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News
Enniscorthy to host ‘make or break’ sustainable building summit
As global temperatures soar, an Irish organisation is bringing experts together this month for a summit on the future of sustainable construction.
Banks turn to green housing courses as EU sustainability rules bite
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.
Ecocem executive John Reddy becomes the first Irish President of the Institute of Concrete Technology
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.
#BuildingLife Series: RIAI CEO, Kathryn Meghen
In the #BuildingLife Ambassador Spotlight Series, Passive House Plus is profiling leaders who have endorsed the Irish Green Building Council’s call to address the environmental impacts of buildings across their lifecycle.
Scotland to accept passive house as regs compliant
Certified passive house to be alternative means of compliance to proposed Scottish passive house equivalent.
Green homes key to climate and housing crises and rebuilding Ukraine
The Smarter Finance for EU consortium, which is aiming to unlock €100bn worth of green homes across Europe, announced the launch of a European centre of excellence to promote green home certification and investment across Europe at the Irish Green Building Council’s annual residential conference in Dublin.
Plain English book tells story of embodied carbon
Canadian green building writer and architect Lloyd Alter has published a book to explain the importance of embodied carbon in simple terms.
Green homes a “multi-trillion euros opportunity” – but greenwashing must end
Europe’s burgeoning green homes market is a multi-trillion euros opportunity – but lenders must be wary of facilitating greenwashing, a pan-European consortium has warned.
Study: gas cooking killing 40,000 Europeans per year
Gas cooking is killing 40,000 European people a year in Europe, a major new study has revealed, with an average of almost two years taken off their life in the EU and United Kingdom due to exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emitted during gas cooking.The countries with the highest burden were Italy, Poland, Romania, France and the UK.
Traditional homes retrofit grant pilot launched
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland has launched a home energy upgrade for traditional homes pilot.
£30m passive scheme launched in Down
Multi-award winning Belfast-based property developer, Fraser Millar, has launched Northern Ireland’s second large-scale residential passive house development – a 74-unit scheme of detached and semi-detached homes at a total project value of £30m.
80% subsidy for range of sustainable micro-credential courses
Irish construction professionals seeking to upskill in sustainability can avail of 80% grants – through short courses on a wide range of subjects linked to energy efficiency, the circular economy and digital skills for sustainable building.
Group of Irish house builders turn to passive house
A number of Ireland’s largest house builders are turning to the passive house standard, to meet the need for proven approaches to delivering high performance sustainable buildings.
New scheme offers up to €75,000 retrofit loans at low cost
Irish homeowners can now borrow €5,000 to €75,000 at significantly lower interest rates to retrofit their homes, thanks to a new €500m government-backed scheme.
Embodied carbon & zero emission targets adopted in new EPBD
All new homes in Europe must meet binding embodied carbon reduction targets and produce zero on site emissions by 2030, due to changes led by Irish Green Party MEP Ciarán Cuffe.
Most polluting cements ruled out in Irish public procurement
Highly polluting cements are to be ruled out of public sector projects in Ireland from September, due to new government public procurement rules.
Unilin appoints new general manager for the UK and Ireland
Aidan Doyle has joined insulation manufacturer, Unilin Insulation, as General Manager for both the Ireland and UK businesses.
Key industry events at Energy Show 2024
Businesses involved in the supply chain for low energy building or retrofit in Ireland take note: there are a number of must see events at the Energy Show in Dublin.
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Marketplace news
Unipipe celebrates 25 years as NIBE heat pump partner
Through its enduring partnership with Swedish manufacturer NIBE, Unipipe has helped to establish heat pump technology as a cornerstone of energy efficient living in Ireland.
11-03-2025 Marketplace
Irish ICF manufacturer attains EPD
Amvic, Ireland’s leading manufacturer of insulated concrete formwork (ICF) has published an environmental product declaration (EPD) via the Irish Green Building Council’s EPD Ireland database, for its Amvic 300 ICF block system.
11-03-2025 Marketplace
Coastal self-build benefits from Grant integrated heating system
A coastal self-build home in Co. Antrim opted for Grant to design a bespoke heating system featuring an air-to-water heat pump, hot water cylinder, underfloor heating, and smart controls.
