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Homeowners thinking of applying for Home Energy Saving scheme grants
should pay close attention to a renovation project in Stillorgan, south
Dublin. The refurbishment boasts every upgrade measure grant-aided
under the scheme, including three types of wall insulation, a high
efficiency boiler and sophisticated heating controls. Lenny Antonelli
visited the house to find out more.
"This is a pretty good example of a standard house in the greater Dublin area," says architect Jay Stuart of the semi-detached hollow block house in Stillorgan that he's in the process of upgrading. Stuart – managing director of DW EcoCo has been advising Durkan Ecofix on the technical execution of their work, and is the new company’s technical director. Stuart specified external, internal and cavity wall insulation for different parts of the house along with an efficient gas boiler, heating controls and heat recovery ventilation.
So typical is the house and so well judged its renovation that energy minister Eamon Ryan launched the Home Energy Saving scheme there earlier in the year, and householder Danielle Grant is pleased with the end result. "I'm absolutely happy with it, and I'd certainly recommend it to people," she says.
Unsurprisingly insulation was central to the upgrade, and Ecofix installed 120mm of external insulation to the house's gable end. "Like 95 per cent of Dublin housing this is hollow block construction, so to achieve the U-value of 0.27w/m2K, which is Sustainable Energy Ireland's target [under the Home Energy Saving scheme] and the minimum for new build in the current regulations, you need 120mm," Stuart says. "Ecofix are offering Rockwool external insulation as standard because it's breathable."
The various layers of the breathable render system that Ecofix installed over the external insulation
Stuart points to the benefits of external insulation. "You avoid all
sorts of problems with cold bridging, and you get the benefit of the
thermal mass of the dreaded hollow block. At least the hollow block can
finally contribute something to the house by virtue of the fact that
there's a lot of concrete there."
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