deliverable report deliverable no.: 2.1 work package no: 2€¦ · deliverable report serve 2 table...

Integrated Project

PRIORITY 6: Sustainable development, global change and ecosystems. Sub-priority: Sus-tainable energy systems.

Eco Building New Buildings Progress Report Date: 5th December 2008

Author: Gregg Allen, Shane Barrett, Seamus Hoyne

Version: Final

CONCERTO is co-funded by the European Commission

Project Acronym: SERVE REF EC: (Project Number) TREN07/FP6EN/S.07.71106/038382 REF (project coordinator org.): DOCUMENT: REF.:

Project Coordinator: Seamus Hoyne Project coordination org.: Tipperary Rural and Business Development In-stitute Date: 5th December 2008 Revision: 1

CONCERTO INITIATIVE SERVE

Sustainable Energy for the Rural Village

Environment

Deliverable Report Deliverable No.: 2.1 Work Package No: 2

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Table of contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................................................................................... 2 1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................................ 3 2 OVERVIEW OF ECO-VILLAGE .................................................................................................................... 3

2.1 THE VILLAGE - HISTORY .........................................................................ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. 2.2 SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS IRELAND LIMITED ............................................................................................... 3 2.3 ECO VILLAGE MASTER PLAN .................................................................................................................... 4 2.4 INFRASTRUCTURE .................................................................................................................................... 5

3 ENERGY STANDARDS FOR ECO-VILLAGE BUILDINGS......................................................................... 6 3.1 SPIL ECO – CHARTER ............................................................................................................................. 6 3.2 BUILDING DESIGN AND ENERGY PERFORMANCE ........................................................................................ 7 3.3 ENERGY ADVISOR.................................................................................................................................... 9

4 PLANNING PERMISSION AND SITE SALES............................................................................................10 5 COMMUNITY BUILDINGS ..........................................................................................................................11 6 BUILDING PROGRAMME...........................................................................................................................12

6.1 OXPARK CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENTS LTD..................................................................12 6.2 BUILD PLAN ...........................................................................................................................................12

7 SUPPORT MEASURES ..............................................................................................................................13 8 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................................14 APPENDICES.......................................................................................................................................................15 APPENDIX 1 – VILLAGE MEMBERS AGREEMENT .........................................................................................16 (AMENDED AS AGREED 14 MAY, 2005)...........................................................................................................17 APPENDIX 2 – SPIL ECO CHARTER.................................................................................................................24 APPENDIX 3 – SAMPLE DEAP FOR ECO-VILLAGE DWELLING....................................................................26 APPENDIX 4 – SITE FOLIO DETAILS AND MAP..............................................................................................27

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1 Introduction

The Objectives of WP2 within the SERVE project are. • To construct 132 residences with Heat Energy Rating (HER) of 70 kWh/m2/year (30% below 2006 Na-

tional Building Standards)) through use of passive solar design, insulation levels 30% above 2006 Na-tional Building Standards and high levels of controls. 50% of buildings to be constructed by Month 18 and the remainder by Month 36.

• To construct three community buildings with Heat Energy Rating (HER) of 70 kWh/m2/year (40% below current building regulations for such buildings)

• To reduce energy demand by 1000 MWh/year compared to similar buildings construction to current Na-tional Regulations

• To monitor and publish energy use and demand in all buildings to allow for demonstration of the cost-effectiveness of a holistic design approach and provide feedback to energy users

WP2 aimed to construct 66 new dwellings by Month 18 of the SERVE contract. The original plan was for the WP to have two phases. Phase 1 would run from M0 to M18 and Phase 2 from M19 to M36. This report provides details of progress made with regard to the Work Package 2 Overview of Eco-Village

2.1 Sustainable Projects Ireland Limited

SPIL was established to develop a model sustainable community. It was incorporated in Ireland on 8 Septem-ber 1999 as a registered company. Its full name is Sustainable Projects Ireland Ltd; it is also known as 'The Village'. As an organisation SPIL operates in a non-conventional way. Those who purchase sites become members of the SPIL Company, with associated rights. SPIL employs the following staff (as of November 2008):

- General Manager - Administrator - Sales Manager - Energy Advisor

Other resources are employed on a contract basis as required e.g. Planning Consultant, Consultant Engineer. Appendix 1 contains the Village Agreement which is signed between SPIL and new Members. It highlights that members of the company are purchasing services sites which have outline planning permission from SPIL. Members commit to abide by SPILs rules and regulations, in particular its Eco-Charter (ref Section 14.2.3 of Agreement. SPIL has established a range of working groups which are populated by the members of SPIL. Examples of groups relevant to the SERVE project include

- Energy Waste and Water Group: - Building Group - Construction Management - Planning Group

These groups provide a valuable mechanism to discuss and develop actions and issues within the organisation. The groups are involved in developing policies and procedures which are then agreed with the Executive and Board of Directors.

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2.2 Eco Village Master Plan

Figure 2-1: Schematics of Eco-village Design

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2.3 Infrastructure

The development of the Eco-village in Cloghjordan reached some important milestones in the first 12 months of the SERVE project. In particular the infrastructure (roads, sewerage, lighting and district heating network) was completed in May 2008 with final commissioning of the services expected to be completed by August 2008 (Month 9) The construction of dwellings on the site was dependent on the infrastructure contractor completing their work to an appropriate standard before dwelling construction could commence. A significant issue arose with the sewerage and drainage system. This resulted in the contractor only finishing works on site on the 8th of De-cember (Month 14). This has been a primary factor in delaying house construction on the site. Sustainable Projects Ireland Limited (SPIL) – Partner 3 have been involved in detailed discussions with the contractor and engineers to address this issue. The infrastructure is not being funded by the SERVE CONCERTO programme but by SPIL.

Figure 2-2: Eco-Village Infrastructure Completed

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3 Energy Standards for Eco-Village Buildings

The development of the dwellings at the Eco-Village is being completed by individual site owners. Site owners have purchased serviced sites from SPIL and it is their responsibility to secure full planning permission for their individual housing unit. The contracts with the site owners commit them to meeting relevant energy standards. The following quality control procedures have been put in place to ensure that these standards are met:

• Development of an Eco-Charter which sets minimum standards in terms of energy, waste, water etc. for the development and each site owner must agree to meet or exceed these standards.

• The appointment of an Energy Advisor to work with a range of working groups (Construction Manage-ment, Energy Waste and Water, Planning) and members to ensure that the homes are constructed to meet the energy targets within SERVE and also the Eco-Charter targets of SPIL..

• Each site owner is provided with a planning pack which includes a wide range of support information. Site owners are required to complete checklists to prompt members to demonstrate how they are meet-ing eco-charter.

3.1 SPIL Eco – Charter

The Eco-Charter is included in full Appendix 2. Sample targets which are set within the Eco-Charter include: • Building Energy Rating Average: 85 kWh/m2/year • Wall U-Value: 0.19 W/m2 K • Roof U-Value (pitched): 0.11 W/m2 K • Windows U-Value: 1.5 W/m2 K • Separate time and temperature control for heating and hot water • Use of ecological materials where possible • Reduce water consumption to 85L/person/day • Requirement to connect to RES District Heating system • Recycling of organic wastes • Maximisation of daylight in all dwellings • All dwellings to use low energy lighting • Maximum of 5 Air Changes per hour – target of 1.

Each commitment within the Charter has a verification process and specific targets. A key commitment with the Charter is as follows Commitment:: To design for a primary energy requirement of 30% below the input allowed by the 2006 Build-ing Regulations. Verification: SPIL's Pre-Planning Approval Process. Buildings should be designed to minimise the total primary energy inputs for all energy re-quirements. This necessitates a holistic assessment of - construction type an size - insulation - ventilation & air-tightness - lighting/appliances etc. - heating system and controls. Targets Building Energy Rating average of 85 kWh/m2/yr.

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3.2 Building Design and Energy Performance

The master plan for the site has been completed by Solearth, http://www.solearth.com/pages/practice.htm. The design seeks to maximise solar access on the site along with a wide range of other ecological principles. A number of leading architects and building designers are engaged with site owners to develop a range of building designs. Architects

- Brian O' Brien of Solearth (designer of masterplan)

o www.solearth.com - Sally Starbuck of Gaia Ecotecture (member

and designer of community building east) o http://www.gaiagroup.org/Architect

s - Aidan Lavelle, (budget designer of number

of houses) - Paul Mc Nally (designer of number of

houses in project) o http://www.pmnarchitecture.com/

- Rachel Ludlow (designer of number of houses in project)

- Uwe Yarwood, Dublin - Fechin Morgan of Morgan design

Builders

- Continental Homes

o http://www.continentalhomes.ie/

- GriffnerHaus o http://www.griffnerhaus.com/

- Scandanavian Homes

o http://www.scanhome.ie/

- EcoHouse o http://www.ecohouse.ie/

- GreenHus

o http://www.greenhusltd.com/

The house designs incorporate a range of ecological features and samples of the house designs are shown below. Each house design is required to complete an energy assessment using the National methodology for energy assessments of new dwellings (DEAP). To comply with the Eco-Charter and SERVE targets the dwell-ings will have to achieve a Building Energy Rating (BER) equivalent to a B1 (75 to 100 kWh/m2/year) total pri-mary energy. The average figure which is being aimed for is 85 kWh/m2/year. Average delivered energy for the dwellings is approximately 73kWh/m2/year. A sample DEAP is provided in Appendix 3 for illustrative purposes. A particular issue which has caused complications from the WP 2 team is the fact that the DEAP methodology is not currently ideally designed for assessment of dwellings which are connected to a district heating (DH) system. The main factor which needs to be addressed is that the DEAP methodology is currently restricted to using default seasonal efficiencies for the DH system. The current default is 75% which is below the efficiency for many biomass boilers. This results in a lower energy rating than expected. Negotiations are on-going with Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) on how to address this issue.

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Figure 3-1: Sample House Designs for Eco-village

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3.3 Energy Advisor

SPIL recruited an Energy Advisor in August 2008. The role of the Advisor will be to assist members to meet SPILs pre-planning process and the requirements of the SERVE project. The Energy Advisor will provide in-formation and advice to members to support them to ensure house designs meet the requirements of SPIL’s ecological charter and the SERVE project. The Energy Advisor will also be responsible for reviewing / apprais-ing submissions to the pre-planning panel and specifically for assessing the check list relating to the ecological charter, monitoring building and documenting the installation of technology in each home. The Energy Advisor will also advise the project coordinator on progress against SERVE targets and produce reports required by SERVE. Specific actions include:

- Information Pack: Provision of a details information pack for members on relevant energy measures and linked to SPIL Eco-Charter

- Information Service for members: Provision of seminars and one to one sessions with SPIL members to address particular issues

- Checklists: Assessment of members checklists as completed during planning process - Reporting: As required by SERVE project

The initial work of the Energy Advisor has been to work with the a number of groups to collate information in relation to the building programme for the Eco Village. This involved coordination of sales, planning and energy data. Having collated this data surveys of building types and ability to build were completed. This data is being supplied to the team initiating the construction phase. Key outcomes from this research as of November 2008 were:

- 21 full energy assessments have been completed - 90% of house types are timber frame - Average Dwelling BER: 83 kWh/m2/year - Average Heat Energy Rating: 78kWh/m2/year - Average Building Floor Area: 135m2 - Total Floor Area of Sold Sites: 93,63m2 - Total Projected Floor Area to be constructed: 17,100m2.

