Cork City Council Secures €2m EU Funding to Double Home Retrofitting Rate

Cork City Council has received a significant €2 million boost from the European Investment Bank to accelerate its retrofitting programme, with plans to double the number of homes upgraded annually from 150 to 300.

The funding, awarded through the EIB's ELENA (European Local Energy Assistance) initiative, will provide technical assistance for designing and preparing major retrofit projects across the council's public buildings and social housing stock over the next three years.

The investment will support detailed energy audits, project design, feasibility assessments and procurement planning, ultimately unlocking substantial follow-on investment in deep retrofit works. The programme aims to deliver improved energy performance, reduced emissions and enhanced comfort for residents whilst creating local employment opportunities in the construction and retrofit sectors.

Beyond housing, the funding will help develop a multi-year project pipeline for upgrading Cork City Council-owned public buildings to higher energy performance standards, reducing carbon emissions in line with national and EU targets. The improvements will result in lower long-term energy and maintenance costs whilst improving air quality and living conditions for tenants.

The award strengthens Cork's role in the EU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, where the council is working to accelerate the city's journey to climate neutrality by leading with assets within its control.

Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Fergal Dennehy, met EIB Senior Investment Manager Assen Gasharov at City Hall to welcome the funding announcement.

Cllr Dennehy said:

"I warmly welcome this significant support from the European Investment Bank. The ELENA grant represents a major boost to Cork City Council's capacity to deliver warmer homes, lower energy costs and more sustainable public services. This investment will advance our retrofit plans and help us meet our ambitious climate goals. I want to acknowledge the dedication of the City Council teams and partners whose work has made this possible."

Assen Gasharov welcomed the partnership approach between Cork City Council and the EIB.

Mr Gasharov said:

"The EIB is pleased to support Cork City Council in advancing its ambitious retrofit programme. Through the EU-funded ELENA grant facility, we help cities build the technical foundations needed for large-scale, climate-focused investment. Cork's commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability make it an excellent partner for this initiative. We look forward to seeing this work unlock long-term environmental, economic and social benefits for the people of Cork."