Ecofix Offer
Ecofix is the aggregator for retrofit services at scale. Being pioneers of retrofit services since our inception, we are painfully aware of the challenges faced by all stakeholders. Successful, cost effective delivery of retrofit services requires precision planning, which becomes increasingly difficult at scale. As one of the first companies to address this, we have had the opportunity to innovate, make mistakes and learn.
This desire to constantly innovate and improve our service means that we understand better than most how to provide the right service to our clients, looking after every stage of the project.
We engage highly skilled, experienced specialists to give you the best quality service available. We implement the vast knowledge we have developed over the years to ensure that the entire process is transparent, value driven and as painless as possible.
Ecofix is the one stop shop for retrofit services at scale.
HOME
retrofit
There are many good reasons to carry out retrofit on a home. This will result in a more comfortable, healthier home with an improved BER rating, adding value to your home. Numerous research point to higher performance homes benefiting home owner overall health and well-being. In addition, improved energy efficiency will result in lower running costs.
Deep or shallow retrofit require a whole house approach to achieve the desired comfort and BER. This involves carrying out extensive energy efficiency measures, and requires an individual, bespoke approach to each project, as each home is uniquely constructed and situated, and every home owners circumstances are equally unique and individual.
The first approach should be to assess the current envelope and develop an upgrade plan to improve the envelope performance as much as possible. The second approach would be to compliment any envelope improvements with add-on's such as renewable energy technologies like solar, wind, and storage.
To complete a retrofit project the right way, a great deal of work must be carried out, and is comparable to any renovation project.
One of our assessors will carry out a survey of your home and determine the best methods to achieve your goals, and discuss this with you before work starts.
heat
pumps
Old gas and oil fired boilers are incredibly inefficient and waste energy, making them costly to operate. A considerable amount of fuel is needed to maintain comfort in the home.
In contrast heat pumps make use of waste energy so are more efficient and therefore more cost effective. This has the knock on effect of reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
There are a number of different types of heat pumps systems; air source, ground source and water source. Air source heat pumps are the most common in use, do not require additional piping for heat recovery and are the simplest to install..
Water source are a popular choice being able to distribute heat through radiators or underfloor and produce hot water. Water source heat pumps may require radiators to be replaced with low temperature ones.
These systems come with a range of controls and zoning built in. Many modern systems sync with other devices to enable convenient use and control.
Our assessors will design and select the correct system for your home to ensure maximum comfort and performance
solar
photovoltaic
Photovoltaic (Solar PV) panels are solar modules that produce DC electricity when exposed to light. There are other electrcity generating solar technologies but the Irish climate is only suited to the use of Solar PV. Solar PV is currently the fastest growing renewable technology in terms of installed capacity.
How does it work?
A solar PV panel is constructed of particular semiconductor materials that are capable of generating an electrical charge when exposed to light. There are a growing number of materials suited to this but silicon is the most commonly used material today.
Solar PV products
Solar PV products cover a range of different applications, including;
- Solar panels or modules. These are the most common in use today.
- Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV). BIPV describe building products such as roof tiles, glass and cladding that have solar PV materials embedded in the product.
- Consumer electronics. Electrical devices such as calculators have incorporated solar PV for decades. Today even more devices exist.
whats the advantage
Conventional solar PV can meet a good portion of your household energy needs, for example;
- 1 sq.m of silicon panels will generate 150w of power on a clear sunny day. This is enough power for a laptop.
- A home PV system of 20sq.m would generate 2,600kWh of electricty a year. Thats 40% of the average electrical demand of an Irish home.
- PV systems will function on a cloudy day but with diminished capacity.
- The cost of solar PV is plummeting, conversely the performance per sq.m is increasing. This trend will continue until very soon, solar PV will be more competitive than traditional energy sources.
The amount of electricity a solar panel can generate depends on the following factors;
- The quality of the hardware chosen.
- The size of the system designed.
- Geographical location.
- The orientation of the panels to the track of the sun.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SOLAR PV PLEASE DOWNLOAD THE FOLLOWING SEAI GUIDES
CONDITIONAL PLANNING EXEMPTIONS
window & door
upgrades
Roughly 10% of your homes heat can be lost through windows and doors. This is particularly relevant with older windows and doors, especially where other upgrades have been carried out. As stated previously, every project is unique and requires a specific solution. When a home with old doors and windows is upgraded with attic or wall insulation, the heat loss through the doors and windows is increased. As a result it is generally acknowledged that doors and windows should be upgraded with every retrofit.
Our assessors will measure doors and windows to be replaced and provide a specification and dimensions to manufacturers.
There is generally a lead time of approximately 4-5 weeks from the date of order for doors and windows to be delivered.
wall
insulation
Why?
Up to 35% of your homes heat can be lost through walls. This heat loss can be drastically reduced by insulating the walls to retain heat inside your home. There are three ways you can insulate walls; cavity, external and internal wall insulation. They can be used individually or combined depending on the requirements and existing building. When you insulate walls, additional ventilation is needed.
cavity wall insulation
Cavity walls that are not insulated, or only partially insulated can be upgraded using cavity wall insulation. Cavity wall insulation is pumped into the cavity using machinery. It is an easy, cost effective way to reduce heat loss.
external wall insulation
Where no cavity exists, external wall insulation is the preferred option. External wall insulation can also be used in addition to cavity wall insulation to further increase cavity wall performance. External wall insulation involves wrapping the building envelope in a layer of rigid insulation. Insulation is fixed to the walls, reinforced with mesh and rendered to provide a weather proof finish.
internal wall insulation
Internal wall insulation is generally used when cavity or external insulation is not recommended or possible. Internal insulation involves fixing insulated boards to the inside face of external walls, covering with a vapour control layer and then plastering. Use of internal wall insulation results in reduced internal space. Use of internal wall insulation is not as effective as it is difficult to mitigate cold bridging.
attic
insulation
As much as 30% of a homes energy can be lost through the roof. Insulating an attic can drastically reduce heat loss and improve the lifespan of your home.
Correct use of attic insulation reduces internal condensation from the roof space, reducing the likelihood of damp in the winter. Correct use of attic insulation also reduces the likelihood of passive heating of living spaces during summer months. Over-heated buildings is a common side effect of poorly implemented insulation and building design, especially in A rated homes.
It is also possible to insulate pitched and flat roofs.
With new insulation, it is always important to correctly install ventilation to ensure good air circulation in the roof space. This helps to maintain the correct temperature and reduce moisture build-up and condensation.
Condensation reduces the effectiveness of insulation and is a common cause of damage to roof spaces.
