Sir, – Sadhbh O’Neill’s recent article on SEAI energy grants accurately describes the problem with the system. The SEAI grant system, with its focus on deep retrofit projects, hinders the attempts of many homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.
The heat pump grant is particularly onerous and requires a heat loss indicator of less than 2.3 which is very difficult to achieve for older houses. Many studies have shown that heat pumps operate efficiently in houses with more basic insulation so why not encourage this?
Deep retrofit does not offer good value for money as all elements must be managed by the same contractor leading to little competition and inflated prices.
It also leads to a lot of unnecessary work being done such as window replacement rather than window sealing. A better approach would be to concentrate on upgrades that deliver the best energy efficiencies for each project rather than one size fits all.
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As a retired Ber assessor I know that many houses remain completely uninsulated. While this is mainly older housing stock there are many houses built during the Celtic Tiger years that have little or no insulation. The SEAI’s remit should be on identifying poorly insulated houses and to focus on incremental upgrades rather than the ill-conceived and resource wasteful full retrofit model. Far more homeowners would benefit from the same budget. – Yours, etc,
PETER RANKIN,
North Circular Road,
Dublin 7.
Sir, – I read with interest Sadhbh O’Neill’s article “Why I won’t be using SEAI grants to retrofit my house” (Opinion, March 22nd).
My own experience could not be more different. Having my heating supplied by a gas boiler, which I feared was coming to end of life, I took the decision to go the heat pump route. Due to the original heating system in my fairly typical 1970s family home having been installed with gun barrel pipework, this required what was effectively the installation of a full new central heating system.
The approved SEAI heating contractor was able to undertake both this and the heat pump installation. The whole project was carried out very efficiently and I only had to pay the net amount to the approved contractor, who also did all the grant application paperwork.
Of course, I was happy to go the approved contractor route, feeling that this gave me some assurance of quality. The result is a comfortably heated home and a big saving on energy costs.
And yes, the heat pump suitability depended on earlier retrofit work to significantly improve the insulation levels – but that was also made feasible by separate SEAI grants.
I feel my experience is much more typical of the needs of Irish homeowners than the relatively exceptional case described byO’Neill – and it would be a great pity if they were put off by this article. – Yours, etc,
COLETTE McNAMEE,
Dublin 18.
Sir, – I was surprised by the article by Sadhbh O’Neill regarding the SEAI grants, which are done in connection with the Ber measurement system.
I too have been upgrading my house and have found the route of using the “one-stop shop” to be expensive and uneconomic.
However, I have still availed of the grants. To date I have claimed for attic insulation, external wrap insulation, upgrade of boiler and heating controls, solar thermal watering heating panels, solar photovoltaic panels and car charger.
The only one I’ve had difficulty with was the window and door grant. This was only available as part of a one-stop shop upgrade. I appealed this through the Ombudsman’s office as discriminatory but the decision was upheld. Since then the Minister for the Climate, Environment and Energy has changed his position and they are now available as a stand-alone grant, which I have applied for and been approved for.
It is not necessary to go through a one-stop shop, I have managed the process myself and shopped around and believe I have saved €10,000-20,000 by direct contract. – Yours, etc,
HUGH MEAGHER,
Finure,
Co Cork.
