Dublin house achieves A1 BER
Greg's 1950s end-of-terrace house on the south side of Dublin was transformed from a BER D2 to A1 after his home energy upgrade.
Background
Greg's end-of-terrace home in Terenure was built in the 1950s and had an old central heating system with a condensing gas boiler.
Greg is environmentally conscious and wanted to do something for the planet, he also wanted to upgrade his old heating system to a modern one.
The One Stop Shop Journey
Greg admits that he's not very technical, so he called in the experts at Electric Ireland Superhomes, one of SEAI's registered One Stop Shop services, to assess his home and establish what works needed to be carried out.
They sent a technician who spent over 3 hours going through the house and recommending several upgrade measures to make the home warmer and more energy efficient.
Works completed
Greg's home needed a whole suite of energy upgrade works which included:
- Attic insulation
- External wall insulation
- Airtight door
- Air to water heat pump
- Demand control ventilation
- Solar PV and battery store system
A new heating system - Heat pump
Greg says "my eyes were opened hugely with the after effects of having the heat pump." He says he doesn't have to do anything with it once it has been set up properly. The house "just feels really cosy and warm. If you're able to make the investment I definitely recommend it because it's very energy efficient."
The results
Although Greg's home went from a BER D2 to A1, the thing that really excited him was the solar panels, because he could see the electricity being generated on his app. Greg has tracked the energy usage and he is now using half the energy he used before the home energy upgrade. He says now he doesn't have to do anything to manage energy usage in his home. The heating stays on, the solar panels stay on, he plugs in the electric car when he needs it, and the air quality is much better. Now his home is dryer, more energy efficient and cosy.
In 2023, the average cost of One Stop Shop services and grants for homeowners was just under €33,000 for mid-terraced homes, and 38,500 for semi-detached/end-terrace homes.
The One Stop Shop approach lifts the BER of homes, with average BER uplifts in 2023 going from as low as E1 up to A2.
Find out about home energy upgrades Learn more about heat pumps