New clinics in Laois to help reduce energy bills
Laois County Council has launched new neighbourhood energy clinics
Anyone looking to reduce their energy bills and carbon emissions are being encouraged to attend Laois County Council’s new neighbourhood energy clinics.
The first clinic was held in Esker Hills, Portlaoise, providing residents with free, independent and tailored advice on improving the energy performance of their homes.
The clinic forms part of the Portlaoise Low Carbon Town Project, supporting the transition to a more energy-efficient and climate-resilient community by bringing expert retrofit advice directly into neighbourhoods.
Residents met one-to-one with a team of energy specialists, including Kevin Manning, Energy Engineer with Laois County Council, Liam Donohoe, Regional Energy Coordinator with the Midlands Energy Agency, and Laurence O'Reilly, Sustainable Energy Community Mentor.
Residents also had the opportunity to speak with Regina Stanley from AIB, who was on hand to provide information on green mortgages and green loan products available to support homeowners undertaking energy upgrades. This additional advice helped participants better understand the financial options available to support retrofit works.
Using the innovative RetroKit digital assessment tool, the team generated personalised home energy prescriptions for each participating household. These reports identified the most effective retrofit measures for individual homes, outlined available SEAI grant supports and demonstrated how homeowners can improve comfort, reduce energy costs and lower carbon emissions.
Suzanne Dempsey, Climate Action Coordinator with Laois County Council, said: "The Neighbourhood Energy Clinics are another important step in delivering the Portlaoise Low Carbon Town Project. By bringing trusted, independent retrofit advice directly into local communities, we are making it easier for householders to understand their options and take practical action to improve the comfort, energy efficiency and sustainability of their homes. Every home that becomes more energy efficient contributes to our wider vision of creating a healthier, more resilient and lower-carbon Portlaoise."
Following the success of the pilot clinic, Laois County Council will roll out additional Neighbourhood Energy Clinics across Portlaoise. Future locations will be selected using the RetroKit neighbourhood scoping tool, which identifies estates with the greatest potential for domestic energy retrofit, ensuring support is targeted where it can deliver the greatest benefit.