals working in the housing management and maintenance spheres, Futurebuild 2025 offers more than just an event – it’s an essential platform to learn from industry leaders and gain actionable insights, discover innovative products, and stay ahead of industry changes and trends. Scan the QR code to register for your free ticket.
Article supplied by Futurebuild