Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 22 Mar 2000

Vol. 516 No. 4

Written Answers. - Alternative Energy.

John Gormley

Question:

95 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of square metres of east, south and west facing roofing newly built and refurbished in the State since Ireland signed the Framework Convention on Climate Change; and the number of tonnes of COf8>2 equivalents which could have been saved since that time if regulations had required that the best available solar-gain and wind-power technology would have been installed in and on the same roofing. [8409/00]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey)

The information requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department.

The main activity data for the construction industry which may be of relevance are the numbers of annual housing completions and collated information on refurbishment. Data in these regards are included in the quarterly and annual housing bulletin published by my Department, copies of which are available in the Library. Data on roof area and orientation are not compiled. The 1999 revised guidelines on the design of social housing, applicable to local authorities and voluntary housing bodies, place an emphasis for the first time on, inter alia, solar gain in the design of such housing.

A pilot demonstration energy efficient housing scheme was recently constructed in Dublin under the EU Thermie programme and is currently being evaluated in terms of its improved efficiency, cost effectiveness and possibilities for wider implementation in housing construction. The results will be published in due course.