The Irish Government have recently committed to providing €100 million of grants of towards the cost of home insulation. Announcing the scheme, Minister for Communications,
Energy and Natural Resources Eamon Ryan explained that the new measures could lead to heating bill reductions of about €700 per annum for individual households. With the EU targets of reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 20% over the next twelve years, Ireland's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are warning that the country is facing a major challenge in living up to its Kyoto Protocol commitments.
Climate change is one of the major challenges facing the world today, and Ireland's strategy is to achieve its targets through a reduction in dependency on fossil fuels, and increase in renewable energy and energy conservation measures such as insulation.
The Home Energy Saving Scheme (HES) is a grant aid covering Insulation, Heating System Controls and Double Glazing.
Who can avail of the grant?
It is a National Scheme and therefore all homeowners of dwellings built before 2006 may apply. Landlords and owners of multiple properties can also apply, once they submit a separate application per property.
How much are the grants?
Grants for the different insulation applications are fixed for each type of measure.
Who can do the work?
In accordance with the Schemes Terms and Conditions, all works must be completed by a Contractor from the SEI's Registered list. Please Note: Ecowise Insulation's Contractor ID per the SEI Registered List is 10080
When can I get the work done?
Grant approval must be in place prior to any purchase of materials or the commencement of works is undertaken. Work already undertaken is not eligible for a grant.
What is the minimum Grant I can apply for?
When a homeowner is making their first application the grant amount must be for €500 or greater. Therefore under the terms of the scheme on the first application the homeowner wishing to apply for the roof insulation grant for example must undertake at least one other application from the list to be eligible for the grant.
Step 1: Scheme Registration
For instant approval, apply online at www.sei.ie/grants. Click on the New Home Energy Savings Scheme Link and then apply online. You will need your M.P.R.N. number from your ESB Bill and also your Bank accounts details to hand to complete the online application. For the purpose of applying online, Ecowise Insulations Contractor ID number is 10080. You do not need to have received a quote from any contractor prior to applying for the grant and you have the opportunity to change contractor on the Declaration of Works form. When you have submitted your online application, you will receive an email offering you to accept or reject the grant. It is important that you open the email and in order to accept the offer of the grant you need click "accept" and re-enter your M.P.R.N. number again to finalise the grant approval. The Declaration of works forms will then be posted to you. When the works have been completed you then get the contractor to complete the declaration of works forms and you return them to S.E.I. where they will process your grant and refund your grant money to your bank account. This could take approximately six weeks.
Otherwise contact Sustainable Energy Ireland to request an application form to apply for the grant by emailing hes@sei.ie or phone 1850 927000. Complete the form and return it to Sustainable Energy Ireland. Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) will write to you to confirm that your home has been accepted on the scheme and you can then go ahead and get quotations for the work on your home.
Step 2: Getting a quote
Contact Ecowise Insulation at 091-768768 or email info@ecowise.ie to arrange a quotation for all or some of the works recommended. We will provide you with a competitive quotation along with a comprehensive proposal detailing all related works, offering a range of prices for varying qualities of materials and equipment to suit your specific budget.
Step 3: Insulation Work
We will schedule a convenient time to complete the relevant works, guaranteeing you the least amount of disruption. Once the work has been completed to your satisfaction and the final bill paid, we will complete the Declaration of Works forms which you then return to S.E.I.