EXTENSIONS RENOVATIONS NEW HOMES INTERIORS GARDENS
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AUTUMN 2017 £3.50 / €3.75
Dream it . Do it . Live it D N A L E ALL IR ELLING BEST S-BUILD SELF AZINE MAG
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ISSN 2049-3630
DISPLAY UNTIL 10 OCT
Planning | Heating & Ventilation | Home automation | Bijou homes and much more!
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EDITOR'S LETTER / WELCOME
Welcome... Builders, including (ahem!) selfbuilders, risk life and limb all the time. Precarious perching, reckless use of equipment, disregard of protective gear, and the list goes on. Shortcuts are never the answer – my husband nearly lost a finger cutting metal bands with a chop saw! Even though there is a moral and legal Health & Safety responsibility placed on homeowners, and builders, part of the problem is how tedious the rules that are in place all seem. Fear not, we have some tips on how to get everyone, hopefully happily, on board (p85). The stakes are way too Bijou homes high to ignore. Off-the-shelf homes Beyond the construction aspect there are some are making a big entrance on the very real dangers within the home too, from self-build scene synthetic and highly flammable materials (p70) to the more well-known but no less dangerous damp and mould which contribute to poor indoor air quality (ventilation remedies on p76). Sobering as these aspects may be, don’t worry, Chatting the end result is well worth the effort. See for with Alexa The democratisation yourself – our exclusive project profiles start p20.
Against the clock
Fire safety in the home
of home automation
With Selfbuild. Dream it, Do it, Live it. Astrid Madsen - Editor astrid.madsen@selfbuild.ie
Don’t get into hot water
Heating systems explained
ERRATA We apologise for the following errors printed in the Summer 2017 edition: On page 17 Energywise Ireland’s website was incorrectly listed as energywise.ie, the correct website is energywiseireland.ie. Starting page 87 the Top 5 DIY Decking Tips article erroneously attributed images to Decking NI - all of these photographs should have been credited to UPM Decking.
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SELFBUILD: THE ALL-IRELAND
All of our articles equally cover all parts of Ireland, including each and every one of the 32 counties. The regulations, work practices and everything else you can reasonably think of, we’ve got it covered from both sides of the border. When we refer to Northern Ireland the abbreviation we use is NI, when we refer to the Republic of Ireland it’s ROI.
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DO IT... 66 BASICS: SELF-BUILD ROADMAP Everything you have to do and consider before you get on site.
76 FRESH START
Whether you’re building new or improving, ventilation is a vital aspect to design into your plans from day one.
85 THAT LITTLE HOME JOB
All about the dreaded Safety Talk.
90 DON’T GET IN HOT WATER
Unless you’re building a house that doesn’t require any form of heating, our guide to boilers is a must read.
DREAM IT... INSIDE TRACK A premium section showcasing the latest news, thoughts and trends from the companies that can help you turn your self-build and home improvement dreams into reality.
18 INSIDER NEWS: Product and industry news in the world of building and home improving.
68 MEET THE BROADBAND INSTALLERS: Are you planning a
broadband connection for your new home? Network operator Open Reach is here to help.
74 MEET THE BUILDING PHYSICS ENGINEER: Ecological Building Systems’ Niall Crosson reveals all: his inspiration, insights and where he sees the future going for Irish self-builders.
84 MEET THE ARCHITECTURAL TECHNOLOGISTS: New kids on the block in Kerry are the designers behind healycornelius design, an award winning architectural practice with a flair for affordable designer homes.
97 MEET THE WINDOW DESIGNER: Lumi’s R&D department has just released it frameless patio doors and is due to unveil yet another product at Selfbuild Live in Dublin. Find out what it is, and what’s next in line.
98 EXPERT COMMENT: DISPELLING HEAT PUMP MYTHS
The ultimate guide to boilers.
20 PROJECT: FUNCTIONALITIES INCLUDED
130 SCRAPBOOK: SMALL HOMES
33 PROJECT: CROSSROADS
LIVE IT...
Heather and Stephen Grills’ minimalist design in Co Antrim.
Phil Byrne and Marie O’Kelly’s eco-build in Co Leitrim reinvents the porch.
44 PROJECT: SCALING UP
Deirdre and Frank Spillane’s extension of a period home in Co Antrim.
54 PROJECT: ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW
A courtyard was the solution for Co Kildare couple Breen and Suzanne McManus.
