Smart Solutions for Net Zero: AI-Powered Training to Close the Retrofit Skills Gap

A trainee learning how to insulate a home or install a heat pump receives real-time, AI-generated feedback on their work, correcting mistakes as they happen. The Retrofit AI Mentor platform, developed by RMB Consultancy, tackles a severe shortage of skilled workers in the UK’s retrofit industry—the people who upgrade existing buildings to be energy-efficient and low-carbon. Traditional training is slow, expensive, and often fails to give learners the hands-on guidance they need to pass courses and find jobs. This solution combines AI-driven image recognition, which can analyse photos of a trainee’s work, with a general-purpose AI model that acts as a virtual expert mentor. The platform is designed to be accessible and scalable, meaning it can be used by training providers across South West Wales and beyond without requiring expensive new equipment. If successful, the system will boost course completion rates and improve employability in green industries. That matters because the UK cannot meet its net zero targets without a workforce capable of retrofitting millions of homes—a task that currently lacks enough trained people to complete it.