Blog

Start your home energy upgrade journey now and enjoy a warm, cosy, energy‑efficient home this coming winter.

How do you encourage a conversation about retrofitting in an apartment building where property ownership is fragmented among hundreds of disparate owners?

Ciaran Byrne, Director of National Retrofit at SEAI, explains why this is the most significant benefit of upgrading your home’s energy efficiency

William Walsh, CEO of SEAI, highlights the real and measurable impact retrofitting is having on Ireland’s carbon emissions.

A major update to Ireland’s energy efficiency supports has arrived, and it’s good news for homeowners. The heat pump grant has more than doubled, now offering up to €12,500 to help households switch to clean, efficient heating. Here is a simple guide to what’s changed, who qualifies, and how to know if your home is heat-pump ready.

A new package of energy‑efficiency grants has just been announced, including, for the first time, a standalone grant specifically for windows and doors. That means you no longer need to commit to a full home energy upgrade to access support. You can simply apply for the upgrades you need.

With Room to Improve back on our screens on Sunday nights, we thought we’d revisit our chat with Dermot Bannon who joined us last October on our House Warming podcast. It was great to chat to Dermot about the role of the architect when it comes to a home energy upgrade. We also chatted about how home grants and other incentives have changed how we think about energy efficiency in the home and what to do if you’ve bought a new home but can’t afford to renovate.

Can you still run your house on electricity generated from solar panels during a power cut? It’s possible but here are some things you need to know.

In summer 2024 we replaced a 20-year-old oil boiler with a heat pump. Our initial impression post installation was positive. But what’s it like just over one year later, during our second heating season?

In one word – great.

The Traditional Homes pilot was launched in October 2024, the initiative supports homeowners improving the energy performance of traditionally constructed dwellings while acknowledging their particular conservation needs.

Feeling the chill? You’re not alone — keeping your home warm and cosy during winter can be challenging, especially with rising energy costs.

Kieran McCarthy is an engineer and builder from Cork. He runs a building company, KMC Homes, and has also renovated his own cottage in Cork availing of all the grants on offer from SEAI. He joins us on our new podcast House Warming to answer all your home energy upgrade questions.

While carrying out retrofit works, it is important for the contractor to check for nesting sites on the dwelling. This is particularly important before carrying out external wall insulation.

Whether it’s topping up your attic or wall insulation, replacing old drafty windows and doors with more efficient ones, or swapping out your oil / gas boiler for a heat pump, energy upgrades are a smart investment for you and our planet.

Upgrading your home may appear overwhelming and costly, but you don’t need to do it all at once.

Making your rental property more energy-efficient can bring you a host of benefits, and thanks to various government supports, it's easier than ever to get started.