Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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161. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which it is expected to conserve energy by way of home or commercial building insulation; the degree to which improvements have taken place in this regard over the last four years; his expectations for the future in the short and medium term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34105/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government contains a commitment to further improve the energy efficiency of new buildings with a view to moving towards carbon neutral homes in the longer term.In tandem with this commitment, Directive 2010/31/EU on the energy performance of buildings requires EU Member States, inter alia , to ensure that all new buildings will be nearly zero-energy by 31 December 2020 (or by 31 December 2018 in the case of new buildings owned and occupied by public authorities).

The Directive broadly defines a 'nearly zero-energy building' as a building with a high energy performance where the very low amount of energy required should, to a very significant extent, be met by energy from renewable sources, including renewable energy produced onsite or nearby.

Against this background, Ireland has been making significant progress in terms of both improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon dioxide emissions within the built environment. Taking the energy efficiency requirements established in 2005 as the benchmark, the Building Regulations (Part L Amendment) Regulations 2007 set the requirements necessary to achieve a 40% improvement (over the 2005 standards) in the energy and carbon performance of new dwellings. The requirements were subsequently upgraded under the Building Regulations (Part L Amendment) Regulations 2011 which has delivered a 60% aggregate improvement (relative to 2005 standards) in both the energy and carbon performance of new dwellings.

Part L 2011 marks an important step on the road to carbon neutrality and puts Ireland at the forefront of EU Member States in terms of energy efficiency standards for new dwellings. All the signs indicate that Irish builders and manufacturers continue to innovate and adapt their approaches and products to meet new standards as they continue to evolve progressively over time. This is important in terms of continuing the development of the market for energy efficient buildings and products domestically while also increasing the considerable potential that exists for high energy efficiency products in export markets.

My Department has recently prepared a nearly zero energy plan for buildings that will enable us to meet our obligations under Directive 2010/31/EU within the prescribed timeframe. In relation to buildings other than dwellings, this will involve amending the Part L requirement in two phases between now and 2020 in order to deliver a 60% aggregate improvement (relative to 2005 standards) in both the energy and carbon performance of new buildings in that category. In relation to dwellings one further upgrade of the Part L requirement is envisaged. Any proposed changes to the Building Regulations Part L will be subject to a comprehensive public consultation process and a rigorous regulatory impact assessment before such changes may be signed into law.