From the research that has been completed by the Energy Advisor it is clear that the members are in line with expected energy targets. There remains a challenge to ensure that members complete DEAP assessments in a timely fashion so that a quality check can be put on these energy standards. The Energy Advisor began work on the production of a targeted information pack for members which will be made available in January 2009 and this will be promoted through relevant seminars and information cam-paigns in February 2009 onwards. The Energy Advisor will have to work with those involved in the construction phase as part of the SPIL quality control team.

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4 Planning Permission and Site Sales

As stated above those who purchase a site in the Eco-village do so in the knowledge that it is their responsibil-ity to secure planning permission. A Planning consultant has been engaged by SPIL to manage this process and work with the planning authority, North Tipperary County Council. To encourage appropriate design ap-proaches and consistency in terms of planning and built form the eco-village units have been grouped into clus-ters. Each cluster group is required to work together and submit their planning applications in a group for as-sessment by the planning authority. The SPIL Planning consultant has made a number of planning submissions to North Tipperary County Council over the past few months. The current status relating to these permissions are:

• 13 Further Information Requests (FIR) submitted on 16th November 2008 • Final Grant of Planning permission expected on 16th December 2008 • 20 Further Information Requests to be submitted on 20th December 2008 • Final Grant of Planning permission expected on 20th January 2009

Total Full Planning Permissions expected by 31st January 2009

21 Full Planning Permission received 13 Full Planning Permission expected 16th December 2008 20 Full Planning Permission expected 20th December 2008

Therefore, as of Month 14 SPIL should have secured full planning permission on 40% of the total sites and 77% of all sites sold. There are a total of 132 units to be built at the eco-village site. Each of these sites has to be purchased, plan-ning permission sought for the unit and construction completed by the purchaser. There is a mix of unit types available for sale. Currently of the 132 units 77 have been sold (58% of sites). A number of sites are under negotiation. It was expected that over 100 sites would have been sold by October 2008 but the dramatic slow down in the economy in Ireland has had a major bearing on the ability of SPIL to sell the sites. The SPIL Board of Directors and sales group are currently working on a strategy to address future site sales. Achieving 85 site sales will put SPIL in a position to take on the development of unsold sites itself and address the ‘gaps’ that exist in the development of the site. Appendix 4 provides details of the current status of site sales and energy targets for the dwellings and the site folio map.

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5 Community Buildings

There are four Community Buildings planned within the eco-village development; 1. Welcome Building : Currently there is a derelict structure located at the entrance which links the exist-

ing village of Cloughjordan and the eco-village. Tenders for refurbishment of the building are currently being assessed and a contract will be awarded in January 2009 (162m2) .

2. East Community Building; Full Planning Permission has been received. There are two possible trig-

gers to initiate the tendering and construction of this building. Once 100 sites have been sold there will be sufficient resources available to allow construction to commence. SPIL are also exploring the possi-bility of securing external and state funding to accelerate the building programme of the East Commu-nity Building. Based on a successful sales strategy we expect to commence construction in September 2009 (458 m2) .

3. West Community Building; Schematic Designs completed. A planning application has not been

made. The progression of this building is dependant on securing either external or state funding.

4. Enterprise Building; Enterprise Ireland has approved a capital grant to Sustainable Projects Ireland Ltd in the sum of €450,000. This funding relates to the development of Community Enterprise Centre with the eco-village development. The centre will be located adjacent to the District Heating Plant and will provide eco-entrepreneurship workspace along with an innovation hub, with training and education being a key feature of potential income generation. Detailed designs will be prepared and submitted for planning in February 2009 and we expect to commence construction in September 2009 (758m2) .

Based on the above the two buildings are planned for commencement in 2009 (Welcome Pavilion and Enter-prise Building). This would equate to 820m2 of community structures being started by Month 24. Subject to the East Community Building being funded this target could be increased to 1,278m2 being completed by Month 36. The target floor area for the tertiary buildings within the eco-village is 1,030m2 . The completion of the other buildings will depend on adequate funding becoming available as a result of sales or securing external funding.

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6 Building Programme

6.1 Oxpark Construction Management Developments Ltd.

As stated SPILs remit is to provide services sites for sale to interested members. The next stage of the project is the construction of the dwellings and a separate legal entity has been established to manage this process. Oxpark Construction Management Developments Ltd has evolved out of the Construction Management Group within SPIL. It is a legal entity with membership being comprised of members of the Eco-Village. The role of the Construction Management Group is to ‘To manage the process of construction to ensure that all members can build their homes In a safe manner

In a timely manner

At best value for money

To the best affordable ecological quality’

It determined that the best way to achieve these goals was to create a construction management company which would engage professionals to carry out these necessary functions. Since this decision Oxpark Construc-tion Management Developments Ltd. has been incorporated as a company limited by guarantee with no share capital. On the 21st of November SPIL awarded a license to Oxpark to manage the construction phase of the project.

6.2 Build Plan

A Construction Manager has been appointed by Oxpark. Construction plans are ambitious. The success of the project is dependent on moving ahead as quickly as possible with construction. That now means each and every site owner will need to make all the necessary preparations for commencing construction in the New Year. It is intended to have construction commenced on ALL sold sites (77) during 2009. Commencements will be staged at four month intervals, and 12 months is allowed for each build. All construction should be completed by December 2010. There is a six-month contingency built into the figures. Construction will start in January 2009 on the first sites. This is a significant milestone for the project and Ox-park will have to work closely with SPIL Site sales to ensure the relevant targets are achieved. A summary of the key data in relation to the building of the houses on the site are as follows:

- 65 sites sold - 12 with booking deposits of €15,000 - Total sites sold: 77 - 20 sites have full planning permission - 54 sites to have full planning permission by January 2009 - 21 full energy assessments have been completed - 90% of house types are timber frame - Majority of site owners are in a position to build in 2009.

Key energy data relevant to SERVE includes

- Average Dwelling BER: 83 kWh/m2/year - Average Heat Energy Rating: 78kWh/m2/year - Average Building Floor Area: 135m2 - Total Floor Area of Sold Sites: 9,363m2 - Total Projected Floor Area to be constructed: 17,100m2.

The Eco-village is therefore projected to achieve the target of 13,200m2 of ecobuildings to be constructed by Month 36, with these buildings meeting the design standards required.

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7 Support Measures

The SERVE Project will provide supports to the site owners to ensure that they achieve their energy targets. Supports are proposed in the following areas. The proposed supports are targeted at both design measures and specific energy efficiency measures Design Measures:

- DEAP Analysis and Design: Each dwelling has to complete a DEAP Analysis. In some cases this will involve the energy assessor also doing design work in conjunction with the designer/architect. The typical fees for such a service are €350 to €650 per dwelling

- Air Pressure Testing: To achieve the energy standards will require a high level of air tightness within the dwellings. All dwellings will be required to be tested once constructed to measure air tightness. Typical costs for such a service are €600 to 900 per dwelling

Energy Efficiency Measures

- Roof Insulation: All dwellings are required to achieve a roof U-Value of 0.11 W/m2 K. This will require very high levels of insulation to be installed (typically >350mm of fibreglass or equivalent). Installation costs are in the range of €10-12/m2

- Heating Controls: The DH system which is being developed as part of the eco-village and supported by the SERVE project will involve the installation of a heat exchanger, hot water tank (400L) and associ-ated metering. However, it is vital that the heat provided within the dwelling is controlled effectively. All dwellings will be required to install separate time and temperature control for both space and hot water. Typically installed costs for such a control system range from €2,500 to €4,500.

Support will be provided to the SPIL members once proof has been provided that the dwelling achieves the relevant energy standards and the relevant energy measures outlined above are implemented. The final details of the supports will be agreed with the members by the Energy Advisor and General Manager. Glazing will not supported as part of the WP.

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8 Conclusion

Work Package 2 has suffered some delays due mainly to delays in the completion of infrastructure works within the Eco-Village and also the slow down in the building industry in Ireland, which has affected site sales. However, SPIL is confident that it can achieve the targets of constructing 13,200 m2 of residential ecobuildings by Month 36, along with 1,030m2 of tertiary buildings. The designs of the buildings which have been developed to date show that the targeted energy performance will be achieved, but also that the average floor area of dwellings is above that which was expected. This should mean that the eco-village will reach the target of buildings in terms of floor are within the timeframe. SPIL has put the structures in place to ensure that the construction happens in an orderly and efficient fashion. It will be a significant milestone for the SERVE project and the Eco-village once construction starts in January 2009.

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Appendices

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Appendix 1 – Village Members Agreement

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VILLAGE MEMBERS AGREEMENT (Amended As Agreed 14 May, 2005)

Section 1 - Terms used in this agreement SPIL: Sustainable Projects Ireland Ltd. The Option Agreement: the Option Agreement dated 16 April 2003 made between SPIL and Peter and Sarah Baker. In the Agreement, the Bakers gave SPIL an option to purchase part of their land – the effect of this is described below under the heading 'Purchasing the land for a sustainable model community'. The Estate: the lands described in the Option Agreement. Infrastructure: the roads, utilities, common areas, community buildings, facilities, and other structures and services that are necessary for the development of the Estate. Site: a numbered plot of land within the Estate for which outline planning permission for buildings has been applied. Member: an individual who has become a member of SPIL in line with SPIL's Articles of Association. Section 2 - Introduction 2.1 This agreement states the rights and obligations of SPIL and of Members in relation to the Estate. It is a legally binding contract between SPIL and each Member as an individual. It does not apply to Members who join SPIL as a tenant and not as an owner of a Village property. 2.2 This agreement is one of a set of documents known as The Village Charter, which is described in section 3.3. 2.3 This agreement replaces the second Members’ Agreement, which was agreed and signed in 2003. Section 3 - Background 3.1 SPIL was established to develop a model sustainable community. It was incorporated in Ireland on 8 Sep-tember 1999 as a registered company; the registered number is 312131. Its full name is Sustainable Projects Ireland Ltd; it is also known as 'The Village'. 3.2 SPIL is a company limited by guarantee and does not have a share capital. This means that the company has no shareholders and so cannot distribute profits as dividends to its Members. And, if SPIL was wound up, and there was a surplus after paying off SPIL's debts, Members would not be entitled to any share in the sur-plus. 3.3 The board, members, and employees of SPIL run SPIL according to The Village Charter. The Village Char-ter is made up of four documents: •The Members’ Agreement (which is this document); •The Memorandum and Articles of Association; •The Ecological Charter, which is the latest agreed version of a document that explains how the Village will be

developed and maintained in an ecologically-friendly way; and •The Rules of Operation, which is the latest agreed version of a document that explains how responsibilities are

shared within The Village and how decisions are made. 3.4 When it makes decisions, SPIL will always keep in mind the goal of developing a model sustainable com-munity. Further work is required to clarify the processes to be followed when SPIL makes the decisions that are required by this agreement.

