Homes with highest energy ratings used half the electricity of lowest-rated homes

Homes with top energy ratings of A and B used almost 50 per cent less electricity than E-rated dwellings last year, according to latest household electricity consumption figures.

Details of consumption released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on Wednesday also show that detached dwellings last year consumed 73 per cent more electricity than mid-terrace homes.

Homes with A or B energy ratings had an average electricity consumption of 37 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per square metre in 2022.

This was almost half the 72 kWh per square metre recorded for E-rated dwellings, which were the highest electricity consumers in 2022.

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D-rated dwellings consumed an average of 71 kWh per square metre in 2022, while C-rated homes consumed 68 kWh per square metre on average.

Homes in the lowest F/G energy rating category reported slightly lower electricity consumption for 2022, at 61 kWh per square metre.

The analysis is based on 180,500 dwellings that have had a Building Energy Rating (Ber) audit and that use electricity as their main space heating fuel.

The CSO’s quarterly Domestic Ber release for October to December 2022 showed that electricity was the main space heating fuel for 87 per cent of dwellings built during the period 2020 to 2022.

The difference in electricity consumption between different types of dwellings was wider than the difference recorded for energy ratings.

Detached dwellings recorded a mean electricity consumption of 7,317 kWh in 2022. This was 73 per cent higher than mid-terrace houses which had a mean consumption of 4,228 kWh last year.

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Kevin Hunt, statistician in the CSO’s environment and climate division, said the figures for 2022 represent an “overall decline” in electricity usage compared to 2021.

Electricity consumption in A, B, D and E-rated dwellings last year decreased by 10 per cent when compared to 2021, while electricity consumed in C, F and G-rated dwellings fell by 9 per cent.

Mr Hunt noted that the mean electricity consumption per square metre was lower for newer dwellings.

“In 2022, consumption per square metre for dwellings constructed from 2005-2022 was 41 kWh, compared with 68 kWh for dwellings constructed from 2000-2004, 64 kWh for dwellings constructed from 1967-1999, and 51 kWh for dwellings constructed between 1900 and 1966,” he said.