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Construction Industry

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 March 2022

Thursday, 3 March 2022

Questions (121)

Eoin Ó Broin

Question:

121. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his Department’s response to a report by an organisation (details supplied). [12050/22]

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Oral answers (6 contributions)

As I am sure the Minister is aware, the Irish Green Building Council, IGBC, launched an important report last November on foot of research it commissioned from University College Dublin on how to deliver the increased number of homes and other construction projects that will be built in the future in a way that allows us to meet our legally binding emissions reduction targets. The report not only focuses on the operational emissions of those buildings and the energy standards, but also on the embodied carbon. Is the Minister aware of the report? Has he read it? Does the Government or the Department have a formal response to its recommendations?

Housing for All and the Climate Action Plan 2021 take account of our climate action targets to reduce carbon emissions in the built environment though the following policies: working with industry stakeholders to increase the use of low-carbon materials and technologies in the construction and renovation of buildings in Ireland, informed by evolving EU standards and by best practice in other jurisdictions; and the implementation of nearly zero energy buildings, NZEB, through our building regulations, which will ensure that while we achieve more energy-efficient buildings, we also build healthy, sustainable and durable buildings suitable for the Irish climate both today and into the future.

Our Department's retrofitting programme for local authority housing is an essential measure to tackle climate justice. My Department plans to retrofit approximately 40% of local authority dwellings not currently performing to a building energy rating, BER, of B2 to B2 cost-optimal level by 2030.

There is also the national planning framework objective to promote compact urban growth and town centres first.

In addition to these major actions that will make significant impacts on carbon emissions, our Department has a number of supporting actions that are critical to the reductions. Specific actions under all of these policy areas are outlined in the climate action plan and my Department is working hard to implement all of them.

I read the summary of the IGBC report. The ambition in respect of green procurement for public buildings and other buildings is critical. I remember having that battle at local authority level with regard to ground granulated blast-furnace slag, GGBS, cement, which is a low-carbon cement. It should be the default that we consider low-carbon products throughout the building cycle. The Deputy and I have spoken previously about older buildings, particularly early 20th century buildings that have a significant amount of embodied carbon. The national policy on architecture, which will be launched soon, will give us an indication on how we propose to support those buildings into the future.

Among the significant findings of the UCD research commissioned by the Irish Green Building Council is that, first, the urban environment or the built environment is responsible for more than 30% of our current emissions, equal to areas such as agriculture or energy and transport which get much more public attention. Second, the research shows that, even with the retrofitting programme the Government is planning, as the operational emissions of the built environment reduces, the embodied carbon required to build new buildings, homes, roads and infrastructure will actually significantly increase. What the Department needs to do, therefore, is to absorb the research in the report and work with members of the Opposition because we share the same objective here. There is no disagreement that as we work through the legally binding targets that will affect the Department of the Minister of State, for example, we should have a clear roadmap to ensure everything is done not only to make homes more energy efficient, but to dramatically reduce the embodied carbon in new buildings, particularly homes. I would like to hear more information from the Minister of State as to how exactly that bit of the carbon emissions reduction targets will be met.

It might be worth pursuing this report at the Oireachtas joint committee. It is really important. I wholeheartedly support what the Deputy is bringing forward. There is also the sustainable products initiative, which will widen the scope of the eco-design directive to all products. It will introduce requirements relating to durability, reusability, hazardous chemicals, energy and resource efficiency, carbon and environmental footprints, and recyclable content while also ensuring the performance and safety of products. My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, is working on the circular economy and green procurement. It would be worthwhile to try to tease out in more detail all of those combined elements at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I again refer to older buildings, such as 20th century buildings, many of which, unfortunately, are being demolished in Dublin. Some of them are only 40 or 50 years old and have significant amounts of embodied carbon that should be repurposed and reused.

I agree the Oireachtas committee would be a good place to advance this discussion. The Minister of State may wish to use his influence with the committee Chairman to assist in that regard. It would also be useful to hear at Oireachtas committee level what are the preparations of the Department for those legally binding targets that will have a profound impact on the work of the Department, as well as on the private sector. There will also be a role for legislation here. For example, a shift from high-carbon cement to low-carbon cement, which actually costs the same price to produce in the marketplace currently, will not happen unless it is required under law through a phase-out of higher carbon cement. Likewise, the shift from cement, steel and glass to more sustainable materials will require significant State intervention. I understand Enterprise Ireland and the construction sector working group of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform are working on these issues but, given the urgency and the fact the EPA believes we will not meet the targets for this year, the sooner we have that exchange at the Oireachtas committee and start to engage in the kind of solutions that we all agree are required, the better for everyone.

I agree wholeheartedly. I refer to some of the elements that are already under way in our Department, such as the targets we have set in respect of vacant and derelict properties in the coming years and targets for local authorities, as well as the work my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, is doing around Town Centre First, which are bringing a significant amount of building stock back into use. All of those initiatives will help in this regard.

As regards low-carbon cement, it being the default is an open goal we could all achieve. It is an issue on which I campaigned or worked ten or 15 years ago. The use of GGBS cement is critical. Cement is a very high-carbon product. This is something we could achieve easily.

Similarly, in the area of forestry policy we have Project Woodland that is being led by the Minister of State, Senator Hackett. When timber is used in buildings, that locks up that carbon in them for good. The appropriate place will be the Oireachtas joint committee. I will speak to the Chairman, Deputy Matthews, to try to get a session specifically on this important issue. I thank the Deputy for raising it.

Questions Nos. 122 and 123 replied to with Written Answers.
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