HOME EMISSIONS FELL by 5% last year, but the Climate Change Advisory Council has warned the reduction was largely down to a milder winter rather than lasting progress, leaving Ireland off track to meet its 2030 climate targets.

Launching the built environment chapter of its Annual Review today, the council said urgent action is needed to speed up home retrofits, heat pump installations and solar panel roll-outs if Ireland is to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and protect households from volatile energy prices.

Residential building emissions fell by 5% in 2025, while emissions from commercial and public buildings dropped by 3.5%, primarily because fewer days required heating.

Although both sectors remained within their first emissions ceilings for the 2021-2025 period, the council warned they are projected to exceed their next carbon budget limits by 22% and 62% respectively between 2026 and 2030.

The report says progress on retrofitting social housing remains well behind target, with 10,370 local authority homes upgraded since 2021.

Around 5,000 homes will need to be retrofitted each year until 2030 if the government is to meet its goal of upgrading 36,500 social homes.

Heat pump installations rose by 21% last year, but only reached 41% of the government’s 2025 target, while the council also called for a faster rollout of solar photovoltaic panels, including on local authority homes and through a national framework allowing apartment dwellers to use plug-in solar panels.

Council chair Alex White said Ireland remained heavily dependent on fossil fuels to heat homes and buildings, leaving households exposed to energy price shocks.

“The Government has set the right ambition to end Ireland’s reliance on fossil fuels. The test now is delivery,” White said.

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