SOCIO-TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS

In Ireland, deep retrofitting of housing units constructed to initial poor energy performance criteria must be considered paramount in any national residential retrofit plan. If focus is placed on pre-1990 Irish housing stock units alone, up to approximately €1 billion in ‘energy savings only’ could be achieved for the period 2020 to 2050 based on previous Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) data retrofitting trends. The development of methods and measures of engagement and more sustainable consumption behavioural models in Irish buildings can help reduce the direct rebound effect of occupants taking excessive levels of increased comfort. Such measures may be beneficial in ensuring net energy and CO2 savings are achieved after retrofitting works and that Ireland’s national commitments in terms of energy and CO2 emission reductions are met.

 

One of the nZEB-Retrofit project aims to develop a business model addressing cost-optimality aspects for given building types and geo-clusters mainly in Ireland, but also in UK and the rest of Europe will be addressed towards social context. This model will include consumer behaviour (e.g. rebound effect) and the impact of institutional factors. This will build on recently completed and on-going projects in NUI Galway. The CONSENSUS project, Ballyshannon retrofitting project and Mulhuddart retrofitting project.

 

The CONSENSUS project used social science and collaborative research methods to explore innovative solutions for sustainable household consumption in Ireland, where energy consumption is a key strand. The Ballyshannon retrofitting project evaluated the impact of standard energy retrofitting packages on social homes in Ireland was evaluated through real-time monitoring of energy use, behavioural habits and thermal comfort before and after retrofitting. 15 residences constructed in 2004 consisting of single and two storey semi-detached houses, two storey mid terrace and single storey end terrace houses were evaluated. A similar retrofitting project is currently on-going in the Mulhuddart. 23 residences constructed in 1994 and 2004 consisting of semi-detached, mid and end terraced houses are currently being monitored for their energy consumption along with the behavioural habits and thermal comfort of the residents in the homes.

 

For more information on our CONSENSUS Project please visit: www.consensus.ie