Written answers

Thursday, 6 July 2006

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Building Regulations

6:00 pm

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 285: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources when the house of tomorrow building scheme will be reviewed to introduce higher energy efficiency standards reflecting recent increases in oil and gas prices and the advances in building technology here which means that higher energy savings are achievable. [27244/06]

Photo of Noel DempseyNoel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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House of Tomorrow is a research, development and demonstration programme with a focus on stimulating widespread uptake of more sustainable energy planning, design, specification and construction practices in the Irish housing market. The aim is to develop capability in the building industry and create a growing network of visible model examples of such superior practices, so as to lever influence across the housing market as a whole.

To date 84 demonstration projects, comprising 3,900 housing units across all counties, have been approved by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) for funding, as well as a further 23 projects in the fields of research, development, training and international collaboration. It is a condition of the programme that these demonstration projects show an improvement of at least 40% in thermal energy and CO2 performance standards relative to the Building Regulations 2002.

SEI's experience with the programme, especially over the past year, shows a growing appetite and capacity in both the house building sector and local authorities to adopt and apply the standards set in this programme. The task of improving building standards is an evolving and progressive one and indeed, proven experience on House of Tomorrow schemes will itself help to drive regulatory change.

The House of Tomorrow programme itself is subject to frequent review. Since its inception, the programme has been reviewed and modified three times, the most recent being in January of this year. A further review, taking account of the overall portfolio of approved projects, of experience with completed projects, and of regulatory and market developments, including energy prices, is planned over the next three months.

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