Irish households completed 11,910 energy upgrades in the first three months of 2025, marking a two percent increase compared to the same period last year, according to new figures from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.
Government spending on energy efficiency schemes reached €76 million in the first quarter, representing a four percent year-on-year increase. The investments are part of Ireland’s ambitious Climate Action Plan, which aims to retrofit 500,000 homes and install 400,000 heat pumps by 2030 to replace older heating systems.
The upgrades delivered significant environmental benefits, generating 29.47 gigawatt hours of energy savings and reducing carbon emissions by 15,000 tonnes during the three-month period. Over 5,100 homes achieved a Building Energy Rating of B2 or higher, though this figure dropped one percent compared to 2024.
Energy-poor households saw particularly strong support, with 1,350 properties receiving fully funded upgrades – a 14 percent increase from the previous year. The program also supported 765 heat pump installations as part of the transition away from fossil fuel heating systems.
Dublin led the country with 2,582 property upgrades, followed by Cork with 1,395. County Longford recorded the lowest number with 78 upgrades completed.
The SEAI has streamlined the application process by expanding its One Stop Shop network to 14 locations and removing technical assessment requirements for heat pump applicants with compliant energy ratings, helping to accelerate the national retrofit program.