RR Supports Delivery of Climate Action RePower EU Extended Pathfinder Programme for Irish Schools

In 2024, the Department of Education and Youth (DEY), supported by REPower funding from the EU, commenced a programme of deep energy retrofits. Rogerson Reddan were appointed as Programme and Project Managers to lead the delivery of the Climate Action RePower EU Extended Pathfinder Programme on the Department’s behalf. This Programme has ultimately led to not only fabric and energy improvements to 28 schools on the initial phase during summer 2025 but also the delivery of energy performance surveys of over 3,000 schools across the country. Retrofitting Ireland’s school building stock is a major infrastructure challenge and RR is providing the programme, procurement and project management to the DEY to meet their climate action targets on REPower.

This programme builds on the success of the recent Schools Energy Inventory pilot, which surveyed over 500 schools in five counties. The current phase expands that effort nationwide, helping to inform future capital investment decisions and accelerate Ireland’s progress toward its 2030 and 2050 climate targets. This will ultimately support all surveyed schools in establishing energy baselines and identifying future opportunities for decarbonisation and increased energy efficiency

Through the Climate Action RePower EU Extended Pathfinder Programme, these schools are receiving deep energy retrofits which include the installation of heat pumps, LED lighting, mechanical ventilation systems, and electric vehicle charging points, but crucially along with significant upgrades to the fabric of the buildings including improvements to insulation, replacement of windows and airtightness measures.

Through 2025, RR procured 8 design teams, coordinated 14 contracts across the schools included the procurement of numerous surveys, agreement of scopes of work, designs developed, main contracts procured and progressed through construction with much of the works completed over the tight summer period. The total investment in the works under this Programme is over €70 million.

On the back of the success of the programme through 2025, an additional 12 schools have been added to the programme to be completed by Q3 2026 with a further total capital value of €40 million.

RR’s role includes managing the delivery of the programme, including using our extensive experience and specialisation to develop appropriate procurement strategies and coordinating with multiple design teams, contractors, and numerous school communities to ensure effective communication and timely implementation.

The Climate Action RePower EU Extended Pathfinder Programme is part of Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan and is financed through the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility.

Funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.