The numbers · every headline number · BER file 8 Sep 2026 · grants checked 10 Oct 2026
Retrofit in Ireland: the numbers
About 1.38 million Irish homes were built before 2011, rate below B2 and still burn fossil fuel. That’s our estimate from the 2022 Census and SEAI’s BER file. From 2019 to 2025, 84,270 private homes reached B2: 70% of the target (Climate Change Advisory Council, 29 July 2026). Every number below has its source and date.
Terraced homes on the Ashbrook Estate, Dundalk. We estimate 75% of occupied homes are older, below B2 and on fossil heat.
Terraced housing on Ashbrook Estate, Dundalk · Eric Jones · CC BY-SA 2.0
Use these numbers
Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0, with a credit. Every row has its source and date, and the file has the same 38 rows.
The strongest numbers · each one links to its row or figure below
- 8.1%of homes sold or let since 2019 are rated B2 or better: about 1 in 12.SEAI BER file 8 Sep 2026 · 265,846 certificatesBER assessmentHow homes are rated →
- 1.38molder homes are below B2 and still heated by fossil fuel: 75% of occupied homes.Census 2022 × BER file 26 Sep 2026Our modelHomes and ratings →
- 12.9%are rated G on the new scale, up from 7.8% on the old one: about one home in eight.SEAI BER file 8 Sep 2026 · S.I. 168/2026 bandsBER assessmentThe grade mix →
- 46.6%of homes sold or let since 2022 are already under the heat pump line.SEAI BER file 8 Sep 2026 · 2022–26BER assessmentHeat pump readiness →
- 1.8% → 10.3%rated B2 or better, 2012 against 2025: from 1 in 56 homes sold or let to about 1 in 10.SEAI BER file 8 Sep 2026 · by year assessedBER assessmentThe trend →
- 70%of the 2025 target: 84,270 private homes reached B2, against 120,000.CCAC Annual Review, 29 Jul 2026Published figureAgainst the targets →
- 41%of the heat pump target: 18,580 fitted in existing homes, against 45,000.CCAC Annual Review, 29 Jul 2026Published figureAgainst the targets →
- 6% → 76%of homes sold or let heat with oil: Dublin against Donegal.SEAI BER file 8 Sep 2026 · by countyBER assessmentHomes and ratings →
- 82% vs 26%of the job paid by the grant on a semi-detached house: cavity walls against outside walls.SEAI grants · SEAI median costs H1 2026Published figureGrants and costs →
Updated · grants checked · BER file · registers read 25 Sep 2026 · How we know · Corrections
Where this sits · the heat chain
Each number below sits somewhere on the heat chain: the walls and roof, the air, the heating, or how the home is used and rated.
- Fabricwalls, roof, floor, windows
- Airdraughts and ventilation
- Heatheat pump or boiler, radiators, controls
- Usebills, comfort, the BER
- The idea behind itA BER is a standard calculation
- You are hereThe numbers
- Next questionHow do we count, and what's an estimate?
Two in five homes sold or let are rated D or worse
Every certificate done for a sale or letting since 2019, on the new scale. BER assessment
Only 1 in 12 homes sold or let since 2019 is rated B2 or better
Of 265,846 homes sold or let in 2019–26, 8.1% were B2 or better. The commonest grade on the new scale is C (38.5%), and 12.9% are G.
- Energy rating A1.2%
- Energy rating B18.9%
- Energy rating CMedian home38.5%
- Energy rating D13.7%
- Energy rating E8.8%
- Energy rating F5.9%
- Energy rating G12.9%
Each row is a grade on SEAI's new scale, in the certificate's own colours. The bar is the share of homes sold or let at that grade: A 1.2%, B 18.9%, C 38.5%, D 13.7%, E 8.8%, F 5.9%, G 12.9%. B2, the national target from the old scale, sits inside the new B band: all of A plus part of B, 8.1% in all. The median home scored 208, a C. A0 homes are counted in A, because the file can't test A0's no-fossil-fuel condition.
