Navan estate residents welcome housing retrofit works.... ‘We couldn’t cope with another winter without it’
A MAJOR energy retrofit programme will take place in 23 houses in Claremont Estate in Navan this summer.
New doors and windows, external wall insulation and heatpumps will be installed in the homes and will be funded under the Energy Retrofit Progamme.
The news comes as a big relief to householders in the estate who have been waiting for the retrofit for several years.
Work on a number of other houses in the estate was completed two years ago.
“Work was completed on the other houses two years ago and we have been waiting since,” said one local resident, Jackie Ennis.
“Our houses are very cold. A few days when it was very windy we had the heat on and the fire lit and we coudn't get warm. We were wearing more clothes to bed than outside,” she said,
“We are really looking forward to having this done. My husband and I are pensioners and it is hard to keep warm.
We couldn't cope with another winter without it. The people in the houses that have been done seem to be happy,” she said.
At a recent meeting of Navan Municipal Council, Cllr Eddie Fennessy asked when would phase two of the replacement of doors and windows at Claremont Estate take place.
He was told an engineering evaluation of 23 houses in the estate was had been completed and the most appropriate solution was external wall insulation for the majority of properties as part of the energy retrofit to ensure a BER rating of B2 is achievable.
“New windows and doors together with air to water heat pump units will be included as part of the retrofit. Meath County Council will tender for these works within the next two months.
It is expected that a contractor would be appointed by early summer, subject to appropriate compliance with procurement and safety requirements.”
Cllr Fennessy said this was great news for the residents who had waited patiently for a works commencement notice.
“They’ll be particularly happy to hear that the scheme has been upgraded to a full energy upgrade which will include the installation of heat pumps and external wall insulation.
“Energy upgrades have been carried out by the council on houses to be relet over the past few years and the results are excellent.
Tenants enjoy the benefits of having a house that is airtight, much easier to heat and very cost effective.
And having energy efficient property’s help the council to reduce its carbon footprint.
“There are in or around 1,600 social housing units in Navan, a large percentage of which were constructed from the 70’s to the 90’s when building and heating standards were in the stone age.
“Next on my list for such works would be Reask, Woodview, Townparks and Clogherboy.
“It is my intention to lobby the council to carry out a full energy upgrade on those estates as quickly as they possibly can,” he said.