100 BASICS: PLANNING PERMISSION When you need it and what’s involved.
102 EXTENSIONS THAT DON’T REQUIRE PLANNING PERMISSION
The ins and outs of exempted development for your dream kitchen or spare room.
110 EXPERT COMMENT: CAN OF WORMS
Rural planning is a complicated subject, we look at the most recent developments in ROI.
112 GETTING STARTED IN CARPENTRY
Off-the-shelf and off-the-wall bijou homes.
70 AGAINST THE CLOCK
We build and furnish our homes with flammable materials. Find out what they are.
83 EXPERT COMMENT: LOW COST VENTILATION BUT AT WHAT COST? Natural ventilation in an airtight house.
106 TECH CENTRE
Advances in home automation, plus the Top 5 self-build apps to download.
116 GO NUTS
The best nuts to grow in your back garden.
120 PROJECTS: WHERE ARE THEY NOW
We revisit homes we featured 10 years ago.
126 BEEKEEPING THE NATURAL WAY
We all know bees, especially native Irish ones are in danger. Here’s a way you can help.
It takes a bit of skill and lots of organising to become a competent DIYer. AU T U M N 2 0 1 7 / S E L F B U I L D / 0 7
CONTRIBUTORS / TEAM
Contributors
EXTENSIONS RENOVATIONS NEW HOMES INTERIORS GARDENS
Selfbuild SELFBUILD.IE
AUTUMN 2017 £3.50 / €3.75
Dream it . Do it . Live it ELAND ALL IR LLING BEST SE UILD SELF-BAZINE MAG
Gerard Duffy
Gareth Fitzsimmons
Aleyn Chambers is an Architect and certified Passive House Designer based in Dalkey, Co Dublin. aleynchmabers.com / ROI mobile 086 600 8244
Xavier Dubuisson is an engineer in the field of sustainable energy in Ireland. xdconsulting.eu
Gerard established Eurotech in 1979, a company that designs and installs renewable heating systems. eurotechgroup.ie / ROI tel. 042 974 9479
Gareth is a building services engineer specialising in the design and installation of residential ventilation systems. info@homecaresystems.biz / NI mobile 07733 422143
DISPLAY UNTIL 10 OCT
ISSN 2049-3630
Xavier Dubuisson
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Aleyn Chambers
Planning | Heating & Ventilation | Home automation | Bijou homes and much more!
Cover Photo Paul Lindsay scenicireland.com Editor Astrid Madsen astrid.madsen@selfbuild.ie Design Myles McCann myles.mccann@selfbuild.ie
Ciaran Hegarty
Paul Kenny
Diarmuid O’Grada
Fiann Ó Nualláin
Ciaran is a woodwork and construction studies teacher in Tipperary with over ten years’ experience in carpentry. ciaranhegarty007@gmail.com
Paul is the CEO of the Tipperary Energy Agency, a non-profit that supports homeowners to increase the energy efficiency of their homes. tippenergy.ie / superhomes.ie / ROI tel. 052 744 3090
Diarmuid is a longstanding member of the Irish Planning Institute. His planning consultancy is based in Dublin 14. info@plandublin.com / ROI tel. 01 2884629
Award winning garden designer, author and broadcaster, Fiann has a background in fine art, ethnobotany and complementary medicine. theholisticgardener.com / @HolisticG
Marketing Calum Lennon calum.lennon@selfbuild.ie Subscriptions Leanne Rodgers leanne.rodgers@selfbuild.ie Advertising Sales David Corry david.corry@selfbuild.ie Nicola Delacour-Dunne nicola.delacour@selfbuild.ie Lisa Killen lisa.killen@selfbuild.ie Patricia Madden patricia.madden@selfbuild.ie Maria Varela maria.varela@selfbuild.ie
Paul O'Reilly
Debbie Orme
Andrew Stanway
Mark Stephens
Paul is an award-winning energy consultant with over 25 years’ experience. He is a director of ORS consulting engineers and of Watt Footprint. ors.ie / wattfootprint.com
Debbie is a freelance writer and editor, who writes about business, healthcare, property, maternity and the over 50s. She also ghost writes autobiographies. debbie.orme@talk21.com / NI mobile 077 393 56915
Andrew is a project manager with over 30 years’ experience. He is also a writer and the author of Managing Your Build published by Stobart Davies.
