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In 2023, the mean metered electricity consumption for A/B rated dwellings, where electricity was the main space heating fuel, was 39 kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m2). This was 43% lower than the consumption rate for both D and E rated dwellings of 68 kWh/m2 (See infographic, Figure 1, Table A, and Table 5B).
Dwelling type mattered, with detached houses having the highest mean electricity consumption, at 7,388 kWh, for 2023. This was 77% higher than that of mid-terrace houses, which had the lowest mean consumption by dwelling type of 4,185 kWh in 2023 (See Figure 1 and Table 2A).
Newer detached houses (those constructed between 2005-2023) consumed a mean of 7,859 kWh in 2023. This was more than double the mean consumption of 3,857 kWh among apartments built during the same period (See Table 3B).
Looking at electricity consumption per square metre, detached houses had a mean metered electricity consumption rate of 38 kWh/m2 in 2023, compared with 45 kWh/m2 for both mid-terrace and end-of-terrace houses, and 65 kWh/m2 for apartments (See Table 5A).
Detached houses with an energy rating of A/B had the largest usable floor area at 227 m2. The dwelling type with the smallest usable floor area was apartments rated F/G (46 m2) (See Figure 2 and Table 4A).
This release is based on 216,572 dwellings that have had a Building Energy Rating (BER) audit and that use electricity as their main space heating fuel. The release was compiled by matching the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland Domestic Building Energy Ratings file with the ESB Networks metered electricity consumption file using the meter point reference number which was in both datasets.
Recently built detached houses, with an A/B energy-rating that used electricity as the main space heating fuel, had a higher usable floor area. Those dwellings used more metered electricity than other types of dwellings but they had the lowest metered electricity consumption per square metre. Factors such as household income, energy poverty, health, and the number of occupants have an underlying influence on the results. Electricity generated by heat pumps and solar panels is not classified as metered electricity.
| Mean Electricity Consumption | |
| A/B | 5.127 |
| C | 4.934 |
| D | 4.811 |
| E | 4.553 |
| F/G | 3.783 |
| Apartment | 4.196 |
| House (mid-terrace) | 4.185 |
| House (end-of-terrace) | 4.45 |
| House (semi-detached) | 4.648 |
| House (detached) | 7.388 |
| Table A Mean Electricity Consumption per square metre by Year and Energy Rating 2023 | |||||
| Mean kilowatt hours per square metre | |||||
| Year | A/B | C | D | E | F/G |
| 2015 | 37 | 73 | 75 | 75 | 63 |
| 2016 | 36 | 73 | 75 | 75 | 63 |
| 2017 | 35 | 72 | 75 | 75 | 63 |
| 2018 | 37 | 78 | 81 | 80 | 66 |
| 2019 | 34 | 71 | 73 | 74 | 63 |
| 2020 | 39 | 78 | 80 | 80 | 67 |
| 2021 | 41 | 76 | 79 | 79 | 67 |
| 2022 | 38 | 69 | 72 | 72 | 61 |
| 2023 | 39 | 66 | 68 | 68 | 58 |
Mean household electricity consumption in 2023 ranged from 5,127 kWh (for dwellings rated A/B) to 3,783 kWh (for those rated F/G). This was the lowest since 2015 for all rating categories (See Table 2B)
By dwelling type and energy rating, the highest mean electricity consumption in 2023 was 8,052 kWh, by detached houses rated A/B. The lowest was 2,977 kWh, in A/B rated apartments (See Table 3A).
Detached houses rated A/B had the largest mean floor area by dwelling type and energy rating, at 227 m2. The lowest was 46 m2, for apartments rated F/G (See Figure 2 and Table 4A).
