Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 374: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, in view of the bleak future for fossil-fuel prices, and the high quality of energy-conservation and insulation technologies which are already available, he will consider a radical upgrade in energy conservation and building regulations to move Ireland to a position where new buildings require almost or entirely no heating. [33465/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I refer to the reply to Question No. 191 of 25 October 2005.

I opened the "passive house" near Wicklow town, on 3 November 2005, which incorporates the following features: solar panels in the roof — which will provide 50% of domestic hot water needs; triple glazed windows — sized to take account of north-south orientation; heat recovery ventilation system-recovering heat from warm air leaving house and using it to heat cold air entering the house, and very high levels of internal and external insulation.

The passive house is claimed to require no central heating and to use just 10% of the energy used in a normal house. The performance of this demonstration house will be monitored, over the next two years, by Sustainable Energy Ireland, SEI, and following that consideration will be given to potential changes to the building regulations.