Construct Ireland to rebrand as Passive House Plus

Construct Ireland is to be renamed Passive House Plus, with separate editions published for the Irish and UK markets.

The first issue of Passive House Plus will be published as an Ireland only edition in October, with separate Irish and UK editions set to be published early in 2013.

Temple Media Ltd launched Construct Ireland in January 2003 as a dedicated sustainable building magazine, with a title designed not to alienate readers at a time when sustainability was not high priority in the construction industry.

According to editor/publisher Jeff Colley the magazine’s decision to rebrand reflects how far sustainable building has advanced.

“This is our response to an exponentially growing interest in passive and near passive approaches to building and upgrading,” Colley said. “The reaction to our special issue on the passive house standard last year was overwhelmingly positive. Irish people are buying into passive house because it’s all about quality – it’s the perfect response to the substandard construction that abounded in Ireland during the boom.”

Over three out of four domestic new build enquiries to Construct Ireland are from people aiming for certified passive or near passive standards, the latest data from our reader enquiry service reveals. And of those upgrading or extending, half are aiming for passive or near passive standards.

Colley said that Passive House Plus will not take an overly dogmatic approach to the low energy building standard. “We believe in the principles that underpin passive house, but we won’t be partisan cheerleaders. Our readers trust us, and often act based on the information we publish. We have to remain impartial and keep our critical faculties as sharp as possible to maintain that trust.”

Aside from covering low energy building and upgrading, Passive House Plus will cover other aspects of sustainable building, such as renewable energy, materials, water conservation and indoor air quality. “We can’t ignore the fact that people who build passive house and low energy buildings tend to take an interest in many other aspects of sustainable building,” said Colley.

To read a short piece on why Construct Ireland is changing to Passive House Plus click here. The final issue of Construct Ireland includes a detailed explanation of the reasons behind the rebranding.

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