ELECTRIC.IE • The Magazine & Website for the Irish Electrical Industry • 47 ILnEdDuVsAt rNy CNE e w s National Residential Retrofit Plan 2026 will make home energy upgrades more affordable, and accessible to many more homeowners Designed to make homes warmer, more comfortable, and cheaper to heat, a new and enlarged package of grants will be administered by SEAI under the new National Residential Retrofit Plan. The new measures will see many more households benefit from homes that are warmer and cheaper to heat. • New and enhanced individual upgrades to support homeowners with their upgrade journey – including new windows and doors grant. • Higher grants and wider eligibility making it easier for homeowners to complete deep retrofits on a phased basis that suits their budgets. • Higher grants for homeowners on Qualifying Welfare Payments • New support for First Time Buyers (of existing houses). • Increased grant support for Approved Housing Bodies and Local Authorities, as well as support n the community for older people. Uplift for existing grants for cavity wall insulation and attic insulation* In 2022, higher grants were introduced as energy affordability measures, focused on homeowners who are not eligible for energy-poor grants. Recognising that costs have risen since then, grant levels for cavity wall insulation and attic insulation will be increased. These higher fixed grants will substantially reduce costs for homeowners. Heat Pump System Grants* The upfront cost of heat pumps, and the additional cost of potentially having to replace the entire heating system, may be a barrier to some homeowners A package of new and enhanced grants for homeowners across the country who are looking to benefit from home energy upgrades. seeking to adopt heat pumps. To reduce the costs associated with a whole house heating system upgrade, and to accelerate the uptake of heat pumps, a fixedamount grant for installing a heat pump system will be introduced. This grant encompasses the existing €6,500 for the heat pump, €2,000 for upgrading radiators and pipework and a new renewable heating bonus of €4,000. The new maximum grant of €12,500 will apply to applications already in train with the SEAI (and not yet processed for payment). There will also be a new high temperature heat pump pilot scheme to test the suitability of this emerging technology in Irish homes. The pilot will evaluate performance of the technology and ensure that actual running costs remain affordable and comparable to pre-heat-pump fossil fuel heating costs. From 2 March: Windows and Doors (grants available at a building fabric standard*) A new grant will be introduced for the installation of energy-efficient windows and doors (to replace poorly performing windows and doors) for homes where the building fabric will meet or already meets a specified minimum performance standard. Many homes will already meet this standard. For others, they may also need to fit attic and/ or wall insulation – measures for which generous grants are already available. Combined with attic and wall insulation supports, grants for windows and doors will bring increased levels of comfort (as well as bringing a significant number of homes to heat pump readiness). Attic Insulation for First Time Buyers* To enable First Time Buyers of existing homes to get on the energy upgrade journey – quickly and at minimal cost – a specific grant for attic insulation for these new homeowners will be introduced. In fact, First Time Buyers will be able to avail of a higher fixed grant for attic insulation that would otherwise be the case. In many cases the grant amount will cover most or even all the total cost. This will support First Time Buyers who purchase an existing property and might not be in a financial position to progress to undertake a complete energy upgrade (i.e. a deep retrofit). ‘Second Wall’ measure* Many homeowners have previously availed of a grant for cavity or internal wall insulation. These homeowners may want to further improve the level of wall insulation – to make their homes even warmer and cheaper to heat (and to make their homes heat pump ready). At present, these homeowners are precluded from receiving a grant for a second wall measure under Better Energy Homes. From 2 March 2026, they can apply for a grant for a second wall measure (in line with the terms and conditions). For homeowners who want to upgrade their home in one go, the popular One Stop Shop service will continue to be a great option. The works will be fully managed by an SEAI-registered One Stop Shop, and there’s a wider range of grants, with the grants deducted from the cost of the works upfront. These applicants will also benefit from any of the newly announced grant increases. There are also low-cost loan options available through participating lenders. More on... www.seai.ie * These are new or additional measures, which will be accessed under the SEAI’s (existing) Better Energy Homes Scheme.
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