Dear PHAI member,
Many months of hard work has finally come to a successful conclusion with the decision by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Council on Tuesday night to require the passive house standard for all new build in the county in their 2016 to 2022 Development Plan.
This is an excellent result for the people of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown and the Passive House industry in Ireland.
Our task was made all the more difficult due to the joint letter from the Minister of Environment, Community & Local Government and the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment with Special Responsibility for Housing, Planning and Coordination of the Construction 2020 Strategy, Paudie Coffey which directed the councils to not go beyond minimum building standards in their six year development plans.
In addition, the CEO of DLR asked for the removal of any reference to the passive house standard from the Development Plan.
On Tuesday night, in a motion proposed by councillor Marie Baker (FG), the councilors voted 26 to 13 to adopt the Passive House standard for all buildings in their six year development plan 2016 to 2020.
My understanding is that it would now take a Ministerial order to prevent the Passive House standard from being adopted in the DLR area.
The decision highlights the power we have in the Passive House community to shape the future of the construction industry in Ireland given that we have the power of truth behind us due to the significant building science and evidence led approach inherent in the Passive House standard.
I would like to thank the board and in particular Jeff Colley for their hard work in achieving this milestone. Without a concerted team effort this simply would not have been possible.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Shane Colclough
Chairman, Passive House Association of Ireland
