Over the past two years Passive House Plus editor Jeff Colley has been moonlighting as co-host of Zero Ambitions, a weekly podcast that wrestles with the challenge of how to deliver the scale and ambition of decarbonisation and sustainability in buildings required to avoid a hellish future.

The World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) has launched a set of principles aimed at guiding national governments to develop effective building policies and programmes to accelerate a decarbonised future.

In the first of planned quarterly updates on the government funded SEAI grant schemes, Environment minister Eamonn Ryan and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) have announced that almost 27,200 energy upgrades were completed in 2022, up 80 per cent on 2021, while applications are up 140 per cent.

The potential of the passive house standard to change the world isn’t restricted to tackling climate change – it’s about social justice too.

In a bid to increase the uptake of solar technology in Ireland as families and businesses continue to negotiate the energy and cost of living challenges, the Irish government has announced they intend to drop the VAT rate on the supply and installation of solar panels to zero.

Changes include embodied carbon, zero emission buildings and minimum energy standards

Specialist thermal break manufacturer Meesenburg Group has entered the UK market, introducing the Triotherm+ range of thermal brackets to prevent heat loss and mould risk at window and door reveals, while simplifying the detailing and construction of low energy buildings.

Specialist green building & retrofit company Ecovert Solutions has developed an oil-free approach to external wall insulation (EWI) emanating from green new build approaches: cellulose insulated I-beam construction.

Leading sustainable building product supplier Ecological Building Systems has launched Retro EcoWall, a new quick-to-install internal wall insulation system ideal for traditional buildings, designed to meet the requirements of the nearly zero energy building (NZEB) standard, while minimising embodied carbon.

The new collaborative flat pack timber-based build system partnership We Build Eco is reporting strong interest, in the aftermath of a sneak preview feature article on the business in issue 42 of Passive House Plus.