The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan, has announced that funding for developers to build more sustainable houses will now require builders to ensure that the units are 60% more efficient than under current building regulations.
The Minister announced the new provision at an event to mark the fifth anniversary of Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI).
Under SEI's current scheme, developers can avail of grant aid if they build houses which are 40% more energy efficient than the requirements of current building regulations.
The House of Tomorrow Programme has funded the development of over 5,000 energy efficient new homes to date.
New building standards to be introduced this year will make these efficiency standards obligatory, and the Government has signalled its intention to review the regulations in 2010 and achieve a 60% efficiency target in further years.
'Today's announcement that grant aid under the House of Tomorrow Programme will require builders to achieve a minimum additional 60% energy efficiency, is a clear signal to builders that the new Government is intent on ensuring that the highest levels of energy efficiency are maintained in all new building works,' said the Minister.
In addition to the House of Tomorrow Programme, SEI's Low Income Housing Programme has retrofitted 12,000 houses with energy efficient features.
Also, over 16,000 households have applied for grants to install renewable energy features since the programme was launched last year.
The scheme is complemented by the Department's €10m Power of One energy efficiency campaign.
