Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 January 2024
365. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the policies he is putting in place to decarbonise Ireland’s built environment; whether he supports the objectives of the Building a Zero Carbon Ireland roadmap (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2985/24]
View answerMy Department supports the objectives of the Building a Zero Carbon Ireland roadmap as published by the Irish Green Building Council through the delivery of the Government's Climate Action Plan 2024.
Climate Action Plan 2024 commits to:
• All new dwellings designed and constructed to Nearly Zero Energy Building standard by 2025, and Zero Emission Building standard by 2030
• Equivalent of 120,000 dwellings retrofitted to BER B2 or cost optimal equivalent by 2025, and 500,000 dwellings by 2030
• 170,000 new dwellings using heat pumps by 2025, and 280,000 by 2030
• 45,000 existing dwellings using heat pumps by 2025, and 400,000 by 2030
In addition, my Department is working hard to implement impactful measures for the decarbonisation of our Built Environment in the following areas;
• Embodied Carbon in construction materials makes a significant contribution to the lifetime carbon emissions of new buildings. Reduction of these emissions will be driven at EU level by an updated and strengthened Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and Construction Products Regulation, which will create a harmonised framework to assess and communicate the environmental and climate performance of construction products in the EU single market. My Department is engaging with SEAI to put in place embodied carbon frameworks for new buildings. In accordance with the draft EPBD this declaration of Global Warming Potential will be included in the Building Energy Rating Certificate. Also, under the Climate Action Plan, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment are leading a working group examining how to reduce carbon in cement in which my Department is a key participant. In addition, Housing for All identifies Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) as a key measure to address the different housing needs in Ireland, and reducing the carbon footprint or our built environment. Methods to support the development of MMC in Ireland are set out in Housing for All.
• Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) regulations were introduced by my Department in 2019. These regulations ensure that all new dwellings are A2 rated and have effectively phased out fossil fuel boilers in new homes. The change has significantly improved air quality in the areas where these new homes are built relative to traditional developments, providing more comfortable and energy-efficient homes, while also helping to achieve carbon reduction targets committed to in the Climate Action Plan.
• Given the current demand on housing supply, the availability of existing vacant buildings provides significant opportunities to bring these back into use and support home ownership. Housing for All sets a clear pathway through policies such as Town Centres First, Croi Conaithe and the Urban Generation Development Fund (URDF) to ensure that houses already built are being fully used as well as resolving issues which sees habitable properties remaining vacant while people are homeless or living in unsuitable accommodation
• In 2022 , Local Authorities retrofitted 2,283 social homes and in 2023 we expect to figure to be 2400. By 2030 we will have retrofitted 36,500 local authority homes or 40% of the available housing stock to a BER of B2.
These are just some of the measures we are working on across Government to decarbonise our built environment.
