The Instaclad external wall insulation system no longer meets the description of its approved innovation measure under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4), according to Ofgem's published list of approved innovation measures. The document states that the product's British Board of Agrément (BBA) certificate, 15/5201, product sheet 1, has been withdrawn, and that from 07/11/25 there are no products that meet the description1.
Instaclad was approved under innovation measure number 004, an external wall insulation measure first approved on 01/11/2019, carrying a standard innovation measure uplift of 25 per cent1. The system is described as modular, tongue and groove, pre-primed insulation boards mechanically fixed using a rail system, with aerogel used in window detailing1.
The change is recorded in version 1.17 of Ofgem's ECO4 Innovation: Approved Innovation Measures document, dated February 20261. The same document records a comparable withdrawal for a different measure: the Q-Bot under floor insulation product, approved under innovation measure 002, is listed as having had its BBA certificate withdrawn, with no products meeting the description from 28/01/251.
Ofgem's document sets out the conditions that apply to all innovation measures, stating that they must be installed in accordance with PAS 2030:2023 or MCS standards and PAS 2035:2023, lodged with TrustMark or an equivalent body, and delivered by TrustMark-registered businesses1. It adds that innovation measures must be installed in accordance with Building Regulations and any relevant Agrément certificate listed under the product(s) meeting the description1.
"Please note the BBA certificate for this product has been withdrawn. From 07/11/25 there are no products that meet the description."
| Innovation measure | Product | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 004, External Wall Insulation | Instaclad (BBA certificate 15/5201, product sheet 1) | Certificate withdrawn; no products meet the description from 07/11/251 |
| 002, Under Floor Insulation | Q-Bot (BBA certificate 17/5440, product sheet 1) | Certificate withdrawn; no products meet the description from 28/01/251 |
Why it matters for households
ECO4 innovation measures allow obligated suppliers to claim an uplift on measures that go beyond standard practice, and the products listed are the ones suppliers can notify under those descriptions1. Where a product no longer meets the description, it cannot be delivered as that innovation measure, which affects whether a household can have that specific system installed and funded through the scheme.
For a home, external wall insulation is a whole-property intervention: it changes how the walls retain heat and how the building manages moisture, and its performance depends on the specific certified system and its installation detailing. The withdrawal of a certificate is a change to the evidence base for that system, not a statement about installations already completed. Ofgem's document does not say what happens to homes where Instaclad was already installed, and this has not been reported1.
The wider point for household energy independence is that the route to a funded retrofit depends on products holding current certification. Ofgem notes that approval of an innovation measure does not confirm that installation methods and designs are fully compliant with the latest PAS requirements, and that the Retrofit Coordinator and installers must satisfy themselves that a measure is suitable for a given property before installation1.
What happens next
Ofgem's document is version 1.17, dated February 2026, and states that the evidence requirements set out in it are in draft form and may change in future versions1. No replacement product for the Instaclad measure is listed in the document, and no date for a replacement has been reported1.
Sources1 cited
- ECO4 Innovation: Approved innovation measures, ofgem.gov.uk