Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

151. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the rollout expansion of the Schools Energy Retrofit Pathfinder Programme for 2023-2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49477/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to advise you that the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan TD and I last week launched the 2023 – 2024 Schools Energy Retrofit Pathfinder Programme which will evaluate and demonstrate the approach to energy retrofit and carbon reduction in the schools’ sector, testing energy efficiency solutions and renewable heat technologies.

The 2023/24 Pathfinder is jointly funded with a targeted budget of €35 million from the Department of Education and Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and the Planning and Building Unit in the Department of Education with delivery support from Limerick Clare ETB.

This government-funded energy retrofit pathfinder programme will target energy use and CO₂ emission reduction by 51%, testing deep retrofit and low carbon heating solutions. The programme will see up to ten schools benefitting from a selection of energy efficiency works.

This programme continues to assist the Department to explore options and test various solutions for decarbonised energy efficiency solutions in our broad range of school building types. It is paving the way for, and informing, a much larger schools national programme for the energy retrofit of schools built prior to 2008 as included in the National Development Plan and will play a key part of meeting delivery of the Climate Action Plan.

Design teams are being appointed to each of the schools to feasibility stage to investigate retrofit and decarbonisation options, and works will roll out from summer 2023 subject to the outcome of the feasibility stage. The feasibility stage includes looking at various options for potential retrofit levels with renewable heat up to what would be required to be a Zero Emission Building.

The schools for 2023 present a variety of challenges, including building age, archetype and retrofit requirements. The works typically involves upgrades to the building fabric including wall and roof insulation, doors and windows, air tightness improvements, LED lighting and heating upgrades as well as renewable technologies.

The pathfinder programme has retrofitted 42 schools across Ireland to date with work on an additional 15 schools currently at various stages of progress.

The general principles and approach to school selection include schools meeting Energy Monitoring and Reporting requirements and demonstrating a strong and holistic commitment to energy management practices through participation in the Energy in Education Programme. The programme selection also seeks to enable various cross sections of school types and sizes, energy consumption profiles and different elements of construction type and heritage/ conservation requirements where specific learnings are being targeted. The pathfinder programme is thus delivered on broad assessment in line with the above considerations and not on an application basis.

The schools for the 2023 programme are:

Leixlip Community School, Kildare

Catherine McCauley Special School, Limerick

Carnadonagh Community School, Donegal

St Joseph’s National School, Kingcourt,

Presentation Girls Primary School, Maynooth

Holy Rosary School, Wicklow

Hazelwood College, Limerick

St Colmcille’s Community School, Dublin

Scoil Thomas Primary School, Castleknock, Dublin

St Nessan’s National School, Limerick