1. Designing Policies that Work the experience of DCCAE
Rebecca Minch, Energy Efficiency & Affordability
Energy Action Annual Conference, Croke Park, 29 March 2018

2. Overview Policy context Tackling energy poverty and climate change
Energy efficiency as a policy enabler
Policy cooperation
Case study: Warmth & Wellbeing
Capturing the multiple benefits
Policy development
Expanding Warmer Homes measures

3. Policy context Inform: make the case for the low carbon journey
Enable: understand and support decision making
Conserve: energy conservation renewable sources
Connect: with wider Government policy
Benefit: data on multiple benefits
Communicate: with huge range of stakeholders

4. Policy cooperation: Warmth & Wellbeing
€20m from DCCAE to provide upgrades to homes of people with chronic respiratory conditions (over 55 and under 12)
c.€20k - Community Health Organisation 7
Initial assessment by local public health team Health Services Executive (HSE); referral to Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) for survey and works
External wall insulation; heating system upgrades(incl. renewable); ventilation; air quality sensors

5. Policy cooperation: Warmth & Wellbeing
Inspired by IEA work on multiple benefits
and “Warm-Up New Zealand”
Objective: to validate the international
evidence of indirect benefits of energy
efficiency on health in an Irish context
National Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty (2016); National Climate Change Mitigation Plan
Joint policy initiative between DCCAE and
Dept of Health – Healthy Ireland Initiative

6. Policy cooperation: capturing multiple benefits
Resourcing and governance
Initiated with specialist health sector advisory support
‘Translating’ across policy, agencies and specialist groups
Building cross cutting capacity
Participant recruitment and support
Local communications and networks – it’s not easy…
Trusted advisors; participant centred
Vulnerable participants
Making the business case
Research data; individual narratives; capital planning; scalability

7. Policy Development: Warmer Homes
€24m allocated for 2018 (€16m in 2016); operated by SEAI; 130,000 homes in total
Existing measures
Insulation (attic & cavity wall), draught proofing, lagging jackets – average per home €3000.
Additional measures
Internal and external wall insulation
Renewable heating systems to be offered
Open to households that previously applied/received works

8. Policy Development: Warmer Homes
Drivers
Improved citizen focus – responding to client experience
Supporting better health and social inclusion outcomes
A whole house solution – getting at hard to treat homes
Switching away from fossil fuels – decarbonisation of heat
Air quality
Supply chain and delivery capacity development
What we hope to achieve
A more compelling case for householder uptake and greater participation in action on climate change
Cross-cutting policy understanding of multiple benefits of energy efficiency and its practical value as a policy enabler