Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 November 2023
158. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the schemes available to retrofit redbrick and stone-built houses constructed before 1940, mostly categorised as traditionally built buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47940/23]
View answer159. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his plans to extend the warmer homes scheme to traditionally built buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47941/23]
View answerMy Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. As the retrofit industry transforms to accommodate much higher levels of output in line with our national targets, quality must be maintained at a high level to ensure value for money for the tax-payers and to sustain consumer confidence and demand.
Contractors operating under any scheme supported by an SEAI grant must carry out the works in line with the Domestic Technical Standards and Specifications as well as best practice and technical guidance documents including:
• NSAI S.R. 54:2014 Code of practice for the energy efficient retrofit of dwellings
• Building Regulations Technical Guidance Documents
• The System Supplier/Product Manufacturer Guidelines
• NSAI Agrément certificates
• Irish, British or European Standards Guides
• Codes of Practice for the programmes
Older stone-built buildings (generally those built up until around the 1940s) and constructed in stone, single-leaf masonry or composite wall construction usually fall into the category of traditionally built buildings.
