These schemes will set the benchmark for new home construction in Ireland, and will be among the most environmentally friendly ever constructed in Ireland. They will all be built to a Building Energy Rating of at least A2.

This will result in very low heating and electricity bills for residents. According to Sustainable Energy Ireland, a standard three bed semi with an A2 rating will cost under €300 per annum to run. It is also expected that all projects will provide real value for money in terms of construction costs.

“These seven projects indicate, that in the current environment, that we can make the quantum leap towards carbon neutral housing without any real impact on the overall cost of housing. They will also show that very low energy homes can be built without huge costs, using a lot of the existing technology and knowledge available to the construction industry.”

“I am informed that the costings for these seven projects are very competitive. I have said on many occasions previously that doing things the ‘Green Way’ is always cheaper in the long run. But the preliminary costing for these seven projects are very interesting and show that the costs from the outset represent excellent value for money,” said the Minister.

“We already raised the bar in terms of the environmental standards for housing generally in 2008 and we’ve indicated that a higher level of ambition still will follow next year. What the projects now being approved will do is to push out the boundaries of environmental performance even further and, through the social housing programme, provide important experience and learning to guide us further along the path towards carbon neutral housing,” Minister Gormley said. The seven projects, in Tramore, Co. Waterford, Clondalkin in South Dublin, Tralee, Co. Kerry, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, Roscommon Town, Tahmahon, Co. Wexford, and Portlaoise, will be constructed to achieve a minimum Building Energy Rating standard of A2 and will be supported from a fund of €20 million. A number of other projects are still under consideration for funding.

“These projects are just one element of the overall approach to the greening of the social housing stock,” added the Minister noted that his colleague Michael Finneran, Minister for Housing and Local Services had previously announced close to €20m in allocations to local authorities for the retrofitting of insulation and other energy efficiency improvements in social housing prior to re-letting, and for apartment complexes. Local authorities have been preparing energy efficiency plans for their areas to manage the delivery of these improvements which will see the majority of dwellings achieve a minimum BER of C1. In addition, a number of demonstration projects are being progressed around the country to inform the expansion of the retrofitting programme.

“The improvement in the energy efficiency of all housing is a key objective for my Department in the coming years,” Minister Gormley said, citing the ambitious energy efficiency and renewable energy provisions of the current building regulations and the preparations for new regulations in 2010. “This country has taken the lead on the energy efficiency agenda by becoming the first country to include a requirement for renewable energy sources in its building code, and it is my intention to ensure that our social housing stock sets the bar for energy efficient housing throughout the country.”