What is renewable energy and what are your options if you’re building new or renovating in Ireland today? In this article we cover: The United Nations defines renewable energy as energy derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed. That means harnessing power from the sun, wind, and […] More
Eco-builder Harrison Gardner opens his doors to chat about his home renovation project in Co Clare. In this article we cover: Embarking on a 10 year journey across the globe, Australian eco-builder and host of RTÉ’s Build Your Own series, Harrison Gardner sought to master a diverse array of alternative build techniques. It was in […] More
The 12 variables that determine whether the home you’re planning to build or renovate is sustainable. In this article we cover: This summer stood out as one of the hottest on record, marked by devastating floods and raging wildfires across various regions of Europe. These alarming events have underscored, once again, the urgency for a […] More
When influencer Caroline O’Neill took on her self-build project, she knew she was going to need advice from a company she could trust for her heating, plumbing and bathroom needs. That’s why she sought the help of Bassetts Bathrooms, Heating & Renewables Northern Ireland. When building a house, it goes without saying that you have […] More
Insulating Concrete Formwork (ICF) is seen as a surefire way to achieve an energy efficient home; here Andrew Stanway looks at five downsides to the popular building method. In this article we cover: Cost It is hard to talk about costs because whilst Insulating Concrete Formwork may just about compare with traditional concrete block construction […] More
Why you need to go all in to reap the benefits of a passive house design. In this article we cover: I started my journey with the Passive House standard, as defined by the Passive House Institute in Germany, eight years ago in 2015. In this time, the most common question I’ve been asked by […] More
Your choice of building method will have an impact on the cost of your walls; here we compare a bungalow and two storey house built for both blockwork and timber frame. In this article we cover: For cost purposes, external walls refer to the structure of the main external envelope of the property. In most […] More
Barry McCarron, Chairman of the Passive House Association of Ireland, chats about doing up his family to make it energy efficient, including: More about the project here: selfbuildextendrenovate.co.uk/project/passive-house-retrofit-monaghan/ Favourite More
Barry McCarron explains how he went about renovating his home in Co Monaghan to the passive house retrofit methodology, EnerPHit. In this article we cover: Overview House size before: 125sqmHouse size after: 188sqmBedrooms: 4Heating: air to water heat pumpVentilation: centralised mechanical with heat recovery Construction: blockwork (cavity wall)BER before: D2 (energy consumption of 289.86 kWh/ […] More
Having lived in Australia, single level, open plan living was what Anne and Niall Jordan wanted from their Kilkenny renovation and extension project. In this article we cover: Anne and Niall had a clear idea of what they wanted for their first family home. Six years of apartment living in Australia had instilled a huge […] More
Paul Lawford explains how he built his tiny home on wheels from scratch, including: Favourite More
The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) updated its guide to working with an architect for 2023. In this article we cover: The RIAI’s new guide for working with an architect has been updated to include the RIAI’s 2030 Climate Challenge, a voluntary pledge to design buildings to have as little impact as possible on […] More
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