Guide for Engaging Interest in Home Energy Efficiency Upgrades

In the Republic of Ireland, the town of Dunleer serves as a beacon for larger cities seeking to boost citizen engagement in retrofitting projects. This small community, home to approximately 2,500 residents, has effectively elevated the energy efficiency of buildings through the efforts of Energy Team.

In 2019, a staggering 80% of buildings in Ireland received a Building Energy Rating (BER) of C or lower, denoting a significant discrepancy with energy efficiency standards. The housing sector accounts for 10% of Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions, with 53% of energy usage in public and commercial buildings still relying on fossil fuels. To address these issues, the government introduced a 30-year Long-Term Renovation Strategy aimed at achieving net-zero emissions.

Recognizing the central role of communities in achieving these ambitious targets, Elizabeth Kearney, Communities Retrofit Programme Lead from Energy Team, emphasizes the need for action at a grassroots level. She proposes that "all national plans are local."

Founded by the Dunleer Community Development Board, Energy Team distinguishes itself as an offshoot of the Dunleer Sustainable Energy Community (SEC), a registered member of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland's (SEAI) SEC Network. Working in partnership with SE Systems, an experienced retrofitting company, Energy Team has tackled the challenge of engaging residents in energy-efficient upgrades.

Recognizing the apathy often associated with sustainability and renewables, the organization devised a novel approach to captivate residents' attention: gamifying the educational process. By developing an interactive TV show-style game, Energy Team fostered interest and understanding among locals.

Facilitated by community leaders and an energy expert from the Dundalk Institute of Technology, the game uses multiple-choice questions, comic avatars, animations, and a big screen in a fun and frenetic format. This innovative strategy has proven successful in breaking down complex retrofitting concepts, educating residents without overwhelming them with scientific jargon.

To transform interest into action, Energy Team ensured a simplified process for homeowners. Recognizing the importance of a one-stop-shop approach to retrofit completion, they undertake essential responsibilities such as:

Translating technical terminology and communicating processes.
Arranging Building Energy Rating technical assessments.
Providing cost estimates and detailing applicable grants offered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.
Brokering partnerships among the community, academia, businesses, and local government (known as the quadruple helix).
Coordinating the work with SEAI-approved contractors.
Assisting with administrative tasks, including the completion of up to 40 forms, funding applications, and technical paperwork.

Providing this level of assistance has proven instrumental in overcoming homeowners' apprehension regarding retrofit complexity. By 2021, Energy Team had facilitated the retrofit of 310 residential properties, in addition to public buildings, community halls, and sports clubs, making a notable impact on the town's energy footprint.

Gamified sessions serve not only to generate interest but also to shift residents' expectations by showcasing the convenience and comfort offered by energy-efficient upgrades. In Dunleer, these improvements have inspired further aesthetic enhancements, revitalizing the community physically and psychologically.

Although Ireland has set a lofty goal of completing 1.5 million retrofits by 2050, only around 2,000 homes were upgraded through government schemes in 2019. According to Elizabeth Kearney, incentivizing and implementing initiatives such as Energy Team's on a wider scale remains a significant challenge due to the complexity of factors involved, including funding, resident buy-in, technical teams, and the importation of materials.

Despite the challenges, Ireland aims to complete 500,000 retrofits by 2030. To achieve this goal, community buy-in is considered essential. The SEAI emphasizes the grants available for energy-efficient initiatives, yet the effort of follow-up can sometimes deter many would-be participants. This is where Energy Team's one-stop-shop system excels, providing hand-held assistance from start to finish.

For communities seeking to emulate Dunleer's success, valuable lessons can be learned from Energy Team's experiences. Engaging homeowners through face-to-face support and fostering a culture of collaboration are key aspects of this exemplary model. Thanks to its innovative approach, Dunleer has shared its findings with the German town of Alheim, exchanging knowledge on community energy generation and local financing models.

Embracing the spirit of collaboration, Energy Team and Dunleer continue to exchange insights with Alheim. Additionally, the group plans to take an exhibition to local schools in 2023, introducing students to various aspects of sustainable living, including home energy retrofits, wind energy, carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and water quality. This initiative seeks to ignite students' interest in these fields and, perhaps, pave the way for careers in the green economy.

As Energy Team strives to scale up its influence in Ireland and beyond, the town of Dunleer stands as a testament to the power of community involvement in driving sustainable change.

The town of Dunleer, with its small population of about 2,500, has become a role model for larger cities, implementing energy efficiency measures in buildings with the help of Energy Team.
In Ireland, 80% of buildings received a Building Energy Rating (BER) of C or lower in 2019, demonstrating a considerable gap from energy efficiency standards.
Recognizing the importance of community involvement, Elizabeth Kearney, the Communities Retrofit Programme Lead from Energy Team, advocates for grassroots action to meet net-zero emissions targets set by the government.
Energy Team, a community-driven initiative, collaborates with SE Systems and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland's SEC Network to promote energy-efficient upgrades in Dunleer.
To foster interest in sustainable living, Energy Team introduced a novel gamified education method, making complex retrofitting concepts accessible and engaging to residents.
By simplifying the retrofitting process, Energy Team has assisted homeowners with tasks such as technical assessments, cost estimates, grant applications, and administrative tasks, thereby reducing their apprehension regarding retrofit complexity.
Energy Team's efforts have led to the retrofit of 310 residential properties, numerous public buildings, community halls, and sports clubs in Dunleer by 2021, significantly reducing the town's energy footprint.
Gamified sessions not only educate residents but also showcase the comfort and convenience offered by energy-efficient upgrades, inspiring aesthetic improvements in the community.
With only about 2,000 homes upgraded through government schemes in 2019, Ireland aims to complete 500,000 retrofits by 2030, relying heavily on community buy-in for success.
Sharing its experiences with the German town of Alheim, Dunleer emphasizes the importance of face-to-face support and collaboration in driving sustainable change at the community level.
In 2023, Energy Team plans to introduce sustainable living concepts to local schools, potentially opening paths for students' careers in the green economy.
As Energy Team continues its mission, the town of Dunleer serves as a shining example of the power of community involvement in fostering sustainable change, both locally and globally.