Energy Minister Eamon Ryan TD today announced a new grant scheme which will provide financial support for the construction of highly energy efficient, low carbon housing.
The Low Carbon Homes Programme, which will be administered by Sustainable Energy Ireland, will provide grants of up to 40% of eligible expenditure to encourage large developments of new homes to an energy performance standard well in excess of the recently adopted building Regulations. Homes built under the Programme will be at least 70% more energy efficient and produce at least 70% less carbon dioxide than homes built to 2005 standards and will have a Building Energy Rating (BER) of at least A2. Homes build to the standard of the recently adopted Building Regulations, which are already among the best in Europe, would typically have a BER of B1, two points below the minimum standard of the new programme.
With a capital envelope of €9 million until the end of 2011, the Scheme will seek to achieve zero or very low carbon emissions from supported homes by requiring a significant element of auto-generation of electricity from renewable technologies such as solar photovoltaic, micro-wind and micro combined heat and power (CHP). The programme will demonstrate the efficiencies that can be achieved with low carbon housing, and will also form an evidence-base for future policy decisions in the area.
In 2007, Building Regulations were amended to establish mandatory higher energy efficiency and emissions standards which are 40% better than the 2005 Building Regulations and it has been proposed that this will be increased to 60% in 2010. This planned revision in 2010 will bring new homes up to a Building Energy Rating of A3. This new programme will prepare the building industry to move beyond that to A2 and even A1 homes.
Speaking as he launched the Programme, Minister Ryan stated, ‘The recently adopted Building Regulations have placed Ireland among the best in Europe in terms of energy efficient new housing. However, the threat of climate change and the impacts of rising oil, gas and electricity prices mean that we must aim for the very highest efficiency standards possible, while tackling the carbon emissions from our electricity use in the home.
These will be houses where energy waste is minimised and where heat is produced and electricity generated on site. This is the housing of the future.’
-ENDS-
Note to editors:
The Programme will comprise capital grants to developers for eligible works.
Supported homes will maximise solar heat gain, minimise heat loss through insulation and ventilation control, maximise heat recover and will apply electricity demand management technologies including smart metering.
Heating will be provided using renewable energy technologies, including solar hot water and pellet fuel stoves for space and hot water heat production.
Homes will generate their own electricity using photovolatics, micro wind, hydro power or combined heat and power. There will be a requirement that deployed technologies be appropriate to their location.
The following minimum eligibility criteria will apply to supported homes:
· A Building Energy Rating (BER) of A2 or better for each unit in the project
· An energy performance coefficient less than 0.25
· A carbon dioxide performance coefficient less than 0.30
· Generate electricity onsite (for supply or export) to the equivalent of 10 kWh/m2/yr or greater per unit
For further information, please contact:
Press Office
Department of Communications, Energy &
Natural Resources
T: 678 2441
E.mail: press.office@dcenr.gov.ie
Scéim Tithíochta Íseal ar Charbón Seolta ag an Aire Ó Riain
€9m. do fhorbróirí um thithíocht ar ard-fheidhmiúlacht fuinnimh
Caisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath, 22ú Iúil 2008
D’fhógair an tAire um Chumarsáid, Éamonn Ó Riain T.D., inniu scéim dheontas nua a chuirfidh tacaíocht airgeadais ar fáil chun tithíocht a thógáil agus í ar ard-fheidhmiúlacht fuinnimh agus ar íseal-charbón.
Soláthróidh an Clár um Áitribh ar Íseal-charbóin, á riaradh ag Fuinneamh Inmharthana Éireann, deontais de suas le 40% den chaiteachas incháilithe chun forbairtí móra tithíochta nua a spreagadh chun caighdeán feidhmiúlachta fuinnimh a shroichint atá go maith sa bhreis ar siúd na Rialacháin Fhoirgníochta arna theacht i bhfeidhm le déanaí. Beidh áitribh a thógtar faoin gClár 70% níos feidhmiúlaí i leith fhuinnimh agus ginfidh siad 70% níos lú de CO2 ná áitribh a tógtar de réir caighdeáin 2005 agus beidh Grád Foirgnimh um Fhuinneamh (GFF) de A2 ar a laghad acu. Beidh B1 mar GFF ag áitribh a tógtar de réir na Rialacháin Fhoirgníochta a ritheadh le déanaí, caighdeán atá cheana féin de scoth na hEorpa – is é sin dhá phointe faoi bhun-cháilíocht an Chláir nua.
