Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 November 2022
371. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of local authority houses that have a BER rating below B2; his Department’s target for retrofitting local authority housing; the number of retrofitting projects that were started in 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54479/22]
View answerA new enhanced ten year energy efficiency programme was launched in 2021 in response to a commitment made under the Programme for Government, which called for the 'retrofit' of 500,000 homes to a B2/Cost Optimal Equivalent BER standard by 2030, of which approximately 36,500 are expected to be local authority owned homes.
This new programme set a BER performance requirement of “B2” or cost optimal level. The upscaling of the works included in the programme sees a substantial overall increase in funding being made available for insulation, windows and doors and heating upgrades, specifically the installation of a heat pump and associated works. The installation of gas/oil boilers are no longer supported under the energy efficiency programme funded by my Department.
In 2021 €65 million of Exchequer funding was made available to local authorities for the retrofit of 2400 dwellings to BER B2/Cost Optimal Equivalent.
An annualised breakdown of the total funding provided and the number of properties upgraded under the Energy Efficiency Retrofit programme for the years 2013-2021 is available on my Department's website at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/668c1-energy-efficiency-retrofitting-programme-expenditure-output/
My Department also introduced a pilot Midlands Energy Retrofit Programme in 2020-2022, the details of which are found below. A further 146 properties were retrofitted to a BER of B2/ Cost Optimal Equivalent and these figures are in addition to the National Retrofit Programme.
www.gov.ie/en/publication/b86b3-midlands-energy-retrofit-programme-expenditure-and-units/
The 2022 Energy Efficiency Retrofitting programme has seen a significant increase in funding support to local authorities to €85 million, allowing approximately 2,400 homes nationally to be upgraded to a B2 or Cost Optimal Equivalent Standard.
The programme has been devised in a way to give local authorities a level of flexibility when selecting properties to retrofit ranging from those requiring minor levels of works to properties needing the maximum level of retrofitting required to bring them to a B2/Cost Optimum standard. Full details in relation to the 2022 Energy Efficiency Programme will be available early in 2023.
Separately details in relation to those properties that fall below the B2 BER rating should be available directly upon request from the local authority themselves.
