Written answers
Monday, 9 September 2024
Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Building Energy Rating
Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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134.To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the pre-and post-BER ratings of all deep retrofits completed in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 to date under all SEAI schemes, by scheme, pre-BER and post-BER, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter.[35703/24]
Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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135.To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the breakdown of the pre-BER and post-BER rating of solid fuel homes retrofitted as part of the SEAI retrofitting programme, broken down by SEAI scheme in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter.[35704/24]
Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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136.To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of solid fuel homes retrofitted as part of the SEAI retrofitting programme, were fitted with a heat pump, broken down by SEAI scheme in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter.[35705/24]
Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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137.To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the average cost per retrofit in each of the SEAI’s schemes per post-BER rating, in tabular form.[35707/24]
Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 134 to 137, inclusive, together.
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 recent years the Government has put in place 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.
My Department funds a number of schemes administered by SEAI to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. Individual energy upgrade grants are available under the Better Energy Homes Scheme; the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme provides an end-to-end service through One Stop Shops and the Community Energy Grant scheme supports energy efficiency upgrades undertaken as part of a community project. There are also fully funded upgrades for qualifying households.
This year a record €429.7 million capital funding was allocated to SEAI residential and community energy upgrade schemes, including the Solar PV Scheme, to support homeowners to improve the energy performance of their properties.
It is important to note the following:
- Homeowners are not required to have a pre-works Building Energy Rating (BER) to qualify for grant support under either Better Energy Homes or Solar PV Schemes.
- Under the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme the requirement for a pre-works BER data was introduced in 2022 and therefore data is only available from 2023.
- Regarding the cost of a retrofit/home energy upgrade, this depends on a range of factors including the size and type of home as well as the age and starting condition of the property and the retrofitting works required or recommended. Depending on the scheme the retrofit can consist of a single energy efficiency measure, multiple measures or a whole home upgrade to B2 and the costs will vary accordingly.
- Under the Better Energy Homes, Solar PV, National Home Energy Upgrade and Communities schemes, works costs are based on declarations from the homeowners and contractors. The costs can vary depending on the factors outlined above. Additionally, homeowners may carry out non-grant aided/non energy related works as part of the same upgrade. Therefore, the costs figures which will be provided by SEAI may be in excess of the costs relating to the retrofit works only. The amounts paid out per grant-aided measure by SEAI are fixed irrespective of the costs declared.
- Under the Warmer Homes scheme, the energy upgrade works are fully Exchequer funded.
www.seai.ie/publications/SEAI-Retrofit-Full-Year-Report-2023.pdf
www.seai.ie/publications/SEAI-Retrofit-Quarterly-Report-Q1-2024.pdf
The report for Quarter 2 2024 will be published shortly on the SEAI website at www.seai.ie/grants/home-energy-grants/home-upgrades/.
In terms of the specific data sought by the Deputy that is not routinely provided to my Department by SEAI, I have directed SEAI to reply directly to the Deputy with the data requested, in so far as it is available, as soon as possible.
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