Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2020
332. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated cost of deep retrofitting all local authority and social housing stock to the highest standard by unit; and the cost of installing solar panels in the same housing stock. [24751/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are over 135,000 social housing homes nationally in the ownership of local authorities.
My Department has been funding an Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme for these properties since 2013. The Programme has two phases: Phase 1, which comprises the bulk of the work undertaken to date, has focused on the lower cost improvements such as cavity wall and attic insulation, while Phase 2 targets higher cost measures such as fabric upgrades, glazing/heating upgrades and in some cases, the installation of photovoltaic panels. As local authorities progress further into Phase 2 of this programme, the aim will be to bring the deep retrofit of the social housing stock to the 'cost optimal' equivalent performance, or a BER of B2.
In the period 2013 to date in 2020, some €151 million in exchequer funding has been provided under the Programme to improve energy efficiency and comfort levels in over 72,000 local authority homes. In addition, energy efficiency measures have been incorporated into the 12,495 vacant social housing homes that have been returned to productive use under the Voids Programme since 2014.
The cost of carrying out an energy retrofit on a social housing home depends on a wide range of factors including dwelling size, year of construction, dwelling condition, and construction type. While initial indications suggest that investment in the region of €2 billion may be required to complete the retrofitting of the local authority housing stock, a detailed analysis of the stock is required to profile both the further works required to homes that have had lower cost improvements carried out under Phase 1 and under the Voids Programme, and the works required to the remainder of the stock. The exchequer funding available to local authorities under the social housing retrofit programme for 2020 is set at up to a maximum of €30,100 for a mid-terrace house or apartment and €34,600 for a property that is end-terrace, detached, semi-detached or a bungalow.
As set out in the Programme for Government, a national retrofitting plan is due to be rolled out in 2021 overseen by my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action & Environment. The targets set within the Climate Action Plan will see 500,000 homes nationally, retrofitted by end 2030, including private and social homes. This will build on the investment already made in retrofitting of social homes and the improved comfort levels which have resulted.