Agus imchlúdach caipitil de €9 milliún ann dó amach go dtí deireadh 2011 lorgófar astuithe carbóin ar neamhní nó an-íseal ós na háitribh a bheidh incháilithe le taca d’fháil faoin Scéim agus riachtanas ann um fhéin-ghiniúint leictreachais suntasach as teicneolaíochtaí inathnuaite ar nós grian-fhótavoltachas, mion-mhuilinn ghaoithe agus mion-chomhghiniúint teasa agus cumhachta (CTC). Léireofar faoin gclár na feidhmiúlachtaí ar féidir a bhaint amach le tithíocht ar íseal-charbón agus baileofar cnuas fianaise mar bhonn do chinnte beartais um an ábhar seo san todhchaí.
San 2007 leasaíodh na Rialacháin Fhoirgníochta chun caighdeáin éigeantacha níos airde um fheidhmiúlacht fuinnimh agus um astuithe atá 40% níos fearr ná siúd faoi Rialacháin Fhoirgníochta 2005 agus tá moladh ann é sin a ardú go dtí 60% san 2010. Leis an leasú atá beartaithe i 2010 tabharfar áitribh nua suas chuig Grád A3. Faoin chlár nua seo ullmhófar tionscal na foirgníochta chun dul thairis sin amach chun tithe A2 agus fiú A1 a thógáil.
Ag labhairt dó agus an clár á sheoladh aige, dúirt an tAire: “Leis na Rialacháin Fhoirgníochta a tháinig i bhfeidhm le déanaí tá Éire de scoth na hEorpa i leith tithíochta nua atá feidhmiúlach um fhuinneamh. Ciallaíonn an bhagairt ón athrú aeráide, áfach, agus ó thorthaí na n-ardaithe praghas um ola, ghás agus leictreachas nach bhfuil dul as againn díriú ar na caighdeáin fheidhmiúlachta is airde is féidir agus ag an am céanna tabhairt faoi astuithe carbóin ó úsáid an leictreachais sa bhaile.
“Ins na tithe seo laghdófar cur amú an fhuinnimh agus ginfear an teas agus an leictreachas is gá ar an láthair. Is í seo tithíocht na todhchaí.”
CRÍOCH
Nóta d’eagarthóirí:
Faoin gClár tabharfar deontais caipitil do fhorbróirí as oibreacha incháilithe.
Sna háitribh a thuileann tacaíocht bainfear uas-leas as breisíocht teasa ón ngrian, íos-chailliúint teasa de thoradh inslithe agus smacht aerála agus uas-aisghabáil teasa agus bainfear úsáid as teicneolaíochtaí bainistíochta um éileamh leictreachais, méadair cliste san áireamh.
Beidh an téamh bunaithe ar theicneolaíochtaí fuinnimh inathnuaite, ina measc: griantéamh uisce agus soirn arna chothú le millíní breosla chun spás-téamh agus uisce te a sholáthar.
Ginfear riachtanais leictreachais an teaghlaigh de thoradh fótavoltachais, mion-mhuilinn gaoithe, mion-hídreachumhacht nó mion-chomhghiniúint teasa agus cumhachta. Caithfear go mbeidh na teicneolaíochtaí a úsáidtear oiriúnach do chibé suímh ina n-imscartar iad.
Is iad seo a leanas na bun-cháilíochta a bhaineann le háitreabh a bhainfidh tacaíocht:
– Grád Foirgnimh um Fhuinneamh (GFF) de A2 nó níos fearr do ghach aonad den tionscadal.
– Comhéifeacht feidhmiúcháin um fhuinneamh nach lú ná 0.25
– Comhéifeacht feidhmiúcháin um dhé-ocsaíd charbóin (CO2) nach lú ná 0.30
– Go nginfear leictreachas ar an láthair (le húsáid ann nó le hallmhairiú) de réir an ráta de 10 kWh/m2 nó níos mó in aghaidh na bliana agus in aghaidh an áitribh.