This article is from page 63 of the 2008-08-12 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 63 JPG
HOMEOWNERS in Clare are being urged to come together to slash the cost of rising energy bills.
Under the second phase of the home energy and saving scheme, any eroup of homes can come together to form a cluster – for instance via a residents’ association or a property management company.
Landlords with multiple dwellings can also apply. Third parties, such as local energy agencies or building contractors, can also gather a group of participants to form a cluster. The scheme has already been taken up by 1,000 homes in north Tipperary, Limerick and Dundalk. The next phase, which has just commenced, is open to 500 homes across Ireland.
All homes may have home energy
assessments carried out and an en- ergy saving report will be provided. The assessment is available from all registered energy assessors. This will cost the householder €100. Ap- plicants who apply in a cluster basis are eligible for grants of up to 30 per cent to a maximum of €2,000 per home from Sustainable Energy Ire- land (SEI).
“Its definitely worth it for home- owners,’ explained Vinnie Blake of the Ennis-based National Energy Assessors (NEA) Clare.
He continued, “In normal cases getting work like this done to make homes more energy efficient would cost around €500 per home. Under the scheme, when homes come to- gether, its only €100.”
Recently opened in Ennis NEA Clare offers a range of services for
the local market, including: building energy rating (BER) certificates, en- ergy audits, air tightness testing and thermal imaging.
According to Mr Blake, a former senior environmental engineer with Limerick-based subsidiary of the US multi national, Analog Devices, “the energy challenge which faces every home and business owner is becom- ing critical to how we run our homes and businesses.”
Meanwhile local Green Party councillor Brian Meaney has called for industrial parks in Ennis to be designated as carbon free zones as part of an overall strategy to attract foreign investement and re-invigor- ate industry.
“We are on the cusp of the third industrial revolution,’ said Cllr Meaney.
“The escalating cost of fossil fuels and the acknowledged ‘peaking’ in production have kick started an in- vestment cycle in renewable energy of enormous proportions. Analysis in any of the [Irish business media of venture capital funding in the US and Europe clearly demonstrates that the mobile investment capital is con- centrated in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors.”
Councillor Meaney added, “It should also be borne in mind that while there is no history of solar manufacturing or development in Ireland, if you breakdown the con- stituent parts, we have extensive silicon fabrication and optics exper1- ence with the like of Analog devices and Vistakon; these are core skills that would be vital in attracting new investment.”