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Section 4 - Purchasing the land for a sustainable model commu-nity 4.1 On 16 April, 2003, SPIL signed an option agreement with Peter and Sarah Baker of Cloughjordan, Co. Tip-perary. This agreement gave SPIL the option to purchase approximately 67 acres of land at Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary for 975,000 euro. SPIL paid the Bakers 10,000 euro for this option. The effect of an option is that it gives the party to whom it is given the right to buy the land for the price stated, by simply serving a written no-tice exercising the option. The effect of serving notice exercising the option is to create a legally binding con-tract for sale and purchase of the land. 4.2 The Option Agreement stated that the option could be exercised at any time between 1 April 2003 and 31 May 2004, but it also stated that SPIL could extend this period month by month by paying 4000 euro per month. SPIL paid for five extensions under this provision: SPIL paid and the Bakers accepted five payments of 4000 euro each, extending the time for exercising the option to the end of October. 4.3 On 22 October 2004, SPIL wrote to Peter and Sarah Baker exercising the option. The effect of exercising the option was to create a legally binding contract for the Bakers to sell the Estate to SPIL for 975,000 euro. SPIL is responsible to Members for doing its best to complete the purchase as soon as possible. But there is no guarantee of when or if it will be able to do so.

Section 5 - Payments toward purchase of a site 5.1 Members are entitled to buy a Site within the Estate. Members have already paid money toward the pur-chase of a site and these amounts have been credited to their account, or in some cases they have had money credited to their account in lieu of payment. Some Members have agreed to pay by instalments. 5.2 This money is non-returnable, which means that SPIL does not have to return this money to a Member. But SPIL will deduct this money from the purchase price of a Site when it contracts to sell the Site. 5.3 If two or more Members want to buy one site together, they will together pay the non-returnable payment. This will be credited in the books of SPIL to the member who provides the money, or to each according to the amount they paid, or, if they so request, to them jointly. 5.4 The amounts paid by or credited to each Member and the outstanding amounts that Members have agreed to pay by instalments are listed at the end of this agreement. 5.5 Anyone who becomes a Member between the date of this agreement and the grant of outline planning per-mission must pay 6000 euro to SPIL. This amount is a non-returnable payment that SPIL will deduct from the purchase price of a site when it contracts to sell the Site. 5.6 After outline planning permission for the estate has been obtained, the non-returnable payment for new Members will be more than 6000 euro. The exact amount has yet to be agreed. 5.7 A new Member will make the non-returnable payment: •when they become a member, or •in instalments if the Member and SPIL agree to it.

Section 6 - Planning permission 6.1 SPIL will do its best to get outline planning permission for the development of the Estate and detailed plan-ning permission for the Infrastructure, but there is no guarantee that it will be able to do so. SPIL will pay the costs of the planning applications from company funds.

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6.2 If the application for planning permission is refused at any point in the planning process, SPIL will decide whether or not to appeal the decision.

Section 7 - Milestone Payments 7.1 When outline planning permission for the development of the Estate and detailed planning permission for the Infrastructure has been granted, each Member agrees to pay SPIL a further non-returnable amount that will be deducted from the purchase price of a Site. 7.2 The amount payable will bring the total paid or credited to the Member to 15,000 euro. If two or more Mem-bers are buying one Site together, they will make the further payment together. This will be credited in the books of SPIL to the Member who provides the money, or to each according to the amount they paid, or, if they so request, to them jointly.

Section 8 - Infrastructure 8.1 It is the responsibility of SPIL to define, design, construct, complete and afterwards to maintain the Infra-structure. The costs of the Infrastructure will be paid from company funds. The infrastructure will be completed as soon as possible. 8.2 SPIL may decide to form management companies, energy companies or other companies or organisations to take over the responsibilities of building or maintaining the Infrastructure or any part of it. SPIL will make these decisions according to the Rules of Operation. 8.3 Throughout the active development of the Estate it will be the responsibility of SPIL to set up and maintain an effective information management system to ensure that all concerned are kept fully informed. The precise design of the information management system has not yet been worked out. 8.4 SPIL is responsible for defining the infrastructure that is necessary for each site. The details of this infra-structure will be specified in the contract for the sale of each site. SPIL will be guided by its professional advi-sors when it defines the infrastructure for each site.

Section 9 - Site boundaries and rights 9.1 SPIL is responsible for: •drawing the boundaries of the sites; •detailing the rights attached to the sites; and •detailing the rights of others over sites. 9.2 When it does this, it will take the advice of its legal advisers and consider the purpose of SPIL.

Section 10 - Sale of sites 10.1 Sites will be sold freehold. This means that the purchaser will be the sole owner of the Site. 10.2 The terms and conditions of each sale will be determined by SPIL. They will include the provisions outlined in section 11. SPIL and not the purchaser will have the final say in deciding the precise terms and conditions. Section 11 - Site purchasers

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11.1 Each Member is entitled to buy or join in buying one or more Sites. The Member can purchase a site in his or her own name or with one or more other people who may or may not be Members. A company, housing as-sociation, cooperative or other group or body can purchase a site if a member of that group is a Member of SPIL. 11.2 If a site purchaser is not an individual Member or two or more individual Members, the identity of the site purchaser must be approved by SPIL. Approving a site purchaser ensures that the purchaser is a properly and legally constituted body. SPIL cannot unreasonably withhold approval of a properly and legally constituted body if the body accepts the purpose of developing a model sustainable community. 11.3 When a site purchaser is a group or body and not an individual Member or Members, all arrangements relating to the establishment and running of the site purchaser are the responsibility of the people concerned. Any Member or Members involved in the body that is purchasing a site must keep SPIL informed of the pro-gress of these arrangements. 11.4 All Members who do not intend to become a sole Site Purchaser must complete their arrangements for identifying the group of Members or other body that is purchasing a site (including, for example, the formation of a new company) and (where required) obtain approval from SPIL under section 11.2 above as soon as practi-cable so that these arrangements do not delay the allocation process or signing contracts for the sale of sites.

Section 12 - The purchase price of sites 12.1 The purchase prices quoted are only estimates. SPIL accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of these estimates. 12.2 The actual purchase price of Sites will be determined by five components. The five components will be fixed by SPIL on the advice of the quantity surveyor for SPIL. The purchase price of a particular Site cannot be changed after SPIL contracts to sell that Site. 12.3 The first four components are: •a square metre charge; •a commons surcharge for the use of common land and all common facilities; •an infrastructure charge; and •a location charge. 12.4 The fifth component is the date when a Member became a Member. There are three different time frames.

�i)If the Member became a Member before 1 August 2003. In this case SPIL will also take into account the date when the Member made a payment.

�ii)If the Member became a Member after 1 August 2003 but before outline planning permission is granted. The purchase price will be 2,540 euro higher than the purchase price for a member in group (i).

�iii)If the member became a member after outline planning permission is granted. The amount to be added to the purchase price for group (iii) will be decided by SPIL in the future and according to the Rules of Operation.

12.5 The actual purchase prices of sites will only be determined after: •detailed planning permission for the infrastructure is granted, and •a contract is signed with a construction company to build the infrastructure. SPIL cannot know the cost of the infrastructure before these happen, so the prices cannot be calculated yet.

Section 13 - Allocation of sites 13.1 SPIL is responsible for allocating sites to Members (or other Site purchasers – see section 11).

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13.2 Sites are currently being allocated to Members on a provisional basis. This is being done according to a procedure which was decided according to the Rules of Operation. 13.3 Ultimately, the number and size of Sites depends on planning permission. Formal allocation will be made in the future according to the agreed procedure.

Section 14 - Site purchase contracts 14.1 SPIL and the Site Purchaser will enter into a contract for the sale and purchase of each Site within one month after: • the Site has been formally allocated to the Site Purchaser, and • the purchase price is decided. 14.2 The contract will contain the following: 14.2.1 The fixed purchase price. 14.2.2 Agreements by SPIL (i) SPIL will complete that part of the Infrastructure that is necessary for the development and enjoyment of the Site. This infrastructure will be completed according to any relevant planning permission and all legal require-ments. (ii) These works will be specified in the Site Contract. (iii) SPIL will bind itself in the Site Contract to complete such works as soon as practicable and to the satisfaction of all relevant authorities. (iv) These works will be secured, which means that completion of the work will be guaranteed. The security will be specified in the site contract. The security may be a bond that is backed by a reputable financial institution or some other method. The security must, in the opinion of SPIL's legal advisers, be acceptable to prospective lending institutions. 14.2.3 Agreements by the Site Purchaser

i. The Site Purchaser will agree at its own expense as soon as practicable to apply for and obtain detailed planning permission for the dwelling or dwellings for which outline planning permission has been ob-tained.

ii. Any planning application will be consistent with the Ecological Charter. Each planning application must

first be approved by SPIL. SPIL will not unreasonably withhold approval of a planning application.

iii. The Site Purchaser will undertake at its own expense and as soon as practicable to develop the site according to: (a) the detailed planning permission; (b) the Ecological Charter; and (c) all legal requirements.

iv. Every contract for Site purchase will include a clause about how a member can sell a property on the

Estate. The clause will say that a member who wants to sell a site must:

•obtain an open market valuation of the property by a valuer approved by SPIL, and • give SPIL 4 weeks’ notice to purchase the property at that price. If during the 4 weeks SPIL or any Member notifies the seller that they want to purchase the property, the first notice will constitute a binding contract to sell and purchase at that price on the terms of the Law Society's standard contract for the sale of land. If SPIL or any Member does not give notice to purchase the property, the Member will be free to sell on the open market within six months after the expiry of the 4 weeks. A Member who wants to sell on the open market after the six month period must repeat the valuation and notice process.

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(v) Paragraph (iv) does not apply to a sale by a bank or other lending institution that holds a mortgage on the property or charge over the property. 14.3 The terms and conditions of each site contract will be determined by SPIL. They must be reasonable in the circumstances, and they must promote the development of the estate as a model sustainable community. SPIL must take into account the advice of its legal advisers and the views of the Site Purchaser. SPIL's decisions as to the terms and conditions will nevertheless be final and binding.

Section 15 - New Members and the Members’ Agreement 15.1 Anyone who becomes a Member of SPIL after the date of this agreement must sign a form that says that they agree to be bound by this agreement. This does not apply to someone who becomes a Member on becoming a tenant of a Village property.

