Modern eco houses and sustainable houses are a good choice for the environment, providing energy efficient solutions and reducing the impact our lifestyles make on the planet. However, this is not a practical solution for everyone, and retrofitting older houses to make use of energy saving technology is a key part of Government strategy in Ireland.
Retrofitting can change the way your home uses energy, enabling you to make use of renewable energy using solar power, increased insulation and ground source heating. This is an option that can be beneficial for domestic and commercial properties, and we’ll take a look at the options here.
What is Retro-fitting?
Retrofitting your home involves making improvements to the energy efficiency by upgrading aspects of the property. In a shallow retrofit, improvements may be made to one or two areas, or the improvements may be spread out over a long period of time. These improvements tend to cost less than a deep retrofit but will not have such a significant impact on your energy efficiency.
A deep retrofit, however, increases energy efficiency more significantly to make more substantial savings – both for the planet and for your pocket. This is a larger scale project that may include improving insulation in the walls, attic and floor, replacing the windows and doors or installing a heat pump and/or solar panels.
While a deep retrofit may cost more initially, the savings over time are more substantial and there are several grants available to make the option more accessible to homeowners.
Benefits of a Deep Retrofit Compared with a Shallow Retrofit:
The type of retrofit you carry out on your home will depend upon the property, your preferences and your budget. For optimum benefits, we recommend a deep retrofit that upgrades several elements of your home at one time to improve energy efficiency and save you money.
- Significant savings on your energy bill. A more efficient home will enable you to make significant savings on your energy bills and reduce your bills going forward. This will also make your property more desirable if you sell your home in the future. Green technologies such as solar and ground source heating are cheaper to run than non-renewable energy systems and you will also need to use your heating system much less frequently if your insulation is better.
- Access to full SEAI grant funding. There are several grants available to help upgrade the energy efficiency in your home, and the process of deep retrofitting will enable you to access more substantial grants such as the full SEAI grant funding. You can talk with our expert team about this to determine the best route for your home.
- Guaranteed BER rating improvements. BER rating categorises the energy efficiency of your home, creating a comparable system in which homeowners can identify their current level of efficiency and work to improve this. This is important if you choose to sell your home, as properties with a better BER rating will be much more desirable to buyers, and it is also helpful to enable you to see where further improvements can be made.
- Increased property value and marketability. In the future, the energy efficiency of a house is likely to be a major factor in a sale, with sustainable and energy efficient houses becoming increasingly popular and achieving better prices. The demand for houses that have already undergone the deep retrofit process is high, and will continue to increase, so you can see this as a good investment in your home. A deep retrofit may also make you eligible for a ‘green mortgage’, which can offer excellent interest rates to homeowners who have made this investment.
- Total comfort upgrade. You might be surprised to find that you can feel the difference in a sustainable home, with upgrades such as ventilation systems that make the air feel cleaner and can even help to reduce allergies. Improved heating systems can make your indoor environment cosier, and you can enjoy many benefits at once when you invest in the deep retrofit process.
- One-time disruption instead of ongoing upheaval. Trying to improve the energy efficiency in your home over time via shallow retrofitting or gradual improvements can involve a great deal of upheaval over a long period of time. However, a deep retrofit can be a short-term project that is contained, making significant improvements all at one time for convenience.
- Likely lower home insurance costs. A more energy efficient home has many benefits, including savings on insurance going forward. A more sustainable home that employs new technology is more likely to incur lower costs for home insurance as well as reduced bills and a greater sale value if you decide to sell in the future.
- Supports Ireland’s climate goals – and your own. The climate crisis is a key issue for Governments across the world and in Ireland, we are striving to meet clear and effective goals, aiming to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Retrofitting is a key part of this plan, with the aim of reducing emissions from residential buildings by 40% through retrofitting and heat pumps. Retrofitting your home also, of course, reduces your own carbon footprint, ensuring that you are doing your bit for the planet and smashing your own eco goals.
A ‘shallow’ retrofit offers improvements that can make some savings, and can include changes such as upgrading your boiler, but you can achieve significantly more efficient results with a deep retrofit.
Deep Retrofit Your Home in Cork, Ireland
At Ecotech, our expert team is experienced in building and upgrading homes to improve energy efficiency. Sustainable homes are a key part of the Irish Government’s plan for future proofing, and deep retrofitting is an essential part of this process. We also build and design timber frame homes and passive houses using the latest sustainable technology. We can help to create your dream home so contact us today to find out more.
