Home energy upgrades

As part of our commitment to halve our greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050, Minister Eamon Ryan introduced the Home Energy Upgrade Scheme in 2022, the biggest home insulation and retrofit scheme ever offered in Ireland.

The Scheme, which is being rolled out through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), will make homes warmer, cut heating bills and reduce carbon emissions. It is a significant step towards meeting the Programme for Government commitment to upgrade 500,000 homes to B2 standard and to install 400,000 heat pumps by 2030. The scale of the scheme over the next decade will also see a huge increase in demand for workers in the construction industry.

Who is eligible?

All homes are eligible for grants, including properties owned by landlords, approved housing bodies, social housing, second hand homes and holiday homes. Home energy upgrades can include:

• a small building project, such as insulating your attic or cavity walls.
• a medium sized project, such as wall insulation or installing solar panels.
• a larger project, where you completely upgrade your home and can include replacing an oil or gas heating system with a heat pump, new windows, ventilation and complete insulation.

Where do I start?

The first step is knowing your Building Energy Rating (BER). A BER report provides advice on steps you can take to improve the warmth and energy efficiency of your home.    

• If your home already has a BER (i.e. if it has been bought or sold since 2009), you can access it from the SEAI National BER register with your MPRN number (Meter Point Reference number which is listed on the top of your electricity bill). 
• If you do not have a BER, you can find a local BER assessor on the SEAI database.

What grants am I eligible for?

Fully Funded Energy Upgrade - the Warmer Homes Scheme

For those most at risk of energy poverty, the Warmer Homes Scheme offers free energy upgrades for eligible homeowners.

Since 2000, over 143,000 free upgrades have been supported by the scheme. A budget allocation of €109 million has been provided for this scheme in 2022, which will support an increase in the number of free home upgrades from an average of 177 per month in 2021 to 400 per month, helping to reduce waiting times. 

Applications will also be accepted from qualifying homeowners who previously received supports under the scheme, but who could still benefit from even deeper measures. 

A warmer homes energy upgrade will usually include the following:

• Attic insulation
• Cavity wall insulation
• External wall insulation
• Internal wall insulation
• Secondary work such as lagging jackets, draught proofing and energy efficient lighting
• New heating systems and windows are occasionally recommended.

Learn more

Individual grants for smaller and step-by-step projects

If you want to tackle your home upgrade step-by-step over a number of years, the SEAI offers individual grants towards the cost of the works. 

In general, home upgrade projects should:

1. Start with insulation. Insulating the attic and walls keeps the heat in the building and immediately makes a building warmer and cheaper to run.
2. Next, upgrade the heating system.
3. Finally, install renewable energy, such as solar PV panels.   

The following grants are available:

• Attic Insulation, up to €1,500
• Cavity Wall insulation, up to €1,700
• Internal Wall Insulation (dry lining), up to €4,500
• External Wall Insulation (the wrap), up to €8,000
• Heat Pumps, up to €6,500
• Solar Hot Water, €1,200
• Solar PV (electricity), up to €2,400
• Heating Controls €700
• BER €50
• Technical Assessment €200

You need to apply directly to the SEAI for grants before the work starts and use a registered SEAI contractor. In most cases, you need to pay in full and the SEAI will give you the grant amount directly after the works are complete.   

Learn more

'One Stop Shops' for larger projects

'One Stop Shops' are for people who want to upgrade their home energy in one go. Sometimes this is called a ‘deep retrofit’, and it will bring your home up to a minimum BER B2 standard.

SEAI has already approved a number of 'One Stop Shops' and over time there will be a network throughout the state offering an end-to-end service for homeowners. This includes surveying the home; designing the upgrades; managing the grant process; helping with access to finance; engaging contractors to deliver the work; and quality assuring the work. 

The following grants are available when using a 'One Stop Shop' to upgrade your home to a B2 rating:

• Attic Insulation, up to €1,500
• Cavity Wall insulation, up to €1,700
• Internal Wall Insulation (dry lining), up to €4,500
• External Wall Insulation (the wrap), up to €8,000
• Heat Pumps, up to €6,500
• Solar Hot Water, €1,200
• Solar PV (electricity), up to €2,400
• Rafter Insulation, up to €3,000
• Floor Insulation, €3,500
• Windows (complete upgrade), up to €4,000
• External doors (max 2), €800 per door
• Mechanical Ventilation, €1,500
• Air tightness, €1,000
• Home Energy Assessment, €350
• Project Management, up to €2,000
• Launch Bonus (if a Heat pump is installed), €2,000

Learn more

Community projects

Communities are improving the energy efficiency of shared community buildings such as GAA clubs, libraries and sports halls. Commercial organisations are becoming more competitive through reduced energy costs. The Community Grant programme supports new approaches to achieving energy efficiency across building types in Irish communities.

Learn more

Other financing 

Grants can help towards the cost of retrofitting your home, but you may need a loan to cover the remainder of the cost. Once the works are complete, savings from lower energy bills can offset the initial outlay. Low interest loans to supplement the grants will be available soon.