Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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12. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the pre- and post-BER ratings of all deep retrofits completed in 2022 under all SEAI schemes, by scheme, pre-BER, and post-BER, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18595/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Climate Action Plan and National Retrofit Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2/cost optimal and the installation of 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes to replace older, less efficient heating systems by end-2030.

To promote and incentivise the achievement of these targets, in February 2022, Government launched a package of supports to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades, for warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes, with lower energy bills.

Following the introduction of the new measures, demand across the SEAI residential and community energy upgrade schemes was exceptionally high in 2022 and as the figures below highlight, there was an increase when compared to 2021 levels:

• 27,200 home energy upgrades were supported in 2022, compared to 15,246 in 2021, representing a 79% increase year-on year.
• Of these, 8,481 upgrades were to a post works Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2 or better, compared to 4,345 in 2021, representing a 95% increase year-on-year.

A post-works BER is required on completion of the works across all schemes and this allows SEAI to determine the Building Energy Rating (BER) achieved following retrofit works.

Based on the data available to SEAI for 2022, and provided to the Department, the One Stop Shop programme had a median pre works BER rating of D1 and a post works median BER rating of B1, while for the same period for the Fully Funded Warmer Homes Programme the median pre works BER rating was D2 and the post works median BER rating was C2.  Further detail on the post works BER ratings achieved by retrofit schemes in 2022 are set out in the attached table.

A more detailed overview of the SEAI 2022 performance against annual targets on the residential and community energy efficiency schemes can be found in their recently published quarterly report, which can be found on the SEAI website at:  www.seai.ie/news-and-media/home-energy-upgrades-2022/

My Department is working with SEAI to build on the strong performance of 2022. A record €356 million in funding has been allocated to SEAI for residential and community retrofit for 2023 to support the delivery of 37,000 retrofits this year.