Mark is a member of RIBA and the RIAI, a Grade III conservation architect, and a certified passive house designer. markstephensarchitects.com / ROI tel. 094 92 52514
Tanguy de Toulgoët
Alan Walsh
Gary Wilson
Tanguy started gardening at the age of 10 and now runs well attended gardening courses at the Dunmore Country School. dunmorecountryschool.ie / ROI mobile 087 125 8002
Alan is a senior construction project manager at Jacobs Engineering with 35 years’ experience in the industry. He’s also an enthusiastic DIYer in his spare time.
Gary is an Ubiquiti Networks specialist, HDL Automation Certified Reseller Installer and CasaTunes Home Audio Certified professional with 20 years’ experience in the home automation industry. gtechdl.co.uk / NI tel. 9261 2002
Published by SelfBuild Ireland Ltd. 119 Cahard Rd, Saintfield, Co Down BT24 7LA. Tel: (NI 028 / ROI 048) 9751 0570 / Fax: (NI 028 / ROI 048) 9751 0576 info@selfbuild.ie / selfbuild.ie 0 8 / S E L F B U I L D / AU T U M N 2 0 1 7
Come meet the experts at our Dublin, Belfast and Cork events. More on page 88
Accounts Kerry Brennan kerry.brennan@selfbuild.ie Sales Director Mark Duffin mark.duffin@selfbuild.ie Managing Director Brian Corry brian.corry@selfbuild.ie Chairman Clive Corry clive.corry@selfbuild.ie Print GPS Colour Distribution EM News Distribution Ltd The publishers cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions nor for the accuracy of information reproduced. Where opinions may be given, these are personal and based upon the best information to hand. At all times readers are advised to seek the appropriate professional advice. Copyright: all rights reserved.
H I G H L I G H T S / W H AT ' S N E W
Will ROI get a Building Control Authority? A PRIVATE MEMBER’S BILL passed by the Oireachtas in June could be the first step towards setting up a Building Control Authority in ROI, but legislation has yet to presented or enacted to put this motion into effect. As it stands building control inspections in ROI are few and far between, with roughly 60 local authority building control officers employed to carry out spot compliance checks. NI’s system of Building Control, on the other hand, sees officials inspect building sites multiple times during the life of every building project over which it has jurisdiction, including self-builds. It’s a model that we at Selfbuild have been promoting for ROI as it provides not only technical guidance and support at key stages but also necessary oversight. However, it seems in large part due to staffing issues, the ROI Department of Housing continues to favour a risk-based approach to inspections. For more details on the motion and future developments go to the News section of selfbuild.ie
Energy saving kits EVER FANCY BECOMING A LEAK DETECTIVE? You can now rent one of these award-winning kits in any Dublin City Library. A little bird tells us there may be plans to expand the scheme throughout ROI. codema.ie/think-energy-home-hub
Waste not, want not
Top self-build regions
ANYONE INVOLVED IN POLICY MAKING will be familiar with the regulatory push towards building a circular economy, whereby waste is reused as a raw material for making new goods. Top of the list when it comes to contributing to the rubbish pile is the construction The aim is to recycle 70 per cent of all construction waste by 2020. industry; two tonnes of builders’ waste is generated annually for every person in the EU. To turn this mountain of discarded items into an economic and social opportunity, experts from the industry and the European Commission have drawn up the EU Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Management Protocol. The guidelines are intended to help industry reach the Waste Framework Directive’s C&D recycling rate target of 70 per cent by 2020. ec.europa.eu ROI’s Environmental Protection Agency has also recently published guides on how to reuse and extend the life of household items. See research reports 202 and 213 on epa.ie. With environmental issues surrounding landfills, the increasing global scarcity of raw materials and the serious matter of illegal dumping all high on the agenda, the circular economy approach is seen as the way towards a more sustainable future. No doubt measures will eventually be introduced to encourage self-builders to do their bit.
FIRST QUARTER FIGURES for 2017 commencement notices are in, top of the league in ROI are counties Cork, Meath, Galway, Wexford and Donegal. In NI, new dwelling starts by district show Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon topping the list, with Mid Ulster and Lisburn/ Castlereagh coming in second and third.
