The Renewable Energy Skills Skillnet (RESS) has warned that Ireland will struggle to achieve building efficiency ratings of 60 per cent within ten years, as envisaged by the EU.
The organisation, utilising figures from a recent report by the Irish Institute for International and European Affairs, said it would cost Mayo an estimated EUR1.46 billion alone to achieve this target by 2018.
RESS Chairperson Johnny Flynn stated, “Despite our dire economic position, the Government must be praised for going some way to meeting its commitments to energy efficiency. Regrettably, however, this insulation programme is insufficient on its own to address the task of upgrading over one million poorly insulated homes across the country.”
He explained, “In order for the 100 million euro scheme to be fully taken up this year, it is estimated that householders will be required to invest a matching EUR200m to bring their homes up to the 2018 standard. This combined EUR300m investment, however, will only lead to 5-10% of Ireland’s poorly insulated homes being upgraded sufficiently. The reality, therefore, is that the Government will have to provide an estimated EUR200m annually for the next ten years so as to ensure Ireland achieves the required building efficiency ratings.”
Mr. Flynn, who is an engineer, environmentalist and Ennis Town Councillor, pointed out that the poorly regulated building boom of recent decades had left Mayo householders and taxpayers to pick up the cost of retrofitting their homes.
“The Government and Local Authorities across the country have inherited this problem and must intervene by devising and implementing more significant and long term corrective measures. If they fail to do so then Mayo householders will continue to waste millions of Euro each year on heating poorly insulated homes. In the meantime, the Government must ensure that the newly announced insulation scheme is implemented effectively,”
He commented, “Central to ensuring the success of the new programme will be the quality of the initial Building Energy Regulations (BER) assessment of individual homes and the subsequent signing off of the works. Consumer protection is paramount and I would hope that the BER assessors being employed under this scheme will be competently qualified.”
“RESS hopes that during these assessments householders will consider renewable energy technologies as potential fossil fuel replacements in order to reduce their energy costs. This will further help the Government and Ireland to tackle climate change and achieve greater economic competitiveness and security of energy supply,” Mr. Flynn concluded.
Meanwhile, RESS has called on the Government and Sustainable Energy Ireland to consider expanding the Greener Homes Scheme to include Mayo’s many local authority rented accommodation units.
Dick Whelan, RESS Project Leader, said that long-term tenants should be entitled to individually apply for grants to improve energy efficiency and to incorporate renewable technologies in their homes.
He added, “The upgrading of poorly heated and insulated social housing units will contribute greatly to Ireland achieving building efficiency ratings of 60 per cent by 2018. After all, the vast majority of these units were constructed before the introduction of environmentally sound construction methods and materials in the building of new homes in 1997.”
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors:
- For further information please contact Johnny Flynn of RESS on 087-2571842 or Mark Dunphy of Dunphy Public Relations on 086-8534900 or media@dunphypr.com
- Renewable Energy Skills Skillnet is funded by members companies and the Training Networks Programme initiative of Skillnets Ltd, which is funded from the national training fund through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. For more on Renewable Energy Skills Skillnet log on to www.renewableenergy.ie.
- Skillnets is an enterprise led body that was set up in April 1999 to assist companies in addressing their training and development needs. Skillnets is responsible for the operation of The Training Networks Programme. Since 1999, Skillnets has funded over 150 Training Networks and supported over 10,000 companies to meet their training needs. 50,000 staff and managers have participated in raising their skills levels and 30 different industry sectors have been involved. These opportunities for developing human potential can underpin the competitiveness of firms as well as increase the long term career opportunities and employability of employees.
Website www.skillnets.ie
- FETAC, the Further Education and Training Awards Council is the national awarding body for further education and training in Ireland, (FETAC) gives people the opportunity to gain recognition for learning in education or training centres, in the work place and in the community. Website www.fetac.ie
Mark Dunphy
Dunphy Public Relations
www.dunphypr.com
media@dunphypr.com
00353-868534900
