Aipedia: Energy assessors and retrofit coordinators

AI medium-term improvement plans for retrofit

Aipedia, by the Apex broking team · Last reviewed 2026-10-30

AI can draft a medium-term improvement plan, but the retrofit coordinator remains responsible for which measures are chosen and in what order. A wrong sequence, especially fabric upgrades without ventilation, can cause damp and mould claims.

Part of: AI in energy assessors and retrofit coordinators

In short

Retrofit coordinators use AI to draft medium-term improvement plans and measure sequences from assessment data. The main risks are measures in the wrong order, ventilation left out after fabric upgrades, generic packages and plans shaped by funding rather than need. TrustMark requires competence in risk assessment, building physics and design, records kept as PAS 2035 specifies, and PI of at least £250k PI and PL per property from a regulated insurer. Sequencing claims are usually treated as negligence, subject to the terms and any property damage exclusions.

How coordinators use AI for improvement plans

Under PAS 2035, the retrofit coordinator brings the assessment together into a medium-term improvement plan that sets out which measures should be installed and in what order, now and in future. Coordinators are using AI tools to draft these plans, generate measure sequences from assessment data and write the client-facing explanation.

Sequencing is where retrofit succeeds or fails. Measures interact: fabric upgrades change airtightness and moisture behaviour, which changes what ventilation is needed and how heating should be sized. A generated plan that lists sensible measures in the wrong order can still cause harm.

The duties that apply

No AI guidance exists for retrofit coordination, but the coordinator's duties are well defined. The ones that bear on AI-drafted plans are:

Competence: the TrustMark PAS 2035 Retrofit Coordinator Scheme Requirements require competence under Appendix 2 in risk assessment, building physics, design, installation, and monitoring and evaluation, with at least 25 hours of evidence-based CPD a year.
Process: PAS 2035:2023 sets the steps from assessment to evaluation, and the improvement plan sits within them.
Records and lodgement: records must be kept as PAS 2035 specifies and minimum information lodged in the TrustMark Data Warehouse.
Conflicts: where the coordinator also holds another role, such as installer or designer, the conflict must be declared to the client and resolved.
Insurance: PI from a regulated insurer, no self-insurance, at a minimum of "£250k PI & PL per property, or as required by the client".

See the EPC and PAS 2035 rules map for the wider framework.

What can go wrong

AI-generated plans tend to go wrong in the same few ways. Look out for:

Wrong order: a heating system upgrade placed before fabric improvements, so it is sized for heat loss that later falls.
Ventilation omitted: insulation and airtightness measures without a matching ventilation strategy.
Generic packages: a standard set of measures that ignores the property's construction or condition.
Interaction blind spots: measures that are fine alone but create moisture risk together.
Funding bias: a plan shaped around what a grant will pay for rather than what the home needs.

Illustrative: a coordinator uses an AI tool to produce a medium-term improvement plan for a solid-walled terrace. The plan sequences external wall insulation and new windows in year one, with ventilation improvements in a later phase. The first phase is installed. The house becomes much more airtight, condensation and mould follow in the first winter, and the occupants' belongings are damaged. The homeowner claims against the coordinator for remedial works and contents.

How PI usually responds

A claim that a coordinator negligently planned or sequenced measures is usually treated as professional negligence, subject to the policy terms. TrustMark sets the floor at £250k per property, but that may not be enough for multi-property programmes or higher-value homes, and the client may require more. Watch for property damage and bodily injury exclusions where damp and mould are involved; see the property damage exclusion in PI. Coordinators who also design or install should check whether their PI covers each role and how contractual liabilities are treated; see contractual liability in PI. For the basics, read Do energy assessors need PI insurance?.

Practical controls

Use AI to help structure the plan, but make the sequencing decisions yourself. Practical steps:

Check every sequence against fabric first, then ventilation, then heating principles appropriate to the property.
Make sure ventilation is addressed at the same stage as any measure that improves airtightness.
Tie each measure to a specific assessment finding.
Record why the order was chosen and what risks remain for later phases.
Declare and resolve any conflict where you or a connected business will install measures.

Risk decisions are covered in AI risk path and moisture risk decisions, and the inputs in AI in PAS 2035 retrofit assessments.

How Apex helps

Apex arranges PI for retrofit coordinators. A broker reviews whether your limit meets the TrustMark minimum and your clients' requirements, and how your policy treats AI-drafted plans. See the AI in energy assessment hub.

Sources

Frequently asked

Can AI write a medium-term improvement plan?

It can help draft one, but the coordinator must decide which measures suit the home and in what order. Measures interact, so a plan that lists suitable measures in the wrong sequence can still cause moisture problems.

What is the TrustMark PI minimum for retrofit coordinators?

The scheme requirements set a minimum of £250k PI and PL per property, or as required by the client, from a regulated insurer with no self-insurance. Changes must be notified to the scheme provider.

Why is ventilation so often the problem?

Insulation and airtightness measures reduce uncontrolled air leakage. Without a matching ventilation strategy, moisture from everyday living can build up, leading to condensation and mould. AI-generated plans sometimes push ventilation to a later phase.

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Apex Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales, company number 07014570. This page is general information about how AI is used in the profession and how insurance may respond. It is not legal, regulatory or insurance advice on your circumstances, and it does not guarantee that cover will be available or on what terms.