The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland has a wide range of grants to help people upgrade their homes
THERE are many good reasons for building, buying or retro-fitting an energy efficient house - it is cost-effective, comfortable, healthy and kind to the environment.
An energy efficient property is well-insulated and airtight with high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment that helps keep utility bills low.
It is fitted with low-flow accessories to reduce water consumption and bring down water heating costs.
An energy-efficient house is warm in winter, cool in summer and free of draughts. It has great ventilation and excellent air quality.
Having a home that is energy-efficient adds resale value to the property because newer windows and doors and high-efficiency lighting and applicances not only save money and energy, they also look good.
All the features of an energy-efficient house work together to lower energy consumption, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower the family’s carbon footprint.
It can enhance your daily life by making your house warmer, cheaper to run and easier to sell.
Getting your home assessed will indicate the property’s energy performance and help you choose the best energy efficiency improvements.
A Building Energy Rating (BER) is calculated through energy use for space and hot water heating, ventilation and lighting. The BER cert comes with a report outlining works that you can carry out to improve your home’s energy rating.
A home with a high BER rating will have lower energy bills than one with a low BER.
Buildings are rated from A-G with A being the most energy efficient rating that will generate the lowest monthly bills for you. Most houses in Ireland are currently at a C2 rating or lower.
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has a wide range of grants available to help people upgrade their homes, making them warmer and more energy efficient.
There are grants for insulation works (a home can lose over 30% of its heat through poorly insulated walls), heat pump systems that draw energy from the air, ground or water and offer an alternative to fossil fuel, home heating controls to reduce energy usage by up to 20%, solar water heating systems designed to meet 5060% of your overall hot water requirement over the year and a solar electricity grant of up to €3,800 for electricity generation and battery energy storage systems.
Under new building regulations introduced on November 1, 2019, all newly-built houses have to be near-zero energy buildings (NZEB).
The SEAI offers a once-off €50 grant for a BER assessment under the Better Energy Homes programme, which must be carried out by a registered assessor.
You may be eligible for a free home energy upgrade if your home was built and occupied before 2006 and you are in receipt of certain social welfare payments.