Section 16 - When members leave the company 16.1 If a Member leaves SPIL, SPIL does not have to return any money that the Member has paid toward purchasing a site. But SPIL can decide to return part or all of the money that the Member has paid toward pur-chasing a site. 16.2 If a Member leaves SPIL, they lose all the rights enjoyed by members of the company. 16.3 If a Member leaves SPIL, they are no longer bound by the terms of this agreement.

Section 17 - The duration of this agreement 17.1 This agreement is in force until the company and the members agree and sign a new Members’ Agree-ment.

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Schedule: Members of the company and the amounts they have paid and owe.

The Name Of The Member

The Amount Cred-ited On Account

For The Purchase Of A Site

The Amount The Member Still Has To Pay By Instal-

ments Omitted for Data Protection Reasons Agreed and signed by the Members of Sustainable Projects Ireland Limited on 14th May, 2005 or on the later date noted by their signature. Member's name Member's Signature Signature of witness This agreement was signed by representatives of Sustainable Projects Ireland Ltd. in the presence of _____________________________________ on 14th May, 2005.

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Appendix 2 – SPIL Eco Charter

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Version 5

THE VILLAGE

ECOLOGICAL CHARTER

Redrafted by Duncan Martin: 22/04/07 Approved by Members: 12/05/07

Sustainable Projects Ireland Ltd Tel: 00353 505 42833/42810 Email: [email protected] Website: www.thevillage.ie

SPIL Ecological Charter 2007: v5 (DM N070424): p 2 of 48

Index

1. Preface 2. Introduction 2.1 Objectives 2.2 Definitions 2.3 Charter Principles 2.4 Other Principles, Design Regulations and Guidlines 2.5 Assessment 2.6 Complexity. 2.7 District Heating 2.8 Financial Support 3. Rules and guidelines for design of dwellings and communal facilities 3.1 Rational use of energy

3.1.1 Grants 3.1.2 Energy efficient construction & assessment procedure 3.1.3 Insulation levels

3.1.4 Cooking 3.1.5 Electrical appliances

3.1.6 Monitoring & control 3.2 Renewable Energy Supply 3.2.1 Electric power

3.2.2 Passive solar heating 3.2.3 District heating 3.2.4 Supplementary heating (if any)

3.3 General environmental matters 3.3.1 Land management plan 3.3.2 Indigenous plants 3.3.3 Green spaces and building surfaces 3.3.4 Short rotation forestry 3.3.5 Movement of wildlife 3.3.6 Nutrient cycling 3.3.7 Harmful substances 3.4 Water

3.4.1 Water consumption 3.4.2 Water efficiency 3.4.3 Wastewater treatment

3.5 Solid wastes

3.5.1 Waste minimization 3.5.2 Construction wastes


3.5.3 Household wastes - organic 3.5.4 Household wastes – recyclable inorganics 3.5.5 Other household wastes

3.6 Materials of construction

3.6.1 Materials - general 3.6.2 Timber/wood 3.6.3 Other materials 3.7 Light and air 3.7.1 Daylight: 3.7.2 Electric Light 3.7.3 Air-tight construction 3.7.4 Ventilation 3.8 Community issues 3.8.1 Transport 3.8.2 Social & Communal Facilities 3.8.3 Domestic animals 3.8.4 Light pollution and noise pollution Appendices (numbered to correspond) will be posted on the Village website and will be updated from time to time by the competent Village Group.


1. PREFACE

Preface by guest author to be inserted.


2. INTRODUCTION This Charter forms the Design Manual for 'The Village', Ireland's first eco-village, to be built in Cloughjordan, North Tipperary. The Charter combines agreed standards and advice on how to achieve them, approved by Village members. Additional material in a separate set of appendices will form an evolving collection of contributions made by Village Groups and individual members and posted on the Village website. Thus, the Charter is binding on members, while the appendices are simply additional information. While much of it is necessarily specific to the Cloughjordan project, we hope it will provide a valuable source of ideas for anyone contemplating a similar project, in Ireland or elsewhere. It has to be quite lengthy, because it is written for a very diverse audience, including new members. Much of the material might be quite new to some of them. In other cases, they need to know the background to decisions made long ago. Moreover, one of SPIL's many objectives is to educate ourselves as designers and builders, which we cannot do by issuing a simple set of unexplained commandemnts. Finally, we also want to encourage all our members to question their own preconceptions and assumptions, to stretch their own limits - even to take risks when appropriate. That too needs more than a simple sett of rules. 2.1 Objectives Sustainable Projects Ireland Ltd (SPIL, trading as "The Village") is creating a model sustainable community and integrated settlement adjacent to the existing village of Cloughjordan. The project proposes a master-planned, community-managed development; comprising housing units, community buildings & infrastructure, workspaces, education centre,, reception facilities and retail outlets. The Village Ecological Charter is a document that sets out guidelines for the design of the proposed development and will continue on to affect all its future operations. It sets clear aims to assist members in the way they build their houses and interact with the development. The Ecological Charter defines how the company will develop the common land and infrastructure of the estate, to reduce the impact of the project on the natural environment and so promoting sustainable development. All homes, community buildings and enterprises will adhere to the guidelines set in the ecological charter as conditions of membership of the company. It follows that Members must give an up-to-date copy of this charter to their architect and/or builder or kit supplier* at an early stage in the design process. Plans that do not conform to the standards it sets will require revision before submission for planning permission. (*All referred to below generically as a 'designer'.)


2.2 Definitions The Ecological Charter is presented as a list of different subject headings. In broad terms each heading is considered against the following criteria. • Responsibility: whether a feature is the responsibility of an individual household

and/or SPIL. • Commitment: the minimum threshold the project will attain for each specific

aspect. • Aspiration: a general goal the project would hope to achieve for each specific

aspect • Verification: how we will assess our performance against these targets. Each section concludes with action points for every Member and for SPIL and/or Village Groups. Most of the latter actions are listed as for Groups and/or as Business Opportunities, because they will not happen unless: (a) volunteers take them on (b) one or more members takes them up as a business opportunity (c) members decide to raise subscriptions to a level that will allow SPIL to hire additional staff References in this Charter to “SPIL” should be read as including the member-owned Cloughjordan Ecovillage Service Company (CESCo)... The provision of services will be taken over by CESCo soon after house construction is complete but the Community Buildings will remain in SPIL's ownership. To avoid repetition, SPIL/CESCo should be understood as having the same responsibilities in respect of a community building as individual members have for their homes (where applicable). . References to company annual reports imply the reports of either company or of any external ecological auditor.


2.3 Charter Principles Energy efficiency: All buildings will follow the principle of low-impact and high performance design, improving the efficiency of the whole building and minimising heat loss through high levels of thermal insulation, to reduce the need for space heating. The Village will aim to follow the principles of Rational Use of Energy (see #3.1), in part by establishing the site as a single user of electricity and by active load management. Efficient electrical appliances and maximum use of daylight will also be promoted. Renewable energy: the environmental impact of the development can be greatly reduced by supplying the community needs from renewable means (see #3.2). Electric power from renewable sources can be purchased from the national grid or from integrated local renewable power generation. Space heating can be provided by solar energy backed up by such renewable fuels as wood. Space heating: demand will be reduced by maximizing passive solar gains, following the bio-climatic principles of compactness and solar orientation, as far as possible, in order to gain a useful percentage of passive solar heating contribution. However, house spacing and orientation will vary, in order to avoid 'the caravan park look'. This will limit the solar gain on some plots. Central heating and hot water: The primary heat requirements for all dwellings will be provided by a district heating system (see 3.2.3). This will be wood-fired and backed up a centralized solar panel installation, to provide hot water all year and central heating when required. (Appendix 5). All boilers and piping will be highly insulated. Members will not need to install fireplaces or any additional heaters or solar panels. Cooking: High-efficiency electric cookers powered by 'green' electricity may be the best available option for most members (see #3.1.4). Biogas might be preferable but there is no short-term prospect that it will become available, while bottled LPG (Calor, Flogas etc) is an oil product, which also requires road transport. Water management: The use of potable water should be limited to drinking, cooking and dish-washing purposes. Harvested rainwater can be used for washing clothes and cleaned grey water can be used for toilet flushing, irrigation, etc (see #3.4). Materials: The embodied energy of materials will be taken into consideration. Materials of a low-embodied energy and bio-regionally sourced; local manufactures, workmen and materials should be used where possible, with minimum wastage, (see #3.6). Healthy indoor environment: All construction materials should be non-toxic in manufacture, use and decay. This means a reduction in the use of PVC, timber preservatives, glues and other intrusive substances. Natural finishes will be preferred. Daylight: The use of day light in buildings will be maximised, (see #3.7.1).


Ventilation and draught-proofing: Adequate but controllable building ventilation is essential. Careful consideration should be given to this area.at an early stage in design. Many experts recommend that ventilation systems should include heat exchangers for heat recovery, These heat the cold inflowing air by taking heat from the warm outflow. That usually (but not invariably) implies the use of ventilation fans. Other experts reckon such systems to be unduly complex and prefer passive systems, relying on natural convection, (see 3.7.4). Transport: The Village will encourage the use of public transport, car-pooling, community transport schemes, cycling and walking as modes of transportation, (see #3.8.1). Individual parking in the residential area will be limited to one space per household, usually but not invariably outside the folio boundary but near the house.. Roads will be downsized in order to promote the concept of home-zones. Social & Community: Shared facilities, such as collective laundry and transport, will be favoured, as they can save energy, water and capital investment. (see #3.8.2). Open and public access to all common amenities will be promoted. Live-Work Units: The workspace should be separately metered for heat and electricity, both for accounting purposes and to facilitate future sub-letting, if the need should arise. Businesses making heavy use of energy, water or other services may apply for exemptions from the performance targets applied to dwellings. Construction Plans: Members are required to submit a detailed construction plan with their application to SPIL for Planning Approval. This must include a Business Plan, demonstrating the resources needed to complete the job, and must show compliance with this Charter and other relevant standards. Once SPIL has approved the plan, it will be forwarded to our partners in Tipperary Institute for review (t.b.c.) then to NTCC for Full Planning Permission. Clusters: Individual plans will be considered on a batch basis, with the neighbouring properties in the 'clusters' defined by the Planning Group. Each cul-de-sac on the street plan generally forms one cluster but members should check which cluster their folio is assigned to. Biodiversity: All areas of the site will be developed to foster diverse habitats in ways that encourage biodiversity. A wide range of food crop varieties will be planted, to help ensure the survival of traditional varieties and secure the gene pool (see #3.3) Zoning: The estate will be divided into three land use zones comprising residential, agricultural and natural/woodland zones. A balance will be sought between amenity, wildlife and productivity in all zones. Amenity and Education: The educational and amenity potential of all areas of the site will be considered, while respecting the well-being of the community and the need for undisturbed wildlife areas. Yield: Obtaining a yield (especially food but also including fodder, energy, material, craft, etc.) from all areas of the site will be an important consideration but will be


balanced with the needs of the natural habitats. Localization: Anything that we import from beyond the local area, whether food, materials or energy, will have an externalised ecological cost. Producing or sourcing locally will reduce our wider ecological footprint. Fertility and Nutrient Cycling: Landscape, farm, garden and organic domestic waste will be composted on site, for use as fertiliser. We will aim to close the loop to prevent the loss of valuable nutrients from the community. The productivity of the landscape is dependent on a high and balanced soil fertility maintained by nutrient cycling and if necessary by importing additional nutrients onto the site. Management of other wastes: Waste reduction, reuse and recycling are core design principles of the project. Waste separation systems will be facilitated by SPIL. A construction waste management strategy is also planned, (see #3.5).


