Meet the Supplier: Get to Know Aura Retrofit

In our latest Meet the Supplier feature we caught up with Gary Robinson, Founder and Director of Aura Retrofit, supplier on the Greener Futures Partnership Delivery DPS. Gary talks about leading an independent, award-winning heating company, with a proven track record of delivering modern renewable technologies such as air-source heat pumps, Solar PV, insulation and ventilation systems. He outlines how Aura Retrofit is supporting the social housing sector to progress toward net-zero goals and whey he believes that housing policy must move beyond short political cycles.

What is your company’s mission statement/aims/objectives?

Aura Retrofit’s core mission is to help homeowners, landlords and tenants make existing properties warmer, cheaper to run and more sustainable. At its heart, the company aims to transform homes with reliable and energy-efficient heating and retrofit solutions that lower energy bills, improve comfort and reduce carbon emissions. This focus is rooted in nearly two decades of experience in the heating industry, expanded beyond traditional gas boiler work into modern renewable technologies such as air-source heat pumps, Solar PV, insulation and ventilation systems.

The company’s objectives centre on:

• Delivering bespoke, future-proof energy upgrades tailored to the needs of each home.
• Making energy-efficient technologies accessible and affordable by helping homeowners, landlords and tenants secure government funding and navigate retrofit options.
• Providing expert guidance and professional installations from an in-house retrofit design team, experienced retrofit assessors and qualified engineers, backed by ongoing support.
• Reducing energy costs and environmental impact for customers while supporting the broader shift to a low-carbon future.

Aura Retrofit is a multi-award-winning whole-house retrofit specialist, positioned as a trusted partner in home energy upgrades, emphasising honest advice, smooth project delivery and long-term performance – all aimed at helping people to futureproof their homes and cut energy waste.

Can you give us a brief history of your company?

Aura Retrofit’s story begins in 2005, grounded in hands-on home heating service and a commitment to quality. The founder, Gary Robinson, started out as a sole trader under the name Aura Gas, offering boiler installation, servicing and repairs from a van – a name chosen to secure a good position in early business directories.

Over the next decade the business grew steadily. It became a limited company in 2007, added its first long-term team member in 2008, and moved into a dedicated office in Havant by 2010. The early years were focused on traditional heating work and service plans, with expansion into local authority projects and government-linked schemes through the 2010s.

By 2015–17, grant funding played a larger role in the work, and the team expanded to become one of the larger independent heating companies serving the South of England. In 2020 the company adapted its processes in response to the pandemic, embracing new technology and safer ways of working.

Recognising shifts in the energy landscape, Aura invested in training and accreditation for its engineers to install air-source heat pumps and renewable systems, installing hundreds by 2022.

In 2023, the company dropped Gas from its name to become Aura Heating Limited, reflecting its broader expertise across gas, oil and electric heating. Continued evolution led to a rebrand in 2025 as Aura Retrofit, a name that captures its current focus on home energy upgrades, efficiency improvements and sustainable technologies. This relaunch also brought on TV presenter and fellow eco-builder Tommy Walsh, reinforcing the shift toward retrofit and energy-saving solutions as core to the company’s future direction.

This history shows a business that has grown from a one-man heating service into an award-winning partner for energy efficiency, with deep roots in traditional heating and a clear eye on tomorrow’s sustainable technologies.

What are the benefits of being a supplier on this DPS?

Being a supplier on the DPS allows Aura Retrofit to work closely with housing providers and local authorities that share a common goal: improving the energy performance of existing homes and accelerating progress towards net zero. It gives us a clear, trusted route to deliver large-scale retrofit projects where quality, compliance and value for money are essential.

For a multi award-winning specialist retrofit contractor (Shortlisted National Boiler & Heating Installer and Contractor of the Year 2024, Highly Commended Regional Renewable Heat Installer and Contractor of the Year 2025, Regional Boiler & Heating Installer and Contractor of the Year Winner 2025, National Domestic Heating Contractor of the Year Winner 2025) the DPS provides a transparent and robust procurement pathway, reducing barriers to delivery and enabling projects to move from assessment to installation efficiently. It also ensures that all work is carried out to recognised standards, giving clients confidence in both performance and long-term outcomes.

