Greener homes for Ireland

In Ireland, a significant challenge has arisen. The country has set an ambitious target to renovate 500 000 homes to a high energy efficiency standard by 2030. This goal is part of a broader strategy to cut greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. A significant portion (177 000) of these homes are in social housing developments, which help people who cannot afford to buy or rent on the open market. These social homes, scattered across various counties and managed by municipalities and housing organisations, needed urgent energy-efficiency upgrades.

Limerick City and County Council has a difficult job upgrading its social housing. It oversees more than 5,500 social housing units, many of which were built decades ago. The current rate of upgrades, averaging 85 homes per year, is far from sufficient to meet the 2030 target. The council needed a comprehensive plan to accelerate renovations, reduce energy costs and give tenants access to modern energy supplies.

The challenge was multifaceted. First, there was the funding. The state-run Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme provided some financial support, but it was not enough to cover the extensive needs. The municipality had estimated that upgrading social housing would cost €150 million, which it could not afford.

Secondly, there was the challenge of managing the work. The council lacked staff members to oversee the renovation projects. The work involved complicated energy efficiency improvements, and rewiring and plumbing. The council could not handle all this coordination.

Moreover, the existing policy and funding measures did not meet the needs of social housing providers. The diverse nature of social housing in Ireland, with homes varying in age, size and location, added more complexity. The council needed an approach that could address these challenges and ensure that the work would be done effectively for all its social housing.

The European Investment Bank worked with the municipality, Dublin City Council (which handles about 28,000 homes) and Cooperative Housing Ireland (which has around 5 500 homes) to offer crucial advisory support.

The EIB Advisory team, with its deep understanding of infrastructure financing and sustainable development, worked with external advisors to develop plans to address the challenges.

They analysed the housing stock, assessed the energy savings and explored various funding and procurement options. The Bank’s involvement brought financial expertise and a wealth of technical experience from similar projects across Europe. This advice was financed by the European Investment Advisory Hub.

Pat Daly, chief executive of Limerick City and County Council, expressed enthusiasm about the working relationship with the European Investment Bank, emphasising the big impact the projects will have on local communities.

With a clear roadmap and strategies in place, the municipality can speed up its renovation programme, significantly cut energy costs and improve the living conditions for many residents. The energy-efficiency upgrades contributed to Ireland’s climate goals, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainable development.

The lessons learned in Limerick were shared with Dublin City Council, another local authority, and Cooperative Housing Ireland, an organisation that develops social housing on a not-for-profit basis. This sharing amplifies the impact of the advisory support.

©Kinga Krzeminska/Getty, Kinga Krzeminska

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