Electric Ireland Superhomes and the Tipperary connection

There's a lot of talk these days about home retrofitting; creating a more sustainable, eco- friendly home; and ensuring that your humble abode is fit for the future.

And, a lot of that talk can be confusing, bamboozling and frankly, off-putting for the householder who just wants to have a more comfortable demesne.

Should you install a heat pump? What about solar panels? Change your windows and doors? Maybe look at insulation and heat loss in your home? The big question is: where to start? And, perhaps the second most important question is: how much will this cost me?

Above: A typical air to water heat pump.

There are many contractors out there and a lot of advice, but how do you know you are getting the right advice to suit your home, your budget and your own particular set of circumstances?

Well thankfully, there is a way to achieve all of the above and in Tipperary it's far closer to home than you might think.
Electric Ireland Superhomes is a joint venture between Electric Ireland and energy adviser and social enterprise Tipperary Energy Agency – one of the European market leaders in this whole area. Electric Ireland Superhomes advises homeowners throughout all stages of their energy retrofit project offering a so called “One Stop Shop” service to offer trusted independent advice and support to homeowners.

The service covers an initial home energy survey and retrofit design, the selection, appointment and supervision of a qualified building contractor and management of the SEAI grant application and related paperwork. Electric Ireland Superhomes has advised on 30% of the deep retrofits of private homes delivered to date in Ireland and believe it or not, Tipperary has been to the forefront in this regard.

Electric Ireland Superhomes focus is whole-house, multi-measure deep retrofits, rather than individual energy upgrades, to bring homes to a minimum of a “B2” BER energy rating. The measures aim to maximise energy efficiency and include the introduction of an air to water heat pump, advanced ventilation (heat recovery or demand-controlled), airtightness improvement (reducing draughts and heat loss) and insulation to a very high standard. Results include significant savings in energy bills, a warmer, more comfortable and healthier home, a reduction in carbon emissions and an increased value of the property.

The process is very simple. A retrofit engineer comes to your home; engages in a very deep and detailed investigation of your current abode; prepares an extensive report on the finding; makes a series of recommendations based on requirements, budgets and grants available; and will then follow up to act as your overseer, should you proceed to undertake any of the recommendations.

The assessment costs €475 and is well worth the investment – money very well spent if you never even decided to do anything, as you will have a detailed account of the kind of works needed in your home. This could range from low cost improvements like attic insulation to better ventilation, improved seals to prevent heat loss, changing bulbs and many more easy, unobtrusive measures. And, of course you will also have a better idea of more deeply invested procedures such as the introduction of air-water heat pumps, new windows or doors and solar panels.

Currently, there are 23 employees working with the company which has recently relocated to the Thurles Chamber Enterprise Centre (TCEC) at the TUS (Technological University of the Shannon, previously LIT) Campus following engagement with TUS and the TCEC board.. But the aim is to grow that number of employees to 200 by 2030 – a reflection of the level of home retrofit which will be required going forward.

The real beauty of the Electric Ireland Superhomes concept though is that the homeowner has little work to do. The Electric Ireland Superhomes team do it all for you and as an independent overseer they are working to ensure that the contractors employed for any works are certified, professional and up to the task. They have built up a strong rapport with a series of contractors and know the standard of their work intimately. In other words, they have your back and will ensure that you are not led up the garden path or end up with something you did not want in the first place.

Retrofit can be a minefield for the uninformed but the big advantage of having Electric Ireland Superhomes on board is that, with their advice and experience, you will not make a wrong move. Each step, no matter how small, will represent a forward one and will be cost effective and help you to move closer to the home you wish to have.

Eamon Ryan, TD, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communication has said that retrofitting Ireland’s housing stock is not only key to reaching climate neutrality, but it can also improve quality of life for homeowners and create high-quality, sustainable jobs in local communities throughout the country. And, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Tipperary Energy Agency, Seamus Hoyne says that their mission is to “lead the delivery of sustainable energy solutions in Tipperary and beyond, by advocating, educating and innovating on climate action. The Electric Ireland Superhomes partnership will deliver on this mission within the residential sector and we will continue to lead change in other sectors as the country charts a path to a zero carbon future”.

The government is committed to investing in half a million retrofits by 2030 and those grants administered through SEAI are there waiting for you to avail of them. There are grants for many different elements including attic and wall insulation; heat pumps, PV solar panels and batteries, technical assessments and much more – all of which will be advised by the Electric Ireland Superhomes engineer.

Pictured above: Solar panels on the roof of a property

Tipperary prides itself in being the Premier County and we are fortunate to have the premier retrofit company in the business in our midst. Almost 3 in 5 homeowners are planning energy upgrades or significant renovations in the next 12 months, according to research commissioned by Electric Ireland if you are one of those interested in up-grading your home, retrofitting a new buy, or simply wishing to get the best advice in the business, it is well worth giving them a call or requesting a free consultation via their website www.ElectricIreland Superhomes.ie.

About Electric Ireland Superhomes
Electric Ireland Superhomes is a One Stop Shop which looks after all the key stages of a home energy retrofit, from retrofit design through to project completion and payment of SEAI grant funding. Electric Ireland Superhomes is a joint venture between Tipperary Energy Agency’s Superhomes and Electric Ireland established in 2021 with the aim of dramatically upscaling the Superhomes home retrofit One Stop Shop model that Tipperary Energy Agency has pioneered since 2015.

Their ambition is to guide Irish homeowners to warmer, comfortable and more energy efficient homes and support the achievement of Ireland’s climate action targets through a commitment to delivering 35,000 home retrofits by 2030.

About Tipperary Energy Agency
Tipperary Energy Agency is an independent social enterprise that focuses on driving the energy transition through the provision of expertise, innovation and strong customer service. Their mission is to lead the delivery of sustainable energy solutions in Tipperary and beyond, by advocating, educating and innovating on climate action. Their vision is that all communities, businesses and citizens participate in the energy transition and achieve carbon neutrality.