Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
151. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated full cost of a retrofitting programme that would bring 50,000 homes in 2023 up to a BER A1, A2 and A3 rating respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41455/22]
View answerThe Climate Action Plan and National Retrofit Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2 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.
The National Development Plan and National Retrofit Plan have ring-fenced €8 billion to support all residential upgrades to 2030.
The Retrofit Plan estimates that, between 2019 and 2025, almost 185,000 home energy upgrades will be delivered with over 83,000 to a B2/cost optimal level. When the emissions savings from the non-B2 upgrades are included, this is the equivalent of 120,000 B2 upgrades over the period. As a result, there will a need to deliver, on average, approximately 75,000 B2-equivalent home upgrades per year from 2026 to 2030 to achieve the overall target of 500,000 by 2030.
Earlier this year, Government announced an enhanced package of measures to support the uptake of home energy upgrades and 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.
- Establishment of a network of registered 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 provided to those at risk of energy poverty alongside changes to the operation of the Warmer Homes Scheme. This includes ensuring the Scheme prioritises those in the worst performing homes first and opening the Scheme for homeowner ‘revisits’ thereby allowing them apply for deeper energy upgrade measures now available under the scheme.
- A special enhanced grant rate, equivalent to 80% of the typical cost, for attic and cavity wall insulation has also been introduced for all households. This will help to urgently reduce energy use as part of the Government’s response to current exceptionally high energy prices.
The cost of a retrofit to bring a property to a post works building Energy Rating of B2 depends on a range of factors including the size and type of home as well as the age and starting condition of the property and the retrofitting works required or recommended. The Department estimates that the cost ranges significantly from €14,000 to €66,000.
