Irish home retrofits up 11% on last year

Over 38,000 Irish homes have been retrofitted to use more climate-friendly energy in the first nine months of 2024.

According to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, the number of upgrades has risen by 11 per cent compared to the same period last year, while there have been 26 per cent more free energy upgrades to energy-poor homes.

Energy Minister Eamon Ryan said "while we often talk ourselves down in Ireland" politicians that share his role in other European countries "are amazed at the percentage of homes we are reaching, year on year". But he warned that even as government spending on retrofitting has risen 34 per cent "we cannot become complacent".

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He added: "Our retrofitting programme continues to expand which means that more and more people are waking up in warmer, more efficient and healthier homes every year.

"We have to keep pushing on, particularly with our programme of free retrofitting for low income and energy poor homes. We must ensure that everyone can benefit from the clean, green energy solutions that are available."

SEAI figures show that the Irish government spent €279 million across all retrofitting schemes from January-September 2024. That funding saw 5,255 energy poor households benefit from free upgrades and 15,000 homes upgraded to BER B2 or higher - up 24 per cent over the same period in 2023.

Dr Ciaran Byrne, Director of National Retrofit at SEAI, said: "The Government, Department of Environment, Climate and Communications and SEAI have taken several actions during 2024 to increase homeowner demand and supply chain participation.

"These include a new phase of SEAI's multi-annual marketing and communications campaign; new supports for homeowners availing of the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme and a new training incentive for heat pump installers.

"Several scheme developments are likely to drive interest and participation in both the short and medium term. These include the support scheme for homeowners affected by Defective Concrete Blocks launched in September and the low interest Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme with more institutions due to sign up in the coming months.

"We are also excited about the traditional buildings pilot programme launched in October, which will provide vital evidence and data which will hopefully unlock access to grants for these typically harder to treat homes."

He added: "As has been the case for some time now solar PV is proving a very attractive technology for homeowners."

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