Q&A with Andy Brown
We’ve invited Andy Brown, Head of Retrofit Coordination and Testing Services at The Installation Assurance Authority Commercial Services, to tell us more about his role and the services his team provides.
Q: Can you tell us a little about yourself, your current role, and your responsibilities within the company?
I’m Andy Brown, Head of Retrofit Coordination and Testing Services at The Installation Assurance Authority Commercial Services (IAA CS). I’ve been part of the Commercial Services team for nearly two years now.
I oversee the Retrofit Coordination team as well as a team of multi-skilled Testing Technicians who carry out background ventilation and air tightness testing.
My main responsibilities include managing the team, setting priorities, and making sure we deliver quality services to meet the needs of our clients.
Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in the energy efficiency industry, and how did you get started?
My background is in manufacturing, but I became increasingly aware of the potential of the energy efficiency industry, particularly with the push towards net zero and the longevity the sector offers. I was keen to make a difference for future generations, so I transitioned into this field. I’m very process-driven and have an eye for detail, which led me to take on roles in project management in the sector. I qualified as a Retrofit Coordinator in June 2020, and I was among the first 100 people to achieve this qualification in the UK. Two years ago, I joined the IAACS as Head of Retrofit Coordination, and since then, we’ve continued to grow and expand our services.
Q: Can you provide an overview of the services your team provides?
The Retrofit Coordination and Testing Services team within The IAA CS, offers a variety of services to support both The Installation Assurance Authority (IAA) members and wider industry. We offer a comprehensive end-to-end service for our clients. These include services such as background ventilation and air tightness testing, air quality monitoring, heat transfer coefficient testing, and thermography. We can also support industry in delivering retrofit programmes to help them meet the requirements for PAS 2035 compliance through our Retrofit Coordination and Retrofit Assessor Service.
Q: Who are your clients?
We work with a range of clients, including installers, social landlords, local authorities, energy companies, and principal contractors.
Q: Can you tell us about the Retrofit Coordination Service and how it can support The IAA members and non-members?
The IAA CS provide a Retrofit Coordination Service through our own team of highly skilled PAS 2035 Retrofit Coordinators. Our team takes responsibility from the initial assessment right through to design, documentation, and post-installation checks to ensure compliance is achieved. We’re building on The IAA’s brand ethos of ‘right first time’ to ensure we provide a recognised and reliable service to industry.
Q: Can you share an example of a project that your team has worked on recently?
The team are working with Soha (South Oxfordshire Housing Association) to deliver their SHDF Wave 2.1 project providing whole house retrofit solutions for 200 properties. We have completed retrofit assessments at over 500 properties to identify the least energy efficient and our retrofit coordination team have been involved throughout the project to ensure that all work is completed to PAS2035 & PAS2030 standards. Our testing team have completed borescope inspections to evaluate the condition of the existing cavity wall insulation and pulse testing has been completed to measure air leakage rates. This is a complex project with multiple subcontractors working on properties simultaneously but demonstrates our ability to provide multiple services to clients to deliver successful project outcomes.
Q: Can you tell us more about the background ventilation and air tightness testing service?
The IAA CS offer a range of building testing services, including background ventilation and air tightness testing. This is a field-based solution to background ventilation requirements. Our highly qualified Testing Technicians operate nationally and are able to support the wider industry with a full package of services to help reduce the number of visits, use data-driven testing to inform suitability of measures and reduce costs to the client.
Find out more
To find out more about the range of services The Installation Assurance Authority Commercial Services provide, then please visit www.theiaacs.co.uk.
Q: Can you tell us a little about yourself, your current role, and your responsibilities within the company?
I’m Andy Brown, Head of Retrofit Coordination and Testing Services at The Installation Assurance Authority Commercial Services (IAA CS). I’ve been part of the Commercial Services team for nearly two years now.
I oversee the Retrofit Coordination team as well as a team of multi-skilled Testing Technicians who carry out background ventilation and air tightness testing.
My main responsibilities include managing the team, setting priorities, and making sure we deliver quality services to meet the needs of our clients.
Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in the energy efficiency industry, and how did you get started?
My background is in manufacturing, but I became increasingly aware of the potential of the energy efficiency industry, particularly with the push towards net zero and the longevity the sector offers. I was keen to make a difference for future generations, so I transitioned into this field. I’m very process-driven and have an eye for detail, which led me to take on roles in project management in the sector. I qualified as a Retrofit Coordinator in June 2020, and I was among the first 100 people to achieve this qualification in the UK. Two years ago, I joined the IAACS as Head of Retrofit Coordination, and since then, we’ve continued to grow and expand our services.
Q: Can you provide an overview of the services your team provides?
The Retrofit Coordination and Testing Services team within The IAA CS, offers a variety of services to support both The Installation Assurance Authority (IAA) members and wider industry. We offer a comprehensive end-to-end service for our clients. These include services such as background ventilation and air tightness testing, air quality monitoring, heat transfer coefficient testing, and thermography. We can also support industry in delivering retrofit programmes to help them meet the requirements for PAS 2035 compliance through our Retrofit Coordination and Retrofit Assessor Service.
Q: Who are your clients?
We work with a range of clients, including installers, social landlords, local authorities, energy companies, and principal contractors.
Q: Can you tell us about the Retrofit Coordination Service and how it can support The IAA members and non-members?
The IAA CS provide a Retrofit Coordination Service through our own team of highly skilled PAS 2035 Retrofit Coordinators. Our team takes responsibility from the initial assessment right through to design, documentation, and post-installation checks to ensure compliance is achieved. We’re building on The IAA’s brand ethos of ‘right first time’ to ensure we provide a recognised and reliable service to industry.
Q: Can you share an example of a project that your team has worked on recently?
The team are working with Soha (South Oxfordshire Housing Association) to deliver their SHDF Wave 2.1 project providing whole house retrofit solutions for 200 properties. We have completed retrofit assessments at over 500 properties to identify the least energy efficient and our retrofit coordination team have been involved throughout the project to ensure that all work is completed to PAS2035 & PAS2030 standards. Our testing team have completed borescope inspections to evaluate the condition of the existing cavity wall insulation and pulse testing has been completed to measure air leakage rates. This is a complex project with multiple subcontractors working on properties simultaneously but demonstrates our ability to provide multiple services to clients to deliver successful project outcomes.
Q: Can you tell us more about the background ventilation and air tightness testing service?
The IAA CS offer a range of building testing services, including background ventilation and air tightness testing. This is a field-based solution to background ventilation requirements. Our highly qualified Testing Technicians operate nationally and are able to support the wider industry with a full package of services to help reduce the number of visits, use data-driven testing to inform suitability of measures and reduce costs to the client.
Find out more
To find out more about the range of services The Installation Assurance Authority Commercial Services provide, then please visit www.theiaacs.co.uk.
