What are we doing at the moment in the area of CO2 reduction in buildings? Existing programs for buildings offered by SEI include projects in the area of low income housing, consumer information, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, the public sector program, and the previously mentioned House of Tomorrow RD&D.
SEI's own stated objective in this area is to "Accelerate the development and uptake of workable, least-cost policy and market solutions in the Irish building sector leading to improved energy conservation and performance.", yet no incentives have previously been made available to the one off housing market, in a period when house building has been so prolific.
Given the size of the one off private development market-potentially 15,000 to 20,000 houses per year--there is still huge potential for a large uptake in low energy demand buildings and in the use of renewable technology. The interest is out there in the market, however costs are always the prohibitive factor.
"Even bog standard Concrete puts forward its sustainability credentials these days"
The fact is that there is no grant aid for any one building a well-insulated, airtight, well-glazed, low energy house. So how do we reduce CO2 domestically? There are some key principles in achieving this that must be guided by government policies and guidance. These include energy management, avoiding fabric losses (insulation, air tightness), heat recovery ventilation, A-rated appliances, and renewable energy technology.
This lack of state action has not the case else where, for example in the UK, where for the last three years under the Clear Skies programme, funded by DTI and managed by BRE, householders have been able to obtain grants of between £400 to £5,000 for renewable technology such as solar thermal (hot water), solar air (heat recovery ventilation), solar PV (electricity), wind turbines (electricity), micro/small scale hydro turbines (electricity), ground source heat pumps (heating), boilers & room heaters/stoves fired with wood pellets (heating). Clear Skies offers free advice & feasibility studies, registers products and installers, and administers all of this through a £10 million fund.
Furthermore, in contrast to the ESB who have no interest in small-scale domestic electricity generation, Northern Ireland Electricity run a number of complementary programs such as Clear Skies + Program where further funding of £500 on top of the Clear Skies grant is offered. NIE do this in recognition that small scale domestic electricity generation and hot water generation reduces demand on their network, and on the demand to build new power generation stations.
Given the proximity of such incentives in Northern Ireland and the UK, and the development of much more comprehensive programs elsewhere in Europe, it is time that we also became active in creating incentives here for low energy demand housing & renewable technology for private one off developments.
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