House Design Online

Daniel Libeskind’s 17 words of architectural inspiration

(source www.ted.com)

A new Social Housing project in Dublin, Ireland is applying rainwater harvesting, solar panels, sheep’s wool insulation and using on-site communal composting as part of a new initiative by Dublin City Council to provide sustainable social housing and replace the homes originally on the site which were demolished in 2005.

In addition, much of the timber from the old apartments was recycled and used again in construction, while two previously used Georgian doors create an archway into the central garden area. Twelve stainless steel water casks are used to collect rain water in the courtyard, while large amounts of sheep wool are inserted into the external walls to provide added insulation.

The energy-saving features are expected to reduce fuel costs by up to 70 per cent and cut CO2 emissions by over 50 per cent.

Read the full article in TODAY’S IRISH TIMES

House Design Online has launched a new service “Outside the Box TV”. As the page title suggests, we want to suggest ways to think outside the box when it comes to “design” and “architecture”. Many of the homes that we live in are no more than boxes, whose primary function is to contain us, supply us with bedding, water, food processing and sanitation. Of course there are many who lack even these essential elements but our homes, no matter how basic have many other roles which have been neglected in modern architecture.

Out of the Box TV features video clips of innovative green architecture and sustainable building design. The clips are from around the world.

Oustide the Box features Ireland’s first EcoVillage which is under development at Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary as well as some of the work of architects Peter Cowman, Joachim Mitchell and others who are challenging the preceptions of modern architecture.

for more click here OUTSIDE THE BOX

height="38" width="41" id="EXim" alt="eXTReMe Tracker" />

Date: Monday 27th April, 2009

Location: Tipperary Institute, Thurles, North Tipperary

Price: Free but booking essential by Friday 17th of April

Booking:                              Tel. 01 674 5773

More Information CLICK HERE

Organised by Cultivate, Tipperary Institute, The Village, Irish Rural Link and Carnegie Trust

Supported by COMHAR, the National Sustainable Development Council, Dublin City Council, Department of Environment Heritage and Local Government, Sustainable Energy Ireland and the Carnegie Trust

Over the last couple of decades policy makers have tended to regard Irish rural communities as dependent on urban centers rather than as drivers for change. This conference brings together stakeholders from a wide variety of sectors to explore how we can work together to build resilience in a future of energy, climate and economic uncertainty.

What are the actions and positive changes we will need to make to enhance the quality of life of our communities? How will we provide livelihoods and strong rural economies? How will communities of the future provide for their food needs? What are the opportunities for sustainable transport and how will we heat and power our communities?

What do we do to engage people to address the ever more complex problems facing us today? All of this will require for us to work purposefully together to build resilience in these challenging times.

10.00 Registration

10.30 Opening

Representative from North Tipperary County Council

Conversation Starters

10.35 Towards Sustainable Rural Communities
Ciaran Lynch – Tipperary Institute

10.45 From Vulnerability to Resilience
Prof. Peader Kirby

10.55 Regional Food
Helen Lawrenson – Falkland Centre for
Stewardship, Scotland

11.05 Rural Transport
Seamus Boland – Irish Rural Link

11.15 Break

11.30 World Café (view YouTube clip about World Café)

“Given where we are at, what are you already doing to build resilience in your communities?”

12.00 World Café plenary

13.00 Lunch (not provided)

Conversation Starters

14.00 Entreprise, Livelihoods ands Jobs
Ben Whelan – Cultivate and the Village

14.10 The Power of One Community
Seamus Hoyne – Tipperary Energy Agency, Paul Allen, Centre for Alternative Technology and Zero Carbon Britain

14.30 Planning For Rural Sustainability
Bridget Kirwan and Catherine Corcoran,
Tipperary Institute

14.50 Education and Training for Local Resilience
Davie Philip, Cultivate and the Village, Michael Kenny NUIM

15.10 Break

15.20 World Café (view YouTube clip about World Café)

“How do we work together now to build resilience in our communities”

Beyond The Talking Shop

16.20 Making the Transition

Chris Chapman, Change Exploratory and Nick Wilding, Carnegie Trust

From Jaunuary 1st, 2009, all homes sold or rented in Ireland will be required by law to have a Building Energy Rating (BER) certificate.  A BER certificate is something similar to what we see on electrical appliances such as fridges. To see a sample BER certificate CLICK HERE

Listen to a discussion today on Ireland’s RTE Radio 1 between Kevin O’Rourke of Sustainable Energy Ireland and Tom Parlon of the Construction Industry Federation click here

DOWNLOAD BER INFORMATION HERE

Irish Minister for the Environment. Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley T.D.has announced statutory planning guidelines for Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas. These Guidelines will act as a blueprint for the future sustainable development of Irish cities, towns and villages in the coming years.