Sources: SEAI BER Research Tool (CC BY 4.0), 8 Sep 2026 · certificates for a sale or private letting, 2019–26; one 462-certificate holiday-village batch left out · S.I. No. 168 of 2026 bands
The numbers
| Grade | Share | Certificates |
|---|---|---|
| A | 1.2% | 3,248 |
| B | 18.9% | 50,300 |
| C | 38.5% | 102,432 |
| D | 13.7% | 36,347 |
| E | 8.8% | 23,466 |
| F | 5.9% | 15,771 |
| G | 12.9% | 34,282 |
B2 or better went from 1 in 56 homes to 1 in 10
By the year each certificate was done. Part of the rise is a change in the rating method, not work on homes. BER assessment
1 in 56 homes sold or let was B2 or better in 2012; 1 in 10 in 2025
The share rose from 1.8% in 2012 to 10.3% in 2025. It has been flat since 2024.
The share of certificates for a sale or private letting rated B2 or better, by year: 1.8% in 2012, 4.6% in 2019, 8.0% in 2022, 10.3% in 2024, 10.3% in 2025. The rating method changed in 2018–19 and in February 2023, which improved electric-heated homes' ratings with no work done. 2026 is shown dashed because the file runs to September, with few certificates after May.
Sources: SEAI BER Research Tool (CC BY 4.0), 8 Sep 2026 · sale and letting certificates by year assessed, 458,807 in all
The numbers
| Year | B2 or better | Certificates |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 1.8% | 10,478 |
| 2013 | 2.0% | 32,617 |
| 2014 | 2.4% | 31,923 |
| 2015 | 2.3% | 28,322 |
| 2016 | 2.7% | 28,440 |
| 2017 | 2.9% | 30,514 |
| 2018 | 3.0% | 30,667 |
| 2019 | 4.6% | 31,346 |
| 2020 | 5.8% | 27,542 |
| 2021 | 6.7% | 34,180 |
| 2022 | 8.0% | 38,780 |
| 2023 | 8.8% | 36,966 |
| 2024 | 10.3% | 38,663 |
| 2025 | 10.3% | 38,699 |
| 2026 (part) | 9.8% | 19,670 |
Dolphin Road, Wexford. Wexford is one of eight counties where oil heats 65% or more of homes sold or let: 69.6%.
Every headline number
38 numbers in 5 groups. Each row has its value, period, source and date, the page that explains it, and what kind of number it is.
Houses in St Fursey's Terrace, Blackrock · Eric Jones · CC BY-SA 2.0
Homes and ratings
What Irish homes are like, from their BER certificates and the Census. The grade mix of homes sold or let since 2019:
ABCDEFG8.1%of homes sold or let are B2 or betterSEAI BER file · 8 Sep 2026
| Measure | Value | Period | Source | Date | Explained on | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homes sold or let rated B2 or better | 8.1%about 1 in 12 | 2019–26 | SEAI BER file · 265,846 sale and letting certificates | BER by county | BER assessment | |
| Rated D or worse on the new scale | 41.3%two in five | 2019–26 | SEAI BER file · S.I. No. 168 of 2026 bands | The new BER scale | BER assessment | |
| Rated G on the new scale | 12.9%7.8% on the old scale | 2019–26 | SEAI BER file · S.I. No. 168 of 2026 bands | The new BER scale | BER assessment | |
| Homes rated F on the old scale that are a G now | 96%44,142 of 45,847 | every certificate in the file | SEAI BER file, recut at the 2026 bands | The new BER scale | BER assessment | |
| The median home sold or let | 208, a Cin kWh per m² a year, on the rating’s own scale | 2019–26 | SEAI BER file | BER by county | BER assessment | |
| Heated by oil or gas | 73.9%gas 39.4%, oil 34.5% | 2019–26 | SEAI BER file · main space heating | Your county | BER assessment | |
| Heated by oil: Dublin against Donegal | 6.1% → 76.4%Ireland 34.5% | 2019–26 | SEAI BER file · by county | Donegal | BER assessment | |
| Older homes below B2 and on fossil heat | 1.38m75% of occupied homes · lower bound 1.17m | built before 2011 | CSO Census 2022 × SEAI BER file of 26 Sep 2026 | How we estimate | Our model | |
| Households with a heat pump | 71,1563.9% of households | April 2022 | CSO Census 2022, table F2067 | Census 2022 | Heat pumps | Published figure |
Wärmepumpe Außeneinheit (air-to-water heat pump outdoor unit) · Mueller felix · CC BY-SA 4.0
Heat pump readiness
How many homes are already under SEAI's heat pump line, and what it takes to get there. Age matters more than anything else.
