Funding for retrofitting is a significant challenge for Approved Housing Bodies in Louth says Housing Alliance

Access to funding for retrofitting is a significant challenge for Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in Louth in meeting net zero carbon targets. That’s according to the Housing Alliance, which launched a report on how best to deliver a decarbonised housing sector that meets national climate targets.

The Housing Alliance, a collaboration of six of Ireland’s largest AHBs, commissioned the report, funded by the Housing Agency, to identify the issues, challenges and opportunities for delivering a decarbonised housing sector in Louth and across Ireland. The report sets out recommendations to enable the Housing Alliance members to work together to tackle climate challenges.

Key findings of the report were:

·        Across all stakeholder groups, there was consensus that the top three climate-related issues for the sector are energy management, fuel poverty and retrofit finance.

·        Access to finance for retrofitting older homes is a challenge for the sector due to structural issues around how the AHB sector is funded.

·        There are retrofit supply chain challenges such as shortages in materials, equipment and labour.

The report was launched by Steven Matthews, TD, Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, at an event in No. 6 Kildare Street, Dublin. Guest speakers at the event included Laura Heuston, co-founder at Sustainability Works; Dr. Ad Hereijgers, Director of Business Development at RITTERWALD in Amsterdam and Mervyn Jones, Consultant Director at Savills Housing Consultancy.

Commenting at the launch, Deputy Matthews said:

“I wish to thank the Housing Alliance for their work on this report. It is the challenge of our time to provide public and private housing on a scale that is affordable to purchase or rent, that is energy efficient, warm, healthy and affordable to run and all this is framed in the obligation to decarbonise construction, building materials and domestic energy requirements.

“This report assists us in our research, policy development and legislation; it highlights the role AHBs not only play in the provision of social housing but also in meeting this challenge while delivering homes for our communities.”

Commenting on the findings of the report, John Hannigan, Chair of the Housing Alliance said:

“Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) across Ireland have a central role in providing social and affordable housing in Louth and across Ireland. With over 43,000 homes, decarbonising the sector will be essential in tackling the climate crisis and meeting national targets. The main challenge lies in funding for decarbonising the current AHB stock through retrofitting. Residential energy efficiency upgrades, also known as retrofits, have been shown to deliver more comfortable homes and health benefits for the occupants as well as reduced energy bills.

“We commissioned this report with the goal of identifying tangible actions to enable the Housing Alliance members to work together to tackle the challenges of decarbonisation. We are proposing that the Housing Alliance should be seen as strategic partners for Government, contractors and finance. Through collaboration and partnership, we can create an efficient and cost-saving way of achieving our housing targets.

“Throughout the report, finance was a key issue raised by respondents. AHBs reported difficulty in accessing public or private debt to fund retrofits. Engaging with Government and key stakeholders to ensure there is a common understanding on how this process can be streamlined is vital.

“We hope that by sharing our vision and the insights and recommendations in this report, the sector and its key stakeholders will engage and collaborate to realise our potential. The Housing Alliance is ready to lead by example and is committed to implementing the recommendations of this report.”