Vol. 529 No. 1
782 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the proportion of the houses in County Meath that were built prior to 1980; and if he will give an estimate of the emissions of CO2 per annum from such houses that could be reduced if adequate insulation and other conservation measures were introduced. [1139/01]
It is estimated that between 55% and 60% of the current housing stock in Meath was built prior to 1980. There are a range of variables that impact upon CO2 emissions from households including the level of heating, the insulation-air filtration characteristics of the dwelling and the efficiency of the heating system, determined by the type of fuel and appliance used.
Many dwellings that are less well insulated or use less efficient heating systems maintain a lower heating level. Accordingly, improved insulation levels may not always correspond with emissions reduction through reduced energy use but may instead result in higher heating levels. However, it is generally considered that there is potential for a saving of the order of 25% in energy use in older housing stock and possibly higher emissions reduction if switching from use of solid fuels is taken into account.
Question No. 783 answered with Question No. 768.
