The recent Climate Change Advisory Council report shows that, up to 2025, emissions of greenhouse gases from the built environment were in line with its carbon budget. However, the report also highlights how we will miss the 2030 target unless current delivery moves up a gear.
On the plus side, there has been steady progress in ramping up the number of homes being retrofitted to at least B2 energy ratings. The number of electric heat pumps installed last year increased by 21 per cent. Ireland is now fifth in Europe in adopting heat pumps, but still way behind Norway, and nowhere near where we need to be in four short years’ time.
To curb emissions from households, we need to dramatically increase heat pump adoption, as well as to serve communities by expanding district heating systems. Government needs to deliver a higher share of our electricity from green sources like wind and solar.
We are much further behind in tackling the significant carbon emissions from the commercial building stock – factories, offices and retail centres. Ninety per cent of buildings are still heated by fossil fuels.
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To drive more rapid change, the climate council emphasises economic incentives. The planned hikes in carbon tax should continue, making climate-harmful emissions progressively more expensive, while using the proceeds to drive accelerated retrofitting.
We know that higher prices for fossil fuels push us all to clean up our act. In the first three months of this year, applications for subsidies for retrofits doubled as a result of the dramatic rise in fossil fuel prices. Demand for EVs also shot up.
The Iran war brought home to many households the risks of dependence on fuel supplies from a volatile region, and that weaning off fossil fuels is cheaper in the long run.
Not all households can finance the necessary investment in retrofitting, even though the payback is good. The State as landlord needs to step in to do the job for lower income households in social housing. The Climate Change Advisory Council argues that such investment is falling short and needs to accelerate. They also argue for the installation of solar electricity in low-income households to cut their future bills.
By making social housing cheaper to heat, and easier to keep warm, we can tackle fuel poverty head on. Long-term it makes more sense to spend on insulating people’s homes than on fuel allowances to cover heat that largely escapes.
Last year, we decided to practise what I preach, to retrofit our 1970s semi and convert to a heat pump. My wife was initially dubious about the economics for us as an older couple – would we both have to live to 93 to reap the financial (as against the planetary) return? With hindsight, she was too pessimistic.
After the retrofit, our house went from a D2 to an A2 energy rating. The house was comfortable all winter, especially the converted garage that serves as my study, previously an icebox.
We have steady sales of solar electricity to the network, as well as generating about a sixth of our electricity needs from our roof. Over the last year, we have saved around €2,600 on our energy usage – a better after-tax return than we could have otherwise earned on the money spent.
Yes, the work was disruptive over a two-month period. External wrapping, window replacement and attic insulation caused minimal disturbance, but insulating internally on a party wall involved significant hassle. So too did replacing all the radiators, but it was a lot easier than if we had to put in underfloor heating and take up all the floors.
For a couple of weeks, it was like living in a fish tank, with blue film on all the windows, until the external plaster had dried and was ready to be spray-painted.
Choosing a one-stop-shop firm made it as smooth as possible. An excellent project manager made sure all the different trades and elements followed in sequence, with minimal gaps between. We could never have done that ourselves. He ironed out any minor difficulties immediately.
Not only have we saved on heating bills, but we have dramatically reduced our carbon emissions.
As an energy nerd, I have our consumption details going back almost 50 years. With three teenagers in the 1990s, we were emitting 16 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. Some insulation and other improvements in 2010 reduced that to 10 tonnes. After our retrofit, our carbon emissions over the last year dropped to two tonnes – half of that being the car. Next stop to cut emissions – an electric car.
