The Government’s recent announcement of its housing delivery plan (aiming for 300,000 homes over the next 5 years) is a welcome signal that Ireland is preparing to solve its housing supply issue. But for us at Envirobead, what matters most is the parallel and equally urgent mission – upgrading our existing homes to meet climate and energy-standards targets.
In order to deliver homes for all and a livable, sustainable future, we must treat retrofit as core, not optional.
Why retrofit matters
The majority of homes that will exist in 2030 are already built. According to the National Retrofit Plan, the Government is committed to upgrading the equivalent of 500,000 homes to BER B2 (or cost-optimal standard) by 2030 and installing 400,000 heat-pumps in existing homes.
At the same time, the Climate Action Plan 2024 sets a target of a 40 % reduction in residential buildings’ emissions.
What this means is that every homeowner has a stake. Because warm, efficient homes = less energy bills + less carbon + higher comfort.
How this aligns with the “new homes” housing strategy
Yes, building new homes is essential but upgrade, reuse and activation of existing stock is equally important. The housing plan mentions reuse of vacant properties and derelict buildings as part of the supply pipeline.
Retrofit(work) means we’re not just building “more”. We’re building “better”. We ensure that the homes we live in are future-ready, not just fit for today.
What this means for homeowners
If your home was built before 2011, now is the moment to act. Policy support, grants, one-stop-shops, heat-pump incentives the pieces are in place.
Upgrading to a good BER, installing an efficient heat-pump, improving insulation these are not just “nice to haves”, they’re part of the national pathway.
At Envirobead, we make the process simpler: we handle the grant navigation, the contractor coordination, the quality assurance so you get the upgrade done with minimal fuss.
What this means for the retrofit industry
The scale is increasing: to hit the 500,000 homes target, we’ll need 75,000 B2-equivalent upgrades per year from 2026 to 2030.
That means skilled contractors, efficient supply chains, quality assurance all must scale. Which is why we invest in training, certification, monitoring.
We see ourselves as one of the front-line upgrade partners: our focus is older-home owners, energy-saving, comfort-upgrade, future-proofing.
Our stance: retrofit is not a “nice extra” it is essential
To deliver homes for all, and to meet climate commitments, we must view retrofit as equal in priority to new build. We’re calling on policymakers, homeowners, retrofit providers — let’s work in sync. At Envirobead, we’re ready to deliver the upgrades, to make the policy a living reality.
If you own a home built before 2011, or you’re a homeowner worried about energy bills, comfort, or future-resale value get in touch with us. Let’s talk about how a retrofit upgrade can be your next smart move.
The decade to 2030 is ours to upgrade Ireland’s homes let’s do it.
Call Envirobead on 022-22102
