Future Fit

Future Fit is the home retrofit service of Plymouth Energy Community (PEC), a local charity and social enterprise rooted in more than a decade of community-led energy work in Plymouth. PEC helps Plymouth residents reduce energy bills, improve home efficiency, and confidently move towards low-carbon living. Through community-owned renewable energy projects, such as our solar farm in Ernesettle, PEC reinvests income back into local initiatives that benefit people across the city.

Future Fit provides trusted, knowledgeable, independent advice and practical support to help make homes warmer, healthier, more comfortable and more affordable to run.

Retrofitting means making changes to your home so it uses energy more efficiently - staying warm in winter and cool in summer, without wasting energy. It can be as simple as draught-proofing and better extractor fans, or bigger upgrades like underfloor insulation, solar PV, or a heat pump. These changes can improve comfort, give you more control, and may help cut bills, in a way that fits around your day-to-day life.

We offer retrofit advice in different forms and at different degrees of depth, according to your needs:

• drop-in in our shop, where you can see us in person without the need for an appointment (but you can also book one if you prefer);
• free home visit, to start your retrofit journey or if you’re exploring ideas and want trusted guidance;
• Future Home Survey, if you want clarity, confidence, and a long-term plan, or invest wisely.

You can also find our advisors out and about at community events. 

The UK has some of the oldest - and often draughtiest - homes in Europe. Most homes in England are over 60 years old, and around one in five are more than 100 years old. The average EPC rating across the UK is around band D (about 60), which reflects how many properties were built long before energy efficiency was a priority (source: Energy Saving Trust).

That’s why, unless your home is a newer build or has already had improvements, it may benefit from some retrofit measures. If insulation is insufficient, it can be harder to keep your home warm during winter - often meaning higher energy use and bills.

But retrofit isn’t only about “fixing” issues. Even if your home feels comfortable today and you’re not experiencing condensation or high bills, upgrades can still be a positive choice - helping protect against future energy price rises, meet the expectations of future buyers, improve day-to-day comfort, and give confidence that your home will perform well in every season.

Retrofit starts with what matters to you: your home, your day-to-day comfort, and your priorities. Before deciding on options like insulation, heat pumps, or solar panels, it helps to take a moment to clarify what you want your home to feel like and do for you. That might mean warmer, more comfortable rooms, better ventilation and air quality, lower carbon emissions, or a mix of all three. Once your aims are clear, it becomes much easier to choose the right steps in the right order. 

We’re here to help you every step of the way, working through your options and confidently prioritise what will make the biggest difference.

There are a number of government grants available to support you to upgrade your home. By providing some details about you and your property, our eligibility tool can identify which schemes might work for you. If it looks like you're eligible, our team will be able to advise you how to apply. 

Or you can start with a phone call and perhaps a free home visit.

Absolutely! Renovations and extensions can be ideal moments to incorporate energy improvements, as some level of disruption will already be expected. For example if you are redoing your roof and you have scaffolding, you can install solar pv at the same time, making the most of it. Or perhaps your boiler is getting old? You can think of an Air Source Heat Pump - or other heating options - before it actually breaks down. Kitchen renovation? A perfect opportunity to install underfloor insulation and underfloor heating, and draught proofing, whilst you have access to the floor.

The level of disruption can vary depending on which improvements you choose. For smaller measures - such as upgrading ventilation and loft insulation - any disturbance is usually minimal and short-lived. For larger works, like cavity wall insulation, there may be a bit more to plan around, but we’ll help you understand what to expect and how to keep things manageable. Together, we can look at what feels realistic for you and choose an approach that fits your home and your routine.

Yes, it will. Our approach focuses on smart, subtle upgrades that improve your comfort and efficiency, without turning your life upside down. You need the right improvements, in the right order and we can help you with that, because our approach is tailored to you, your home and your lifestyle.

Not at all! You can take it step by step, starting with the changes that make the biggest difference for your home and your lifestyle. We will be by your side, every step of the way.