46.6%already under the heat pump lineSEAI BER file · 8 Sep 2026
| Measure | Value | Period | Source | Date | Explained on | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under the heat pump line (heat loss 2.3 or less) | 46.6%the middle home is at 2.36 | 2022–26 | SEAI BER file · 161,297 sale and letting certificates with a heat-loss figure | Who's ready for a heat pump | BER assessment | |
| Just over the line (2.3 to 2.5) | 10.0% | 2022–26 | SEAI BER file · the same certificates | Who's ready for a heat pump | BER assessment | |
| Near-misses that new windows alone bring under the line | 84% | 2022–26 | Our model on the SEAI BER file of 26 Sep 2026 | Check your house | Our model | |
| Built 1971–80, under the line | 11.8%13,321 certificates | 2022–26 | SEAI BER file · by year built | Who's ready for a heat pump | BER assessment | |
| Built 2001–10, under the line | 82.7%59,955 certificates | 2022–26 | SEAI BER file · by year built | Who's ready for a heat pump | BER assessment | |
| Attic already at SEAI's grant standard | 10.3%nine in ten roofs fall short | 2019–26 | SEAI BER file of 26 Sep 2026 · roof heat loss 0.16 or better | Attic grant | BER assessment | |
| Windows that lose more heat than modern glazing | 89.6%early double glazing or older | 2019–26 | SEAI BER file of 26 Sep 2026 · window heat loss over 2.0 | Windows grant | BER assessment |
Grants and costs
What SEAI pays, against what each job costs. The small jobs are the best funded.
€14,500most a house can get in heat pump grantsseai.ie heat pump page · 3 Oct 2026
| Measure | Value | Period | Source | Date | Explained on | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat pump grants, house | up to €14,500€10,500 + €2,000 + €2,000 with scrappage | from 29 Sep 2026 | seai.ie heat pump page | Heat pump grant | SEAI rule | |
| Heat pump grants, apartment | up to €11,500more than the €9,025 median job: SEAI pays no more than the cost | from 29 Sep 2026 | seai.ie heat pump page | Heat pump grant | SEAI rule | |
| Heat pump grant against the job's median cost, semi-D | €14,500 of €16,74187%; 75% without the scrappage grant | costs H1 2026 | SEAI grants · SEAI median costs | Heat pump grant | Published figure | |
| Cavity wall grant against the job's median cost, semi-D | €1,300 of €1,58582% | costs H1 2026 | SEAI grants · SEAI median costs | Cavity wall grant | Published figure | |
| Outside wall grant against the job's median cost, semi-D | €6,000 of €23,21926% | costs H1 2026 | SEAI grants · SEAI median costs | Outside wall grant | Published figure | |
| Solar panel grant against the job's median cost, semi-D | €1,800 of €9,50019% | costs H1 2026 | SEAI grants · SEAI median costs | Solar panel grant | Published figure | |
| Battery grant | €600for a battery of 5 kWh or more | opens 6 Oct 2026 | seai.ie battery page | Battery grant | SEAI rule | |
| A unit of heat: heat pump against oil | 9.82c vs 18.0c45% less from a heat pump | edition of 1 Jul 2026 | SEAI Domestic Fuel Cost Comparison · heat pump at 3.5 units of heat per unit of power | Heat pumps | Published figure | |
| Typical payback with grants, routes to a B | 6.0 yearsOur model · middle of 195 routes, weighted by certificates | re-run 5 Oct 2026 | Our model on SEAI's BER file, current grants and SEAI fuel prices | How we model | Our model | |
| BERs done to claim a grant, per 1,000 homes a year | 27.9153,927 in 2023–25 · a BER is not a grant | 2023–25 | SEAI BER file · purpose: grant support · CSO Census 2022 homes | Every grant | BER assessment |
Garrick Close, Kingston upon Hull: bungalow renovations, September 2023 · Hullian111 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Progress against the targets
How much work is getting done, and how it compares with what Ireland set out to do by 2025.
