Why this bungalow is in the top 0.02pc for energy savings

Asking price: €675,000

Agent: DNG Brady (041) 9809999​

Just 5pc of Irish homes hold that coveted ‘A’ rating for energy saving under BER.

But among Ireland’s top tier, all are not equal, with degrees of excellence through A3, A2 and A1. At the very top, those homes with an A1 are as rare as hen’s teeth.

According to the SEAI, just 0.02pc of homes in this country have achieved the exemplary A1 BER. That’s one in every 5,000.

And almost none are 30-plus years old like this A1 classified six-bedroom, red-brick home in Maiden’s Cross near Monasterboice in Louth.

The 2,508 sq ft property was built by Dunleer-born Sandra and Fergus McCann in 1991, a year after they married.

The secret to A1 success is Fergus’s profession as an engineer for SE Systems, a firm that specialises in retrofitting homes.

“We upgraded the energy rating step by step, installing solar panels on the roof, insulation in the attic and the walls, A-rated windows throughout, and a heat pump,” he says. “It also has an electric vehicle (EV) charger for a car,” says Fergus.

As a result, their entire heating bill last year was just €700 for an abode that is more than twice the size of an average family home.

“The solar panels work in conjunction with the heat pump. If there’s an abundance of solar energy, the heat pump comes on and heats the water.

“The excess energy goes into the grid and we get credit for it, which lowers our bill,” he says.

The couple applied for energy-saving home initiatives from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to carry out the work and did it over time.

It’s not just the house’s energy rating that has been upgraded, however. When they first built it, this was originally a three-bedroom dormer bungalow with a small kitchen.

First, the McCanns extended the kitchen and, after about 20 years, added the upstairs. “Our plan was always to extend it and as we grew as a family, the house grew with us,” says Fergus.

They added two more bedrooms, a bathroom with a free-standing bath tub, and an office, which could be used for working from home, but could also be an additional bedroom. Four of the bedrooms are now double.

They have two grown-up boys — Oisín, who’s married and living in Donegal, and Aaron, a professional cyclist who lives in London and travels extensively. They were just children when they extended the kitchen at the back and created a patio.

“The boys used to bring home friends and, later, girlfriends and everyone would congregate in the kitchen,” says Sandra.

“They still do when they’re here. It’s the heart of the home and great for parties. It lends itself really nicely to entertaining at Christmas or in the summer when we throw barbecues and people spill out on to the patio.”

The open-plan kitchen/dining/living area has hardwood flooring and floor-to-ceiling sliding doors at the back, which let in lots of light.

The units are dark grey and there’s a lime green cabinet, providing a splash of colour.

The living area has a wood-burning stove and there’s an island with high seats, overhanging lights and a sink. There’s also a utility room off it with unusual tiles on the wall.

Quirky features like this are the work of Sandra, who has an eye for design and is not afraid to be bold in her colour choices. She used to work in catering, but is now retired and enjoys interior design as a hobby.

“I like colour and statement design,” she says. “I also love a good bargain, so I’m always on the lookout for paraphernalia for the house.”

This can also be seen in the hallway on entering. Here, brightly coloured green and brown-patterned wallpaper on one wall combines well with an emerald, green vintage-style couch, long plush green velvet curtains, a copper-coloured light fitting and a round mirror.

The sitting room is more relaxed and furnished in muted cream and beige. It has a bay window, a wood burning stove, a white marble fireplace and replicated sash windows.

The house sits on a half-acre garden, which Fergus looks after. “I love doing it. I find gardening therapeutic.”

He draws attention to the stately trees at the end of the driveway.

“The Oak tree there grew from a seed,” he says. “My father gave it to us as a sapling, and the Chestnut tree was also grown from seed by one of the kids. Those trees will hopefully be there long after we leave.”

The cherry blossom at the back of the house is dressed in fairy lights for six months of the year and the couple often sit on garden furniture in the sunken patio in the evenings and admire it.

“The back is always very sheltered and is a real sun trap in the summer,” says Sandra.

They’ve also built a detached log cabin with a sauna and hot tub in the back garden, and there’s a separate storage unit that extends to 3,230 sq ft and is currently used as a workshop. It also stores bikes, as Fergus, like his son, is big into cycling.

Although set in a quiet, rural area, both Drogheda and Dunleer are just a five-minute drive from the house.

It’s a minute’s drive from the motorway exit and there’s also a bus stop for Dublin right outside.

“You can be in the city centre in 50 minutes,” says Sandra. “We often go up to have dinner and look around the shops and we’re home within an hour.”

A school bus also stops on the road right outside and there’s a popular GAA club with 25 teams.

The couple now plan to build a smaller house locally. Sandra is looking forward to designing the interior of a new-build.

“I feel like I’ve done all I can here, so it will be fun to do it again,” she says.

DNG Brady seeks €675,000.