Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 May 2023
98. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will specify the amount of the targeted 0.9 MtCO2eq abatement by 2025 (vs 2018) under the theme of the National Retrofit Plan within the residential built environment sector of the Climate Action Plan 2023 is anticipated to be delivered by the retrofitting of 120,000 dwellings to BER B2 cost optimal or carbon equivalent specifically. [20959/23]
View answer99. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide a breakdown of the amount of the targeted 0.9 MtCO2eq abatement by 2025 (vs 2018) under the theme of the National Retrofit Plan – as outlined in the built environment section of the Climate Action Plan 2023 – is anticipated to be delivered through the retrofitting of 120,000 dwellings to BER B2 cost optimal or carbon equivalent standard and the installation of heat pumps in 45,000 existing dwellings. [20960/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 99 together.
The National Residential Retrofit Plan, published in November 2021, is a comprehensive programme aimed at retrofitting 500,000 dwellings to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2/cost optimal or carbon equivalent by 2030. As part of this plan, 400,000 heat pumps will be installed in existing dwellings replacing older, less efficient fossil-fuel based heating systems. The estimated emissions reduction resulting from the National Residential Retrofit Plan is 2Mt CO2eq. by 2030, based on modelling carried out as part of the Climate Action Plan development process.
The Climate Action Plan 2023 includes targets to achieve a 0.9MtCO2eq abatement by 2025 from the residential sector through retrofitting the equivalent of 120,000 homes to BER B2/cost optimal with 45,000 of these installing a heat pump. The heating system in a home forms part of the BER calculation. Therefore the installation of heat pumps is an integral part of achieving the carbon reductions required from the retrofit programme and is built into the target of 0.9MtCO2eq.
To accelerate and drive delivery in this key area, a Heat and Built Environment Delivery Taskforce has been established. This Taskforce is focussing on the acceleration of system-wide project and programme delivery, ensuring blockages are removed in relation to retrofitting, renewable heat, district heating networks, decarbonisation of heating, and operational energy use optimisation in the building stock. Future high-level actions, to be taken in respect of these areas, will be set out in subsequent Climate Action Plans.