Homes to B2 84,270 of 120,00070%Heat pumps 18,580 of 45,00041%70%of the 2025 target for homes to B2Climate Change Advisory Council, Annual Review 2026 · 29 Jul 2026
| Measure | Value | Period | Source | Date | Explained on | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private homes upgraded to B2 | 84,270 of 120,00070% of the 2025 checkpoint, which counts B2-equivalent upgrades | 2019–25 | Climate Change Advisory Council, Annual Review 2026 | The targets | Published figure | |
| Heat pumps fitted in existing homes with SEAI grants | 18,580 of 45,00041%; the press release says 18,550 | 2019–25 | Climate Change Advisory Council, Annual Review 2026 | The targets | Published figure | |
| Upgrades completed with SEAI grants | 58,128a second-hand figure: SEAI's own report for 2025 isn't out | 2025 | Dáil answer, PQ 44 · summary of the National Residential Retrofit Plan 2026 | The targets | Published figure | |
| Grant applications this year | 88,000by 17 September | 2026 | Dáil answer, PQ 13 | How long grants take | Published figure | |
| Free upgrades: applying to finished works | 23 months | first half of 2026 | Dáil answer, PQ 98 | Warmer Homes Scheme | Published figure | |
| Retrofit money from carbon tax | €647mplanned for 2027, before the Budget | 2027 | Dáil answer, PQ 194 | Budget 2027 and SEAI grants | Published figure | |
| Home Energy Upgrade Loans drawn | 1,135 loans, €56.1mthe scheme closes on 31 Dec 2026 | to end of March 2026 | Dáil answer, PQ 205 | What's changed | Published figure |
Unrecognizable workman installing window in house during renovation process · Ksenia Chernaya · Pexels License
Installers
Who is on the registers SEAI keeps. A count is a fact about paperwork: SEAI doesn't endorse anyone's work, and we don't rank them.
2,624companies on SEAI's registersSEAI registers (One Stop Shop and solar lists saved 8 Sep) · 25 Sep 2026
| Measure | Value | Period | Source | Date | Explained on | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Companies on SEAI's registers | 2,624home energy 2,117 · solar 528 · One Stop Shops 32 | as listed | SEAI registers (One Stop Shop and solar lists saved 8 Sep) | Installers | Published figure | |
| Heat pump technical advisors | 478they do the heat loss check some homes need first | as listed | SEAI technical advisor register | Heat pump grant | Published figure | |
| Heat pump installers who say they work in a county | 138 to 378Donegal to Kildare and Wicklow | as listed | SEAI home energy register | Installers in Donegal | Published figure | |
| Businesses on the 11 registers we read | 8,043SEAI, NSAI and three trade registers | as listed | SEAI, NSAI, RGII, Safe Electric, OFTEC | Installers | Published figure | |
| Jobs done per installer | —not published | — | SEAI doesn't publish work done by contractor | — | What isn't published | — |
Every row is built from the same data as the rest of the site, at the same time, so this sheet, the pages and the CSV can’t disagree. Dashed markers are our own work; solid ones were published or assessed by someone accountable.
What nobody publishes yet
Numbers a homeowner would want that no public body puts out. What we use for now, and how we'd get the real thing.
| Missing | What we use for now | How we'd get it |
|---|---|---|
| How long a single grant takes | SEAI publishes approval (minutes online) and payment (4–6 weeks after complete paperwork), not the wait in between. | Dáil questions · ask SEAI |
| Grants paid in each county | BERs done to claim a grant, per 1,000 homes: 27.9 a year nationally, 2023–25. | Dáil questions · a freedom of information request |
| Jobs done per installer | Nothing. We show who says they work where, never how much. | Ask SEAI |
| Prices by region | SEAI's national median costs only. | Building cost indices · quotes people share with us, with consent |
How we know
- BER figures come from one file, SEAI's of 8 September 2026. The 1.38 million estimate, the attic and windows figures and the windows near-miss come from our research copy of the 26 September 2026 file, and say so.
- "Homes sold or let" means certificates done for a sale or a private letting: the best stand-in for a typical home that hasn’t just been upgraded. One holiday village of 462 near-identical certificates (Longford, 2025) is left out.
- A BER is a standard calculation by a registered assessor, not a meter reading.
- Paybacks come from our model, re-run on 5 October with the 29 September heat pump grant and each certificate’s own electricity factor, and are always labelled Our model.
- Cite as: FixMyBER, "Retrofit in Ireland: the numbers", 10 October 2026. Contains SEAI and CSO data, CC BY 4.0.
Sources
SEAI BER Research Tool, 8 Sep 2026 · CSO Census 2022 · Climate Change Advisory Council, Annual Review 2026, 29 Jul 2026 · SEAI registers, 25 Sep 2026
Found a mistake? Every fix is dated on Corrections. Method in full: How we know.
See your grants and what you’d pay
Four questions about your home, then your numbers. Get quotes from registered contractors if you want them.
Updated · grants checked · BER file · registers read 25 Sep 2026 · How we know · Corrections