LINKING financial incentives to the quality of building development is proposed in a discussion paper published with the inter-departmental report.
The paper, prepared by the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, says incentives should focus particularly on site utilisation and sustain, ability criteria. It proposes qualitative evaluation of buildings constructed by the public sector covering performance in use, user response and building failures.
Setting up a centre for building materials research is proposed, with particular reference to materials for conservation.
The paper, "Developing a Government Policy on Architecture a proposed framework and discussion of issues", says that in promoting high standards of design and construction in the public sector low cost building was not a guarantee of economy. It could militate against good design and was likely to generate high costs in the lifetime of a building.
An amendment of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Acts is proposed to oblige planning authorities to designate buildings for preservation, which the paper says would introduce a co-ordinated approach to the listing of buildings throughout the country.
It agrees with the inter-departmental group's recommendation on establishing a national inventory of architecture on a statutory basis. It says the maintenance grants and tax incentives given to owners of heritage buildings should be "extended" and facilities provided to train people in conservation skills.
The paper argues that a policy on architecture had a place in the wider context of environmental policy, with regard to the problem of global environmental degradation. About half of global warming from carbon dioxide and emissions and a sixth of ozone depletion could be attributed to the way buildings were constructed and used. Some of the impacts such as acid rain, destruction of rain forests and erosion of biodiversity could also be attributed to buildings. Higher building standards had a part to play in sustainable development.
Part of the sustainability ethos could arise from the use of local resources. There could be more use of indigenous materials, with benefits for sustaining livelihoods, crafts and trades.