Glossary

Grant terms, in plain words

The terms you meet on an SEAI windows and doors grant application, each in a sentence or two.

windowgrants.ie is not SEAI or a government body and does not award grants.

BER (Building Energy Rating): A rating of a home's energy performance, from A1 (most efficient) to G (least). A BER assessor registered with SEAI carries it out, and it comes with an advisory report. You look one up on the national register with your MPRN. See: Window grant eligibility
BER advisory report: The report that comes with a BER. It rates parts of the home, such as the roof and walls, shows the heat loss, and suggests upgrades. The windows grant reads its heat loss rating.
HLI (Heat Loss Indicator): One number on the BER that sums up how much heat the home loses through its walls, roof, floor, windows and doors, and through draughts. Lower is better. The windows and doors grant needs an HLI of 2.3 or lower, or roof and walls already rated Good. See: The heat loss test
MPRN (Meter Point Reference Number): The number on your electricity bill that identifies your home. SEAI uses it to find the home's BER and see which grants it has had.
U-value: How fast heat passes through a wall, window or roof, in watts per square metre per degree (W/m²K). Lower is better. New windows under the SEAI grant must reach 1.4 W/m²K or better.
One Stop Shop: An SEAI-registered company that manages a home energy upgrade from start to finish, including the grant application. The grant comes off your price up front instead of being paid to you after. See: One Stop Shop or apply yourself?
Post-works BER: A BER done after the windows or doors go in. It's required for the grant, and it's grant-aided. See: How to apply
SEAI-registered contractor: A contractor on SEAI's register. SEAI only pays the grant when one does the job. You can check any contractor on SEAI's register before you agree to anything.
Bonded bead: The usual cavity wall insulation in Ireland: polystyrene beads with a binder, blown into the cavity. Filled cavity walls help a home pass the heat loss test. See: cavitywallinsulation.ie
Whole-surface solution: SEAI's rule for wall insulation grants: all external walls of the home must be fully insulated. Partial insulation isn't eligible. See: cavitywallinsulation.ie
Housing Aid for Older People: A council grant, means-tested, for necessary repairs in the homes of people aged 66 or over, including repair or replacement of doors and windows. See: Window grants over 66

See your window grant, then get a price

Four taps show the SEAI grant for your home. Or call 087 162 1846 between 8am and 8pm and we pass you to one SEAI-registered contractor who covers your area.

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