Motion seeks upgrades for heat efficiency at Cois Easa estate

Houses in Cois Easa estate in Aughavas have been dealing with heat retainment issues, Ballinamore Municipal District has heard.

Cllr Paddy O'Rourke proposed a motion at this months Ballinamore M.D. meeting calling on the M.D. to make the necessary arrangements to replace the wooden single glaze windows and doors in the six housing units at the Cois Easa estate in Aughavas. 

He described the existing windows and doors as inefficient in terms of conserving heat in the houses.

"It's an issue that's been building for a while, I don't know whether it was the quality of the material that was used at the time, but given that the estate was only built in 2003, it appears to me that the windows and doors have taken quite a hit in terms of the way the houses are built," Cllr O'Rourke said.

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"They don't offer the people who occupy those houses much by the way of conserving the heat, that they generate at great cost, let it be oil or electricity because a lot of it is escaping through the poor quality windows and doors."

A report by Director of Services, Housing and Community, Corporate Services, Cultural and Emergency Services stated that the existing windows are in fact double glazed, and while there is no provision in the 2024 Housing Programme to consider replacing them, the Housing Department will examine the possibility of seeking Departmental approval for an Energy
Efficiency Programme for these houses in 2025.

"I would be hopeful in view of all that's happening in the country regarding heat conservation and all the schemes that are available even to people in private houses, that the local authority's application should be looked upon favourably because this is where we want to go; to conserve and reduce the amount of oil and fuels.

"This is the way to do it," Cllr O'Rourke remarked.

If approval is granted by the Department, a range of improvements will be made to each property to enhance their energy efficiency.

"Less heat would go further if we didn't have a significant amount of it escaping.

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"I do know that they present a problem in terms of conserving heat, and by extension of that this is placing a burden on people that are trying to heat their homes there, which could be readily remedied with a bit of investment," said Cllr O'Rourke.