2.4 Other Principles, Design Regulations and Guidelines Ecovillages around the world are diverse and their objectives vary too (see www.gen.com). SPIL's primary objective is to demonstrate truly sustainable development, in as holistic a way as practicable, in order to serve as a model and am educational resource for Ireland. Thus, members of SPIL see their role as helping to develop consciousness about how we live on this planet. This will be achieved by influencing friends and neighbours, welcoming tourists and other visitors and running courses and other residential events. Such activities will be major sources of income for many members. The focus of this Charter is on attaining the necessary technical standards, for example in aiming for 'green building', for carbon-neutral construction and lifestyles, for energy efficiency and for minimizing the use of fossil fuels. Some ecovillages have achieved this by use of standardized eco-building designs. However, SPIL has opted for a diversified plan, in which members are responsible for the design and construction of their own homes to comply with the required standards. All buildings must also meet the relevant legal requirements, which include Building Regulations (2006), the Planning Acts, Building Control regulations and the requirements for Fire Safety and Universal Access. (This last requires ramped access, in order that wheelchair users can visit freely. It also avoids the need for modifications if an occupant becomes disabled.) They must also comply with SPIL's design principles for The Village: the Masterplan, the Folio Rules and the Design Guidelines, plus the zoning and Outline Planning Permission, as determined by North Tipperary County Council.


2.5 Assessment This Charter sets out a wide range of targets, some of them quantifiable, some of them less so. If we are to meet SPIL's objective of demonstrating sustainable development, SPIL will need to provide hard data on our success in reaching these targets. This will be a two-stage process: an initial assessment of members' construction plans, followed in due course by ongoing monitoring of such data as energy usage, room temperatures etc once the housing is occupied The combination of good data with great diversity in the design of our homes will be one of the distinctive benefits of our project. Ecovillages with a single style of building are common enough, as are diverse, self-build, ecovillages yielding little quantitative data. However, the Cloughjordan ecovillage will yield a mass of information on the comparisons between different styles in a common micro-climate and management system. This may well be unique – and will be one of the many factors attracting visitors and business to Cloughjordan. Construction Plans Members plans will first be assessed by the relevant Village Groups, cluster by cluster, before forwarding to external assessors and NTCC. The core of each assessment will be a Building Energy Rating, as calculated by SEI's DEAP computer package (see #3.1.2). Procedural details of this Pre-Planning Approval Process will be issued by SPIL's Planning Group in due course. It is envisaged that Tipperary Institute will play a major role. The assessment of construction plans can only be semi-quantitative. Specialized software can predict such things as annual energy usage but the outcome will depend greatly on how well each home is built and on how it it used by the occupants. These latter factors are the responsibility of the members; Assessments should not be seen as any kind of guarantee. Many of our targets are quite exacting. Moreover, some of our ideas are unfamiliar to the vast majority of Irish builders. It follows that some members might find it difficult to demonstrate the required minimum commitment for every target, especially in the case of those proposing to use low-tech materials, such as cob or straw bale. However, we intend to consider members' construction plans as a whole, so that a near-miss on one target would be offset by a high standard on another. Members and their designers have primary responsibility for ensuring compliance. SPIL will expect to see their plans are the product of a careful and thorough consideration of every section of this Charter. SPIL does not envisage referring members' proposals back for revision on grounds of minor deficiencies. Ongoing monitoring Data collection will be mostly automated and non-intrusive. For example, once you have fitted a thermostat linked to your household control unit, it is simple enough to send the reading to a central monitoring station. For the householder, the advantage is the availability of both instant feedback and long-term analysis on the performance of your heating, which will help you run it more economically. For the community, the advantage is that we can prove our claims.


Other data would generally be helpful – for example on occupancy levels, usage patterns, periods of absence etc. This would be supplied on a voluntary basis only. Published data, of either kind, would be on an aggregated or strictly anonymous basis in the absence of explicit permission to disclose identifiable personal information. If you want to show off how well your house performs, the community will help you to do so effectively. However, if you prefer privacy, that will be respected. . Of course, the main focus of this Charter and the above discussion is on technical issues. However, they can measure only some aspects of the success of our project. Many other criteria, including social, cultural and economic will contribute to an overall assessment.


2.6 Complexity Different people see many possible roads to sustainability. Some would build a simple cob cottage or log cabin in the woods, eschew all modern comforts and aim for self-sufficiency, alone in the bee-loud glade. Others would continue their energy-guzzling “business as usual” lives and rely on technology to fix global warming and the decline of fossil fuels. Between these extremes there is a host of alternatives. SPIL's objective of providing a model for future development requires a middle road. “Business as usual” is out of the question for us, while the “bee-loud glade” is only attractive to a minority and tends to rule out the elderly or disabled, so it could never be an effective model for the nation as a whole. Moreover, it is often linked in practice with heavy reliance on travel by car or van, which can easily neutralize the environmental benefits of a simpler lifestyle. This led to some difficult decisions in the early days of the project, in such areas as simplicity versus complexity, uniformity versus diversity and in land usage. The decision to build a compact, village-style, development, rather than a widely-scattered group of detached bungalows ruled out the “bee-loud glade” option and many of its attributes, such as an extensive wood pile at every door or a composting toilet in every house. The decisions to build roads and playgrounds, to install sewers, district heating and the like implied a commitment that all residents should contribute to these facilities, even if they have no plans to use one or more of them. Compact design and small sites also place limits on the traditional belief that landowners can do what they please on their own land. The community will develop its own guidelines in due course but common-sense must dictate that such activities as raising livestock or running a car-repair business beside your house will not be possible. Members attracted by the simple life might perceive a risky dependence on technology. Yet the technology is reliable and well proven. District heating, for example, is no more complex than conventional central heating – it is just bigger, more efficient and much cheaper to run. This is an area where the benefits of a community-wide system outweigh the benefits of diversity. A system serving only some houses would be less efficient, significantly more expensive per house and far less convincing as a model, since numerous opt-outs would suggest that we do not trust the system. Others have voiced concerns over excessive reliance on a single heating system, on the reasonable grounds that diversity would allow a more flexible response to unforeseen changes of circumstances. However, one of the advantages of district heating is that it is much easier to change one boiler than 133 – or to fit a stand-by boiler capable of burning an alternative fuel. Some members will recall that our consultants originally proposed that we install one wood-chip boiler and one oil, solely for peak and stand-by use. It was members who decided to rely solely on wood-chip. Of course, there would be even more flexibility if every home had its own central heating system. However, all or most of these would burn wood, as there is no other


practicable way to comply with this charter. Efficiency would be far lower than with district heating, combustion would generally be incomplete and smoke pollution would be substantial. Moreover, SPIL would have failed in its objective of providing a useful model for future development. On other design issues, such as materials and styles of construction, modes of ventilation and so forth, members have a wide range of choices. There would be no great benefit in uniformity in these areas. Moreover, diversity will enrich the model. However, some constraints on individual choice are inevitable in a community development. And it is the community focus that makes the Cloughjordan ecovillage distinctive. There are already plenty of one-off eco-houses of various kinds, often highly car-dependent, but they can never act as effective development models, except for more of the same. SPIL aims to do better.


2.7 District Heating The DH system is described in some detail here, as it is central to the design of individual dwellings. . It will provide space heating and hot water all year round, using solar heat as its main energy source in the summer and wood-chip boilers as the main source in winter. Such systems have been standard in other parts of Europe for decades. They are no more complex than a conventional single-house central heating system – and at least as reliable (i.e. very reliable). Members will not need to install solar panels or other sources of space heating or water heating. The cost saving will be substantial in most cases. Two wood-chip boilers will be installed in a cabin-sized 'boiler-house' at the NE corner of the site, near the proposed Enterprise Centre. The current design is for a total output of 800-1000 kW but this may come down as members firm up the designs of their houses. They will be backed up by a central bank of 500 sq m of solar panels. These will be installed on the roofs and walls of the boiler cabin and the fuel store. The long-term aim is to have capacity to store a year's supply of wood, for security of supply and to enable us to buy fuel at summer prices. The DH system will supply heat for hot water all year round and for central heating whenever needed. Hot water will be circulated around the site in highly insulated pipes and will heat a storage tank in each home. The heat used by each household will be metered and billed for by SPIL. Prices have not yet been set but will be determined by members, as the owners of SPIL. Moreover, they can be expected to be well below the cost of heat supplied from any conventional CH system. This is because the primary energy source (wood chip) costs less than half the cost of the equivalent volume of oil or gas, while the secondary energy source (solar power) is free and the capital cost will be covered by site prices. We have yet to decide whether to supply mainly 'solar heat' at a much lower price than mainly 'wood chip' heat (i.e. different tariffs for winter and summer) or to average out the cost. The storage tank can be thought of as the 'CH boiler' for the household – and as its DHW tank. It is about the same diameter as a typical household DHW tank but about three times taller, so it will weigh about a tonne when full. While it could be located in the hot press, as usual, it is much better to site it in a downstairs utility room, as near as possible to the point of entry of the heat supply. When you want heat, you switch on a pump to deliver warm water to the room(s) you want heating, just as you might switch on conventional CH (typically, a gas or oil boiler and a pump). You have total control over comfort levels and bills. The storage tank is an integral component of the system, so will be purchased in bulk by SPIL and included in site prices. These are complex devices, very different from simple tanks, and need to be specified to suit the system and the home they are installed in. Heat distribution around the house is by warm water (40-50C), not hot (60-75C), . This works best with wall heating (see Appx 3.2.3) or underfloor heating;


conventional panel radiators can be used but would need to be very big to cope. Wall heating is essentially similar to underfloor in principle but more efficient and more comfortable. It is almost unknown in Ireland but is becoming quite common in northern Europe. One great advantage is that it can also deliver cooling, if that should prove necessary. Wall heating should cover all or most of the face of one of the walls of each room, except in the bathroom and kitchen, where you might prefer to heat the floor. An internal wall is preferred, to minimize heat losses. As with underfloor heating, the heat is distributed by a web of polyethylene tubing. Installation varies with the mode of construction. For example, the tubing can be clipped to the face of a block wall then covered with plaster. Alternatively, a wall can be faced with special fibre-board panels, constructed with channels on the back for the tubing to clip into. Members will be responsible for the heat distribution and control system within their homes. Each room should have its own connection to the distribution manifold (and could even its own thermostat), so that each room can be controlled independently by a central control unit. This not only allows independent programming but also enables the system to compensate automtically for differing conditions (e.g. a cold wind on one side of the house while the sun streams in on the other, or the heat output from cooking or a party). Think carefully before you omit heating capacity from some rooms or to lump several together for control purposes. You might regret such short-term economies. On the other hand, you could readily defer fitting the heating in some rooms, provided you install the necessary connections when building. If you propose to use heating by warm air, usually combined with heat-recovery ventilation (as in some “passive house” designs), the usual electric heater should be replaced by a heater connected to the DH system. The effective capital cost, after all direct and linked grants are taken into account, is about 6000 euro per home. This might be compared with a typical cost of about 4000 euro for a 6 sq m single-home solar installation, which would do no more than provide some of its hot water needs.


