The Government has recently approved a package of supports to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades, for warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes, with lower energy bills.
The key measures include:
- a new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme providing increased grant levels of up to 50% of the cost of a typical deep retrofit to a B2 BER standard (up from 30%-35% grants currently)
- One Stop Shops to offer a start-to-finish project management service, including access to financing, for home energy upgrades
- a significant increase in the number of free energy upgrades for those at risk of energy poverty under the Warmer Homes Scheme(400 per month – up from an average of 177 per month in 2021)
- a special enhanced grant rate, equivalent to 80% of the typical cost, for attic and cavity wall insulation for all households, to urgently reduce energy use as part of the government’s response to current exceptionally high energy prices
- an Exchequer investment of €8 billion to 2030 which will enable the supply chain to scale up, creating thousands of high quality jobs and delivering on this critical national objective.
Under the new scheme registered One Stop Shops will be required to survey the home; design the upgrades; manage the grant process; help with access to finance; engage contractors to deliver the work; and quality assure the work.
Heat pump systems are at their most efficient and effective when generating heat at a lower temperature. Poor insulation, draughts and single glazing will affect the performance of a heat pump system. On this basis, one of the requirements for a dwelling to qualify for an SEAI grant for a heat pump system is that the dwelling has low heat loss. Some homes will already meet this requirement and other homes can achieve it through a package of upgrades. As such, the cost can vary significantly. Estimates compiled for the Department indicate that the cost to retrofit the fabric of a house to a BER B2 and install a heat pump can range between €14,000 and €66,000.
The design for the upgrade carried out by the One Stop Shop will include appropriate upgrade measures to ensure the home has low heat loss. Grants are available for measures that can help a home achieve the required heat loss indicator, such as roof, wall and floor insulation, and window and door replacements. The grants have been set at levels of up to 50% of the cost of a typical deep retrofit to a B2 BER standard (up from 30%-35% grants currently).