Test it Tuesday WHEN IT COMES to house fires, smoke or heat detectors are the real lifesavers, which is why on a new build you need to install hardwired smoke detectors in most rooms, including bedrooms. The key, of course, is for the detectors to be in working order. You should therefore aim to check them weekly, especially if they’re only battery operated (not hardwired). More on fire p70
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Homes of the year Behind the glitz and glamour of architecture awards are beautiful homes. This year’s RIAI (Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland) awards have introduced a total of five regional best house categories.
Prices Lane, Dublin City
Bleach Road, Co Kilkenny
ODOS Architects walked away with the RIAI Dublin trophy for Prices Lane, a new family home located on a tight site off a narrow laneway in Dublin city centre. By splitting the plan into two main spaces, the open central courtyard resolves the issue of light and has the benefit of creating an outdoor room. Boyd Cody Architects bagged two awards, one for Munster with the renovation of an old farm settlement at Teeroneer, Co Clare and another for Leinster with Bleach Road, the renovation of a cottage located in an old abandoned quarry with a new build on the outskirts of Kilkenny. Tireighter Cairn, Co.Derry
Broadstone Architects took home the RIAI Ulster trophy for Tireighter Cairn while Aughey O’Flaherty Architects was awarded the Connact House of the Year award for Killsallagh, a newly built house in Co Mayo which boasts views of Croagh Patrick to the east and Clew Bay and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Teeroneer, Co Clare Killsallagh, Co Mayo
This year’s Royal Institute of British Achitects’ Northern Ireland winners weren’t of homes, but shortlisted was Clogher House of Lisburn, by McGarry Moon Architects.
Clogher House, Lisburn
Alice Clancy Photography
The Architecture Association of Ireland, meanwhile, rewarded House on Belgrave Square, Blackrock, Co Dublin by Clancy Moore Architects and Heated Brick Extension, Dublin by Daire Bracken Architect (pictured left).
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Building costs on upward trajectory Building costs in 2017 are set to rise more quickly than in 2016, according to reports. IN ROI, THE FIRST SIGNS of price inflation came from the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland’s Tender Price Index it increased 6 per cent over the course of 2016. “If price inflation continues to grow at the current level, it is anticipated that pricing levels will return to the levels last seen in 2006 and 2007 in the next few years,” commented the authors of the SCSI PwC Construction Survey Report 2017. 90 per cent of the survey’s resondents expected an uptake in residential construction activity in 2017. The good news for self-builders is that despite the increase in tender costs, the cost of building has only increased
marginally over the same period. The ROI House construction cost index, which monitors only labour costs and the cost of building materials but not profits or overheads, increased by 0.60 per cent from 2015 to 2016. This level of growth has however already been exceeded between January and March of this year. In NI the situation is the reverse of ROI’s; the latest Ulster Bank PMI indicator shows that construction firms in NI have seen a growth in activity, an increase in prices they charge, but overall a much greater increase in their input costs. The Royal Institute of the Architects of
Ireland’s 2016 construction costs document shows self-builds - new homes and renovations costing in the region of €1,500 to €1,900 per sqm for an average specification in ROI.
Hot under the collar With record breaking summer temperatures, those of us with highly glazed homes may find ourselves sweating more than somewhat this Autumn.
Brise soleil
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AND THAT’S NOT TOO SURPRISING. Appealing as it may be, building your home with fabulously large windows can have its downsides – you need to factor in how that reduces the performance of the building (walls are much better at insulating) and the fact that in the summer, you may find yourself in that ole 1980s conservatory conundrum. Many of the homes we’ve featured in Selfbuild magazine have suffered from this issue and it seems the easiest solution is to install some form of ‘brise soleil’ which is an overhang that blocks out summer sunshine (high in the sky) yet allows low winter light to filter through. A win-win solution.
