Current Irish Energy Context
The EU recent green paper on energy efficiency ‘Doing More with Less’ estimates that the EU as a whole could save up to 20% of its present energy consumption in a cost effective manner by 2020. This is real 20:20 vision
Similarly the Governmental White Paper ‘Delivering a sustainable energy future for Ireland 2007-2020’ sets out to realize this shared European Goal and agrees that ...
‘Energy Efficiency and energy savings are pivotal to meeting Ireland’s sustainable energy goals’.
The principal drivers to achieve these goals in the built environment are ...
General:
- More diversity in the fuel mix, the accelerated deployment of a range of renewable energy technologies and radical energy efficiency improvements will help us to deliver on the sustainability and climate change agenda
Specific:
- I.S. 393, the Irish Standard for Energy Management, was designed to promote energy consciousness in all aspects of business, from design and specification, through procurement, operation and maintenance.
- Building Energy Rating (BER) of new dwellings from January 1 2007 and the extension of the requirement for rating to new non-domestic buildings from 1 July 2008, and to existing buildings (domestic and non-domestic) offered for rent or sale from 1 January 2009.
- A target of 33% for energy savings across the public sector.
- Accelerating Energy Research Development and Innovation Programmes in support of sustainable energy goals
- Part L of the Building Regulations which sets the maximum permissible U-Values for new buildings and renovations as well as the maximum permissible C02 emissions (MPCDER) for any building.
Together, the above items will ensure the efficient use of energy in the built environment 2007-2020 and help to drive towards a significant reduction in Co2 and greenhouse gas emissions.