2.8 Financial Support. SPIL's project has been approved for funding (subject to contract) under three separate schemes relating to energy conservation House of Tomorrow (Sustainable Energy Ireland): funding to date € 400,000 This scheme will give SPIL about 3000 euro per house, to subsidize elements of the District Heating system. (SEI also has a 'Greener Homes' funding scheme for individual householders but it is unlikely that a house already assisted under House of Tomorrow will qualify.) Concerto (European Union): total funding €4,100,000 This is a much more complex and larger scheme, in which SPIL is in partnership with Tipperary Institute, North Tipperary County Council and a number of other national and international bodies. Only eleven awards were made across the whole EU and ours was the only one with a rural focus, which will amplify its impact. Four of the Work Packages are of immediate relevance to SPIL:

• A further subsidy for the District Heating system. • Grants to help Members with the cost of energy conservation measures, such

as additional insulation, draughtproofing etc (Members who meet the required standards will qualify for an individual grant, estimated as averaging about 1700 euro per home. These grants will be administered by SPIL and will be paid after completion.)

• Funding for a study of how we can best generate our own electricity. • Funding for advice on instrumenation, monitoring and control.

Other Work Packages of less direct relevance to SPIL include funding to upgrade older housing stock in the northern part of North Tipperary (more than half the total) and for Europe-wide publicity and dissemination activities. This will support our objectives of acting as a model for future development and will help generate more revenue for Village Members. Members whose houses meet the required standards for insulation, draughtproofing etc will qualify for an individual grant under Concerto, estimated as averaging about 1700 euro per home. These grants will be administered by SPIL. STEER (European Union): funding €67,000 (t.b.c.) This funding will support resarch into local transport needs and the implementation of a range of sustainable mobility services, including car/van sharing, lift sharing, cycle hire, demand responsive bus and taxi services, as part of a wider European project. The term “car/van sharing” here is “EU-speak” for a .locally-based, affordable, pay-as-you-go, car-hire club.


3. RULES AND GUIDELINES FOR DESIGN OF DWELLINGS AND COMMUNAL FACILITIES

3.1 Rational Use of Energy (RUE)

RUE means much the same as energy efficiency. It implies using no more energy than we need to – and using it in such a way as to minimize the environmental impact of meeting our needs. Some grant finance is available to assist with the capital costs of doing better than the current norm. 3.1.1 Size and Shape Insulation is often seen as the prime concern in energy-efficient construction but many other factors make major contributions, including building design, ventilation, orientation etc. The impact of size and shape is often overlooked and must be considered at the earliest stage of design. A square house has less outside wall than an elongated one of the same area, so loses less heat. A circular one loses even less. Moreover, whatever the basic shape, simple shapes always lose less heat, so avoid ornate shapes in the heated space, such as turrets, bay windows and the like. Size is even more important. Every extra room, every square metre, costs more to heat, more to light and more to ventilate – as well as more to build, more to decorate and more to furnish. Remember that the purpose of 'space heating' is to keep people warm, not spaces. Consider eliminating little-used rooms, such as extra bathrooms. (Recall that the traditional separation of the bathroom from the WC almost eliminates the need for en suite bathrooms in most households.) Consider designing in a warm core, for those 'home alone' nights. Why heat a room large enough for a party every night? Why keep utility rooms and storage space as warm as your sitting room? Keep It Small and Simple (KISS) is a win-win design principle: the result is cheaper to build and cheaper to run. Many energy-saving features cost money to install but pay this cost back over the years. However, only KISS has a payback time of zero! 3.1.2 Energy Efficient Design and Building Energy Rating Responsibility: Members (SPIL for the Community Buildings). Commitment: To design for a primary energy requirement of 30% below the input

allowed by the 2006 Building Regulations. Aspiration: To exceed this standard by whatever margin we can each afford. Verification: SPIL's Pre-Planning Approval Process. From January 2007 all new dwellings submitted for Planning Permission will be required to have a Building Energy Rating. This is based on the primary energy


requirements for the dwelling. Space and water heating usually account for over 70% of energy demand, so they are the most important considerations. Buildings should be designed to minise the total primary energy inputs for all energy requirements. This necessitates a holistic assessment of

• construction type an size • insulation • ventilation & air-tightness • lighting/appliances etc. • heating system and controls.

SPIL's target of 30% better than Building Regs is determined by our Concerto funding. One or two local authorities have set more exacting standards and some experts recommend a target of 75% better. Individual members are encouraged to aim high but the extra cost can be hard to justify - even with conventional heating systems. The true 'passive house' concept extends this principle to the stage where solar gain and the heat generated by appliances and people provides all the heat needed. However, some houses promoted as 'passive' do make use of supplementary electric heating in cold periods, which would be in breach of this charter. Targets The standard measure for the heat needed by a building is the total heat input from all fuels (including electricity) per square metre of floor area per year (kWh/m2.yr). The new commitment below is the target required for Concerto funding (see #2.8 ).

2004 Charter 85 kWh/m2.yr Members' commitment now 70 kWh/m2.yr

Note that this is 70 kWh for space heating and hot water only. 14 kWh is allowed for other energy usage (7 kWh for lighting and 7 kWh for cooking and electrical appliances). most of which ends up as heat, to give an overall maximum energy consumption of 84 kWh/m2.yr. In contrast, SPIL's 2004 target was for heat only. (Note: the heat input from any fuel can be measured in kilowatt-hours, though most of us are more used to using kWh for electricity only. Actions for each Member Advise your designers as follows

• They must demonstrate that the design of your house or flat meets the above minimum standard

• They should verify this by using the Dwelling Energy Assessment Procedure (DEAP), the software for which will soon be available free from SEI (www.sei.ie). Other software will not meet the legal requirements of Irish law.

• They must give you a copy of the DEAP output, to submit with your application to SPIL's Pre-Planning Approval Process.

• The results will be checked by Tipperary Energy Agency (TEA), as part of the Concerto project.

• In the event of disagreement, TEA's rating will be regarded as definitive.


• You or your designers must ensure that your home is built in conformity with their plans, in part by regular inspection during the building process.

An assessment using DEAP will:

• give a Building Energy Rating • show compliance with Part L insulation requirements • assess U-Values • assess heat losses due to ventilation • assess the renewable energy contribution • assess the Impact of lighting • assess CO2 emissions • assess the primary energy requirement per square metre

Business Opportunities and Actions for Village Groups Advise members on energy-efficient design Advise members on DEAP ratings Assist with building inspection. 3.1.3 Insulation levels Responsibility: Members (SPIL for the Community Buildings). Commitment: As tabulated below. Aspiration: To reach exemplary standards in many houses.. Verification: SPIL's Pre-Planning Approval Process. The insulating effect of any element of a building can be measured by its U-value. This measures how fast it leaks heat, so good insulation has a low U. Naturally, U depends on the thickness of the insulation, as well as on its composition. Typical U-values for single elements of a building are tabulated below.

U-value (W/m2 K) Bldg Regs 2006 Possible design target

Walls 0.27 0.19 Ground Floors 0.25 0.18 Pitched Roofs with insulation under slope

0.20 0.15

Pitched Roofs with insulation above the ceiling

0.16 0.11

Windows 2.20 1.54 Doors 2.20 1.54 Average U-value 0.43 0.30 Notes


a) It will be difficult to predetermine the U-values of unconventional materials, such as earth floors and cob/straw bale walls, and especially so where the thickness varies. SPIL will seek advice on how to handle this. b) Rounded shapes reduce the external area, so lose less heat than a conventional building with the same insulation. However, standard computer packages may not allow for this. SPIL will take advice on this point too. c) Draught-proofing and ventilation are very important. Both are integral aspects of design, so should be considered at an early stage (see #3.7). 3.1.4 Cooking Responsibility: Members and SPIL Commitment: To choose a cooking system that minimizes the use of fossil fuel (or

of electricity generated from it) Aspiration: To eliminate the use of fossil fuel for cooking Verification: SPIL's Pre-Planning Approval process There are a lot of options for cooking and just about every one has its loyal supporters. The pros and cons of the more popular ones are set out in the appendices. 'Green' electricity (see #3.2.1) seems to be the best option for most. It is the choice of most ecovillages in developed countries. Its controllability and efficiency at the point of use often offsets the inefficiencies in generation and transmission. Many of us will use electric kettles, microwaves, toasters, rice cookers and other such electrical gadgets whatever kind of 'main' cooker we fit. Moreover, modern electric ovens and hobs, especially induction hobs, are far more effective and efficient than the familiar 'hot plate' or 'radiant ring' models. EU tests rate induction hobs as just as efficient as gas. They do not get hot, which reduces the risk of burns or fire, since they use electro-magnetism to transmit energy directly to the pan. They are just as controllable as gas too, switching on and off instantaneously (like a microwave oven, though operating on different principles.) They work with steel or cast-iron pans, plain, non-stick or enamelled – but not with copper, aluminium, stainless steel or non-metals. Gas is also efficient and controllable. However, it is much more dangerous than electricity. Some might also question the health effects of deliberately introducing such VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into a dwelling – and burning them in unflued appliances, which emit all the combustion products (and any unburned gas) into the room. Moreover, there is no really suitable source. Natural gas is never likely to be piped to our site and neither of the alternatives is ideal. SPIL does plan to install a gas main but there is no guarantee of supply, partly because of regulatory barriers to the distribution of other fuel gases. Bottled gas is an oil product, so not renewable. Both the gas and the heavy cylinders containing it must also be transported to the point of use, using more fossil fuel. However, its use for cooking (only) will be permitted. Members wishing to use


bottled gas must provide well-ventilated, screened, outdoor storage for all cylinders, including the one in use. Biogas is a renewable fuel, formed from the decomposition of organic matter. However, the anaerobic digester needed to generate it would be large and costly, so SPIL has no immediate plans to install one. Individual members may propose other means of cooking using renewable energy. Detailed plans will be required in the Pre-Planning Approval Process. . Actions for each Member

• Decide what kind of cooker you want to use as soon as possible. • Advise SPIL of your decision immediately, preferably before submitting your

planning application, in case of approval problems and to maximize the opportunities for bulk purchase. A dedicated email address for this purpose will be established.

