Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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243. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he has plans to encourage the use of timber-frame construction in the housing industry from an environmental and sustainability perspective; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46384/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) has been identified as a key measure to address the different housing needs in Ireland and methods to support the development of MMC in Ireland are set out in the Government's Housing Policy - Housing for All. The Construction Industry Federation report developed to support the Construction Sector Group outlines that MMC is used to describe a range of offsite manufacturing and onsite techniques that provide alternatives to traditional house building. Typical MMC systems include timber frame systems.

MMC has the potential to help boost productivity and increase efficiency, and avoid waste, in the construction sector. The co-ordination of activities to promote MMC adoption is being led by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) through an interdepartmental MMC Leadership and Integration Group.

This Group will ensure the cohesive integration and co-ordination of the various government supported MMC-relevant initiatives – to support innovation in the construction industry.

Such initiatives include:

- The Construction Technology Centre, consortium led by the University of Galway;

- The Demonstration Park for MMC at Mount Lucas, operated by Laois Offaly Educational Training Board (LOETB), and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research and Science (D/FHERIS), and SOLAS;

- The National Construction Training Centre at Mount Lucas, operated by LOETB, D/FHERIS, and SOLAS;

- The Build Digital project, led by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform; and

- The Built to Innovate awareness campaign run by Enterprise Ireland.

Earlier this year, the DETE expanded the role of the enterprise agencies to provide firm-level financial support for productivity enhancement and innovation in the domestic residential construction sector. Enterprise Ireland has launched the Built to Innovate campaign to drive awareness of these opportunities in the construction sector. Enterprise Ireland seeks to support companies in the construction sector who wish to pursue:

- Enhanced usage and implementation of MMC

- Implementation of Lean training in both manufacturing and off-site environments

- Improving the use of digital tools that can bring productivity benefits

- Funding for research concepts or process innovative ideas

The Building Regulations 1997-2021 set out the legal requirements for the construction of new buildings (including houses), extensions to existing buildings as well as for material alterations and certain material changes of use to existing buildings. I.S.440: 2009+A1:2014 Timber Frame Construction, Dwellings and other Buildings as referenced by the Building Regulations is the Irish standard on timber frame construction.

With regards to the environmental impact of construction materials, Climate Action Plan 2021 commits to working with industry stakeholders to increase the use of low carbon materials and technologies in the construction and renovation of buildings in Ireland, informed by evolving EU standards and by best practice in other jurisdictions.

In addition my Department has issued design guidelines for sustainable housing which includes recommendations to have due regard for the environmental impact of construction materials. These guidelines “Quality Housing for Sustainable Communities” are available on my Department’s website at the following link. www.gov.ie/en/publication/24d9e-quality-housing-for-sustainable-communities-design-guidelines/