Home Energy Upgrades Alleviates Dampness and Reduces High Energy Bills

Key Achievements

Renewable Energy Technology

They installed Air to Water Heat Pumps, replacing existing gas and oil boilers

Savings

The average heating and hot water costs in winter were reduced to €25 per month (21c per kWh)

BER B1

Each house received an average post work BER Rating of a B1 making them very energy efficient, warmer and cheaper to heat. 

"Residents in Avoncore, Co.Cork are enjoying more comfortable and warmer homes, with reduced bills as part of the Government’s commitment to climate action and upgrading the energy efficiency of homes in Ireland."

The Project

Avoncore estate in Co. Cork is home to 35 families living in State supported accommodation.The houses in Avoncore were damp, cold and expensive to run with a Building Energy Rating of E1. In 2018, the local County Council applied for funding through SEAI’s Community Grant programme, the government’s national retrofit initiative, supporting energy efficiency projects in Irish communities. They were successful in their application and began a journey that involved transforming the homes of 35 families in the Avoncore estate.

Each house received an external wall insulation upgrade, one of the first essential steps to a warmer home. Old oil and gas boilers were replaced with air to water heat pumps, providing a renewable source for space heating and hot water for the home that is available all day. In addition to this, space heating stoves replaced open fire places. All houses had their old light bulbs replaced with energy-saving LED lights. 

Increased Comfort Levels and Savings

These measures increased comfort levels for the tenants of each home, reduced their energy bills and reduced the levels of carbon emissions from their homes. Total energy savings are over 600,000 kWh per annum. Each house received an average post work BER Rating of a B1, making them very energy efficient.

Cork County Council's application was part of a larger energy upgrade project in the area that included 12 commercial sites and 50 houses in total. The project was co-funded by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and involved a partnership between Cork County Council, NCE Insulation as lead applicant and SE Systems as the main contractor. Works were delivered in 16 weeks.

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*Stories & Images from SEAI. See more similar case studies of home upgrade at www.seai.ie