The good news now for those at the building stage is that you can more readily, and uniformly, factor in overheating in your design and ventilation strategy. For further reading on the topic, and nifty calculations for the technically minded, turn to the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers’ free handbook Technical Memorandum 59: Design methodology for the assessment of overheating risk in homes (CIBSE TM59). The guide was put together in response to the industry concern that the UK is “creating a generation of homes destined to overheat”. Will we end up calling them millennial homes? cibse.org
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New ROI energy grants ROI homeowners will now be able to claim up to half of the cost of their home’s energy upgrade, under a new Deep Retrofit scheme launched at the SEAI Energy Show, however you will have to group with your neighbours to qualify. €5 million has been ring fenced for homeowners who want to upgrade their homes to an ‘A’ rating on the Building Energy Rating (BER) scale. The scheme is being rolled out on a pilot basis and will require a fabric first approach as well as introducing a low carbon heating system (non fossil fuel). The grant will fund up to half the cost of upgrades for individual householders and will be administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Deep retrofit is a significant upgrade to bring a home as close as possible to Nearly Zero Energy Building standards, which is due to be transposed into law in 2019 with a public consultation phase to start early in 2018. The €5m scheme will be administered by SEAI and will make funds available on a rolling basis to community groups, to
Local Authorities and to Energy Agencies. “It is available to any group that can pull together groups of people who want to invest in a major energy efficiency improvement to their home,” noted the Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment’s press release. The programme is in line with
government policy that aims to encourage a more collaborative approach to energy upgrades; district heating schemes for example are rare in Ireland but provide a much more efficient and less carbon intensive way of heating our homes. The Tipperary Energy Agency’s Superhomes programme provides a similar
Deep Retrofit incentive, funding up to 50 per cent of the energy upgrade and without the community group caveat (homes are upgraded individually). ROI Minister for Energy Denis Naughten, meanwhile, announced the introduction of 95 per cent subsidies for those in energy poverty at the SEAI’s first deep retrofit conference in June. The Minister said almost all of the 1.3 million homes in ROI needed a deep retrofit,with SEAI figures showing the Irish energy retrofit market could be worth over €35 billion to 2050. Naughten also hinted at the importance of the Internet of Things and the rollout of broadband to rural areas as a key measure to reduce energy use at source. SEAI chief executive Jim Gannon also commented on the need to inform consumers on the benefits of deep retrofit - from health, comfort and energy savings - highlighting the challenges associated to the €25,000+ investment required for a significant upgrade.
What makes us tick SELF-BUILDERS WANT THEIR ENERGY EFFICIENCY INVESTMENTS to have a pay back of less than four years, highlights a study by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) entitled Behavioural insights on energy efficiency in the residential sector. The reoprt estimates that a ‘deep retrofit’ – bringing a property from a G on the Building Energy Rating (BER) scale to current standards – could cost a whopping €30,000 to €40,000. Over 150,000 dwellings in ROI are G-rated with over one million dwellings with a BER rating of C or lower. The report also estimates that more than one in four ROI households could be in energy poverty (defined as more than 10 per cent of household income required to maintain set comfort levels). While comfort and health are key factors in decision making, cost unsurprisingly remains
the most significant barrier to a significant uptake in energy efficiency measures. Over 70 per cent of respondents stated that “not having sufficient funds” was the main reason
for putting this type of home improvement work on the long finger. Grants are another important part of the equation, as they have an ’emotional impact’ – the SEAI quantifies that a €1 grant corresponds to €1.30 in consumers’ minds. Getting homeowners to carry out deep retrofits at their ‘trigger points’ – the time when they decide to invest in an energy upgrade – was a key finding. This is because a homeowner who has just carried out an extensive renovation but has not installed all the potential energy efficiency measures might not consider renovating the house again for 15 years. That said, households who had previously completed a retrofit were found to be willing to pay more than twice as much as homes retrofitting for the first time. AU T U M N 2 0 1 7 / S E L F B U I L D / 1 3
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Over 5,000 homes with defective blocks identified
In brief
As many as 4,800 private dwellings in Co Donegal and 345 in Co Mayo are likely to have been affected by defective concrete blocks, an expert panel commissioned by the ROI Government has found. The Report of the Expert Panel on Concrete Blocks published by the ROI Department of Housing has identified the nature of the structural cracks first identified in Donegal in 2013 on self-builds and contractor-built homes. The report issued a set of eight recommendations, one of which is to remove the Optout clause out of the Building Control Regulations which allows self-builders to build their own homes; the panels believes the opt-out option “may contribute to further building failures such as those experienced in counties Donegal and Mayo.” The report also recommends that Building Control Inspectors carry out more
inspections. Minister English has said he would be taking action to implement the report’s first two recommendations, which have to do with testing and categorising the extent of the failures and introducing professional oversight on the remediation of the buildings. There is no mention of compensation in the report but Minister English has hinted the Government may consider some form of redress: “In light of the information contained in the report, I have asked my Department to consider what further actions may be required to assist the parties directly
involved in reaching a satisfactory resolution to the problems that have emerged in the two counties”. The disintegration of the concrete blocks are of a structural nature, and first appeared as cracks on the render. The report states the reason for the widespread pattern of cracking “is primarily due to excessive amounts of materials in the aggregate used to manufacture the concrete blocks which gave rise to deleterious effects. The material in County Donegal was primarily muscovite mica while in County Mayo it was primarily reactive pyrite.”
