Over 330 families are looking forward to warmer winters, significantly reduced energy bills and lower Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions after their homes were fitted with €430,000-worth of energy-efficiency measures.
The retrofit upgrade was carried out by a partnership between Fingal County Council, Airtricity Energy Services and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).
The details of the project in Blanchardstown and Balbriggan were unveiled today (30th October 2013) at a Showcase event hosted by Fingal County Council and attended by representatives from Airtricity and SEAI in the Council’s offices in Grove Road, Blanchardstown.
Fingal County Council in partnership with Airtricity was successful in its application to the SEAI for funding to carry out heat-loss and energy-use reduction measures to 332 local authority homes in the Blanchardstown and Balbriggan areas. The project began on the 29th July and was completed on the 14th September.
259 homes were insulated in the Whitestown Estate in Dublin 15 and 73 homes were insulated in Pinewood Estate in Balbriggan. Each of the 332 homes received cavity wall insulation, and of these 84 houses also had loft insulation installed, greatly improving the energy efficiency of each home as well as vastly enhancing comfort levels for residents.
It is estimated that each household to benefit from cavity wall insulation can save on average €219 on their annual heating bills* while those households which also benefitted from loft insulation can save an additional €87.50* a year on average. That’s a total annual saving in heating costs of around €80,000* that can be achieved in all of the homes upgraded in Blanchardstown and Balbriggan as a result of these improvements.
Overall, it’s projected that a total of 1,188,200kWh in thermal energy savings have been made as a result of the project – equivalent to the same amount of energy typically required to fully-heat 86 average homes for an entire year.
Commenting on the project, Paul O’Shaughnessy, Airtricity Energy Services said: “As an energy provider we believe in making energy better for local communities. We’re extremely proud of the difference that we’re making through this project. Through our partnership with Fingal County Council, and supported by the SEAI, we’ve been able to target significant energy-efficiency improvements into over 330 homes. As a result of these improvements, each household can enjoy warmer winters while spending less on the energy they use by at least €219 each year. In addition, the improvements made will ensure each home contributes significantly to the protection of the environment by using less energy.”