Over one-third of UK buildings are of traditional construction. These buildings are different from modern buildings and need to be treated differently.

The Environment Study Centre teamed up with the CITB’s National Construction College and specialist building consultancy Edwards Hart to develop this unique 2-day course that delivers a real Level 3 qualification in energy efficiency retrofit.

Learners booking with us will be in good hands. Our lead tutor, a certified expert in older and traditional buildings, developed the course, worked on the original National Occupational Standards on which it is based, led on the development of the British Standard (BS7913) for older and traditional buildings and was a member of the panels producing BSI PAS 2030, PAS 2035 and PAS 2038. As a Director of Edwards Hart, Prof John Edwards was the only specialist certified consultant with expertise in traditional building retrofit to be invited to attend. See further details below.

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The Environment Study Centre only uses subject experts as tutors and prides itself in delivering high-quality training courses. More people have trained with us to achieve this qualification than with any other organisation. Since 2015, around 2,000 students have achieved the Level 3 Award qualification from a range of organisations that have included housing associations, contractors, retrofit installers, sustainability bodies, consultants and heritage organisations which has included the National Trust and English Heritage. The course takes account the latest research and developments in the retrofit of traditional buildings such as PAS 2035.

Upon successful course completion, participants will be awarded the Level 3 Award in Energy Efficiency for Older and Traditional Buildings (QCF) qualification. This is a government-approved qualification and has been developed to suit retrofit contractors and consultants, as well as clients.

This qualification provides individuals with the recognition that they have achieved an independently recognised level of knowledge. If you are involved in a government or energy provider (ECO) funded retrofit, you may be required to hold the Level 3 Award in Energy Efficiency for Older & Traditional Buildings (QCF) qualification. The UK standard retrofit specification ‘PAS 2035: Specification for Retrofitting Dwellings for Improved Energy Efficiency’ makes this a requirement – see below.

*Unless conservation accredited

The qualification is also a requirement under ‘PAS 2038: 2021: Retrofitting Non-domestic Buildings for Improved Energy Efficiency – Specification’ for any project teams members involved in the retrofit assessment (Clause 5), improvement option evaluation (Clause 6), establishing intended outcomes (Clause 7), preparation of an improvement plan (Clause 8) or submitting or facilitating applications for statutory approvals (Clause 10), when the building has special protection or is of traditional construction. This is likely to mean the ‘Retrofit Lead Professional’ and the ‘Retrofit Assessor’.

The three units that make up the Level 3 Award are listed below:

• Older and Traditional Buildings: Age, Nature and Characteristics
• Older and Traditional Buildings: Assessing Options for the Introduction of Energy Efficiency Measures
• Older and Traditional Buildings: Making Recommendations and Giving Advice on the Introduction of Energy Efficiency Measures

In addition, supplementary information to support learners’ understanding of the broader issues affecting the energy efficiency and retrofit of pre-1919 traditional buildings is provided in the form of a course handbook (provided in electronic format) covering the subject areas below:

• Understanding the chronology, building styles, age and characteristics of traditional (pre-1919) buildings and understanding how the thermal performance and energy efficiency of traditional (pre-1919) buildings are assessed.
• Understanding the impact of the installation of retrofit energy efficiency measures to traditional (pre-1919) buildings and installation of energy efficiency measures in relationship to craft occupations.
• Understanding the range of available energy efficiency systems and measures available

All applicants must have the use of a laptop to undertake the course. 

The Level 3 course is set around the ESC Hub: Traditional Building Retrofit. We recommend having access to a separate device to access the ESC Hub whilst completing the course, such as a tablet or smartphone.

For the NOCN qualification, each participant is expected to undertake three multiple-choice tests the week following the completion of the course (or other mutually agreed time and date). These tests will be taken online. There are 15 questions in each test and all must be answered correctly to achieve a pass, but you will have unlimited attempts at the questions. You will need to provide Photo ID before the course and before the test session.

Once payment has been received, participants will be sent details on accessing the ESC Hub. This is a two-day course, but it requires well over twenty hours of learning and therefore each participant will be required to undertake essential pre-course work as advised by the course trainer; this is regardless of pre-course knowledge in the subject. This will, at the very least, entail reading the through the Hub.

The Environment Study Centre prides itself in ensuring that all its courses are delivered by experts with genuine expertise in all the requisite areas, which can be backed up with demonstrable experience, and that includes this course.

The Level 3 course will be led by one of the UK’s leading experts in the retrofit and sustainable refurbishment of traditional and historic buildings, Prof John Edwards, MA, DipBldgCons, CEnv, FCIOB, FRICS, IHBC:

• Experience of sustainable refurbishment and energy efficiency retrofit spanning nearly forty years.
• Leadership – has led in the development of best practice in undertaking research and development of standards and guidance. Co-founded the Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance.
• Expertise – expert panel membership of BSI committees including PAS 2035, PAS 2030, PAS 2038 and the BSI Retrofit Standards Task Group and has been responsible for the retrofit of thousands of buildings ranging from social housing to listed buildings and scheduled monuments.
• Chartered Environmentalist – the highest achievement for professional environmentalists.
• Certified in work to traditional and historic buildings – acknowledged as an expert by heritage bodies.
• Chartered Construction Manager – highest acknowledgement of expertise in planning and managing construction work.
• Chartered Building Surveyor – highest acknowledgement of expertise in assessing and analysing buildings.
• Professor of Practice – highest acknowledgement by academia of industry expertise and leadership.
• Qualified educator – qualified with expertise in the development and the delivery of training

Professor Edwards is Director of Edwards Hart Consultants and formerly of Cadw and English Heritage.

The Level 3 Award in Energy Efficiency for Older and Traditional Buildings course requires participants to have experience of the construction and property industry and is suitable for a range of practitioners which includes:

• Architects, designers, retrofit designers, surveyors, engineers and housing technical officers
• Retrofit assessors and advisors
• Project managers and retrofit co-ordinators
• Conservation officers
• Building control officers
• Works supervisors and site managers
• First-line supervisors and managers
• Estimators, planners and designers
• All-round general building operatives who have some experience of working on traditional buildings
• Builders and developers
• Installers of solid wall insulation systems
• Experienced craftspeople
• Client representatives

Participants that do not undertake any of the above roles must demonstrate that they have the necessary entry requirements. Please contact us with any queries. The Environment Study Centre reserves the right to reject applicants and any such rejection will be final.