Rural Design Guidelines for Offaly

1. Page 21

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   Section 7 : Sustainability and energy efficiency S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y A N D E N E R G Y E F F I C I E N C Y: W H AT T O A I M F O R A N D W H AT T O AV O I D The EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings has introduced mandatory energy rating for houses, and the requirement that Energy labels (Building Energy Rating BER Certificates) are available for each house. Similar to electrical appliances, there will be a rating A, B, C, D etc, with A for the most efficient. You should aim, with your designer and builder, to achieve the highest possible energy rating. It will future proof your home and ensure that it retains its value. Position your house on site to take maximum benefit from solar gain, (see p4 sunpath diagram). Reduce energy consumption by extra insulation, passive solar design (provide larger areas of south facing glazing) and energy efficient components. Explore the use of renewable energy technologies e.g. solar panels, wood pellet boilers, heat pumps, micro wind turbines. Grants are available to help with some of the additional initial costs. Sustainable Energy Ireland is an excellent source. For further information refer to www.sei.ie Use environmentally friendly materials, renewable timber sources, natural materials locally sourced (where possible) and recycleable materials. Reduce water consumption by using grey water from the roof for washing and toilets. Include a covered, external clothes drying area and reduce the need for costly tumble dryers. Conserve vegetation and landscapes to help maintain biodiversity This section deals with sustainability and energy efficiency, the key message is to design and build your new house so that it will use as little energy as possible by minimising heat loss and increasing solar gain. This will ensure that you are investing in a future proofed home. S e c t i o n 7 Designing Houses - Creating homes in the Offaly Countryside Page 19 Micro wind turbine Solar panels Wood pellet stove

2. Page 22

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   Section 8 : Accessibility, lifetime adaptability and extensions A C C E S S I B I L I T Y, L I F E T I M E A D A P TA B I L I T Y: W H AT T O A I M F O R Design an adaptable house for lifetime cycle use, plan for a future downstairs bedroom. Ensure that the house is fully compliant with the current Part M of the Building Regulations. Consider going beyond the minimum requirements. Refer to documents such as ‘Buildings for Everyone’ by National Rehabilitation Board or www.nda.ie. Radon accounts for approximately 55% of Ireland’s total radiation. It is recommended that home owners carry out a radon survey of their home after one year of occupation (Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland RPII). E X T E N S I O N S : W H AT T O A I M F O R If your family expands, consider extending your own or an existing home, rather than building a new one. Design a house in a manner that can allow a sensitive extension in the future if necessary. Extensions should be kept simple and compliment the existing built form of the house. They are generally best placed to the side and rear of the house having regard to the principles of scale and form outlined in section 2. Extensions can also be used to good effect as in traditional farm buildings, to enclose a space or garden and create shelter. This section deals with the accessibility of your home for both the home owner and for visitors. It deals with lifetime adaptability – how your home should be able to adjust as occupants get older and their needs change. It also covers extensions and how we should consider providing a good quality extension before considering building a new home. The key message is to plan for change. S e c t i o n 8 Designing Houses - Creating homes in the Offaly Countryside Page 20 Extension Examples of traditional and contemporary rural extensions 1 2

3. Page 23

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   Section 9 : Sources / Further reading S O U R C E S / F U R T H E R R E A D I N G Offaly County Development Plan NIAH Architectural Heritage of Offaly, DoEHLG www.buildingsofireland.ie Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland www.riai.ie Building Sensitively in the Landscapes of County Wexford, Wexford County Council Building Sensitively and Sustainably in County Louth, Louth County Council Cork Rural Design Guide, Cork County Council County Clare Rural House Design Guide, Clare County Council Classic Irish Houses of the Middle Size, Maurice Craig House – The Magazine for Architect-Designed Houses Irish Countryside Buildings, Patrick and Maura Shaffrey Irish Stone Walls, Patrick McAfee Reusing Farm Buildings, Kildare County Council Stone Buildings, Patrick McAfee C R E D I T S All sketches by R. Mc Kenna, all photos by G. Daly and R. Mc Kenna, Offaly County Council except: P5-1 In-between-house by Dominick Stevens, photo Ros Kavanagh. P7- Castlequarter by Richard Rice/Healy & Partners. P8- FS House by Studio M, photo Ros Kavanagh. P9-1 West Cork House by Kevin Gartland, photo Ros Kavanagh, 2 FS House by Studio M, photo Ros Kavanagh, 3 Interior by Denis Duggan. P10-1 DC House by Peter Lyons. P12-1 House at Ballyvaughan, 2 House at Doolin by Grafton Architects, 3 House at Milltown Malbay. P13-1 Denis Duggan, 2 House in Louisburgh by Cox Power, photo Michael Mc Laughlin, 3 Weekend House by John Dorman, photo Ros Kavanagh, 4 Denis Duggan, 5 Castlequarter by Richard Rice/Healy & Partners, 6 Evelyn Duff, 7 Murrisk House by Cox Power, photo Lelia Sammon, 8 Ballyconneely by John Dorman, photo Ros Kavanagh. P14-1 Mimetic by Dominick Stevens, photo Ros Kavanagh. P15-1 K-House by Peter Lyons, 2 Louisburgh House by Cox Power, photo Michael Mc Laughlin. P19 Solar panel, stove, wind turbine by Donall Mac An Bheatha. P20-1 Extension to a Thatched House by Cox Power, 2 Extension by Bone Rowan, photo Ros Kavanagh www.roskavanagh.com A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S Offaly County Council wish to thank everyone associated with the production of these guidelines, particularly the elected members of Offaly County Council and the Economic Development and Planning SPC. The Council also wish to thank members of the public and agents who made submissions on the guidelines and those who gave permission for the use and reproduction of photographs. S e c t i o n 9 Designing Houses - Creating homes in the Offaly Countryside Page 21

4. Page 24

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   ‘The private house continues to occupy a unique position both in the history of architecture and human cultural imagination. The house, the domus, the home is at once refuge and shelter. It is the place of communion for the family (and its many contemporary variations), for domestic activities, for living, working, eating and sleeping, and in both a very public and private domain. The distracting delights of cities and social interaction are manifest, but everyone dreams of having a home.’ 100 Great Homes Cover illustration: ‘Landscapes of Offaly’, acrylic on canvas by Gerry Fox

Source Offaly County Council: Rural Design Guidelines for Offaly · Licence the publisher's termsText read from the publisher’s PDF; tables, maps and drawings do not survive as text, and page numbers are the PDF’s (its first page is 1). Check the original before relying on a passage.