11-03-2025 Marketplace
Ecocem venture may speed up EU cement decarbonisation by a decade
Green cement pioneer Ecocem has announced the construction of its first production facility dedicated to ACT, its low carbon, globally scalable cement technology, at its Dunkirk site.
11-03-2025 Marketplace
Exports open to Irish insulated foundation system
Cavan-based manufacturer Kore Insulation is looking to ramp up exports having received the stamp of approval for the Kore Insulated Foundation System from UK construction product certification body, the British…
Passive EcoWall cuts whole life carbon
Drawing from 25 years of experience promoting airtightness and green building materials, Ecological Building Systems has developed Passive EcoWall, a system which integrates high quality, low embodied carbon, natural materials to deliver passive…
Grant launches new generation “game-changer” heat pump
Leading heating technology manufacturer Grant has announced the launch of its next generation air source heat pump – the Grant Aerona 290, which is now available to order.
Mitsubishi Electric supports WiBSE chapter launch
Since hosting their first women’s day event in 2022, Mitsubishi Electric Ireland have established themselves as leaders in creating a platform for women to come together, connect and bond.
Proctor creates head of global sales for modular offsite sector
A. Proctor Group has announced the promotion of Adam Salt to the position of head of global sales modular offsite, effective immediately.
Why airtightness, moisture and ventilation matter for passive house
Ecological Building Systems technical specification advisor Dave Judd looks at airtightness, active moisture control and effective ventilation in passive house properties.
ProAir MVHR unit achieves up to 95% efficiency
Galway-based mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) manufacturer ProAir has achieved best in class energy performance levels on a new MVHR system.
Ireland’s first 3D printed homes insulated with clay foam
Ireland’s first 3D printed housing project has been delivered in Dundalk – integrating Firetite aerated clay cavity wall insulation.
Sisk-led consortium secures £500,000 fund from Innovate UK
Sisk, in collaboration with a consortium of leading low carbon industry experts, has announced that it has been successful in securing £500,000 from Innovate UK funding as part of the…
Research opportunity for occupants of homes with PV
Occupants of homes with solar PV arrays have an opportunity to optimise the use of self-generated energy – by participating in an SEAI funded research project.
Firetite used to solve cavity wall issues in Dublin apartments
Firetite, the world’s first aerated mineral clay insulation, has been used to help solve fire safety issues in a Dublin apartment scheme.
Ecocem appoints new UK and Ireland MD
Ecocem, Europe’s leading provider of low carbon cement technologies, has today announced the appointment of Sally Anne Sherry as managing director for its UK and Ireland business operations. In this…
Grant integrated heating packages installed for 61 homes in Rathdrum
The developer of a recent housing development in Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow has installed the 6kW Grant Aerona³ R32 air source heat pump as the main heat source of a customised Grant integrated heating package across…
New tool to ease certification of smaller passive schemes
Passive house certification for smaller scale projects just got substantially simpler – thanks to a new software tool launched by the Passive House Institute.
MgO boards to disrupt construction industry, report claims
Magnesium oxide (MgO) boards are poised to “disrupt” the construction industry, a new white paper has claimed – meaning products like Cem-Rock from Limerickbased supplier Greenspan may be poised for widespread adoption.
Partel launches paper-based membranes
Galway-based sustainable building product supplier Partel has launched two new paper-based membrane products, Izoperm Plus Eco and Vara Plus Eco.
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From the magazine
Blogs
Passive house doesn't care about materials
One stubborn trope in some corners of green building is that passive house is so focused on energy performance that its advocates ignoring materials. Not so, argues Toby Cambray.
We need to talk about women and retrofit
Our efforts to retrofit homes across the UK and Ireland will be severely hampered unless we engage meaningfully with and empower women homeowners and professionals, writes Ellora Coupe, founder of Her Retrofit Space.
Energising Efficiency
In the latest piece in his series on the development of low energy building, Dr Marc Ó Riain describes the evolution and Impact of EPCs in Ireland and the UK.
