James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 108: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding works carried out under the energy retrofitting scheme 2010 and the compliance status of a local authority, as pertaining to EU and Irish law regarding building energy rating, in respect of proposed works to be carried out under the auspices of the local authority on a number of houses as per the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10049/11]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Under my Department's Social Housing Improvement Programme, funding of up to 90% of the approved cost is provided to Housing Authorities to undertake improvement works to occupied and vacant social housing units, including works to improve the energy efficiency and general standard of the houses concerned. In the case of works to improve the energy efficiency of a dwelling, authorities are required to undertake a pre-works and a post-works Building Energy Rating (BER) assessment. The amount of grant paid to housing authorities is proportional to the level of energy savings achieved. Where an overall energy saving of more than 300 kWh per M2/year is achieved, a grant of up to 90% of cost or €18,000, whichever is the lesser, is recouped to the authority, reducing to 50% or €6,000, whichever is the lesser, in cases where an energy saving of between 50 and 100 kWh per M2/year is achieved.

Longford County Council received an allocation of €425,000 in respect of improvement works to their social housing stock in 2011. It is a matter for the Council to select the properties to be upgraded and to determine the nature and the scale of the works to be undertaken in each case. In 2010, Longford County Council advised my Department of their intention to carry out improvement works to six houses in McHugh Park. So far, a total of €6,300 has been recouped to the Council in respect of insulation and damproofing works carried out at these houses. The Council envisage that the energy savings in each of the six properties will be around 55 kWh per M2/year.