The Warm Home Hub Episode 1:
Each month on Galway Talks John Morley has an indepth look at different aspects of retrofiting your home and the work that The Warm Home Hub Galway are doing in the West side of the the city.
In Episode 1 John spoke with:
- Sharon Carroll, Galway City Council – overview of Galway City’s involvement in the Net Zero Cities Pilot Cities Programme and the establishment of the Warm Home Hub, a community ‘one stop shop’ for retrofit.
- Brian McIntryre, SEAI – overview of what retrofit means, different measures households can take, and an overview of SEAI grant system.
- David Donnellan, John Coogan Park – his experience with the Warm Home Hub, how the service worked for him, David got a BER cert and a home energy assessment through the Warm Home Hub. He is taking a step-by-step approach to upgrading his home, he has carried out insulation works, he is now looking at replacing his doors & windows and installing a heat pump. He has installed solar panels. David was chosen for the feature as he is an ambassador for the programme and trusted in the area. He has not fully completed a retrofit yet – we can have an example of that next month – for now the focus is on using the Warm Home Hub service to identify and then follow a retrofit pathway. The Warm Home Hub aims to remove barriers that households may face in doing this.
- Sharon Carroll – information on how to contact the Warm Home Hub, focus for the pilot project is on the Galway City Council Decarbonisation Zone (Westside, Shantalla, parts of Newcastle and Rahoon).
Upcoming Event
Insulation for Traditional Homes
When: Wednesday January 22nd, 2025, 1.00 – 2.30 pm
Where: St. Joseph’s Community Centre, Shantalla
Who: Homeowners of solid brick homes in Shantalla and the wider urban area.
Warm Home Hub is hosting Joe Fitzgerald, Technical Specification Manager at Ecological Building Systems Ltd, for an informative session on insulation for traditional stone homes, particularly those built before 1945 with single-leaf stone, brick, or concrete construction.
Many homes in Galway city are solid block - within Shantalla alone a large percentage of the houses are pre 1950 build. These homes can present challenges to homeowners who would like to improve their energy efficiency and comfort. The Warm Home Hub team has been supporting Shantalla residents in finding solutions for their homes. As part of the project, we would like to invite you to an event.
During this event Joe and the Warm Home Hub team will provide expert guidance on improving energy efficiency and comfort, addressing the unique challenges of older buildings. Topics include:
- Airtight detailing and draughtproofing
- Moisture-safe insulation options (vapour control, breathable insulators, decentralised HRV ventilation)
- Healthier product options (plastic-free, compostable paint finishes)
- Insulation detailing to prevent thermal bridges
The Warm Home Hub Galway, creating warmer, healthier & more energy efficient homes - a pilot programme in conjunction with EU NetZeroCities & Galway City Council.
The Warm Home Hub is a community one-stop-shop for retrofit located in Westside, established to guide households in the area through the retrofit process. The Warm Home Hub team provide a free consultancy service to households interested in finding out more about the energy efficiency of their home. The Warm Home Hub team offer guidance on available grants, cost saving calculations, retrofit options and home energy upgrades, as well as providing free BER assessments to help households start their retrofit journey.
The Warm Home Hub was formed as part of the Galway City NetZeroCities pilot project , a European-funded initiative aimed at supporting cities to reduce their carbon emissions. Galway City’s project focuses on the energy efficiency of homes and a number of ideas, aimed at encouraging homeowners to retrofit their homes, are being trialled in the city’s Decarbonisation Zone, which covers the areas of Westside, Shantalla, Rahoon and Newcastle.
More information and a map of the project area is available on warmhomehub.ie. If you live within the area and are interested in home energy upgrade, start the journey today by contacting the Warm Home Hub. For details, visit warmhomehub.ie
Warm Home Hub Westside Resource Centre (next to Westside Library) Seamus Quirke Road Galway H91 C1KX
091 - 398 125
085 – 198 6975
