Goverment launches first green public procurement action plan

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Environment minister Phil Hogan and public expenditure and reform minister Brendan Howlin today launched Green Tenders, Ireland's first green public procurement action plan. The aim of the plan is to encourage public authorities to purchase more sustainable products and services.

The action plan stresses that green public procurement can be a "driver for innovation" and "provide a competitive advantage for emerging companies".
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Cuts to insulation grants will cost jobs, warns Construct Ireland

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The government's cuts to its Better Energy grants will cost jobs and make it extremely difficult for Ireland to meet its retrofit and energy reduction targets, green building magazine Construct Ireland has warned.

Following the budget, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland reduced grants for cavity wall insulation from €320 to €350. Grants for internal and external wall insulation were also reduced — previously these were €2,000 and and €4,000 respectively, but now separate rates have been introduced for different house types, with the maximum being €1,800 for internal insulation and €3,600 for external.
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Part L changes

Part L changes
On 7 June 2011 environment minister Phil Hogan TD signed the latest changes to Part L of the building regulations into law, which will make it mandatory for all new homes to be 60% more energy efficient than the standards at the peak of the construction boom. Jeff Colley sheds some light on the key changes

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CI innovates with performance based advertising

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A ground breaking performance-based advertising system developed by green building and upgrading magazine Construct Ireland has been nominated for an innovation gong at the Irish Magazine Awards.

The bold offer means companies advertising green products and services in Construct Ireland don’t have to pay for adverts until they receive a pre-agreed number of reader enquiries.

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Global eco building inudstry unites for Green Building Week

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The property and construction industries from 89 nations representing more than 30,000 organisations have united for World Green Building Week, from 19-23 September. The Irish Green Building Council is hosting a series of events as part of the week.
 
World Green Building Week aims to highlight the important role that green buildings play in improving the global carbon footprint, while also saving money, creating jobs and reducing poverty.



 
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Wufi and thermal bridging workshops coming to Dublin

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Joseph Little and Calina Ferraro of Building Life Consultancy, and Manfred Kehrer of the Fraunhofer Institute of Building Physics will deliver a two day workshop on Wufi Pro hygrothermal simulation software in Dublin on 15 and 16 September.

This workshop will teach attendees to use Fraunhofer’s Wufi Pro software for simulating heat and moisture transfer through building fabric for the purpose of assessing risk and preventing interstitial condensation. The focus of the workshop will be on the practical application of the software.
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Green groups criticse new EU energy efficiency plan

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Environmental groups have criticised the EU's new Energy Efficiency Directive for failing to mandate member states to make big energy savings over the next decade.

According to the European Commission, the plan will deliver 20% energy savings across the union by 2020. However, Friends of the Earth said the directive would "not make savings to the extent promised, or on the scale needed to fight climate change".

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Government introduces new energy rules for dwellings

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Environment Minister Phil Hogan has signed the new statutory instrument for Part L of the building regulations — which deals with energy efficiency in dwellings — into law, the department has confirmed to Construct Ireland.

The new regulations aim to deliver a 60% reduction in energy performance and carbon emissions for new dwellings compared to the 2005 standards, and will become effective from 1 December 2011.

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More...

    Six-week consultation on green public procurement launched

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    The government has published its draft national action plan on green public procurement (GPP). Environment minister Phil Hogan said the plan, when finalised later this year, will apply to all personnel involved in procurement across the public sector.

    The plan aims to ensure the government purchases sustainable products and services in areas such as construction, energy, food and transport.
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    Grants for heat pumps and biomass boilers withdrawn

    The government is withdrawing grant support for heat pumps and biomass boilers and reducing grants for other energy efficiency upgrades as part of its new Better Energy national building upgrade programme. The government has allocated an additional €30m to the programme this year in addition to the €60m set aside in this year's budget. It expects the extra funding to support an additional 2,000 jobs in the retrofit sector in 2011.

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    SEAI launches eighth annual Sustainable Energy Awards

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    The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has opened entries for the eighth all-island Sustainable Energy Awards. Sponsored by ESB Electric Ireland, the awards honour individuals and organisations that "demonstrate excellence in sustainable energy practices".

    The competition is open to private and public sector organisations of all sizes throughout the island of Ireland.
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    Government launches electric vehicle grant scheme

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    Energy minister Pat Rabbitte today announced the opening of the government's electric vehicle grant scheme. Eligible vehicles can receive a grant of up to €5,000.

    Qualifying vehicles sold after 1 January 2011 will be eligible, and a total of €5m has been allocated for the scheme.
     
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