'Our retrofit was a seismic shift in comfort, like being wrapped in a warm blanket'
Aidan Power and Anne-Marie Power, whose home energy retrofit with the SEAI One-Stop-Shop service saw their home's BER rating jump from E1 to A1.
Ballygal, Dublin 11.
- Original BER:E1.
- BER following upgrade: A1.
“My wife Anne-Marie and myself have been living in our home in Ballygal together since December 2010, along with our two young daughters. It is a semi-detached house, built in 1960. When we first moved in, there was very little insulation – the house had some attic insulation, otherwise not much. The BER of the house was previously an E1 and was upgraded to an A1.
“We went for the One-Stop-Shop service, with Kore as the subcontractor. We went for the One Stop Shop service because we had thought it was the only option in all honesty! It suited us in terms of having it managed in one go. Upgrades included the installation of a heat pump, internal wall insulation, the installation of triple glazed windows, floor insulation and solar PV. We received a substantial Government grant of just over €29,000 from SEAI towards these energy upgrades. We were blown away by some of the features. It’s now a much nicer house to live in.
“Helping the environment and reducing our emissions were the primary motivations behind opting for a Home Energy Upgrade. The build took just over 10 months – it wasn’t just retrofit, it also involved some rebuild and some delays. After upgrading our home’s BER to an A1 rating, it’s completely different. When you walk into the house it just hits you. Now we leave heat pump on and we’re enjoying the air quality. It feels like a completely different house.
“A seismic shift in comfort, like being wrapped in a comfortable blanket. Chalk and cheese difference. Previously I would have had hot water bottles on my knees, and I used to wear a beanie! The biggest benefits have been warmth and comfort especially in wintertime – it stands out. With the Solar Panel – we are going to see the benefits in the next few months ideally. We hope that in time, we’re helping to make a better planet.
“There was an initial learning curve for the professionals (the architect, the Quantity Surveyor, the builder) in terms of getting up to speed on the programme, ‘becoming educated’ on how the process works and undertaking the paperwork. When you’re actually going through it, it can be hard and stressful, there’s lots of detail etc There are decisions to be made here and there’s the work itself – a project outside of normal workday. You reap the benefits in long term – it’s a generational thing.”
Climate Action Officer,
An Taisce Environmental Education Unit, Tallaght
- Original BER: D2.
- BER following upgrades: A1.
“I’ve been living in my home in Tallaght for 16 years. It was a brand-new bungalow at the time of move-in, but still quite cold at wintertime. I’d often have a jacket on! Before I got the works done, there was dampness in the kitchen, some mould on the ceiling.
“My primary motivations for undertaking the Home Energy Upgrade aligned with the nature of my work for An Teagasc Environmental Unit. I wanted to reduce emissions, but I also wanted to improve comfort levels of the home. Reducing the costs was also factor – work began on the home just as war in Ukraine started.
“One of the benefits I also feel is the sense of wellbeing – knowing my emissions are now reduced – I use an app on my phone which outlines how much energy is being generated by solar PV panels. The micro-generation scheme was also another factor – the opportunity to be receiving money for energy unused, with it going back into the grid.
“Through my work and through the Climate Ambassador programme I came across the One Stop Shop the SEAI grants. I decided to opt for the One Stop Shop service as I trusted the SEAI on the paperwork end of things and the management of different contractors.I lead a happy but busy life – didn’t want that additional pressure on myself.
“In total, the works took roughly three months, from February 2022 to May 2022. The upgrades included external wall insulation, replacing the gas boiler with a heat pump, upgrading the windows and doors and having a solar PV installed.
“Living in an A1 BER home is fantastic! I feel a sense of wellbeing – knowing my emissions are now reduced – I use an app on my phone which outlines how much energy is being generated by solar PV panels. The house is warmer, better air quality, no dampness and I can’t hear any noise from outside! I live beside the motorway, so this is an unexpected benefit!
“The heating and energy controls are great, I can set it on and off. The thermostats on radiators also are a great boost. I strongly urge people to invest in a home energy upgrades, if you can afford it. The One-Stop-Shop service provides a hassle-free experience. It was all definitely worth the time, money and upheaval.”
