The “Building a Zero Carbon Ireland: A Roadmap to decarbonise Ireland’s Built Environment across its Whole Life Cycle” report presents a set of recommendations to halve our sector emissions by 2030, and to decarbonise Ireland’s built environment by 2050.
UNDERSTANDING THE SCALE OF CHALLENGE
To understand the scale of the challenge and develop solutions, IGBC commissioned the Building in a Climate Emergency (BIACE) Research Lab at the UCD School of Architecture, to baseline emissions associated with the whole lifecycle of the building stock and infrastructure in Ireland and worked with them to model a variety of scenarios based on existing government policies and potential policies to bring emissions in line with science-based targets by 2030.
This shows that construction and the built environment are directly responsible for 37% of Ireland’s emissions, the same as agriculture. This is made up of about 23% operational emissions associated with the energy we use to heat, cool, and light our buildings and a further 14% embodied carbon emissions from the production of construction materials, transport of materials, construction process, maintenance, repair and disposal of buildings and infrastructure.
The model shows that the current actions in the Climate Action Plan will not be sufficient to deliver a science-based cut of 51% by 2030 from the built environment and if left unchecked emissions could actually grow as the proposed increase in construction and renovation over the next ten years is not currently be factored in – See Business as Usual graph below.
Against this background, the IGBC looked at several scenarios to halve our sector emissions by 2030. The most realistic though extremely difficult to achieve scenario, would require accelerating the national retrofit programme, sourcing a very considerable percent of new homes from existing under-used and vacant properties and radically reducing the carbon intensity of new construction and renovation per m² by 50- 60%.
The full report produced by the Building in a Climate Emergency (BIACE) Research Lab at the UCD School of Architecture is available here. For more details on methodology read more here.
OUR KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
A comprehensive set of recommendations was developed by the IGBC in close cooperation with 200 key stakeholders to decarbonise Ireland’s built environment. The “Building a zero carbon Ireland” roadmap details a series of near-term actions to put us on a clear path towards this goal, as well as a range of further, longer-term actions to accelerate the transformation of our built environment.
More specifically, halving our emissions by 2030 requires:
- Accelerating Ireland’s national retrofit programme, including better supporting phased renovation.
- Better using our existing stock, including vacant and under-used properties.
- Reducing the carbon intensity of new construction and renovation through better design and innovation in low carbon construction materials and processes.
The below route map presents high level recommendations for policy-makers, finance, the construction industry and producers.
In this first Government Policy Scorecard, you can read more about progress so far and gaps.
For further information on these actions, please see “Building a Zero Carbon Ireland” roadmap.
ENDORSE THE ROADMAP NOW
Over the next few months, the IGBC will keep working closely with all the stakeholders involved in the development of this roadmap and #BuildingLife ambassadors to ensure Ireland’s built environment is fully decarbonised across its whole life cycle by 2050 at the latest.
To support the IGBC with this work we encourage all our members to endorse this roadmap and to communicate extensively with clients, suppliers, and policymakers about the importance of addressing whole life carbon in the built environment.
To make it easier for you to endorse the roadmap, you can complete this form or this endorsement letter here.
If you choose the second option, simply download the letter of support, sign it, and return it to Lenny with permission to use your logo and/or name as part of the campaign.
You can also support us on social media! Choose the card you prefer and share it online using #BuildingLife hashtag and tagging IGBC.
ENDORSEMENT SIGNATORIES
| Company name | Category |
|---|---|
| +AddJust | Computer Software |
| 137Th | Real Estate |
| 2Eva | Assessor |
| abgc Architects | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Act-Studio | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Aengus Consulting | Consultant |
| AH Ardale Construction Ltd | Real Estate |
| Airtight Building Systems | Contractor |
| Amplitude Acoustics | Consultant |
| Aramark Corporation | Facilities Manager |
| Arcologyint | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Arup | Consultant Engineer |
| Autex Acoustics | Product Supplier |
| BAM Ireland | Contractor |
| BDP | Consultant Engineer |
| Bennett (Construction) Ltd | Contractor |
| Branach Developments | Contractor |
| Bucholz McEvoy Architects | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Buildcert | Assessor |
| Burlington Eningeering | Consultant Engineer |
| Butler & Cammoranesi | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| caelanbristow.com | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| CAIRN HOMES PLC | Developer |
| Carroll Eco Systems | Product Supplier |
| Castlebrowne | Consultant Engineer |
| Catalyst Group | Consultant |
| Chadwicks Holdings Limited | Product Supplier |
| Chawner & Trench | Contractor |
| Clancon Build | Contractor |
| Clearstream Solutions | Consultant |
| Coady Architects | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Collen Construction | Contractor |
| Colliers International | Real Estate |
| CORA Consulting Engineers | Consultant Engineer |
| Coresolutions | Consultant Engineer |
| Cosentino | Product Supplier |
| Costin Stefanescu Architects | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Cundall | Consultant Engineer |
| D-RES | Developer |
| Davy Horizons | Consultant |
| DBFL | Consultant Engineer |
| Deaton Lysaght Architects | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Dublin City Council | Public Authority |
| Dulux | Product Supplier |
| Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council | Public Authority |
| Easlar | Consultant |
