- Online calculator shows Irish homeowners how to reduce energy usage through retrofitting
- Solution also assesses financial benefits and carbon impact of home improvements
- Will help Ireland to meet carbon emission reduction targets and combat climate change
- Project showcases work undertaken by Gamma′s R&D division
Dublin, 11th January 2021 – Gamma, the cloud-hosted location intelligence systems and services company, today announced that it has partnered with BERWOW, an Irish technology start-up which creates smart solutions supporting sustainability in the retrofit industry. Together, they have created Ireland’s first retrofit energy efficiency calculator, which shows Irish homeowners how to reduce energy usage and costs through retrofitting.
The solution, which has been developed for energy providers so they can better support their customer base, assesses the financial benefits and carbon impact of home upgrades. As well as providing project costs and measuring energy savings, the tool shows available grants and allows users to customise their retrofit options. It is already being used by SSE Airtricity.
Easy to use, homeowners can enter their address, Building Energy Rating (BER) number or Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN) into the application, or they can specify their house type by selecting from more than 50 typologies. The online wizard then provides BER goals and displays suggested improvements and their benefits – including financial savings, along with the impact on the home’s BER rating, comfort levels and carbon footprint.
The project was spearheaded by Gamma′s R&D division, Gamma Location Labs. The unit develops location intelligence applications across a wide range of sectors and works with cutting-edge start-ups, such as BERWOW, to create innovative solutions that have the power to transform entire sectors.
BERWOW aims to change the way homeowners access information about their energy rating and the various retrofit options available to them. Its custom technology solutions are aimed at helping to simplify and streamline the experience of the homeowner, whilst enabling providers such as SSE Airtricity to deliver a one-stop-shop retrofit service.
Feargal O’Neill, CEO, Gamma, said: “We pride ourselves on being at the forefront of innovation within our location intelligence field, and this solution is the latest example of our dedication to enhancing how LI can be applied in real-world situations. Of course, one of the biggest issues that we are facing at the moment is climate change.
“Together with BERWOW, and with the help of visionary energy companies like SSE Airtricity, we have developed a tool that can help Irish households be more energy efficient and make better decisions in terms of their homes. Not only that, these efforts will also contribute to Ireland′s efforts to reduce carbon emissions, in line with European targets, and help the global fight to combat climate change.”
Michael Hanratty, CEO of BERWOW, said: “We are delighted to make the BERWOW solution available to Irish householders to help them understand and plan the energy retrofit journey for their home. BERWOW enables users to get a feel for the relative costs of measures and the associated impact on their BER. We believe the BERWOW solution to be one of the best products in this field in Europe and are excited about its further development.”
Director of SSE Airtricity Energy Services, Stuart Hobbs said: “SSE Airtricity is delighted to be bringing the BERWOW tool to customers across Ireland. This convenient, user-friendly web system will be free to use and will enable customers to benefit from the unique technology that allows users to learn about their property’s BER and see the potential energy savings in just a matter of clicks.
“The BERWOW calculator is a key part of the Generation Green Home Energy Upgrade and will be the first step on consumers journey to a greener, more energy-efficient home. Once homeowners see how much energy they can save, our team in SSE Airtricity will work with them and provide end-to-end project management including a new, updated BER cert once the works are completed.
“We’re excited to see this tool in action and believe it will help consumers realise the potential savings they can achieve by going green and availing of the Generation Green Home Energy Upgrade.”
