Residents and community groups are invited to join the Sustainable Energy Communities (SECs) Drop-in Clinic on Thursday, 20th February 2025, from 4.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. at the Retrofit Rig in O’Higgins Yard, Shantalla, Galway.

Local groups will be provided with valuable information and supports to improve the energy efficiency of homes within their communities.

By becoming a sustainable energy community homeowners can avail of free energy assessments but will also receive expert advice on how to retrofit homes for greater energy efficiency. Generous cost saving grants are also another attractive feature of Sustainable Energy Communities. Each SEC will be supported by a dedicated SEAI Mentor to guide residents through a clear and achievable retrofit pathway.

Who Should Attend? This clinic is for a wide range of local groups, including but not limited to Residents’ Associations, Sports  / Social Clubs, Tidy Towns Teams, Book Clubs or Neighbourhood Watch groups.

The event is organised by the Warm Home Hub.  As Sandra Riordan (Warm Home Hub energy advisor and SEAI mentor) notes “Joining a Sustainable Energy Community brings a lot of great benefits. You’ll have access to expert mentor support throughout the process, and several homes in the community can receive free energy assessments to identify opportunities for saving energy. Most importantly, it’s a chance to learn together in a collaborative environment, where homeowners work alongside one another to improve energy efficiency.”

• Economies of Scale – Save money on retrofitting costs through bulk purchasing and group efforts.
• Access to Grants & Loans – Secure the same funding opportunities as the One-Stop-Shop (OSS) route, including:
  • Community Energy Grant
  • Climate Fund Grant
  • Solar Meitheal
• Flexibility in Energy Ratings – Not every home in the SEC needs to achieve a B2 energy rating, making the process more accessible.

Pictured: Sandra Riordan and Kieran Currane, Warm Home Hub energy advisors.