Business Opportunities and Actions for Village Groups

• Research the options further • Advise members, collectively and individually • Arrange bulk purchase of induction cookers

3.1.5 Electrical appliances Responsibility: Members (SPIL for the Community Buildings). Commitment: Buy high-efficiency appliances whenever buying new (minimum

AA-rated). Use them efficiently. Run high-power devices in off-peak periods whenever possible. Eliminate unnecessary uses of electricity.

Aspiration: Minimize the use of electricity. Smooth demand, to maximize the efficiency of generation and transmission. Pool resources, for example by sharing a device with a neighbour or using communal facilities.

Verification: None (personal responsibility). Our target under Concerto for annual electricity usage is 14 kWh per sq m, 7 kWh for lighting and 7 for cooking and other appliances. Total usage will be metered in the usual way but the split can only be estimated by examining the appliances and fittings installed. Electricity is a high grade form of energy, so should be used only where the job to be done is essential or there is no acceptable substitute. More than half of the energy input to most kinds of generating plant is lost as heat, either in the generator or in transmission. However, this wastage can be can be balanced by greater efficiency or controllability at the point of use, where electricity often scores highly. So, there are no simple rules and each application must be considered individually. This implies careful consideration of:

• what appliances are really needed,


• which models are best • how they should be used • when they should be used.

These issues are discussed more fully in the appendices and lighting is covered in #3.7. Actions for each Member Consider the action points in the appendices. Some of them might seem inconvenient but why not give them a try? Or at least design your home in such a way that you don't rule them out. Create the possibility of treading more lightly on the planet, ready for the day when you must! Business Opportunities and Actions for Village Groups

• negotiate the bulk purchase of efficient appliances • consider metering to identify high demand periods • consider differential charging to encourage use of off-peak electricity.

3.1.6 Monitoring & controls Responsibility: Members and SPIL Commitment: To use energy as efficiently as practicable and to provide evidence

that we are achieving our targets. Aspiration: To demonstrate the value of good controls and feedback. Verification: SPIL's Pre-Planning Approval process and ongoing monitoring. The current building regulations (2006) require: Separate temperature and time control for space and water heating Zone control and at least two zones (e.g. upstairs & downstairs) for a building

larger than 100m2. Controls are particularly important for heating, but also for lighting and appliances. For heating the best approach is to consider how you will use your home and identify the appropriate zones. Generally, you will have always have two zones. Zone one will be the kitchen/living area, zone two will be the hot water circuit. Additional zones might be bedrooms (upper floor), wet rooms (bathrooms etc.). Thermostatic radiator valves should be used as well, to allow separate control of individual rooms. Once you have the zones identified you should consider how you are going to apply time and temperature control to these zones e.g. you only need to heat the sleeping area to 18 degrees for a number of hours at night. All of the above will affect the heating circuits and controls (pumps, thermostats etc.). SPIL's objectives include demonstrating low-energy housing and low-energy lifestyles. To do this effectively, we need to produce good data, that proves the performance we claim. Obtaining good data is also an objective of Concerto, so the funding will contribute to the extra costs.


In addition, good instrumentation linked to a centralized monitoring unit will allow rapid feedback to members, helping them to reduce running costs. Linking such instrumentation to a sophisticated control unit in each dwelling will minimize costs while maximizing comfort. It will also help members trace any faulty or underperforming components. SPIL will therefore encourage members to install such controllers and will negotiate bulk purchase deals. Appendix 3.1.6 outlines how they work. SPIL will consider applying in due course for a recognised environmental certification (e.g. EMAS, the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme). Actions for SPIL

• Design monitoring systems Actions for each Member

• Take expert advice on the design of your heating system.


3.2 Renewable Energy Supply (RES) 3.2.1 Electric power Responsibility: SPIL Commitment: To purchase electricity from a 'green' supplier and to design for the

future installation of a high-efficiency community generator. Aspiration: To generate all or most of the electricity we need, when this

becomes feasible, and thus to greatly reduce the CO2 emissions arising from our use of electricity.

Verification: SPIL's Annual Reports Appendix 3.2.1 explains why we have decided not to install our own generator before we build. The main reason is cost, given that the only likely source of funding would be a substantial addition to site prices. However, there are also practical and regulatory problems. Our current commitment is therefore an interim solution. Our electricity supply will initially have to come from the public mains, via the ESB Networks grid. There is no realistic alternative. However, we intend to wire up the development so that we can relatively easily switch to a generator of our own in future. The main requirement is that the whole site is supplied via a single feeder from ESB Networks and that their connection is near the point where our own generator would feed in. Part of our Concerto funding will provide site-specific expert advice on the best means of generating electricity. Members are therefore advised not install individual generating capacity or photovoltaic panels, as a collective installation is almost certain to be more cost-effective. In the meantime, we hope to find a green supplier, such as Airtricity, willing to treat SPIL as a single bulk purchaser, which will then 'retail' electricity to members. However, this might not be possible immediately because (a) Airtricity's recent decision to pull out of the domestic market might rule this out and (b) ESB Networks has a government-protected monopoly of the domestic market at present. SPIL will be keeping this fast-changing situation under review. Actions for SPIL

• Design for later switchover to our own generator • Arrange for a supply of 'green' electricity as soon as it is available. • Keep the generation options under review

Actions for each Member

• Include any plans for electricity generation in your planning application. 3.2.2 Passive solar heating Responsibility: Members (or SPIL for the Community Buildings). Commitment: At least 30% of space heating heat directly from the sun for south-

facing houses, at least 20% for others.


Aspiration: An average of 25% of space heating heat directly from the sun. Verification: SPIL's Pre-Planning Approval process. Passive solar heating means designing so as to allow the heat of the sun to enter a building in a controlled way, so that the heat absorbed by the internal structure will be gradually released later when heat is needed (see appendix). The term 'passive' is used because no pumps or machinery are usually involved, although there may be simple devices like external shutters or dampers in internal air ducts. (This distinguishes passive solar systems from active systems, such as thermal solar panels, in which heat is usually transferred to a storage tank by pumping hot water.) The minimum commitment is to gain 20% of total space heating using passive solar techniques, averaged over the year. However, the commitment for buildings facing roughly south (the majority) is 30% solar. This will apply to all houses with a main aspect within 30 degrees of due south (roughly from SE to SW). The average target of 25% will be determined per cluster. The DEAP software discussed in [3.1.2] will take account of the main 'passive' features of your house and will calculate how much of your space heating will be provided directly by the sun. Actions for each Member

• Read up the subject of passive solar design • Appoint an designer who really understands it • Check that your design will comply with the above target.

Actions for SPIL

• Check during the Pre-Planning Approval process. 3.2.3 District heating Responsibility: SPIL (community level) and members (household level) Commitment: To provide 100% of space heating and hot water needs by installing

a wood-chip + solar powered district heating (DH) system, serving all buildings

Aspiration: To provide a convincing & replicable model for future development Verification: Ongoing monitoring by SPIL. The DH system will provide year-round on-demand space heating and domestic hot water from a non-polluting, high-efficiency source. Aside from marginal inputs (e.g. fuel transport), the energy source will be 100% renewable. This energy can be seen as 100% solar: some 20% directly, as heat from the solar panels, and 80% indirectly, as heat from stored solar energy in the form of wood chip. A detailed description is given in #2.7. Actions for each Member

• Make sure your designer understands the CH system you will be using. • Allow for the heat storage tank in your design. • Design for wall heating or underfloor heating.


Actions for Village Groups • Obtain full technical and installation details for members • Negotiate bulk purchase of key components.

Actions for SPIL

• Check plans during the Pre-Planning Approval process. 3.2.4 Supplementary heating (if any) Responsibility: Individual members. Commitment: To abide by SPIL's commitment to minimize the environmental

impact of our development. Aspiration: To install no supplementary space heating Verification: SPIL's Pre-Planning Approval Process. There will be no need for any additional space heating: the DH system will provide comfortable temperatures all year round. Many modern homes have no other heating than their central heating (especially overseas) and there is no rational reason why we should. Moreover, our installation will create a more effective demonstration if the majority of us are seen to trust it. However, some members have made clear that they wish to install an open fireplace or enclosed stove for aesthetic or other personal reasons. This is an individual decision. If the building will have a chimney then ventilation must be controlled properly through the use of a damper in the stove or chimney. Combustion air must also be ducted in from the exterior, directly to the stove or fireplace. This saves the fire drawing warm air from the room and also creating draughts. Without such devices, there will be no practicable way of meeting the required energy-efficiency standards. There will be no need for any additional water heating; the DH system will provide plenty of hot water, winter and summer. Fireplaces or stoves, if installed should not be fitted with back-boilers or other water-heating devices. Electric heating for space or water would be contrary to our commitment to 100% RES. This rules out immersion heaters and electric showers. All showers must be mixer showers, drawing hot water from the storage tank. Actions for each Member

• Consider the impact of a fireplace or stove on other members. • Consider the impact of a fireplace or stoveon the objectives of SPIL. • If you do install a fireplace or stove, undertake to record fuel usage, and also

not to burn rubbish on it. Operating hours would be logged automatically, as part of the general monitoring of the heating system.

• Fit mixer showers only

Actions for Village Groups


• Monitor the usage and effectiveness of supplementary heating.


3.3 General environmental matters The general geology of the area is covered in Appendix 3.3. 3.3.1 Land management plan Responsibility: SPIL Commitment: To develop the land Aspiration: To achieve a landscape that has high productivity, biodiversity,

education and amenity value Verification: Regular reports from Land Use Group SPIL will divide the estate into three zones for development:

• private houses & community, with integrated green areas; • agricultural, horticultural and orchard areas; • woodland and wildlife areas

SPIL will oversee the development, implementation and maintenance of all common lands following organic practices and drawing on Permaculture principles. We aim for a balance between diversity of habitats, obtaining a yield, amenity value and educational possibilities in all areas of the land. Actions for each Member

• Volunteer to assist with landscaping work when required. Actions for Village Groups

• Ensure that landscaping plans and implementation comply with the above. 3.3.2 Indigenous plants Responsibility SPIL and Members. Commitment: To plant native species wherever possible. Aspiration: To create a rich natural habitat and productive landscapes Verification: Regular biodiversity and landscape productivity surveys We need to achieve a balance between the use of indigenous plants for wildlife facilitation and the use of non-indigenous varieties and species to create a productive, edible and useful landscape. Invasive and inappropriate plants should be avoided. Actions for each Member

• Follow these principles when planting gardens. Actions for Village Groups

• Follow these principles when planting the common areas.


• Organize biodiversity and landscape productivity surveys. • Monitor for invasive and inappropriate species.

