A low-energy house that operates without an "active" heating system is being advocated by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) to reduce domestic heating bills and cut carbon dioxide emissions.
The concept of "passive housing" - whereby temperature is maintained through passive heat inputs such as solar irradiation (sunlight) and emissions from appliances and occupants - is already popular in mainland Europe and Scandanavia.
Domestic energy use now accounts for 30 per cent of CO 2emissions in Ireland, and with a predicted 250,000 new homes to be built in the next five years, SEI believes maximising the use of renewable energy technologies such as passive solar design can play a key role in stemming the increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
Speaking at conference on renewable energy in Dublin today, SEI's Mr Paul Kellett said: "A building that is passive in design is naturally heated and cooled, requires less energy, does not compromise on comfort or architectural aesthetics and is less harmful to our environment".
"Market research in Europe has demonstrated that while, on average, low-energy and passive houses cost 6 to 8 per cent more to build than conventional houses, lower year-on-year heating costs are achievable in the long-run," Mr Kellet said
"For example, with the oil consumed to heat one conventional house, seven passive houses can be heated," he added.
In Austria, Switzerland and Scandinavia some passive house owners produce more energy than they actually require and have begun to sell the surplus back into the national grid.
SEI has projected that a gradual passive housing penetration of new built houses to 20 per cent by 2010 would result in the avoidance of 76,500 tonnes of CO 2emissions per annum, or an energy saving of 22.7 million litres of oil per annum.
The first Irish passive house will be completed this winter in Co Wicklow.
