Five ways technology can help Irish homeowners improve their ‘green-ness’

With inflation and a global energy crisis increasing the cost of living, many people are wondering how to cut down their energy usage or find out how they can make their homes more energy efficient. Globally, the climate crisis is affecting everyone, and many people are trying to find ways they can help lessen its impact.

“As governments around the world look at climate change and introduce much-needed policies to help reduce carbon emissions, energy companies have an important role to play in helping customers,” says Klair Neenan, managing director, SSE Airtricity.

“Customers want to know where their energy comes from. They want their house to be energy efficient, and they want to be able to make decisions based on what works best for them.

“SSE Airtricity believes every home should have easy access to clean energy products and services to meet their energy needs. And with customer behaviours already adapting to a more sustainable approach, we view ourselves in the energy industry as facilitators, supporting a collective journey to net zero,” she says.

As more homes and businesses embrace smart technology, we also see ways to help customers cut costs and carbon, says Neenan. “Smart thermostats, bulbs, kettles, plugs and even security cameras are commonplace, and can all be controlled through your phone. It is vital that the industry keeps up with these advancements and helps facilitate an easy adaption for customers so we can all make the most of the energy we use.”

Knowing that people lead busy lives, completing things at the push of a button or a swipe of a screen can be a real time-saver. “That’s why we cater for all our customers’ energy needs under one roof. Technology plays a vital role in our daily lives, and is not just about saving on time-wasting, it is saving on energy waste too,” says Neenan.

“There are a range of ways we can help customers maximise potential in their homes,” Neenan says. “You can take on a big project such as retrofitting your home; a medium move – like transitioning to electric vehicles; and smaller-scale solutions like updating the products and appliances we have in our homes.”

Here are five ways technology can help Irish homes reduce energy consumption.

1. Smart meters

Smart metering will be a big enabler, helping change customer behaviour and consumption profiles by incentivising and balancing demand. When used alongside smart-connected homes, and the integrating of wireless sensors, it will completely change the way we use things at home, says Roy Baker, director of business change, SSE Airtricity.

“As our homes get smarter we must adapt to these changes and become enablers of a shift that will have benefits across society. Most home appliances now have some form of smart connectivity, giving consumers more control over how and when they use their energy.”

2. Ultra-efficient heat pumps

Baker says that ultra-efficient heat pumps will materially change our energy needs. “It’s interesting that this technology is now also being looked at for tasks like drying clothes – a necessity for Ireland’s climate, with savings up to 60 per cent on standard systems. This represents an exciting evolution in heat pumps, and is another reason why the electrification of heat can have many benefits for our homes and climate.”

3. LED lights

One of the easiest ways to manage your energy is by replacing your lighting with LED lights, believes Baker. “LEDs have come a long way recently, with the highest performing lights consuming 85 per cent less energy than incandescent lights. In fact, LED efficiency is expected to double from the current 125-135 lumens per watt to 230 lumens per watt in the next few years as a result of continued research and development. The world is increasingly digital and there are great opportunities in this for energy efficiency and for giving householders more control over how they consume electricity.

“Around 15 per cent of a typical home’s electricity bill is on lighting alone, so by tackling inefficient lighting you can really make significant energy and financial savings. Again, a lot of these lights are smart-enabled and can be controlled through apps or home helpers like Alexa.”

4. Retrofitting

Retrofitting will play a huge role in helping Ireland reduce its carbon emissions and we’re already seeing the benefit of technological advancements with things like solar panels, small scale battery storage for homes and businesses and better, smarter heating systems, says Neenan.

“When we talk about retrofits we’re really talking about upgrading your home to make it more energy efficient. A retrofit involves energy upgrades utilising energy efficiency technologies which include external wall insulation, energy-efficient windows and doors, heat pumps, energy-efficient boilers, solar PV and battery systems, and electric vehicle (EV) charging points.”

She says it’s very much an investment in the home, both for now and for the future, and “you can go piece by piece or get a series of works done in one project”.

“You will have a more comfortable home that is cheaper to run in the short term, with financial savings and environmental benefits in the longer term.”

“The Government recently increased grant levels up to 50 per cent for a typical deep retrofit to a B2 BER. Our Generation Green Home Upgrade is a one-stop-shop that will project manage the retrofit for customers, including taking care of grant paperwork and helping customers with green financial loans to cover any remaining costs.”

5. EV partnerships – supporting the transition to net zero

One of SSE Airtricity’s key aims is to make it easier for people to make the switch to an electric vehicle and to further cut their carbon footprint, says Neenan. “That’s why we partnered with Volkswagen, for example, to combine green energy and green driving, allowing customers to completely detach from fossil fuels by powering their home and vehicle with 100 per cent renewable electricity.”

The company also have EV charging solutions with their partner ePower which “help eliminate barriers to home charging for EV owners by providing customers with a choice of EV chargers supplied and fitted by ePower”.

“These chargers will then power their cars with 100 per cent green energy from SSE Airtricity,” she says.