COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, April 08, 2024
QUESTION NO. 13
QUESTION: Councillor V. Mulhall
To ask the Chief Executive how many tenants are there on the list for a home energy upgrade inspection and if he would make a statement on likely timeframe inspections will be carried out?
REPLY:
The Council does not operate a waiting list of tenants for home energy upgrade inspections.
The delivery of the Council's Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme(EERP) for our social housing stock is classified into two geographical areas: North of the Naas Road (Clondalkin/Lucan/Newcastle Area) and South of the Naas Road (Tallaght/Rathfarnham/Rathcoole Area). The timeframe within which an inspection is carried out varies. Properties are selected further to a desktop study which can give an indication of the BER (Building Energy Rating) of a particular property with knowledge of conditions of properties including the age profile. Generally, the properties selected for a home energy upgrade range from a low energy efficiency BER rating between D and F/G. All identified properties are surveyed prior to work being undertaken. Selected properties are then retrofitted on a phased basis within estates as it has been found that this offers the best productivity and a higher completion rate. The number of properties retrofitted is dependent on funding and deliverable targets provided by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The target of 83 properties to be completed in 2024, was issued by the Department on 14th of March 2024, a request has been made to the Department to increase this allocation based on the Councils capacity to deliver under the programme. 165 units were delivered in 2023 with 252 properties complete to date under the EERP programme.
The Council also operates a windows and doors programme following a county wide survey completed in 2017/18. The survey specifically identified properties with single glazed timber of aluminium units. Approximately 600 properties across the county were identified requiring works, 253 have been completed to date with remaining properties with contractors or surveyed, with tender preparation underway.
Going forward, periodic property inspections will be carried out, whereby properties will be inspected on a 4-to-5-year cycle. The findings of the surveys will feed into ongoing multi-annual planned maintenance programmes, with the aim to reduce the current level of reactive maintenance requests and improve the overall value for money for the delivery of the service. Funding has been provided by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to commence the first year of the 4-to-5-year cycle. The outcome of these surveys will guide the selection of properties for energy efficiency retrofitting works in the future.