Featured Article
| Shifting ground |
Unless greenhouse gas emissions from land are tackled, any efforts to reduce emissions from buildings may fall short in attempting to stave off the worst consequences of climate change. Richard Douthwaite explains how, with a little ingenuity, techniques can be applied to dramatically reduce land emissions whilst simultaneously providing new raw material streams and energy source
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Acquired taste
The Department of Agriculture's new Food Safety Centre is a deceptively simple building that combines natural ventilation and lighting with energy efficiency - all on a designed natural landscape that seeks to both boost biodiversity and prevent flooding. Lenny Antonelli visited the County Kildare site to find out more
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Dream factory
The rapid emergence of sustainable building in Ireland has been heavily influenced by the techniques of early-adopters extending from Scandinavia, to Canada, to Germany and Austria. John Hearne visited a recently completed timber home in Galway which uses Austrian know-how to couple air-tightness, high levels of insulation and healthy materials with a sustainable approach to heating and ventilation
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Deconstruct Ireland
The environmental impact of the built environment extends far beyond
energy consumption and carbon emissions throughout a building's
intended lifespan. Architect and sustainable design consultant Sinéad Cullen
of DW EcoCo & BE Architecture explains why there's a need to design
buildings that can be deconstructed rather than destroyed once they
reach their end of life, and looks at the obstacles to be overcome to
make this happen.
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Hollow victory
Much of the housing built around Dublin over the last forty years has
been built of single-leaf nine-inch hollow block construction – which
are both notoriously energy inefficient and extremely difficult to
insulate effectively without causing damp problems. Lenny Antonelli
visited a hollow block house which has been ecologically renovated to
protect occupant health whilst shooting to the top of the energy rating
scale.
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Taking control
Buildings that are designed or refurbished to use little energy all too
often fail to deliver the expected performance, if the building
occupants aren't able to use the building as intended. John Hearne
reveals the crucial role that user-friendly heating controls play in
ensuring that a theoretically low energy building delivers the expected
results.
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Insulating Ireland
The vast majority of Irish buildings are in need of substantial energy
upgrade work. Given the difficult economic conditions and low public
awareness of the cost, comfort and health benefits of a well-designed
energy renovation, the notion of upgrading most Irish buildings is a
considerable challenge. However, as Lenny Antonelli explains, new ideas are emerging that could stimulate energy upgrade work on an unprecedented scale.
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Restoring order
Turning a ruined farm house into a usable dwelling has been a dream for decades, but can an age-old structure really be brought-up to the cutting edge of energy efficiency? Architect Frank Cooney has found a way with a ruin in Cavan currently undergoing renovation. Jason Walsh visited the site to find out more.
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Shifting ground
Unless greenhouse gas emissions from land are tackled, any efforts to reduce emissions from buildings may fall short in attempting to stave off the worst consequences of climate change. Richard Douthwaite explains how, with a little ingenuity, techniques can be applied to dramatically reduce land emissions whilst simultaneously providing new raw material streams and energy source
Read More >> |
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Issue 11, Vol 4 Out Now
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