Self-builders open their doors in Sligo and Leitrim The fourth edition of Green-Door, the festival of rural architecture and design will take place Friday 29th September to Sunday 1st October 2017 with openhomes, talks, tours, workshops and exhibitions. Don’t miss out as this FREE event only runs every two years; in 2015 over 2,600 visits were made to homes, buildings and events. This time around funding comes from the Arts Council, the Heritage Council, the Leitrim Arts Office and Leitrim County Council. Find out more about the programme and the homeowners who are opening their doors for the weekend on greendoorireland.ie and take a look at the Green-Door interactive documentary by award-winning filmmaker Róisín Loughgrey at throughthegreendoor.ie
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John Bent’s Cottage
Niamh McCabe’s house
A recent Freedom of Information request has brought to light emails from the ROI Department of Housing which referred to a statistical analysis of housing completions. A department official said in one string of correspondence that specific tables showed “fairly sizable non compliance with the regulations going on – particularly (probably) in regards self build (we also think this is the case in respect of commencement notices)”. Selfbuild has asked the department for the statistics mentioned but at the time of going to print, we had not received them. Check selfbuild.ie for updates. A Universal Design competition awarded €50,000 to the Abhaile Project, a scheme aimed at renovating two storey homes in city centre locations with a granny flat downstairs and student accommodation upstairs. homesforsmartageing-ud.
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New ROI Building Regulations will put pressure on renovations too As of 2019 if you are renovating more than 25 per cent of your home, you will be required under the Building Regulations to invest in the building fabric to bring the property up to a B3. The moves comes as the ROI Government introduces the Near Zero Energy (NZEB) requirements of the European Buildings Performance Directive (EPBD) into Irish law, Seán Armstrong, senior technical advisor to the Building Standards section of the Department of housing told delegates of the SEAI Deep Retrofit Conference in June. Technical Guidance Document L (known as Part L) dealing with energy use is already undergoing a major revamp for new builds, with NZEB requirements to be introduced into new legislation next year. The NZEB definition, Armstrong also indicated, is currently under review.
ranging from €230/sqm to €566/sqm for a detached house with cavity walls. Painting, rendering or replastering will not be considered as major renovation work but alterations involving walls, roofs, replacing windows and floors, including cladding an external
SR:54 published by the National Standards Authority of Ireland is the current guidance document for renovations but has come under criticism for not sufficiently taking into account the issue of capital cost versus relative increase in health benefits and energy savings.
presumably bring the building into the A category. “We have to do a further set of cost optimal calculations to [present a revised definition of NZEB] and that’s going to be taking place later this year and at the start of next year,” said Armstrong.
surface, dry lining an internal surface, and stripping down the property to its structural elements, will count towards the 25 per cent calculation. The change will be introduced into legislation for dwellings in Q1 2018 and will become mandatory as of January 2019. Current requirements for existing dwellings are set out in Part L Section 2. Table 5 details the maximum backstop U-values required when renovating your home, but these are not stringent.
New builds
Final technical guidance documents for the NZEB version of Part L were expected in 2018, but this now seems more likely to be in 2019 to allow for a public consultation period. As SelfBuild revealed in its Summer 2017 issue Part F dealing with ventilation is most likely going to be revised as well. This review will take into account the increased airtightness and thermal performance requirements of the new NZEB version of Part L and may require whole house mechanical ventilation.
