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retrofit

UK/ˌɹɛtɹəʊˈfɪt/US/ˌɹɛtɹoʊˈfɪt/
verbC1Rare in speech; mostly a word you read · #13,121 of 15,258leans written

Other forms: retrofitted, retrofitting, retrofits

To retrofit is to fit new systems into an old building. Retrofit insulation, a deep retrofit, retrofit the heating.

Most of the buildings that will exist in 2050 are already standing, which is why retrofitting them is a larger problem than building new ones well. Doing it badly causes damp, because sealing a building without ventilating it traps moisture. Note that retro- means backwards.

Definitions of retrofit

  1. 1verbretrofitTo fit new systems into an old building.C1

    “They retrofitted the old school with solar panels and a modern heating system.”

retrofit is a fitting of new systems.

Where it comes from

Retro-, backwards, plus fit. The verb came first and the noun followed.

The verb is derived from retro- + fit. The noun, which is first attested later than the verb, is either derived:

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practised in Buildings & Architecture, Repair & Damage

Practise this word

retrofit in the wild

  • The state launched a comprehensive seismic retrofit in 2001, finishing the $778 million project in September 2005.

    Richmond–San Rafael Bridge

  • The Metropolitan Transportation Commission estimates a new bridge would cost between $16 billion and $22 billion, while a structural retrofit would run approximately $4 billion.

    Richmond–San Rafael Bridge

  • Fishway retrofit projects aim to restore river herring population to historic levels, perhaps as many as 100,000+ fish annually.

    Agawam River

  • The old building was sold in 2018 to NBP Capital, which plans to convert it into a mixed-use development after making a seismic retrofit.

    Multnomah County Courthouse

  • A deep energy retrofit (DER) is an energy conservation project in an existing building that leads to an overall improvement in building performance.

    Deep energy retrofit

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From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.