Quantifying the greenness of construction products: the rise of environmental product declarations
Written by John CraddenClimate breakdown and global ecological crises mean that our efforts to make buildings sustainable must go far beyond operational energy use – including number crunching and drastically reducing environmental impacts of building materials. John Cradden reports on progress in the uptake of the building blocks of life cycle analysis of buildings: Environmental Product Declarations.
Evidence base: How air source heat pumps fare in canny retrofits
Written by Jeff ColleyAir source heat pumps are rapidly becoming one of the dominant technologies in sustainable building, but how well do they perform in real world conditions? Can they be part of the solution to retrofitting homes, given the challenges in making existing homes suitable for low energy heating? A rare monitoring study on a pioneering retrofit scheme offers encouraging signs.
Daikin streamer technology inactivates 99.9% of SARS-CoV-2
Written by News DeskNew research has confirmed the effectiveness of Daikin’s patented streamer technology, which successfully inactivated more than 99.9 per cent of SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes Covid-19, after irradiating the virus for three hours.
The Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board (WWETB), one the country’s leading providers of practical construction training for nearly zero energy building (NZEB), has moved most of its NZEB training courses online to facilitate critical upskilling during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Be aware of your retrofit obligations – BERcerts.ie
Written by News DeskLeading energy consultancy BERcerts.ie has advised homeowners considering renovation projects to be aware of their potential obligations under Part L of the building regulations. The regulations set mandatory energy performance targets for dwellings undergoing “major renovation”.
Waterford Stanley aiming to be big force in heat pump market
Written by News DeskEstablishing Waterford Stanley as one of the most recognised and popular heat pump brands on the Irish market is the goal of the company’s new business development manager, Donal Reilly.
Save energy by using Aircrete for the whole inner leaf - Mannok
Written by News DeskMannok’s Aircrete blocks are often specified at the wall-to-floor junction to tackle thermal bridging, but specifying them for the entire inner leaf of a cavity wall can yield significant energy savings and an improvement in comfort, according to the company.
Modular timber frame manufacturer Lidan Designs has won the Future Focus Award at the 2021 National Enterprise Awards.
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#BuildingLife: Addressing the environmental impacts of buildings across their life cycle
Written by News DeskIn the first of our new #BuildingLife ambassador spotlight series, Passive House Plus is profiling leaders who have endorsed the Irish Green Building Council’s call to address the environmental impacts of buildings across their life cycle, starting with Francis-Noel Duffy TD for Dublin South West and Green Party’s spokesperson on housing.
Home Building Finance Ireland (HBFI) has launched a new green loan product offering a discount of up to 0.5 per cent on loans to home builders for developments certified with the Irish Green Building Council's Home Performance Index.