More than a quarter of Irish homeowners plan to make home energy upgrades in the months ahead with potential savings far outstripping any concern for the environment as their motivation, new research suggests.
Home insulation remains the most commonly considered upgrade, with 30 per cent of consumers saying they are likely to insulate their home within the next two years, according to Electric Ireland’s sustainability index published on Friday.
A further 18 per cent said they were considering solar panels, while 12 per cent consider the installation of an EV charger a priority and 9 per cent are looking at the installation of a heat pump.
The index highlights that while climate change remains a concern, the primary driver behind reducing energy usage is cost saving, with consumers prioritising lower energy bills over environmental reasoning by a factor of 10 to one.
RM Block
All told, 61 per cent of those who took part in the research described cost saving as their main motivator compared to just 6 per cent who are primarily driven by environmental impact.
Households with home energy upgrades reported noticeable financial benefits. Those who had solar panels installed estimated savings of €58 per month, while those with a heat pump reported average monthly savings of €77.
Other sustainability measures included EV home chargers, with owners reporting savings of €91 per month, and selling excess generation back to the grid, with an average monthly return of €34.
Awareness of microgeneration is growing, the index suggests, with two-thirds now familiar with the concept, rising significantly to 83 per cent among those aged over 55.
The survey also points to increasing awareness of grant supports for home energy upgrades, with familiarity rising from 38 per cent in 2025 to 48 per cent now.
This year’s index also points to high levels of engagement in household energy use and daily energy behaviours with 56 per cent of consumers agreeing that their individual actions can make a difference when it comes to climate change.
Among the most popular energy reduction measures taken by consumers in the past two years were consciously reducing heating and electricity, with 67 per cent adopting such an approach.
A further 62 per cent said they were using an air fryer or slow cooker instead of an oven, while 50 per cent said they were swapping to more energy efficient light bulbs.
Broader environmentally friendly measures included more active travel, shopping locally rather than online and using public transport more often.
Just over a third of respondents told researchers that they would be interested in living more sustainably but don’t know how – up five percentage points on last year.
When it comes to acting on smart meter insights, 89 per cent of users said they had changed how and when they use household appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers, while 59 per cent now unplug appliances or switch off sockets when devices are not in use.
Gareth Barr of Electric Ireland said the research suggested that “sustainability is becoming increasingly embedded in how people think about their homes and energy use”.
He said it was “encouraging to see that more than half of people believe their individual actions can make a real difference”.
“From reducing heating and electricity use to adopting more energy-efficient cooking methods and lighting, people are proving that making sustainable choices doesn’t require major sacrifices – and can result in significant monthly savings.”
