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The CIF welcomes the Climate Action Plan 2019 and the new proposed delivery structure for retrofitting.
The CIF believes that any retrofitting scheme to be effective must address houses in their entirety from an energy efficiency perspective. If the scheme has too narrowed a focus on single aspects of improvement, it will not deliver optimum results for the consumer, the industry, the economy and of course the environment. Our primary aim must remain as decarbonising the home.
The Climate Action Plan is a very positive statement of intent on behalf of the Government. We now need to move quickly towards implementation if we are to meet these ambitious targets.
This will be challenging considering the 183 actions outlined in the Plan. Action 43, for example outlines the need for an analysis of existing retrofit actions and the identification of the optimal mix of deep and medium home energy efficiency upgrades across the country. This analysis will only commence in Q1 2020. This means that the delivery window for 500,000 retro-fits will be closer to eight and a half years.
The CIF will be seeking an informal advisory group with industry, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and the Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment with a view to implementation.
Key will be giving certainty to construction companies and workers that there is a pipeline of funding along with support for upskilling. If this in place, the Irish construction industry be able to develop the capacities and capabilities to deliver on the targets of the Climate Action Plan.
Sean Downey, Director Specialist Contracting, CIF