Newer dwellings were generally larger than those constructed in earlier periods, with the single largest category being detached houses constructed from 2005-2023 (232 m2). Detached houses from all periods of construction were larger than any other combination of dwelling type and construction period (See Table 4B).
| A/B | F/G | |
| Apartments | 73 | 46 |
| Detached Houses | 227 | 90 |
Mean electricity consumption per square metre in 2023 was 39 kWh/m2 in dwellings rated A/B and 68 kWh/m2 in those rated D/E. Electricity consumption per square metre decreased in each rating category compared with 2022 (See Table 5B).
By dwelling type and rating, the lowest rate of electricity consumption per square metre in 2023 was by detached houses rated A/B, at 37 kWh/m2. The highest rate was 81 kWh/m2, in apartments rated F/G (See Table 6A).
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (01 August 2024) published Household Electricity Consumption by Building Energy Ratings 2023.
Commenting on the release, Kevin Hunt, Statistician in the Climate and Energy Division, said: "This analysis combines the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) Domestic Building Energy Ratings and ESB Networks Metered Electricity Consumption files. It includes all matched households which used electricity as their main space heating fuel (See Editor's Note).
Electricity Consumption by Energy Rating
Dwellings with higher energy efficiency ratings consumed more electricity in 2023 when looked at in absolute terms. Dwellings with A/B ratings had mean consumption of 5,127 kWh in 2023, compared with 4,553 kWh for E rated dwellings and 3,783 kWh in dwellings rated F/G. Consumption in all rating categories decreased compared with 2022 (See Figure 1 and Table 2B).
Dwellings with higher energy ratings generally used less electricity per square metre. A/B rated dwellings were most efficient, using a mean of 39 kWh/m2 in 2023. C rated dwellings consumed 66 kWh/m2 in 2023, while D and E rated dwellings both consumed 68 kWh/m2. F/G rated dwellings consumed 58 kWh/m2 in 2023 (See Table 5B).
Electricity Consumption by Period of Construction
Mean total electricity consumption in 2023 was highest in dwellings constructed between 2000-2004, at 5,229 kWh. This was followed by dwellings constructed between 2005-2023 (4,961 kWh), 1967-1999 (4,665 kWh), and 1900-1966 (4,399 kWh) (See Table 2C).
Detached houses constructed between 2000-2004 had the highest mean consumption by dwelling type and period of construction, at 8,258 kWh. Detached houses constructed from 2005-2023 consumed a mean total of 7,859 kWh in 2023. This was 72% higher than the 4,559 kWh consumed by newer semi-detached houses, and more than double the mean consumption of 3,857 kWh among apartments built during the same period (See Table 3B).
Newer dwellings were more energy efficient when looking at consumption per square metre. In 2023, electricity consumption per square metre for dwellings constructed between 2005-2023 was 40 kWh/m2, compared with 64 kWh/m2 for dwellings constructed between 2000-2004, 60 kWh/m2 for dwellings constructed between 1967-1999, and 50 kWh/m2 for dwellings constructed between 1900 and 1966 (See Table 5C).
Electricity Consumption by Dwelling Type
The dwelling type with the highest level of mean electricity consumption in 2023 was detached houses, with 7,388 kWh. This was 77% higher than the mean consumption of 4,185 kWh by mid-terrace houses, the lowest consuming dwelling type (See Figure 1 and Table 2A).
Comparing electricity consumption per square metre, detached houses were the most efficient, consuming 38 kWh/m2 in 2023. Apartments had the highest mean electricity consumption per square metre in 2023, with 65 kWh/m2, followed by mid-terrace houses (45 kWh/m2), end-of-terrace houses (45 kWh/m2), and semi-detached houses (41 kWh/m2) (See Table 5A).
Floor Area by Dwelling Type and Energy Rating
The mean floor area varied significantly by dwelling type and was also larger in dwellings with higher energy ratings (See Figure 2). Detached houses with A/B ratings had a mean floor area of 227 m2s, while those with F and G ratings had a mean floor area of 90 m2. Similarly A/B rated apartments had a mean floor area of 73 m2 compared with 46 m2 for F and G rated apartments (See Table 4A)"