Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if the new building regulations announced recently will result in 60% lower heat energy demand in new housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22738/07]

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 130: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if an assessment has been done by his Department of the expected additional cost of each new dwelling unit arising from the Draft Building Regulations, dealing with energy efficiency for homes published by him on 21 September 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22799/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 130 together.

To meet the commitment in the Programme for Government in this area, I published draft Building Regulations and an associated Technical Guidance Document under Part L of the Building Regulations, which deals with the Conservation of Fuel and Energy, on 21 September 2007.

These draft Regulations provide for a 40% improvement in energy efficiency and a 40% reduction in CO2 emissions for new homes. In addition, for the first time, the draft Regulations will provide for a mandatory minimum requirement for the use of renewable energy sources, such as solar heating or biomass systems. Measures to ensure energy-efficient artificial lighting and heating systems, with effective controls; to provide for air tightness testing to limit air infiltration; to place a new emphasis on workmanship; and to require vendors to provide consumer information to buyers on the operation of their home's heating and energy control systems, are also included. The intention is that the new rules will apply to all new planning applications for residential development after 1 July, 2008. From 1 July, 2009, they will apply to all new homes that have not been substantially built at that stage.

The Technical Guidance Document accompanying the draft Regulations includes a commitment to review and improve the Regulations to achieve a 60% reduction over current standards in 2010, with the ultimate aim of achieving a zero carbon standard for new houses. It also advises that new homes should be future-proofed in order to be easily upgraded to higher energy and CO2 standards in the future.

Consultants — the UCD Energy Research Group — have been retained by my Department to assist in the elaboration of proposals to achieve the 40% target. Preliminary estimates supplied by the consultants suggest a cost in the order of €10,000, including VAT, per typical dwelling, of which some €6,500 relates to provisions to meet the requirements regarding renewables (in this case solar panels). The balance of the cost arises from such items as insulation of all elements; higher quality windows; reduced thermal bridging; reduced air infiltration; higher efficiency boilers; and low energy lighting. In accordance with Government requirements, a Regulatory Impact Assessment of the overall proposals which I have announced is now under way and the work undertaken by the consultants will feed into this. I expect to have the Regulatory Impact Assessment completed by November, at which time I will arrange for it to be posted on my Department's Website.

The draft Regulations are now the subject of a public consultation process, which will continue until 26 October, 2007. I look forward to hearing the views of all stakeholders, which will be fully considered prior to finalising new Part L Building Regulations before the end of the year.

The significance of these draft Regulations should not be under-estimated. The proposed 40% improvement is the largest ever proposed in Ireland. Moreover, for the first time ever, energy efficiency is linked directly to national climate change obligations via the setting of specific standards relating to CO2 emissions.

Taken together, the measures provide for a step change in the approach to energy efficiency standards in new Irish homes. They are aimed at ensuring that new housing stock in Ireland is built to the highest international standards, and will be cheaper to run, easier to maintain and have a much lower impact on the environment.

I will be working closely on the implementation of these new measures with my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, who has announced complementary measures to provide the necessary support to installers and the building industry to meet these challenging requirements.