Secrecy of fire tests undermines public safety, Grenfell Enquiry hears
Written by Kate de Selincourt
The commercial secrecy surrounding the fire-testing of construction materials undermines fire protection by potentially obscuring serious concerns, a major alliance of fire bodies has told the public enquiry into the Grenfell disaster.
Garway community centre set to meet passive house standard
Written by News Desk
The rural Herefordshire village of Garway is busy planning for a sustainable future with construction of a new community centre to the passive house standard.
UN deputy leader addresses North American passive house conference
Written by News Desk
The North American Passive House Network (NAPHN) welcomed representatives of the United Nations to address the opening plenary gathering of the NAPHN17 conference in Oakland, California, on 6 October.
Quinn announced as sponsors of World nZEB Forum
Written by News Desk
Specialist low energy building product manufacturers Quinn Building Products have been announced as the main sponsors of the World nZEB Forum, which combines pre-forum workshops on 15 November and a conference on 16 November.
Solecco Solar launched its innovative solar roof tile solution at the UK Construction Week trade show which took place on 10 to 12 October at the NEC in Birmingham.
SMET Building Products, which supplies a wide range of products for low energy and fabric-first construction, picked up the award for best small business at the Greater Newry Business Awards, organised by Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade, on 28 September at the town’s Canal Hotel.
England, Scotland & Wales will fail to meet ‘nZEB’
Written by Kate de Selincourt
London encouraged to adopt its own building energy standard.
How to make Irish housing genuinely affordable...
Written by Mel Reynolds
The private speculative sector can’t build affordable housing, but there are other ways of achieving this, writes architect Mel Reynolds.
The house that costs €70 a year to heat
Written by Lenny Antonelli
Designed around an existing timber chalet, this striking contemporary house managed to go passive on a budget for one lucky family of six, all while inadvertently blitzing Ireland’s forthcoming nearly zero energy building standard.
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389 sqm home, €200 measured annual heating
Written by Lenny Antonelli
This large family home in south Dublin proves that big homes don’t need to be cold and draughty, comfortably beating Ireland’s planned nearly zero energy building standard for 2021 — even though it was finished in 2015.
Architecture practice vHH has announce that it is planning to adopt the passive house standard on a three-storey extension to the Grade 11 listed Leicester Cathedral, which is due to start on site in July 2019.
Energywise Ireland open new renewables showroom
Written by News Desk
Leading renewable energy experts Energywise Ireland have opened their brand new showroom in Blackpool, Cork City.
New homes data reveals extent of Irish low energy revolution
Written by Jeff Colley
Ireland’s new build housing market is undergoing a radical transformation in energy performance specifications, analysis by Passive House Plus has revealed — with oil heating all but vanishing from use, leaving gas boilers and heat pumps to dominate the heating market.