From time to time, I get asked how to gain employment in the retrofit industry.
The Irish Government’s ambitious target through the Climate Action Plan to retrofit 500,000 homes to a minimum of B2 Building Energy Rating (BER) by 2030 is fuelling a sustained demand for a skilled workforce. While reaching this exact target is challenging, the national commitment to retrofit and SEAI grant schemes has firmly established the sector, offering diverse opportunities for long-term careers across various disciplines.
The foundation roles of the industry are the hands-on trades that execute the work. The Irish construction sector is actively seeking to upskill existing trades for these specific requirements.
Retrofit-skilled carpenters, roofers, plasterers, insulation and airtightness specialist,
general builders and
labourers
Core responsibilities: Installing internal/external insulation systems, roof insulation, remedial work, airtightness layers, window/door replacement.
Key skills/certification: Airtightness principles, thermal bridging, moisture management, NZEB and SEAI compliance training
Retrofit Electrician
Core responsibilities: Upgrading electrical systems to support modern services (e.g., heat pumps), installing PV, smart controls, car chargers
Key skills/certification: Domestic Electrical Installation & Control (DEIC), SEAI Solar PV installation certification.
Mechanical Services Engineer/Plumbers
Core responsibilities:
Installing and commissioning high-efficiency heating (Heat Pumps) and ventilation systems
Key skills/certification:
Heat Pump Installer Certification, F-Gas handling, ventilation system balancing.
Many of the personnel working in these roles may have naturally evolved from a background in carpentry, general building, as an electrician, etc. There are, however now specific practical training courses for these roles too. For example, the NZEB training centres in Waterford and Wexford have a suite of courses, and Generation Ireland offers a Solar PV installers course aimed to get people back in employment.
The second area is the critical process of assessment, design, and specification. Without a robust plan, the entire retrofit project risks failure. This is the area I operate in as a BER and Technical Assessor.
Most professionals here hold a third-level qualification in a construction or engineering discipline. My own route was to qualify as an Architectural Technologist, complete an MSc in Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies, and work in architecture for 10 years, gaining significant retrofit experience. Upon returning to Ireland in 2019, I completed the BER assessor course and established my business, Retrofurb. This may sound convoluted, but it is a common professional trajectory among established industry professionals. Samuel, who works with me, was a carpenter, then went back to study Civil Engineering before completing the BER assessor course when he moved to Ireland sometime after.
There are three routes to become a BER assessor:
• Route 1 (Standard): NFQ Level 6 Higher or Advanced Certificate in a construction-related discipline plus completion of a QQI Level 6 BER assessment course.
• Route 2 (Nested Module): Completion of an NFQ Major Award in a relevant construction-related discipline with a BER Assessment Module nested within.
• Route 3 (Experience): For those without the base NFQ Level 6, this can be replaced with two years of relevant experience and an accumulation of SEAI-approved or accredited awards in a relevant construction-related discipline, plus completion of a QQI Level 6 BER assessment course
Like the practical trades side of the industry, there are now a number of third-level degree courses and post-graduate courses in the field of Retrofit. The Digital Academy for the Sustainable Built Environment, (DASBE) runs a Higher Diploma in Residential Energy Retrofit Management, and TU Dublin has an excellent suite of modules that can be taken individually or combined to make up a post-graduate certificate, diploma, or masters in Building Performance (Energy Efficiency in Design).
The final part of the industry is the sales, administration, and management of the retrofit process. As the retrofit market scales up, there is growing demand for professionals to manage the delivery of large numbers of projects, often within structured programmes. The roles in this sector cross over quite a bit with the first 2 sectors; retrofit trades, (and assessors) can end up becoming project managers, and likewise, assessors and designers could work in higher management, quality inspections, and auditing. There is also a large administration component for the various grant programmes. These roles could be filled in either SEAI-approved contracting organisations such as One Stop Shops, the actual SEAI, or Local Authorities/Approved Housing Bodies. These roles manage the high volume of grant applications, payment claims, and programme reporting.
Finally, there are a number of growing niche specialist careers in Retrofit:
• Digitalisation of Retrofit: This involves using smart digital tools to model retrofit solutions, predict performance, and manage site logistics. Opportunities exist for both start-ups and collaborations with existing companies; we have a great example here in West Cork, RetroKit.
• Conservation Retrofit: A crucial niche focusing on sensitive energy upgrades for protected and older buildings, balancing energy efficiency with heritage conservation. SEAI recently launched the Traditional Building Pilot, which I have been working on personally as a Traditional Building Professional.
If you would like to get in touch about anything in this article or your own retrofit project, feel free to reach out: ruairi@retrofurb.ie.
