In spite of a consensus that most buildings need deep energy upgrades, both Ireland and the UK have barely scratched the surface. Joseph Curtin – one of Ireland’s leading energy policy wonks –discusses how to kick start en masse upgrade work.

My earliest memories associated with energy all relate to being chastised for forgetting to turn things off. There was nothing worse then the panic of realizing half way across town that the landing lights were left on, or worse still, that money guzzling immersion.

Most Irish of a certain age have been taken to task for committing similar mortal sins. Electricity costs money, and to be fair there was precious little around in the eighties, the decade from which these memories date.