From Cold Walls to Warm Wisdom: How Mayo’s Renovation Tours Sparked a Community Movement

From Local Action to Big Impact

When you think of climate action, you might picture solar panels glinting on rooftops or wind turbines spinning on distant hills. But in Louisburgh, County Mayo, the real revolution has been happening inside homes and in conversations around kitchen tables. As part of the SHARED GREEN DEAL initiative, Mayo’s local experiment didn’t just tick boxes on energy efficiency. It sparked a movement of know-how, collaboration, and community pride.

The aim was simple but ambitious: share practical renovation knowledge and make energy-efficient upgrades something everyone could understand and embrace. “Our motivation for becoming a local partner was based on the work we had been doing in the area over the previous year,” explained Richard Mannion from Climate Action Louisburgh Locality (CALL). “We felt that by working as a partner in the SHARED GREEN DEAL, we could implement a more community-based approach and raise awareness of the benefits of house renovation within our community.”

And they did just that through a series of Eco Tours that turned theory into reality. Forget dry PowerPoints; these tours brought people into homes mid-renovation, where they could see insulation being installed, ask questions, and learn from professionals and homeowners alike. As one participant put it, “Seeing renovations being done first-hand was invaluable.”

Presentations at the launch event in June 2023

Learning by Doing

The first tour to Inis Turk was a learning curve. “We realised that while the visit was worthwhile, it didn’t offer the know-how we needed,” Mannion admitted. So the team adapted. Later tours were hands-on, timed so contractors were on-site, showing everything from underfloor insulation to solar PV installation. “The discussions were very informative,” said Rosarie Tiernan of CALL. “The know-how gained was invaluable when we visited post-renovation properties.”

This wasn’t just about bricks and mortar. It was about people. The Knowledge Network brought together citizens and professionals, with a strong emphasis on gender balance. “Ten of our twelve Eco Tour hosts were women, and many had project-managed their own renovations,” Tiernan noted. That mattered because, as Damien McEntire observed, “Women are more interested in the comfort of the home and therefore tend to look for improvements, whether that be insulation or improved heating systems.”

The mix of perspectives was powerful. Citizens wanted to learn and connect: “I wish to meet and network with like-minded people who are interested in similar local issues on energy efficiency,” said one. Professionals came with expertise but left with new insights: “I didn’t know why I joined but I do now,” confessed a participant at the launch event. 

That sense of discovery ran both ways. In one case, advice from the network saved a homeowner a staggering €45,000 by steering them away from unnecessary upgrades. “We advised that external wrapping of the house would be very expensive for the benefit it would give,” Mannion explained. “Instead, pumping the cavities achieved the same insulation benefits.”

Eco Tours: visits to renovated homes taking place between September 2023 and January 2024

Looking Ahead

Of course, there were challenges. The team had hoped to include social housing tenants but couldn’t, despite exhaustive efforts. Still, Mayo County Council is committed to renovating 10 to 12 social houses as part of the national retrofit plan, which is a win for the future. And speaking of the future, the experiment’s ripple effects are already visible. “Certain individuals whose homes have been renovated under the Warmer Homes Scheme see the huge benefits and are speaking to others about it,” Mannion said. “Neighbours see the comfort and reduced bills, and that furthers the possibility of more renovations.”

The project didn’t just stay local. CALL took its message to the Mary Robinson International Climate Conference and the SEAI regional event in Sligo, sharing lessons learned and inspiring others. “Participating in this experiment as a local partner gave us a step-by-step plan and timetable for our activities,” Mannion reflected. “Without this program, it’s hard to see how we could have hit the deadlines and achieved what we did in 14 months.”

So what’s next? The ambition is clear: “Our locality to become an environmentally, economically, socially and culturally sustainable decarbonized community,” Mannion said. The Knowledge Network will keep evolving, offering support to homeowners planning renovations. And the model, community-driven and practical, could be replicated far beyond Mayo.