| Ecocel | Product Supplier |
| ecofusion.ie | Product Supplier |
| Ecological Building Systems | Product Supplier |
| Electric Ireland Superhomes | Energy Supplier |
| Elm Gray | Product Supplier |
| Embodied Carbon Reduction (ECR) | Consultant |
| Energlaze | Contractor |
| EnergyElephant | Computer Software |
| Engineers Ireland | Association |
| Ennis2040 | Public Authority |
| Envirobead | Contractor |
| Environmental Efficiency | Consultant |
| Ethos Engineering | Consultant Engineer |
| Fabrica Architects Ltd | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Fine Grain Property | Real Estate |
| Fingal Planning Consultants | Contractor |
| Finsa | Product Supplier |
| Fliprecast | Product Supplier |
| Future Planet | Consultant |
| Gaia Ecotecture | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Galetech Sustainable Living | Developer |
| gframe.ie | Product Supplier |
| Ggda | Public Authority |
| Gottstein Architects | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| greenwatt.ie | Contractor |
| Harcourt Architects | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Hardware Association Ireland | Association |
| Hiberniareg | Developer |
| Hollis | Real Estate |
| Holmes Architecture | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Horan Rainsford Architects | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| HOUSE2HOME | Contractor |
| Hpba | Academia R&D |
| Hydro | Product Supplier |
| iDDea | Consultant |
| IN 2 Engineering | Consultant Engineer |
| Indigo Real Estate Management | Real Estate |
| Interface Carpets | Product Supplier |
| IPUT | Developer |
| Irish Green Building Council | Association |
| Isabel Barros Architects | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Jeremy Walsh PM | Contractor |
| John Paul Construction | Contractor |
| John Sisk & Son | Contractor |
| Jones Engineering Group | Consultant Engineer |
| Jones Lang LaSalle | Real Estate |
| Kingspan group | Product Supplier |
| KORE | Product Supplier |
| Kosmos | Consultant |
| KRA | Consultant Surveyor |
| KSN | Consultant |
| Ksnhorizon | Consultant |
| Lawler Consulting | Consultant Engineer |
| Lawler Sustainability | Consultant Engineer |
| Lioncor | Developer |
| Lumensearch | Consultant |
| Mannok | Product Supplier |
| Marlet | Developer |
| Martin Murray Architects | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| McCauley Daye O'Connell Architects | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| McKeon Group | Contractor |
| McLoughlin Architects | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Meehan Green | Consultant |
| Mercury Engineering | Consultant Engineer |
| Metec Consulting Engineers | Consultant Engineer |
| MMC Eco Homes | Contractor |
| MMC Quantity Surveyors | Consultant Surveyor |
| MMP - Mulcahy McDonagh & Partners | Consultant Surveyor |
| Modex Ltd | Contractor |
| Mortar & More | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Native Events | Consultant |
| NorDan Vinduer Ltd | Product Supplier |
| O'Neill - O'Malley Architecture | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| OCC Construction | Contractor |
| Optimal Sustainability Advisors | Building Owner |
| OSENG | Consultant Engineer |
| Parson Building Services Ltd. | Contractor |
| Partel | Product Supplier |
| Passivate | Consultant |
| Passive Dynamics | Consultant |
| Passive House Plus | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Peter McVerry Trust | Developer |
| Philip Lee Solicitors | Legal Services |
| Philip T. Brady Architects | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| PJ Hegarty & Sons | Contractor |
| Retrokit | Computer Software |
| Reynaers Aluminium | Product Supplier |
| RIAI | Association |
| RKD | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Robert Bourke Architects | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Rodd Bond Architect | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Rohan Holdings Ltd | Developer |
| Royal Society Of Ulster Architects | Association |
| Savills | Real Estate |
| Scott Tallon Walker Architects | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Sheridan Woods | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| SMET | Product Supplier |
| Smith Demolition | Waste & Demolition |
| Sonas Bathrooms | Product Supplier |
| Soprema Ireland | Product Supplier |
| Staycity | Building Owner |
| Sustineo | Consultant |
| Symphony Energy | Computer Software |
| T U Dublin | Academia R&D |
| TFT | Real Estate |
| The Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland | Association |
| Togatherhomes | Developer |
| Together Homes | Developer |
| Trident BC | Consultant Surveyor |
| Trinity College Dublin | Academia R&D |
| Truly Sustainable | Consultant Engineer |
| TUS | Academia R&D |
| Unilin Insulation Ireland Limited | Product Supplier |
| University College Dublin | Academia R&D |
| Urban Solutions | Developer |
| van Dijk Architects | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Varming | Consultant Engineer |
| Wain Morehead Architects | Consultant Architect/Designer |
| Ward & Burke Construction | Contractor |
| Wdacoustics | Consultant |
| WWETB | Academia R&D |
| Zwai | Association |
Watch and share this video where Pat Barry, CEO of the IGBC, explains the key recommendations of “Building a Zero Carbon Ireland Roadmap”
#BUILDINGLIFE AMBASSADORS
Our campaign to fully decarbonised Ireland’s built environment by 2050 have been joined by industry leaders and key policy makers:
Ali Grehan (City Architect at Dublin City Council), John Maxwell (CEO at Lioncor), Francis Noel Duffy (T.D), David Browne (Architect at RKD Architects), Claire Pomroy (Director at Hines Real Estate Ireland), Wayne Metcalfe (Director at John Sisk and Sons), Ciaran Cuffe (MEP), Susan McGarry (Managing Director at Ecocem Ireland), Jeff Colley (Editor of Passive House Plus), Eoin Ó Broin (TD), Cian O’Callaghan (TD), Eugene O’Shea (Managing Director at Walls Construction), Oonagh Reid (Engineering Consultant at Arup), Rachael McGinley (Head Of Sustainability at CBRE), Pat Crean (CEO at Marlet), Kathryn Meghen (CEO at RIAI), Shane Dempsey (Secretary General at ACEI), Phelim O’Neill (Land Development Agency), Stephen O’Shea (Design Manager at Cairn Homes), Frances Fitzgerald (MEP), Ivana Bacik (TD), Robbie McGrath (Cushman and Wakefield), Shirley Coulter (CEO at SCSI).
