Millions of euros and thousands of jobs will be wasted unless the Government meets new EU standards on sustainable energy in homes and buildings.
Séamus Hoyne, acting head of Limerick IT’s technology, media and science campus in Tipperary, said a full implementation of the national energy retrofit programme, development of alternative financing measures, increased public investment in energy efficient projects, would create massive public and Government savings and a minimum of 4,500 jobs.
Meanwhile, a €10.5 million sustainable energy investment in Tipperary has resulted in energy upgrades to 300 buildings and the development of the State’s first eco-village, supplied completely by a renewable heating system.
The Cloughjordan model can be viewed at the final event of a four-year SERVE (Sustainable Energy for the Rural Village Environment) project in north Tipperary, which continues until Friday at the Abbey Court Hotel in Nenagh.
Mr Hoyne, who is the project manager, said the results of SERVE provided ample evidence of the benefits associated with adopting a more proactive approach to Ireland embracing sustainable energy policies.
“Of the 300 homes which completed upgrades, approximately €200,000 was saved in energy consumption. If this level of savings was applied to all Irish homes the total savings would be €1 billion per annum.”
Mr Hoyne said 90,000 homes would need to undergo significant energy upgrades every year up to 2020 if the State was to adhere to legal obligations under the EU energy efficiency directive.