Ireland Retrofit Challenge Climate Tech

Ireland's retrofit challenge demands innovative solutions combining strategic planning, robust data management, and community-level support to achieve decarbonisation targets. Xavier Dubuisson is the RetroKit founder with 30 years sustainable energy experience across Europe. He explains how climate tech platform uses BER data and duration certificates assessing housing performance whilst modelling upgrade scenarios calculating investment costs for financial planning. He talks about why moving to Ireland in 2001 provided transformative opportunities developing renewable energy policies including Greener Homes Scheme and House of Tomorrow programme, and current barriers including affordability constraints, supply chain gaps, and political climate shifts threatening progress despite catastrophic climate change impacts already visible requiring maintained ambition and action.THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUTRetroKit platform BER data strategic planningIreland career move transformative policy developmentClimate change urgency maintaining political ambitionSocial housing sector holistic quality designCommunity grassroots advisory trusted voice supportGUEST DETAILSXavier Dubuisson is CEO of RetroKit, an energy engineer bringing more than 25 years of sustainable energy experience in Ireland and Belgium. He moved to Ireland in 2001 to work with SEAI at their Renewable Energy Information Office and has been deeply involved in driving the energy transition ever since. His mission is to scale up and digitise the retrofitting process across Ireland and the EU through strong passion for innovation towards energy and climate goals, sharing experience gained over years through development of digital tools.MORE INFORMATIONThe Energy Canvas is brought to you by Celtic Dynamics, exploring the intersection of engineering innovation, sustainability, and business success in Ireland's evolving energy landscape. Each episode features conversations with industry leaders, researchers, and entrepreneurs driving real climate action and decarbonisation solutions.To stay updated on the latest episodes and energy sector insights, visit celticdynamics.ie or search "The Energy Canvas" on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform.Contact us at www.celticdynamics.com or connect with Celtic Dynamics on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/celtic-dynamics.Produced by DustPod.io for Celtic DynamicsQUOTESIn the context of climate change, it's already here. Give us another 10, 20, years, it's going to be catastrophic. Really. We can't delay action, you know, and we can't reduce ambitions in that regard.- Xavier DubuissonI realised there was very little tools for energy efficiency. Modelling for renewable energy technology is well established but for energy efficiency at the time there was very little or nothing. - Xavier DubuissonWe're not hitting the target of 50,000 homes for deep energy retrofits. Key constraints are cost. Not many people can afford it. Funding helps but affordability is a critical factor. - Xavier DubuissonKEYWORDS#ClimateChange #EnergySolutions RetrofitChallenge #SustainableEnergy #Decarbonisation #EnergyEfficiency