Energy efficiency is the buzzword of the season, especially considering the cost of living crisis and the increasing energy prices that are pushing up everyone’s bills.
However, it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to retrofitting.
There are so many choices when it comes to making our homes cosier, from insulation and heat pumps to solar panels, so we spoke to quantity surveyor Claire Irwin about what options are available.
Read more: Inside jeweller Chupi Sweetman's beautiful Victorian home in Dublin
BER rating assessment
Claire says the first port of call for anyone considering retrofitting their home is getting a Building Energy Rating (BER) assessment carried out. “This way you will get an idea of what your starting point is. If you check out the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) website, they have a list of registered BER assessors. You can narrow it down to your own county.”
BER assessments will rate your house’s energy efficiency from A to G, A being the best and G being the worst. “With this you will also get an advisory report, this is basically a personalised road map for your unique home, explaining how you can upgrade to a B2 energy rating or better,” says Claire.
The report will provide a ‘fabric first’ approach, meaning homeowners will be encouraged to alter and upgrade things like the walls or the attic. “These upgrades are not massively intrusive. These could include pumped cavity wall insulation, or roll out insulation in the attic.”
Claire also advises people to analyse their current energy costs at this point. “Sit down and calculate how much your electricity, gas, oil and solid fuels like coal are costing you. What is the obviously high cost? Talk to your BER assessor about what upgrades can reduce that. You need to make sure you do the right measures that suit the running costs of the home.”
Budgets
If you have a low budget, Claire suggests carrying out smaller measures such as insulating the attic, switching out the radiators, or pumping cavity wall insulation.
“You should also check the SEAI’s website to see how much grant funding you can get for this. For pumped cavity wall insulation the homeowner can obtain up to €1,700, for insulating the attic you can get €1,500, and for upgrading heating controls you can receive €700,” she adds.
Those with a bigger budget of roughly €30,000 can opt for more extensive work, and they could get a grant of up to €35,000, according to Claire. “I would recommend that they go to a one stop shop. These are contractors that are registered with the SEAI.
“They will do a home energy assessment and make recommendations, much like the BER assessment, on how to get to a B2 rating or higher.”
Claire says this option suits homeowners who want to change their windows, insulate their walls on the inside or outside, change the heating system to a renewable source like an air to water heat pump, and install PV solar panels or a ventilation system.
The one stop shop will cost, manage and carry out all the work. “You won’t have to contact the window company or plumber yourself, so it’s really good in that sense,” Claire adds.
The one stop shop will also claim the grant funding on your behalf. “For example, if there is a grant of €30,000 available, you will never have to cash flow that. The one stop shop cash flow that for the homeowner.”
Free home energy upgrades
There is a third retrofitting route available to homeowners who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments, whereby the SEAI upgrade the home for free.
The payments include fuel allowance, working family payment, people on job seeker’s allowance for over six months who have a child under seven, people on disability allowance for over six months who have a child under seven, domiciliary care allowance, one parent family payment, and carer’s allowance, but you must live with the person you care for.
There is a waiting list for up to two years at the moment, according to Claire, and the scheme prioritises the oldest and least energy efficient homes.
To read the full interview and see all the pictures, pick up a copy of RSVP's Home magazine, on shelves now.
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