ASSOCIATION NEWS
OFTEC IRELAND MANAGER DAVID BLEVINGS, TALKS ABOUT THEIR CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE IN THE DEBATE ABOUT THE PATHWAY TO 2030...
The decarbonisation of heat... one size does not fit all, says OFTEC
O FTEC has been saying for some time that a one-size-fits-all approach to the decarbonisation of homes in Ireland is not the way forward. We are on record saying that all non-regret pathways, including low carbon fuels, should be properly analysed and costed as part of the future energy strategies in each jurisdiction. Retrofitting houses to maximise energy efficiency is always a good way forwards but attempting to retrofit Ireland’s housing stock to pave the way for the electrification of home heating is hugely expensive, disruptive for homeowners and tenants, and as we have seen from recent press reports, may not be the best solution. Speaking to The Independent newspaper earlier this month, Dr Oliver Kinnane said, “Any drive towards a one-size-fits-all extensive deep retrofit would be foolish, as buildings are all different and no one retrofit strategy is suitable for all.” A lecturer in Architecture at University College Dublin, Dr Kinnane has voiced his concern at the Irish government’s Climate Action Plan (CAP21) to retrofit 25% of the country’s homes in an eight-year period to meet the 2030 targets. Speaking about the government’s plan to retrofit 25% of Ireland’s housing stock in just eight years, Dr Kinnane commented, “I don’t think it’s going to happen, because we don’t have the people in place to do it. My concern about doing it at that scale without proper controls is that it could result in bad retrofits that need to be redone in the future.” A key part of CAP21 is to deliver the
equivalent of 500,000 homes retrofitted to a Building Energy Rate (BER) of B2/ cost optimal or carbon equivalent and the installation of 400,000 heat pumps in existing premises by the end of 2030. A B2 is a very favourable energy rating and is generally considered the benchmark for excellent performance in a home built before 2006. Currently, only 10% of Ireland’s housing stock features that rating or, better meaning, 90% of homes are unsuitable for heat pumps without significant retrofitting. These deep retrofits can cost up to €70k with only up to half of that figure available in grant assistance. This is a significant financial burden on homeowners during a major cost-of-living crisis. “All non-regret pathways, including low carbon fuels, should be properly analysed and costed as part of the future energy strategies in each jurisdiction.”
David Blevings, OFTEC Ireland Manager.
“Helping Ireland’s homeowners move away from fossil fuels is a much more complex task than rolling out a one-size-fits-all approach.”
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