The race to build sustainable homes

The future of sustainability in residential building relies on more than simply the use of innovative materials. Catering to the social and ecological challenges faced in Ireland should be at the heart of all planning. Reconciling the urgent demand for housing with pressing social and environmental concerns is undoubtedly challenging. So how can leaders deliver holistic solutions that satisfy that demand as well as the sustainability brief?

Sarah Glavey of Cairn Homes notes the much greater focus on sustainability these days in building and development. “Everything from the energy required to heat and light our homes, to the impact of the materials used to build them, to the transport options available and the effect on local ecology is considered,” she says. “Land is our most precious resource, and where it must be developed to fulfil our housing needs it is incumbent on us to ensure it is used in the most efficient manner possible.”

Construction has benefited from innovations, Glavey says, such as the fabric, structure, materials, construction methods and technologies used, and further carbon savings are now being achieved through advances like the use of timber frames and light gauge steel. But a truly sustainable home is more than one with a heat pump or some solar panels, she notes.

“We consider that sustainable homes must first be located in communities where people want to live and work, and a well-functioning housing system needs to be supported by transport routes,” Glavey explains. To this end, homes built by Cairn are strategically positioned around critical infrastructure such as high-capacity public transport routes including train, tram, bus corridors, pedestrian routes and cycle lanes.

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Local community infrastructure also plays a crucial role in their approach to providing sustainable homes. “We strive to ensure that our homeowners can participate in workforce or education with ease, have access to healthcare amenities and take part in social activities,” she says. “Our apartments and homes are established within proximity of many amenities and leisure facilities comprising of established schools, vibrant village centres, major urban parks as well as commercial infrastructure for employment opportunities.”

Impact on nature

Homebuilders with a sustainability focus must be acutely aware of the potential impact of their work on nature, Glavey adds. Cairn formally adopted a biodiversity policy in 2021, which she says influences all stages of product delivery from site planning, detail design, to operations and aftercare.

“We understand the importance of protecting existing habitats wherever possible and have committed to prioritising biodiversity by including biodiversity metrics and targets within our remuneration framework,” she explains. “All Cairn developments going through the planning system are subject to an environmental impact assessment and these will be enhanced with deeper ecological surveys to meet our goals and achieve biodiversity net gain on 40 per cent of unit commencements by 2024.”

Sustainability issues are at the forefront of concerns for the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI). Registered architect and assistant practice director with the RIAI Deirdre Keeley explains that the professional body for architects is driving sustainable and innovative solutions to meet national targets in Government policies such as housing for all and the climate challenge plan 2023.

A new housing model

“The housing committee of the RIAI has been engaged in research into potential reform and improvement to Irish housing planning standards since 2017,” says Keeley. “Due to concerns about the sustainability of current housing models and lack of adoption of more innovative models of housing due to regulatory constraints, the RIAI’s research work recommenced in 2022, to research how best to achieve sustainable, affordable, attractive and widely acceptable new suburban developments.”

She says the hope is that this new housing category will enable architects, urban designers and their clients in the public and private sector to produce a “new generation” of high-quality, sustainable residential communities for the 21st century. “It will also significantly raise standards and improve the choice of housing and quality of the public realm in residential neighbourhoods.”

The RIAI has written to Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien proposing that a new low-rise medium-density housing model should be introduced as a priority as part of a new ministerial directive for national housing planning standards. “This supports national policy by enabling consolidation within existing urban areas, much of it in suburbia, at a compatible scale accepted by local communities,” Keeley explains. “It can provide much of our new housing, including a cohort of age-friendly homes or health/disability issues, with mixed-use areas where it is needed.”

The greenest house

Another focus for the RIAI as it concentrates on sustainability is the regeneration and renovation of existing houses. Keeley quotes the former president of the American Institute of Architects, architect Carl Elefante, who said “the greenest building is the one that already exists”.

“An existing building may already be located within an established neighbourhood, with access to public transport and local infrastructure, local amenities and services,” notes Keeley.

With this in mind, the RIAI has developed a free guide Old House New Home, which provides inspiration and advice for those seeking to renovate older homes and also developed the RIAI Town and Village Toolkit in 2019. “This recognises the huge potential existing buildings in our towns and villages have as well as the unique opportunities they present for redevelopment,” Keeley says.

Supporting initiatives for adapting vacant buildings into homes include the Croí Cónaithe scheme, which provides grant aid up to €30,000 for the refurbishment of vacant properties for use as principal private residences with a maximum top-up grant of €20,000 where the property is confirmed to be derelict. “This is a great opportunity for homeowners working with a registered architect to breathe new life into old buildings and create comfortable homes for contemporary lifestyles,” Keeley adds.