Crucially, DPS participation enables Aura Retrofit to scale its impact, rolling out air-source heat pumps, solar PV, insulation and wider energy-efficiency measures to a greater number of homes at a faster pace. Alongside carbon and cost savings, it allows us to embed social value into every project, supporting local jobs, skills development and healthier, warmer homes for residents.

What specific products or services does your company deliver through the DPS?

Through this DPS, Aura Retrofit delivers a complete, end-to-end retrofit service designed to improve comfort, cut energy bills and future-proof homes. Our offering covers insulation upgrades, low-carbon heating systems, ventilation solutions, energy-generating technologies such as solar PV, and ongoing maintenance, all supplied and installed by our own team.

Every project is delivered by directly employed, in-house engineers, including MCS-accredited specialists, ensuring consistent quality, full compliance and clear accountability at every stage. From the initial property assessment through to installation, commissioning and aftercare, customers receive detailed documentation, clear handover packs and a smooth, well-managed experience.

The result is a joined-up retrofit approach that removes complexity for homeowners and delivery partners alike, helping properties perform better, reducing running costs and ensuring that homes remain fit for the future.

Can you share some key achievements or successful projects completed through the DPS?

Aura Retrofit is excited to begin delivering projects as a newly appointed DPS contractor. Over the past two years, we have grown turnover, profitability, and workforce, driven by an unwavering commitment to quality and exceptional customer service. Our expertise in project management, resident engagement, and technical delivery has generated consistent word-of-mouth referrals, which remain our most powerful form of growth.

We are well placed to support organisations aiming to improve housing stock, raise energy ratings, and reduce energy bills. With a skilled in-house technical and design team, we can quickly identify measures and properties, and our decades of experience allow us to engage, specify, design, and implement a wide range of energy efficiency and heating schemes.

What sets your business apart from its competitors?

Aura Retrofit invests heavily in skills, training, compliance, and health and safety to ensure every installation is delivered safely and to the highest possible standard. We operate in full alignment with UK industry requirements and are recognised as one of the sector’s leading performers at both a regional and national level.

Our credentials reflect this commitment to excellence, including MCS Certification, NIC EIC, TrustMark, RECC, PAS 2030 Certification, OFTEC Registration, CHAS, Gas Safe, SafeContractor, and regulation by RICS. These accreditations give clients confidence that all works meet strict quality, safety and performance standards.

Combined with our direct-labour delivery model, providing a high degree of control over delivery without relying solely on it, strong local employment focus and community-driven ethos, Aura Retrofit provides full accountability, consistent outcomes and measurable social value, delivering retrofit projects that are compliant, reliable and built to last.

How does your company contribute positively to the communities it operates in?

Since 2012, Aura Retrofit has worked alongside local authorities, managing agents, and charities to bring funded energy efficiency and heating solutions to communities. We combine expert installation management with strong resident engagement skills to ensure every project runs smoothly and benefits those who need it most.

• Supported grant funding for Boilers, Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP), Solar PV, and insulation upgrades.
• Delivered over 340 ASHPs and 600+ energy-saving measures under HUG2 in 2024.
• Actively involved in Warm Home Local Grant (WH:LG) schemes.
• Provide end-to-end guidance on funding, helping residents navigate the process from start to finish.

What will be the key areas of focus for your business over the next 12 months?

At Aura Retrofit, there’s one rule above all: it must be right.

While many organisations cut corners, we don’t. Recently, we took on around 25 properties from a business that had gone into liquidation. The original design was poor, so we replaced heating systems as required, including radiators and heat pumps for larger ones to ensure compliance and implemented multiple points of technical monitoring, both during and after installation.

Our processes ensure the right operative carries out the installation, not just commissioning for efficiency. This attention to detail is why we can stand proud knowing we’ve done the job properly, every time.

