PAS2035 and PAS2030 are frequently mentioned together in retrofit funding requirements, and frequently confused. They are different standards that govern different things — and understanding the distinction matters for everyone involved in funded retrofit delivery, from housing associations and local authorities through to installers and Retrofit Coordinators.
PAS2035: The Process Standard
PAS2035 is about how retrofit should be done. It does not specify the technical detail of individual measures — it defines the overall methodology, the roles involved, the documentation required and the compliance process that must be followed from assessment through to handover.
The central figure in PAS2035 is the Retrofit Coordinator. The RC is appointed at the outset of every project and takes overall responsibility for managing the process — commissioning the pre-retrofit assessment, reviewing the data, coordinating the design, overseeing installation and managing the final handover and TrustMark lodgement. Every funded retrofit project requires an accredited RC, regardless of size.
PAS2035 compliance is evidenced through documentation and audit trails at each of the four project stages. The Improvement Option Evaluation, Medium Term Plan, stage advice letters, ventilation and overheating assessments, claim of compliance and handover pack all form part of the required documentation set. TrustMark lodgement at the end of the project is the formal record that all requirements have been met.
PAS2030: The Installation Standard
PAS2030 is about the quality of specific installation work. It defines the technical standards that must be met when individual energy efficiency measures are installed — cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, solid wall insulation, heat pumps, solar PV and other eligible measures each have their own detailed specifications within the standard.
PAS2030 accreditation is held by installation companies, not individuals. An installer must be certified against PAS2030 for each measure type they carry out, and this certification is issued by an approved certification body. For heat pump and solar installations, MCS accreditation runs alongside PAS2030 and provides the additional scheme requirements for those technologies.
When Both Apply
For any project funded under the Warm Homes Social Housing Fund, Warm Homes Local Grant or other major UK funding schemes, both standards apply simultaneously. PAS2035 governs the overall coordination and compliance process — meaning an accredited RC must manage the full four-stage workflow. PAS2030 governs the technical quality of each measure installation — meaning every installer must hold the relevant PAS2030 certification for the measures they are installing.
A project cannot be TrustMark lodged if either standard has not been met. An installation that is technically excellent but was not overseen by an accredited RC fails PAS2035. A project that was perfectly coordinated but used an uncertified installer fails PAS2030. Both must be in place.
The Practical Implication for Housing Associations
When procuring retrofit delivery, housing associations need to check both sets of credentials. Retrofit Coordinators should be checked against the TrustMark RC register. Installers should be checked against their relevant PAS2030 certification body — Elmhurst, ECMK, Quidos, Property Tectonics or others depending on measure type.
It is not sufficient for an installer to claim PAS2030 compliance without being able to evidence current, valid certification for each specific measure they are installing on your programme. Procurement teams should verify this at tender stage, not after works have commenced.
Common Sources of Confusion
- Combining roles: The RC role and the installer role must be held by different parties — the RC's independence from the installation process is a fundamental requirement of PAS2035
- Assessor accreditation: The pre-retrofit assessor must hold their own separate accreditation with an approved scheme — this is distinct from both PAS2035 RC accreditation and PAS2030 installer certification
- Designer role: Where a retrofit designer is appointed separately from the RC, they must be appropriately qualified and the RC must formally review and sign off their design work
- Partial works: Even where only a single measure is being installed, PAS2035 coordination is still required for funded projects — there is no threshold below which the standard does not apply
Understanding the boundary between the two standards is essential for anyone commissioning, delivering or funding retrofit works in the UK. Both are conditions of all major funding schemes and both carry compliance obligations that cannot be retrospectively fixed once works are complete.