The guidelines don’t, unfortunately make any provision for the involvement of the local community or the householders in the design process.

The guidelines which are a welcome development stipulate that new developments should:

• Prioritise public transport, cycling and walking, and minimise the need to use cars?
• Ensure accessibility for everyone, including people with disabilities.
• Encourage more efficient use of energy and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
• Include the right quality and quantity of public open space.
• Include measures to ensure satisfactory standards of personal safety and traffic safety within the neighbourhood.
• Present an attractive and well-maintained appearance.
• Promote social integration and provide for a diverse range of household types, age groups and mix of housing tenures.
• Protect, and where possible enhance, the built and natural heritage.
• Provide for Sustainable Drainage Systems?

TO DOWNLOAD THE NEW GUIDELINE – CLICK HERE

Gene Roddenberry was the guy that brought us in to the future many years ago with the series “Star Trek”…going where no man had gone before…OK, it was Science Fiction, but what a pity that some of those who were fans of the 1970′s show didn’t hold on to a small bit of the imagination and “thinking into the future”, that the show evoked when they got themselves into positions where they could actually influence change. Imagine if Kirk, Spock and buddies made a brief return visit to planet earth. They hover over Dublin, spot the M50 at rush hour, imagining it to be an energy field surrounding the city. Their first reaction is that the city has been taken over by Klingons. Nothing is connected, people are wandering around in a trance, going nowhere. The guys get energized down to the ‘Red Cow’ Roundabout, but there is nothing they can to, They try Portlaoise, Galway, Limerick, Castlebar..but its all the same. (more…)

Anyone interested in finding out more about the concept of the Passive House might be interested in this upcoming event. If you are thinking of building in 2009 and 2010 a visit to Frankfurt in April may well be worth you while, particularly with the availability of cheap flights!

The 13th International Conference on Passive Houses will take place on 17th and 18th April 2009 in Frankfurt in Germany

The  Conference will focus on the following themes:  Public Initiatives and Public Energy-Efficient Buildings, Non-Residential Buildings, Passive Houses – Apartment Blocks,  Innovation from Research and Development: Building Technology and Building Shell,  Assessment of Completed Modernisation Projects,  Comfort and Health, Financing and Marketing and Housing Industry and Sustainability.

Running side by side with the conference will be the 2009 Public Passive House Exhibition
Date: Friday 17th April – Saturday 18th April 2009
Location: Messe Frankfurt, Hall 5.1
Opening hours: 17th April 2009 9 am – 7 pm
18th April 2009 9 am – 5 pm
Exhibition area: 3.000 m²

Beat escalating energy costs! Passive houses allow for more comfort and lower energy demand: Intelligent solutions for old and new buildings will be on show at the 2009 Passive House Exhibition in Frankfurt:

* Building companies, specialist federations, architecture and engineering offices
* Producers of windows, doors, ventilation systems and insulating materials,
* Providers of building parts, whole solutions, house technology systems and solar companies

They present building components and products which reach the top standards for energy-efficient building through high quality and innovative technology.

* Entrance to the exhibition is free for all visitors.
* Conference and exhibition take place directly next to each other in the Messe Frankfurt.
* A support programme of lectures is directed at conference and exhibition visitors. Here exhibitors can present their products and services.

The exhibition is directed at interested building owners and specialist visitors such as architects, building specialists, planners, energy consultants, producers of building products, companies in the building industry, housing industry and energy providers.Field trips, Sunday 19 April 2008

On Sunday 19 April there will be the opportunity to attend one of five different tours to visit Passive Houses (new buildings and refurbishments).
Start: Conference Main Entrance – Messe Frankfurt
Finish: Frankfurt am Main, Hauptbahnhof (central station)

Click her for more information