What are the biggest challenges currently facing the housing sector?

The housing sector is under pressure. Much of the social housing stock is ageing, leading to poor energy performance and higher bills for residents. At the same time, the drive to achieve national net-zero targets and a persistent skills shortage add further strain. At Aura Retrofit, we see this as a chance to collaborate meaningfully. By developing practical, repeatable solutions together, the sector can improve living conditions, reduce energy costs, and make real progress toward net-zero goals.

What are the biggest challenges currently facing your company and your supply chain partners?

The biggest challenges we and our supply chain partners face are largely a reflection of a rapidly evolving market – one that also presents significant opportunity.

The primary challenge is policy uncertainty and short-term funding cycles, which can make long-term planning, workforce investment and supply chain scaling more difficult. When incentives and schemes change frequently, it impacts confidence across manufacturers, installers and finance providers alike. That said, demand for high-quality retrofit continues to grow, and this reinforces the need for clearer, long-term direction.

A second challenge is skills availability. The pace at which the UK needs to retrofit homes has outstripped the current supply of trained engineers and assessors. This is something we view positively, as it creates a strong case for investment in training, apprenticeships and closer collaboration with our supply chain partners to build a resilient, future-ready workforce.

Finally, supply chain capacity and lead times can be stretched as demand increases for technologies such as heat pumps, solar PV and insulation materials. However, these pressures are encouraging stronger partnerships, better forecasting and earlier engagement with suppliers, all of which ultimately improve delivery quality and reliability.

Overall, while these challenges are real, they are also signs of a sector in transition. By working closely with our supply chain partners, investing in people and planning for the long term, Aura Retrofit sees these challenges as catalysts for innovation, collaboration and sustainable growth rather than barriers to success.

Are there any recent innovations or developments in your business that excite you?

Our move to the whole-house renewable solutions has not only meant we have installed over 1,833 retrofit projects and improved hundreds of homes but also have a 121% increase in turnover from 2023 to 2024.

It has helped create another 16 full-time jobs to enable us to deliver along with increasing our sub-contractor network significantly to cover geography. It’s amazing to not only see positive resident results but business results too.

• 22% ASHP under HUG2 (Home Upgrade Grant)
• High delivery of measures in 2024
• Increased uptake in our aftercare programme
• Significant property EPC ratings (nearly three bands on average)

If you were Housing Minister for the day, what would you change?

If I were Housing Minister for the day, my priority would be to bring long-term certainty and ambition to the UK’s housing and retrofit agenda. The sector does not suffer from a lack of technology or skills; it suffers from stop-start policy. I would introduce a clear, funded long-term legislation plan that sets out minimum energy efficiency standards for homes, aligned to net zero targets, and commits successive governments to a stable delivery DPS.

This plan would combine regulation with incentives: mandating gradual improvements to existing housing stock while supporting homeowners and landlords through grants, low-interest finance and trusted delivery partners. I would also simplify schemes, standardise guidance, and invest in workforce training to ensure quality and consumer confidence.

Ultimately, housing policy must move beyond short political cycles. A long-term, cross-party approach would unlock private investment, accelerate retrofit at scale, reduce fuel poverty and deliver warmer, healthier homes, while giving businesses like Aura Retrofit the confidence to invest, innovate and grow.

Can you tell us an interesting fact about Aura Retrofit?

One interesting fact about Aura Retrofit is that we were built with a whole-home mindset from day one. Rather than focusing on a single technology or quick-win measure, we deliberately designed the business to look at how a property performs as a complete system – fabric, heating, renewables and controls working together.

This approach means that no two projects are ever treated the same. We combine detailed assessment, practical design and trusted in-house delivery to ensure each home receives the right solution, not just the most popular one. As a result, we often achieve better comfort, lower running costs and stronger long-term outcomes for homeowners.

It’s an approach that has helped us to win awards and earn the trust of customers, partners and funders alike, and it’s a philosophy that continues to shape how we grow, innovate and lead in the retrofit sector.