Renovations
Armstrong said his department is looking at introducing a new requirement for homes that renovate more than 25 per cent of the surface of the building envelope. These properties will have to bring the entire building up to an energy efficient standard, referred to as a ‘cost optimal performance level’. In a typical semi-detached house this will require you to upgrade the walls, roof and boiler or alternatively achieve a B3 performance level on the Building Energy Rating scale. The cost optimal performance requirements for different types of dwellings were calculated by the Department of Housing in 2013. The analysis shows costs
Armstrong also told delegates the Near Zero Energy Building definition was currently under review for new builds. A definition taken from the EPBD directive had been set out in an amendment to Part L of the Building Regulations this year and the building standards division is now looking at how to apply the technical definition to Irish homes. To be considered NZEB the building fabric could have to achieve a C1 to B3 with the addition of renewables, which will
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Build cost calculator
Portuguese architectural firm Fala Atelier, falaatelier.com
BEST ONLINE READ
We’ll soon be launching a build cost calculator for both NI and ROI self-builds on our website selfbuild.ie where you will be able to input your project specific information. Watch this space…
Selfbuild Live Post-digital drawing by falaatelier.com
Selfbuild Live Dublin is heading for a scorcher THIS AUTUMN, WE’RE GETTING READY for an Indian summer at Selfbuild Live Dublin, 8-10 September 2017, 10am-6pm, at the Citywest Convention Centre. Planning permissions are through the roof and we’re already seeing a record number of tickets booked. For those of you who haven’t already, know that when booking your FREE tickets to the event you’ll get to see your 2D plans transformed into 3D for just €50! Sign up to this exclusive deal by booking your tickets on live.selfbuild.ie and using promo code MAG3D At Selfbuild Live in Dublin we’ll also be showcasing our first panel of self-builders where homeowners will be on hand to share their stories and answer your questions on all three days. Plus our unmissable design clinics, expert presentations and loads of ideas, inspiration and advice from the 150 high quality exhibitors who can help turn your dreams into reality.
Post-digital drawings Forget hand sketches, CAD or even 3D – the future of house representation is upon us and it’s called post-digital drawing. Provocative and sensory, the post-digital drawing is ingeniously able to convey the true ‘feel’ of a house, something many of its predecessors have been aiming to achieve. According to Metropolis magazine author Sam Jacob: “Instead of striving for pseudo-photo-realism, this new cult of the drawing explores and exploits its artificiality, making us as viewers aware that we are looking at space as a fictional form of representation. This is in strict opposition to the digital rendering’s desire to make the fiction seem ‘real’.” Some call it collage, others staging. Perhaps because it’s so evocative you could even describe it as art. metropolismag.com
Join the community WHEN FACEBOOK finally allowed business pages to set up their own groups, we joined the fray and created the SelfBuilders & Home Improvers Ireland group. The group is where you’ll find recommendations, costs as well as tips and advice about self-building and home improving, warts and all. It’s in many ways a support group, a community of likeminded self-builders, where novices and seasoned professionals share their thoughts, opinions and experience. facebook.com/selfbuild/ groups
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Doors and floors: a whole new level
THERE ARE FEW THINGS AS DIFFICULT to visualise in your home setting than new doors and floors. But with the help of the Door & Floor Centre’s new 5,000 sqft showroom in Co Meath you now can. Designed to draw you into the vivid world of home décor, the showroom offers a fully immersive user experience – and walk through where doors, floors and wall colours are all synchronised. In addition to an exclusive door and floor range, the Door & Floor Centre offers an expert supply and fit service for a hassle-free experience with a professional finish. There’s also a wide range of ironmongery on offer with individualised handles and locks guaranteed to suit every taste. Come meet owner Eoin Mac Sweeney at the Dublin 2017 Selfbuild Live event in Citywest or visit the new showroom at the Door & Floor Centre, Lady’s Road, Ardbraccan, Navan, Co Meath, tel. 046 9023878, info@thedoorandfloorcentre.ie, facebook.com/thedoorandfloorcentre
Stroll of honour WINNING AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT AWARD is always something to be proud of, but to get it for a promenade is no small feat and definitely something to write home about. RTU’s Exposa Decorative Concrete has been awarded just that badge of honour from the Concrete Society for its 2,300 sqm work on the Portstewart promenade. Two colour tones were used to create a red wave in the middle surrounded by sandy beach. In your home too Exposa can have that same stunning effect. An attractive alternative to traditional paving, asphalt, tarmac and loose gravel, your imagination is the limit to the designs you can create. You can even use other materials such as cobble or paving stones as movement joints or to form a border. The possibilities are endless. The low maintenance natural aggregate finish has the durability and structural integrity of concrete and with its slip resistant and robust finish impervious to heavy traffic and extreme weather conditions, Exposa is ideal for use on driveways and footpaths. RTU manufactures Exposa under stringent quality control procedures, ensuring conformity to the requirements of BS EN206. RTU Ltd., Cloughfern Ave, Netownabbey, Belfast, BT37 0UZ, tel. 9085 1441, rtu.co.uk
FREE eco consultations If you’ve missed Ecological Building Systems at Selfbuild Live Dublin in September, or still want to learn more, make sure you get to their free Open Door on Saturday 7th October at their training centre in Athboy, Co Meath. In addition to one-to-one consultations with eco building experts (bring your plans!) the event will feature live demos of award winning products, a solutions orientated Q&A, spot prizes and much more. Go to ecologicalbuildingsystems.com or call 0469432104 for further information and confirmation of the Open Door date.
