Issue 50 - passivehouseplus.ie

The familiar North Atlantic drizzle may be giving way to more forceful, building-battering rain. A new study warns of shifting patterns that will test the resilience of structures, writes Toby Cambray.

With an increasing emphasis on the electrification of heat as the electricity grid decarbonises, interest in reducing the embodied carbon of buildings is growing. But does a focus on embodied carbon alone risk giving needlessly energy intensive ways of making buildings a free pass? In the first of a new series of articles, Dr Lois Hurst journeys into understanding embodied and life cycle impacts in construction.

From frozen tea to thermal bliss: energy specialist Esmond Tresidder transformed his leaky 1970s Highland home into one of the highest performing retrofits ever featured in these pages, combining academic knowledge with hands-on retrofit innovation to create a comfortable, healthy family haven with breathtaking views of Ben Nevis, proving that even Scotland’s most challenging climates are no match for passive house principles.

Through passion, patience, and architectural expertise, a 16th century Carmel-ite friar’s cottage in Kinsale, owned by Passive House Plus columnist Dr Marc Ó Riain, has achieved what many thought impossible— an A1 energy rating for a Tudor-era building. But not without challenges.

Ireland's largest passive house development to date, Shanganagh Castle, is proof that with proper planning and collaboration, delivering high density housing doesn’t mean compromising on quality or climate action – without increasing costs or causing delays.

The upgrade of Ireland's retrofit target to A3 marks a critical step forward, bridging the gap between energy modelling and real-world performance, explains Dr. Marc Ó Riain.

As electricity decarbonises, the case for switching from fossil fuel boilers to efficient use of electricity to heat buildings via heat pumps has become overwhelming. But in markets like the UK where electricity is far more expensive than the European average, and people on low incomes may be chronically underheating poorly insulated homes, could a drive to electrify heating exacerbate energy poverty?

EcoCocon, a leading European manufacturer of prefabricated straw wall panels, has announced a new, exclusive partnership with Ecological Building Systems, making EcoCocon's innovative straw-based wall system more accessible to professionals across the UK and Irish construction markets.

Does the sustainable building industry prioritise spreadsheets over real-world performance? And what is the upshot of this? These are the questions Will Kirkman, managing director of Ecomerchant is putting to the sector.

MBC Timber Frame, a well-established leader in passive house construction, now offers a comprehensive envelope solution for passive house projects.

A newly published landmark study has said thirteen UK areas face severe climate risks as schools brace for ten-week heatwaves.

The winners of the inaugural Exemplar Sustainable Buildings Awards were announced in London on 25 June, celebrating the Sustainable Development Foundation's 20th anniversary.

Leading developer Barratt London has announced plans for its ‘Lo-E’ Homes programme, which will deliver sustainable new homes at scale across the British capital and exceed passive house standards.

Certified green homes are becoming mainstream across Europe – boosted by collaboration from experts in green building and finance. Smarter Finance for EU (Smarter4EU), a pan-European initiative dedicated to the creation of a mainstream European green housing market, announced a range of new initiatives at the “Banking on Green Homes" event in Madrid, on 28 May.

A Fingal county councillor has been granted leave to pursue a judicial review of the planning board's decision to allow demolition of the Deer Park Hotel on Howth Demesne.

The rapid rise in the uptake of the passive house standard in Ireland in recent years was centre stage at ZEB Summit 2025 – with international visitors taken aback by Ireland’s progress.

The 2025 UK and Ireland Passivhaus Conference, themed Climate Emergency: The Passivhaus Solution, is set to bring together hundreds of sustainable building professionals in Belfast this October.

The Irish Green Building Council (IGBC) will unveil a groundbreaking collection of Irish case studies showcasing best practices for integrating biodiversity into building projects and infrastructure development.

Ireland now has a roadmap aimed at transforming the construction industry from a linear to a circular economic model by 2040.

A high-performance heating solution designed for local climate conditions is set to answer the growing need for low energy solutions that deliver in real world conditions.

A landmark Georgian building on St Stephen’s Green has become the latest showcase for innovative sustainable building technology, as the Office of Public Works completes a major retrofit using Firetite aerated clay cavity wall insulation, supplied by Econ Building Products.

A. Proctor Group’s Wraptite airtightness membrane is being specified in a number of Scottish passive schools – including an award-winning school in Perth and Kinross.Riverside Primary, Scotland’s inaugural primary school to achieve passive house certification, accommodates nearly six hundred pupils including eighty nursery-age children, and has been nominated for and secured multiple accolades for its innovative and sustainable design.

A Dublin-based technology company has partnered with Japanese electronics giant Mitsubishi Electric to launch what they claim is the world’s first integrated heat pump and electric vehicle charger system.

Irish renewable heating specialist Unipipe IRL Ltd has unveiled NIBE’s latest ground source heat pump models, the S1156 and S1256, marking 25 years of partnership between the companies.

Pioneering airtightness and windtightness solutions manufacturer Pro Clima has secured environmental product declaration (EPD) certification for its range of membranes, tapes, and glues—one of the most extensive assessments of its kind.

As global temperatures soar, an Irish organisation is bringing experts together this month for a summit on the future of sustainable construction.

Help is at hand for European financial institutions scrambling to train staff in sustainable housing finance as regulatory pressure intensifies and customer demand for green mortgages accelerates across the continent.

Reddy is the first person from Ireland to hold the role of President of ICT, which has a term of two years, and follows his term of Vice President of the organisation since 2023.