Target of 83 homes to be retrofitted this year

THE Department of Housing has given South Dublin County Council (SDCC) a target of just 83 Council homes to be retrofitted in 2024.

This represents a reduction by almost half of the number of local authority homes retrofitted in 2023.

The 2024 target was issued by the Department on March 14, 2024 and a request has been made to the Department to increase this allocation based on the Council’s capacity to deliver under the programme.

The delivery of the Council’s Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme (EERP) for the social housing stock is classified into two geographical areas: North of the Naas Road (Clondalkin /Lucan/ Newcastle area) and South of the Naas Road (Tallaght/ Rathfarnham/ Rathcoole area).

Properties are selected further to a desktop study which gives an indication of the BER (Building Energy Rating) and the age of a property.

Generally, the properties selected for a home energy upgrade range from a low energy efficiency BER rating between D and F/G.

All identified properties are surveyed prior to work being undertaken.

Selected properties are then retrofitted on a phased basis within estates as this offers the best productivity and a higher completion rate.

The number of properties retrofitted is dependent on funding and targets provided by the Department of Housing.

252 properties have been completed to date under the EERP programme.

The Council also operates a windows and doors programme following a county-wide survey completed in 2017/18.

The survey specifically identified properties with single glazed timber or aluminium units.

Approximately 600 properties were identified requiring works, 253 have been completed, with the remaining properties being with contractors or having been surveyed, with tender preparation underway.

Going forward, periodic property inspections will be carried out, whereby properties will be inspected on a four-to-five-year cycle.

The findings of the surveys will feed into ongoing multi-annual planned maintenance programmes, with the aim to reduce the current level of reactive maintenance requests and improve the overall value for money for the delivery of the service.

Funding has been provided by the Department of Housing to commence the first year of the 4-to-five-year cycle.  The outcome of these surveys will guide the selection of properties for energy efficiency retrofitting works in the future.