The National Retrofit Plan, published last month as part of the Climate Action Plan, set ambitious targets to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2 or carbon equivalent and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings by the end of 2030. These targets represent a very significant increase in both the volume and depth of retrofit activity in Ireland. Research and analysis carried out on the cost of retrofitting to inform the new Retrofit Plan was aligned with the targets to upgrade homes to a BER B2 and the installation of heat pumps. The work required and associated cost of bringing a home to a BER B2 is determined by a number of factors including: the size and type of home; wall type; as well the age and starting condition of the home. Estimates compiled for the Department indicate that the cost to retrofit the fabric of a house to a B2 and install a heat pump can range between €14,000 and €66,000.
The National Retrofit Plan is designed to address barriers to retrofit across four key areas: driving demand and activity; financing and funding; supply chain, skills and standards; and governance.
SEAI grant schemes will continue to be a central element of the Government’s strategy to encourage homeowners to retrofit their homes and a new National Retrofit Scheme will be launched early next year. The Plan commits €8 billion of Exchequer funding (including €5 billion in carbon tax revenues) for SEAI grant schemes and commits to the introduction of measures to make home energy upgrades more affordable for households.
In order to achieve the ambitious national retrofit targets in the years to come, it is essential that we develop the supply chain. The National Retrofit Plan outlines a range of measures to achieve this and increase the number of skilled workers while maintaining quality. This includes the quantification of the skills required to deliver on our targets as part of the recently published Expert Group on Future Skills Needs report on the low carbon economy as well as the provision of relevant upskilling, reskilling and apprenticeship supports through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
