Energy efficiency is the buzzword of the season, especially considering the cost of living crisis and the increasing energy prices that are pushing up everyone’s bills.There are so many choices when it comes to making our homes cosier, from insulation and heat pumps to solar panels, so we spoke to quantity surveyor Claire Irwin about what options are available.
Claire also advises people to analyse their current energy costs at this point. “Sit down and calculate how much your electricity, gas, oil and solid fuels like coal are costing you. What is the obviously high cost? Talk to your BER assessor about what upgrades can reduce that. You need to make sure you do the right measures that suit the running costs of the home.”
Those with a bigger budget of roughly €30,000 can opt for more extensive work, and they could get a grant of up to €35,000, according to Claire. “I would recommend that they go to a one stop shop. These are contractors that are registered with the SEAI. The one stop shop will cost, manage and carry out all the work. “You won’t have to contact the window company or plumber yourself, so it’s really good in that sense,” Claire adds.