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Spoiled for choice AS WITH MANY ASPECTS OF YOUR DESIGN, shape, size and your preferences will all dictate what you can do with your bathrooms. Ensuite or wetroom, full bath or shower, there’s a lot to consider. In terms of style, retro or eclectic, modern or minimalist, the choice is yours. To see what your options actually look like, come along to Divinity Bathroom’s new 4,000 sqft showroom. It’s divided into 20 full suites with walls and ceilings to get a sense of scale and a clear view of what combinations will work for you. On show are also a wide range of vanity units and tiles. Centrally located, it’s just 15 minutes from Finglas (Dublin) so call in today to Divinity Tile & Bathrooms, Unit 2, Rath Cross Retail Park, Ashbourne, Co Meath, tel. 01 835 1626, divinitytileandbathrooms.ie
Know thy enemy AIR QUALITY IS A HOT TOPIC, not just due to climate change and pollution but also because of the way we build and furnish our homes. We are increasingly relying on products that emit high levels of Volatile Organic Compounds such as wood laminates, chipboard, insulation, wood finishes and solvents. Combined with inadequate ventilation, the result is likely to be low productivity and poor health. But indoor air quality (IAQ) is not as easily detectable as, say, dust or mould. And even though sometimes it’s a good idea to open your windows, this can lead to discomfort. There’s the added variable of outdoor air quality, which may be poorer than your IAQ. Wouldn’t it be nice to see invisible threats in the air, understand where they come from and take control? Enter the AirVisual Node, available in Ireland from Watt Footprint, a smart air quality monitor designed to medical-grade standards. As one of the most precise consumer air quality monitors on the market, the Node displays real-time particulate matter (PM2.5) and CO2 levels, as well as temperature and humidity, on a 5in/12.7cm LED screen. Outdoor air quality data from local official sensors is also displayed in addition to a three-day air quality forecast, allowing you to plan upcoming activities. The device is on sale now for €249/£219 on wattfootprint.com Alternatively visit the Watt Footprint store at the National Ecology Centre at Sonairte, Laytown, Co Meath.
Check it’s SR66 certified
BY NOW, SELF-BUILDERS WILL BE AWARE of the changes to Part H of the ROI Building Regulations which state that all domestic sewage treatment plants in Ireland must, in addition to previous requirements, be compliant with the NSAI’s SR66:2015 standard. So when it comes to building your home, your choice of domestic sewage system is now crucially important, as uncertified systems will prevent planning permission from being granted and if installed, will represent a breach of the Building Regulations. As one of the first Irish manufacturers to gain the SR66:2015 accreditation across its BioFicient treatment plant and Gamma/ Alpha septic tank ranges, Kingspan continues to set the standards in wastewater treatment solutions. “We’ve always strived to design and manufacture premium tried and tested wastewater management solutions, which is why when the guidance of SR66:2015 was amended, our treatment solutions were already compliant across the entire range,” commented David Best, Commercial Director for Kingspan Water Management Solutions Ireland. Through the Kingspan network of accredited installers, homebuilders can avail of advice on selecting compliant wastewater treatment solutions for their home. For further information, call (ROI prefix with 048) 3026 6799, email klargesterinfo@kingspan.com, or visit kingspanenviro.com/kingspan-klargester-wastewater AU T U M N 2 0 1 7 / S E L F B U I L D / 1 9
DREAM IT
'...we wanted to have quite a bit of room, an open plan living space and we wanted to maximise views as well as invest in good insulation.'
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Functionalities included Even though Heather and Stephen Grills’ design is a minimalist one, they managed to cram just about everything they ever wanted in a home. Words: Astrid Madsen Photography: Paul Lindsay
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