Written Answers. - Local Authority Housing.
Nora Owen
Question:
306
Mrs. Owen
asked the
Minister for the Environment and Local Government
the plans he has to carry out retrofit on all pre 1980 housing stock in view of the fact that such houses are adding to the CO2 emissions and if, in further view of our commitment to reducing greenhouse gases under the Kyoto convention, a grant scheme could be introduced to insulate and upgrade such houses to make them more energy efficient.
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The Government recently launched a national climate change strategy which provides a framework for achieving greenhouse gas emissions reductions in the most efficient and equitable manner while continuing to support economic growth. It requires action to be taken in all sectors, as early as possible and in a sustainable manner.
In the built environment and residential sector, key measures include improved spatial and energy use planning; more efficient new buildings through amendments to the building regulations in 2002 and 2005 to reduce energy use in new housing and an adjustment to be made to the new house grant to encourage energy efficiency; improved efficiency of existing building through education and awareness programmes to promote domestic energy efficiency, changing the fuel mix in households and energy efficiency rating for housing.
The significantly increased rate of house building activity, particularly since 1995, and the projected further increase in housing output to 2010, will ensure that a very high proportion of the housing stock will, by that time, meet the higher energy efficiency standards introduced in 1992. By the end of this year, it is estimated that 25% of the housing stock will have been constructed since 1992 and this will rise to over 50% of the housing stock by 2010. Ireland will, therefore, by 2010, have a very modern housing stock constructed to high energy efficiency standards in comparison to other European countries.
Many effective measures to improve energy efficiency in the pre-1991 stock can be achieved at negative or zero equivalent annual cost to the householder. Educational and awareness programmes being undertaken by the Irish Energy Centre will be intensified to promote these options and to fill the existing information gap for consumers.
The modernisation of the existing housing stock is also progressed by a number of Government assisted schemes, operated by local authorities and the health boards to improve the housing conditions of those considered most at risk of fuel poverty, local authority tenants and the elderly.
At present, I have no plans to introduce a grant scheme specifically to retrofit older housing stock.