If passive house is Everest, we’ve left base camp
The construction industry is moving in great numbers towards the passive house standard. In an adapted version of a speech at the Construction Industry Federation Conference in September, Passive House Association of Ireland chair Caroline Ashe Brady looks at the trek ahead.
In defense of fabric
As the grid gets greener and the case for heat pumps as a decarbonisation silver bullet becomes increasingly compelling, questions are starting to be asked about how far we need to go with retrofitting building fabric – or whether we need improve fabric at all. We ignore fabric at our peril, warns Toby Cambray.
Out of the blue - a passive revolution
Near the peak of the Celtic Tiger – at a time when developers were throwing up often sub-standard homes at a record pace, one self-build project pointed to a different approach, writes Dr Marc Ó Riain.
Buy, hold or sell
Recent analysis has suggested a slowdown in the property sector for 2024, but what impact might a drop in inflation have? Mel Reynolds runs the numbers.
An early green building in a changing Ireland
It’s fair to say that green building wasn’t a thing in early 90s Ireland, which makes one extraordinary Dublin project from 1994 all the more remarkable, as Dr. Marc O Riain writes.
Bedding sustainability into British buildings: Bioregional’s BedZed
Shortlisted for the Stirling Prize in 2003, BedZed was a prominent example of architecture starting to pay attention to sustainability. But how well did it work? In the latest part of his series on the history of low energy architecture, Dr. Marc O Riain looks back at a landmark project.
Is shared equity a bridge too far?
In the face of an affordability crisis, first time buyers of new homes are being offered a cocktail of incentives to help them get on the property ladder, including the government’s Help to Buy and First Home schemes. Mel Reynolds asks: are these the solution to the affordability crisis?
Awaab Ishak’s death shows that building physics are a life and death matter
Advances in building physics in recent years are leading to an ever-increasing understanding among experts of the risks that a litany of pollutants can pose to building occupants. But this has not stopped vulnerable people from living – and dying - in substandard buildings that exacerbate these risks. Urgent action is needed, Toby Cambray explains, to better communicate and decisively tackle the risks buildings can pose to their occupants.
Healthy Homes Ireland launches indoor environmental quality report
Healthy Homes Ireland (HHI) has published a series of recommendations for the improvement of indoor environmental quality (IEQ), including the creation of a cross-disciplinary national leadership body that will advocate for change and set goals.
The PH+ guides
Timber frame & mass timber: the Passive House Plus guide to structural timber construction
Fuelled by the need to build quickly and to increasingly tight sustainability standards, the market for timber frame and mass timber construction is growing rapidly. This detailed guide covers many of the main established and emerging techniques, and looks at key issues to address if you’re considering a timber-based build.
05-07-2019 Guides
The PH+ guide to insulating foundations
While understanding wall and roof insulation is relatively straightforward, insulation under the ground floor can be a bit of a mystery by comparison. Not only is it buried in the ground, but there are notoriously tricky spots like the wall-floor junction that need to be detailed and insulated properly. And the design of your foundation often depends on site conditions and the type of structure you’re going to build, too. In this guide, we explain some different ways of insulating one of the most challenging parts of the building envelope.
10-06-2019 Guides
The PH+ guide to air source heat pumps
As electricity supply from renewable sources continues to grow, and electricity grids gradually decarbonise as dirtier fossil fuels are phased out, heating homes with electrical technologies like heat pumps starts to make more sense. And in the mild, temperate climate of Britain and Ireland, air source heat pumps are particularly suitable — especially as new build standards of energy efficiency continue to tighten, meaning new homes need less and less energy to achieve comfortable indoor temperatures. But how do air source heat pumps work, what types are there, and how much do they cost to run? Our in-depth guide attempts...
08-05-2018 Guides
The PH+ guide to overheating
As awareness of the urgency of the climate crisis grows, efforts to kickstart en masse deep energy efficiency interventions are gathering apace. But poorly conceived low energy building efforts can lead to unintended consequences including overheating – a risk that’s bound to grow as the world warms up. Phi Architecture co-founder Claire Jamieson details the risks and offers some solutions on how to create low energy buildings that are comfortable in summer and winter.
09-04-2021 Guides