← All projects

IBSO

The Irish Building Stock Observatory links building performance with social, economic and financial data so retrofit investment can be targeted with evidence.

Lead researcher
Dr. Ciara Ahern
Institution
Technological University Dublin
IBSO

About the project

Ireland's transition to a low-carbon built environment is constrained by fragmented data systems, limited visibility of retrofit progress, and the absence of integrated intelligence linking building performance with social, economic and financial indicators. As a result, policymakers, local authorities, utilities and financial institutions lack the evidence needed to target investment effectively, evaluate policy impact and manage emerging risks. A growing concentration of poorly performing buildings (BER ratings E–G) also exposes lenders to stranded-asset risk as EU Minimum Energy Performance Standards become more stringent.

The Irish Building Stock Observatory (IBSO) addresses this challenge through a national digital intelligence platform that integrates verified Building Energy Rating (BER) data with spatial, socio-economic and infrastructure datasets. By delivering live, small-area analytics on energy performance, retrofit potential, fuel poverty and climate vulnerability, IBSO enables evidence-based decision-making across government, industry and the financial sector. The platform also supports sustainability reporting, investment prioritisation and climate risk assessment by identifying and quantifying exposure to sub-standard building assets.

IBSO's proprietary data integration, analytics and visualisation capabilities create a scalable platform with strong commercial potential. Revenue opportunities include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Data-as-a-Service (DaaS), subscription-based analytics, licensable decision-support dashboards and white-label solutions for international markets. By combining advanced digital infrastructure with actionable insights, IBSO is positioned to become critical national infrastructure for Ireland's energy transition while offering a scalable commercial solution for governments, utilities and financial institutions addressing similar decarbonisation challenges worldwide.

Last updated: 9 September 2026

Project team

Dr. Ciara Ahern

Lead researcher
Technological University Dublin

Ready to start collaborating?

Let's discuss how The ARC Hub for ICT can help accelerate your digital transformation initiatives and bring your innovative ideas to life.