In last week’s issue, we discussed how sustainability is now incorporated into the design process of a new build; automatically giving the home a minimum A2 BER (building energy rating; set by the SEAI and ranging from G to A1).

But what if you’ve recently purchased an older home or have been living in a draughty farmhouse for the past several decades? This is where retrofitting comes into play.

Retrofitting takes each individual home into consideration and provides the energy upgrades needed. Unlike renovating, retrofitting makes changes largely unnoticeable to the naked eye, through the installation of proper ventilation systems, providing airtightness and insulation and upgrading boilers or installing new heating systems.

Because each house is different, the cost with each retrofit will also vary. Some upgrades encompass the entire home and will require a significant amount of work; costing upwards of €75,000, while other houses may only require minor changes.

The Government has been advised that the majority of Irish homes require what is called a “deep retrofit” in order for Ireland to meet its Climate Action Plan goals – this process entails insulation, making the home airtight, installing a ventilation system, making use of solar or PV panels, and installing heat pumps, which supply low-carbon heating.

Comfort and health

Making a home more energy efficient will cost in the short term, but in the long term, homeowners can expect lower heating and electricity bills. There are also other benefits to retrofitting.

Homes with energy efficient heating sources, ventilation and airtightness are considerably more comfortable, even in the coldest weather. These three things go hand-in-hand – a well-insulated home may retain heat, but without airtightness the heat will escape through weak spots. When you make your home airtight, it will retain heat, but also moisture (from daily household activities) and carbon dioxide, which can build up without proper ventilation.

Certain health benefits have been associated with living in homes with good air ventilation systems; particularly those living with chronic allergies and asthma. Older residents of properly retrofitted homes report higher levels of comfort and overall quality of life.

Where to start

You may recognise quantity surveyor Patricia Power from RTÉ’s Room to Improve – she keeps architect Dermot Bannon’s building projects on the straight and narrow. She mainly deals in residential projects, so retrofitting is something with which she is very familiar. Patricia recently worked with An Post to launch its new Green Hub (https://www.anpost.com/Green-Hub), a resource offering homeowners need-to-know information and access to expertise, low-cost home energy upgrade loans and a one-stop-shop option for a complete retrofit, in association with SSE Airtricity.

“A lot of my work is retrofitting, extensions and new builds,” she says. “When I meet people, 9.5 times out of 10, I ask what the issues are with their home and they say it’s draughty, freezing cold and damp. [In these situations], you look at the insulation, then the windows and the roof, walls and floor.”

Patricia Power.

Patricia says most clients don’t know where to begin with a retrofit. Because each home and situation is different, it can be difficult to have an idea of cost and effort. An Post’s Green Hub includes a BER home energy efficiency tool, which enables homeowners to find out their home’s energy rating as well as approximate cost estimates for any upgrades needed.

“You can put in your address or BER cert number and it will pick up your home,” she explains. “Then, it will tell you if your home is currently a G or an F, and what you need to do to bring your home up to a B or an A rating. It provides options and approximate costs and then the loan calculator [on the website] will tell you if you’re eligible for an upgrade loan from An Post.”

Little things

If you’re not ready to do a large upgrade, Patricia says there are other things you can do to improve the energy efficiency in your home. These include having your attic insulated to keep the heat from escaping, having your boiler serviced once a year (“a serviced boiler runs a lot more efficiently”) and upgrading heating controls to enable zoning, so you can more effectively control where your heat is going.

“Another simple thing – if you have an open fire, there’s a big draught – would be to install a stove,” she continues. “It seals the draught and gives you an extra source of heat; providing immediate improvement. If you don’t want to put in a stove, be diligent – block up [the fireplace] when you’re not using it. Those openings are literally sending the heat out into the atmosphere.” CL

SEAI grants

If you live in a home with a low energy rating, it’s worth looking into the available SEAI grants for home upgrades. Their website (seai.ie) offers information on a wide range of energy upgrades and their grants cover heat pumps, insulation, solar water and electricity and heating controls.

SEAI head of communications, Tom Halpin, says the grants will usually work out to around 30% of the total cost of the upgrade.

Tom Halpin is head of communications at SEAI.

“We provide grants to do two things: to improve the efficiency of the home and to try and maximise the amount of renewable energy that we can get into that home,” he says.

SEAI grants do not cover window and door installation or boiler upgrades, but if you’re planning to have your windows and doors upgraded, you should also consider having your walls insulated at the same time to avoid added stress.

“If [the upgrade] is going to be disruptive, you would be well advised to do it all at once,” Tom says. “It really depends [on your situation] - a good contractor can advise you on this.”

SEAI grants aren’t just making it easier for people to upgrade their homes, they are aiding the government in their Climate Action Plan goals and ensuring the quality of work being done, which is to the benefit of the consumer.

“Grant schemes, by nature, are designed to bring more supply into the market and increase demand,” he says. “If you went back 20 years and saw solar panels on a home, it was probably the same day as a blue moon – now, they’re commonplace. It’s the same with external wall insulation (a way of insulating older walls with no cavity) – years ago, we had a hard time finding suppliers; it was unusual – now it’s not. Grant schemes help build knowledge, awareness and confidence [from the consumer perspective] and drive a more quality-based supply chain.”

Ask a contractor

David O’Dwyer of Cooldine Construction Ltd says things can come up during a retrofit job one may not expect.

“We’ve come across some surprises while retrofitting,” he says. “For example, when costing window replacements: if the house is very old, you may need to factor the cost of replacing rotten timber heads or old sills – they mightn’t have an upstand to sit the new window on for damp-proofing purposes.

“If there is an existing ESB meter in the house, it’s a huge bonus to maintain it during works, if it’s safe to do so,” he continues. “New ESB connections can take months to install (from the date of submission of an electrical certification). Keeping the power running results in faster drying-out times which enables follow-on trades (like tilers and kitchen-fitters) and will get you back in your home as soon as possible.”

Stay tuned for next week’s issue, where we look into modern heating and plumbing systems.