If you are keen on Home Retrofitting in order to make it more energy efficient you may also be eligible for substantial grants and concessions from Sustainable Energy Ireland.
A National level Home Energy Saving Scheme will be implemented from 2009 onwards.
The target is 1 million houses nation wide. Your “not so new” home too could be one of them.
What aspects of home retrofitting deserve your attention for improved energy efficiency?
In terms of energy efficiency there are several aspects of your home that deserve your attention.
Some of these are;
- Your Home Heating system
- Ventilation system
- Cooling System
- Domestic Hot Water System
- Home Insulation System
- Air Sealing
- Doors Windows, Skylights and Double Glazing
- Domestic Water System
- Use of better energy rated appliances
- Lighting system
Are all these aspects considered for HES subsidies?
All the above are important considerations in energy conservation to a greater or lesser degree. But for concessions and grants under HES program all these are not taken in to account. HES are governed by the BER Advisory Report which excludes electrical appliances other than Water Pumps and Space Heating installations.
For home for energy efficiency in what way the above items become significant?
The following are some of the ways how they may affect your energy bill;
- · Home Heating System: Currently if your Home Heating System uses Gas or Liquid Petroleum fuels the efficiency may be high. If not repair or replace the equipment with environmentally friendly Wood Pellet Boilers or stoves, Gasification type Boiler or stoves, Air to Air Heat pumps, or geothermal energy systems.
- Home Cooling System: Your cooling system may account for about 50% of energy consumption in your household. Replacing filters with low pressure drop units, replacing old piston type compressor driven units with rotary, scroll and screw type compressor driven air conditioners, replacing bad pipe and air duct insulations, changing or repairing Volume control dampers and Fresh air dampers, changing temperature and humidity controls with new units, sealing against infiltration, etc need to be addressed.
- Home Ventilation System: Ventilation is important in maintaining the Indoor Air Quality. Every bit of Fresh air brought in affects the Humidity, Temperature and the Heat Load. Precise regulation and incorporating heat transfer wheels will save energy.
- Domestic Hot water System: The use of electricity is efficient but very expensive. Replacing them with solar thermal units, Heat Pumps, geothermal energy, wood pellet burning and gasification boilers, will provide cheaper alternative sources which are also more sustainable.
- Home Insulation System: Attic insulation, Exterior Wall insulation, Exposed Floor insulation, crawl space insulation etc are to be looked into. A wide variety of insulations such as Fiber Glass wool, Rock Wool, Slag Wool, Cellulose, Cotton etc are some of these. The durability, fire resistance, vermin and rodent resistance, settling resistance are aspects to be considered.
- Doors, windows, Double Glazing, Skylights and Air Sealing : Air leaks to a new or old home through small crevices around windows, doors, roofs, pipe and duct penetrations etc.depending on the outside air velocity the uncontrolled air flow in to the home will be considerable. It brings in Heat, Moisture, Pollutants and Dust. Sealing these is therefore important to conserve energy. It may advisable in old houses to replace the Skylights, doors and windows for improved energy efficiency. Double glazing the windows and doors with low emissivity or Argon filled glass Reduce heat and cooling loads.
- Domestic Water System: Water Pumps consume a considerable amount of electricity. Oversized pumps, incorrectly selected pumps, incorrectly designed piping and distribution systems may increase energy wastage.
- Lighting System: Use of CFL lamps and LED lamps reduce the power consumption which generally makes up about 25% of the consumption. Use of PV solar panels and arrays for out door and pathway lighting reduce dependence on utility grid as well.
How will ENTECH assist you in the above?
We provide the following home energy conservation measures though all may not be compulsory for BER Advisory report compliance: Information and guides for application and obtaining HES subsidies. Arranging authorized BER assessor’s services etc.
Designs and estimates to comply your home with BER advisory report by System Designing, procuring and installing insulation, heating equipment, cooling equipment, ventilation equipment, water pumps, Air distribution ducting and accessories, controls etc.
Supply all material and installation of Air sealing for windows, doors and sky lights,
Design, supply equipment and install sustainable Domestic hot water systems for energy efficient homes.
Design, supply and install sustainable and efficient lighting systems using solar panels, CFL and LED lamps. Automation of these systems for optimum performance.
Thanks the Techstore Team