The Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2/cost optimal and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings over the next 10 years. €221.5 million in capital funding has been provided this year for SEAI residential and community retrofit programmes. This represents an 82% increase on the 2020 allocation and is the largest amount ever for the schemes. This allocation has facilitated the expansion and improvement of existing SEAI grant schemes and the introduction of new initiatives. A further €65 million has been allocated to retrofit social housing administered by the Department of Housing.
The number of homes retrofitted in 2020 and to date in 2021 with SEAI support, and the spend to date on each scheme in each year is set out in the table below. In 2020, SEAI residential and community retrofit schemes supported the upgrading of over 17,600 homes. The number of retrofits last year were unfortunately, negatively impacted by COVID-19 related restrictions. Enhanced COVID restrictions between January and April also had a significant impact on activity this year. Every effort is being made to maximise activity now that construction activity in the residential sector has recommenced.
Programme
|
2020 No. of Homes retrofitted
|
2020 SEAI capital spend (€M)
|
2021 No. of Homes
retrofitted (to end May)
|
2021 SEAI capital spend (€M)
(to end May)
|
Better Energy Homes Scheme
|
12,227
|
€18.3
|
3,177
|
€ 5.46
|
Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme
|
1,524
|
€23.4
|
323
|
€7.44
|
Community Energy Grant Scheme (homes only)**
|
656
|
€8.7
|
-
|
-
|
Warmth and Wellbeing
|
91
|
€2.1
|
17
|
€0.56
|
Better Energy Finance(merged with One Stop Shop Development Call for 2021)
|
5
|
€0.3
|
Not in operation
|
Not in operation
|
Deep Retrofit Pilot (closed)
|
196
|
€8.2
|
3
|
€0.4
|
Solar PV (domestic only)
|
2,917
|
€7.35
|
984
|
€2.26
|
National Home Retrofit One Stop Shop Development Call (new scheme 2021)**
|
Not in operation
|
Not in operation
|
-
|
-
|
* Local authority retrofits are in addition to the table above.
** The deadline for completion of projects under these schemes is October. Activity under these schemes will therefore be reported in the coming months.