What Is The Home Energy Saving (HES) Scheme
The Home Energy Saving (HES) scheme provides assistance to homeowners who are interested in improving the energy efficiency of their home. The scheme is open to all owners of existing houses built before 2006.
Assistance is provided by way of fixed grants towards the costs of implementing upgrade measures. Grants are currently available for roof insulation, wall insulation, high efficiency boilers and heating control upgrades.
A Building Energy Rating (BER) is an integral part of all grant applications under the Home Energy Saving Scheme. After grant aided work has been completed, homeowners must undertake a BER on their home. A one-time €100 grant is available for this assessment.
Who Can Avail Of The Scheme?
The scheme is aimed at older homes that would not typically have the energy efficiency features of recently built homes. The scheme is open to all houses built prior to 2006. Landlords and owners of multiple properties may also apply, however, a separate application must be made for each property. Application for all properties must be made by the property owner.
Homes built from 2006 onwards should have been constructed to the 2003 Building Regulations and so should not require significant insulation or heating system upgrades.
What Does The Grant Cover?
Grants are currently available for roof Insulation, cavity wall insulation, internal wall insulation, external wall insulation, high efficiency gas or oil fired boilers with heating controls upgrade, heating controls upgrade only and post-upgrade Building Energy Rating BER assessment.
As a BER certificate is required for each application, and only one BER assessment is eligible for grant aid, it is advisable that homeowners apply for, and undertake, all planned grant aided works at the same time to minimize the costs associated with multiple BER assessments. Note also that grant payment can only be claimed once all measures associated with your application have been completed, including the BER assessment.