Tap into grants to improve your home’s energy efficiency and reduce costs

This is a new monthly column - Home Energy Saving - by Owen McConnon will bring you information on energy-saving opportunities and simple tips on how to reduce your energy bills...

How energy efficient is your home?

This is a question that many homeowners cannot answer. Up to 60% of homeowners in Ireland do not know the Building Energy Rating (BER) rating of their home; while one in three cannot afford to make their properties more energy-efficient.

What is a BER? A Building Energy Rating certificate rates your home's energy performance on a scale between A and G. A-rated homes are the most energy efficient, while G-rated are the least energy efficient.

A Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) report states that an average home loses 20% - 30% of its heat through its walls. This rises even further if they are not insulated. Up to 30% can be lost through a poorly insulated attic, while windows will account for 10%-20% of your heat loss, especially in the cooler months.

The good news, however, is, there are SEAI grants available to homeowners to retrofit their homes. Retrofitting will provide a better quality of life for the occupants, lower energy bills, and also increase the value of the property.

Works covered by these grants include undertaking simple attic/wall insulation right up to a more complete retrofit, known as a 'One Stop Shop'.

Retrofit Ready

Retrofit Ready is a home energy and retrofit advisory/information service available to all homeowners in counties Cavan, Monaghan, Leitrim and Sligo.

The service is funded by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications and involves a consortium of Cavan County Local Development, Monaghan Integrated Development, Sligo ATU, Plan Energy, Sligo LEADER Partnership, Leitrim Development Company and the Irish Local Development Network.

I am the Community Retrofit Champion for Cavan and Monaghan - assisting community groups to support people in their local areas to retrofit their homes and avail of the appropriate grants.

During the Autumn and Winter months ahead, Retrofit Ready information evenings will be held in community halls throughout counties Cavan and Monaghan.

If your community has an interest in hosting such an information event please contact omcconnon@ccld.ie or 087-1315946.

In next month’s column, I will focus on insulation and the grants available for these upgrades. If you have any questions please contact me any time.

* Owen McConnon is the Community Retrofit Champion for Retrofit Ready