Electric Ireland Superhomes secures research project funding under the SEAI (RD&D) Funding Programme.
Electric Ireland Superhomes is delighted to announce that our collaborative research project, BRIGHT (Behavioural Research to Inform Green Home Transformations), has been awarded funding under the SEAI RD&D Funding Programme.
The awards were unveiled by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), as part of grants totalling €20 million in Government funding for Energy Research and Development Projects.
In partnership with UCD and the ESRI, BRIGHT will leverage methods of behavioural science to inform the consumer retrofit journey. The projects will focus on:
i. identifying behavioural barriers to retrofitting with a focus on heat pumps,
ii. developing behavioural interventions, tools, and strategies to overcome these barriers, and
iii. testing the effectiveness of these approaches.
The ultimate aim of BRIGHT is to increase the number of retrofit projects, with a focus on heat pump adoption, aligned with our commitment to delivering over 30,000 home retrofits by 2030, and the National Energy & Climate Plan.
Commenting on the announcement Stephen O’Connor, Managing Director, Electric Ireland Superhomes, said:
“We’re delighted to conduct this research alongside our partners, Dr. Leo Lades (UCD) and Dr. Shane Timmons (ESRI). While retrofitting homes makes economic and environmental sense, barriers still remain to mass adoption. The BRIGHT research will help us to better understand these barriers and to develop practical solutions to overcome them. Electric Ireland Superhomes is targeting 30,000 Heat Pump led Retrofits by 2030 and BRIGHT will inform our customer and roll out strategies”
Speaking about the SEAI Funding Programme, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, said:
“I am delighted to see such a vast range of energy research projects awarded funding to explore new and innovative ways to lead Ireland’s energy transition. These projects will help us to continue working towards meeting the targets set out in the Climate Action Plan and help build a better, cleaner future for everyone.”
Margie McCarthy, Director of Research and Policy Insights at the SEAI added:
“Investing in research and innovation is crucial to allow Ireland to transition to a clean and secure energy future and is one of the most important ways to develop new insights and extend our knowledge to overcome associated challenges. In supporting these projects, SEAI is excited to be contributing to new opportunities for knowledge generation, technological breakthroughs, process and product innovations, behavioural changes, and guidance for public policy makers.”