3.3.3 Green spaces and building surfaces Responsibility: Members and SPIL Commitment: To include natural habitats and productive landscapes in building

design Aspiration: To integrate all buildings into the landscape Verification: Regular biodiversity and landscape productivity surveys. The intention is to provide green spaces and surfaces on roofs, terraces and trellises for wildlife habitats, wildlife routes and for cultivation. This maximizes integration and makes best use of the land area covered by housing. Actions for each Member

• Design with nature and food production in mind

Actions for Village Groups • Monitor progress and disseminate ideas.

3.3.4 Short rotation forestry Responsibility: SPIL Commitment: To consider growing the fuel needed for the DH system Aspiration: To become 100% self-sufficient or even to produce for sale. Verification: SPIL annual reports We can truck in wood-chip or (much more expensive) wood pellet to fuel our boilers but it would be more sustainable to produce it locally. We would also be more self-sufficient if we grew our own and free from the price trends of the world oil market Business Opportunities and Actions for Village Groups

• Negotiate to buy or lease land locally for coppice • Decide how best to run such an operation • Establish production of fuel • Utilize wood waste, coppice, thinnings and trimmings from the land.

3.3.5 Movement of wildlife Responsibility: Members and SPIL Commitment: To design with wildlife in mind. Aspiration: To create a rich natural habitat Verification: Regular biodiversity surveys Corridors for movement and migration will be integral to the design of the estate. No fences or other obstructions will close routes needed for wildlife to move about the


estate. However, barriers will be allowed in order to protect and control domestic animals. This implies a minimum of barriers and rules out walls, while favouring hedging (in the longer term) over fencing. Where an enclosure is needed, a low barrier is preferable, ideally enclosing a smaller area near the house, rather than the whole plot. Actions for each Member

• Follow these principles when designing houses and gardens. • Make plans for any barriers clear at the design stage


• Follow these principles when designing common areas. • Assess Members' plans in the Pre-Planning process.

3.3.6 Nutrient Cycling Responsibility: Members and SPIL Commitment: To compost organic matter where possible. Aspiration: To close the loop of all nutrients within the community Verification: Regular waste management surveys Any nutrients that are lost from the site will need to be replaced, usually with an environmental and financial cost. The productivity of the landscape is dependent on a high and balanced soil fertility which can only be maintained by nutrient cycling, but we may need to import some additional nutrients onto the site to achieve this balance. Actions for each Member

• To ensure that organic matter is composted where possible Actions for Village Groups

• To provide appropriate facilities for cycling nutrients on site. 3.3.7 Harmful Substances Responsibility: Members and SPIL Commitment: To minimise the use of harmful substances. Aspiration: To create a healthy, non-toxic environment Verification: Regular biodiversity and landscape productivity surveys Many everyday substances can be harmful to human, animal and plant health and can seriously damage the biological life of soils and water. Some substances are inherently toxic and should be prevented from entering the site. Other substances are harmful at certain concentrations, or depending on how they are used, and we need to limit their use where possible, but to facilitate their safe use and disposal if necessary. Actions for each Member


• Avoid use of harmful substances in line with common sense and as defined by SPIL


• Avoid the use of harmful substances. • To provide information, education and facilities where appropriate


3.4 Water 3.4.1 Water Consumption: Responsibility: Individual members & SPIL Commitment: To reduce usage of potable water to a maximum of 85 L/person/day

and to facilitate rainwater harvesting. Aspiration: To minimize the use of mains water. Verification: Regular feedback to members and company annual reports. The mains water usage of a conventional house is about 140 L/person/day, much of which is wasted, notably by the use of potable water to flush toilets. Potable water should only be used for drinking, cooking and washing. It is envisaged that SPIL will meter domestic water usage and charge residents accordingly, as charges are recognized to be one of the best ways to effect savings. Storage of rainwater from roofs etc is technically simple but large tanks are required to effect major savings in mains water usage. A site-wide collection system would be too costly. However, there are economies of scale that clusters or other groups of neighbours could exploit. The location of tankage must be considered at an early stage in design. In some cases storage under common areas might be feasible. A-rated washing machines and dishwashers will help save both water and energy –and you might even consider doing without the dishwasher. Water-saving fittings should be used, such as aerating taps, showerheads and water-saving toilets. Composting toilets use no water, so can effect major savings but might not be to everyone's taste. These are discussed further in #3.4.3 and #3.5.2. Actions for each Member

• Consider these issues in your design • Outline your proposals in your planning application.

Actions for SPIL

• Install a water meter in every home and community building • Consider charging for mains water • Consider banning power showers, waste disposal units (garbage grinders) and

external taps on the mains supply.

Business Opportunities and Actions for Village Groups • Develop listings of suitable appliances & fittings • Collect and disseminate information on rainwater harvesting • Negotiate bulk purchases.

3.4.2 Water Efficiency: Responsibility: Individual members & SPIL Commitment: To facilitate the use of recycled 'grey water'.


Aspiration: To minimize the waste of water Verification: Regular feedback to members and company annual reports. Definitions Potable water: drinkable (usually understood as mains water from the public supply) Grey water: lightly polluted water from baths, showers etc, Black water: wastes from toilets, washing machines, dishwashers, kitchen sinks etc. Potable water is often used where such high-quality is not required. The reuse of lightly-polluted water for less exacting purposes can greatly reduce water consumption, by ensuring that every litre is used twice before disposal. This in turn reduces the energy consumed in water supply and in wastewater treatment. The 'waste' water leaving a house is best kept as three separate streams: black water (to be treated before discharge), grey water (ideally to be stored, for flushing toilets etc) and rainwater (ideally to be stored, for any purpose). Both the latter streams would normally need some treatment before use, if only coarse filtration (depending on the use). These options are discussed in more detail in the appendices If you cannot afford to install these features initially, you should design for their addition later. The extra cost of doing so will be minimal, provided you accept some constraints on the layout of your home. The storage capacity needed is much less than for rainwater harvesting, since the supply of grey water is less variable. Actions for each Member



• Develop listings of suitable appliances & fittings • Negotiate bulk purchase of same.

3.4.3 Wastewater treatment Responsibility: Individual members and SPIL Commitment: Use of sustainable treatment processes; output water quality of

5mg/L BOD. Aspiration: Faecal coliform count of less than 1/100 mL. Verification: Monthly sampling; annual reports There are three main aspects to sustainability under this heading: load reduction, minimizing the resources used in the treatment process and recycling the products of treatment. These are discussed in more detail in the Appendices. Load reduction means reducing both the volume of water and also the amounts of organic matter and other nutrients that go to sewer. The approaches described in 3.4.1-2 will help, as will buying 'green' detergents etc (biodegradable and low in phosphate) and minimizing the amount of food waste, oil etc that you allow down the drain.


Separation of urine from other nutrients at source was rejected on a site-wide basis because it was too costly. However, it is an effective means of reducing the nutrient load, while also returning valuable nutrients to the soil. This is also true of the use of composting toilets (see 3.4.1). However, at site-scale, either could fall foul of local limits on application rates of nitrogeneous wastes, as the Shannon Basin is a nitrate-sensitive zone. Such limits are unlikely to be applied to individuals. Resource usage covers a lot of issues, including the land area occupied, the materials used to construct the treatment plant and the energy used for pumping, to run the process and to transport the residues. SPIL is currently considering two options:

1. a system of septic tanks, reed beds and wetlands. This would not consume much materials or energy but it would require pumps to raise the sewage to the first stage. It would occupy several acres but this would create a useful addition to the biodiversity of the site;

2. co-operating with NTCC to extend the existing Cloughjordan sewage treatment plant, which is already overloaded, using a sustainable, low-energy, process. This would benefit the whole community.

Product recycling concerns solids as well as the treated water. Regulatory concerns would make it very difficult to use the recyclate directly as drinking water or even for irrigation (which in any case is only an occasional need). Infiltration into the soil downhill from the wetlands has been considered but Cloughjordan's existing well draws from the same aquifer, so this solution is also problematic. Consequently, the best initial approach is to design for discharge in the conventional way to a stream or river. We will, however, build in provision for later recycling if and when this becomes possible. The solids (mainly settled material from the septic tanks, dewatered in a drying bed) will initially be spread in the forestry area.. However, once our willow coppice is established (see 3.3.4), it could be recycled onto that land, thereby helping to feed our fuel supply. Actions for each Member


Actions for SPIL

• Finalize design of the treatment system • Consider banning waste disposal units (kitchen-sink garbage grinders)


3.5 Solid Wastes 3.5.1 Waste Minimization SPIL will play an active part in educating residents and visitors in waste prevention and waste minimization. Residents have already expressed their concern for the environment by joining SPIL. Many are already dedicated composters, reusers and recyclers. Village businesses will be expected to have a similar ethos, minimizing the use of disposables and packaging. The ecovillage is therefore expected to generate far less waste than a typical community of similar size. SPIL will collect the data needed to verify this. 3.5.2 Construction Wastes Responsibility: Individual members and SPIL Commitment: Waste minimization and maximum reuse. No avoidable off-site

disposal. Aspiration: To make good use of all wastes Verification: SPIL annual reports It is a condition of the Infrastructure Planning Permission that no waste soils will leave the site. SPIL will organize segregation and suitable interim storage on site of all housebuilding wastes, including excavated soils, with a view to maximizing their availability and quality for reuse. Members should reduce construction waste by dimensioning materials to reduce on-site cutting and by reusing off-cuts where appropriate. Members' Construction Plans must include proposals for waste management. Actions for each Member

• Plan your ordering and construction to minimize waste • Cover waste management in your Construction Plan • Segregate your construction waste • Place it where directed • Use waste materials wherever possible

Actions for SPIL

• Organize waste storage for reuse • Instruct infrastructure contractors accordingly

3.5.3 Household wastes - organic Responsibility: Individual members and SPIL Commitment: Local composting & use of all organic waste from the ecovillage Aspiration: Provision of a similar service for the existing village Verification: Company annual reports


Composting converts organic wastes into inoffensive material, which retains many essential plant nutrients. It thus helps maintain soil fertility if applied to productive soil, which is preferable to use for landscaping etc. Neighbourhood recycling centres* will each serve about 35 houses and will include composting bins for suitable wastes. Members will place their kitchen and garden wastes directly in the composting bins, ideally on a daily basis. The mature compost will be used on the community allotments. (*The small squares on site plans, e.g. between plots 9-17, 38-62, 43-50, 87-90) Composting toilets are permitted but problematic. They extend the same principle to toilet wastes. Instead of flushing faeces and urine away for treatment elsewhere, it falls into a chamber beneath the WC, where it decomposes until it forms a nutritious compost. A regular covering with a scoop or two of sawdust (kept in a bin beside the WC) provides the necessary bulking agent and acts as a biofilter to minimize malodours. The principle is well established and ideal for a large, remote, plot. However, a compact site such as ours presents special challenges. One concern is that “humanure” cannot be used on land certified as organic. Another is that, however long it is composted for, there is no way of proving that every bit of has been fully 'treated'. Another is that your neighbours might object. Transport to orchard or forestry areas might be required. Moreover, NTCC has insisted that every house has a sewer connection. Although there is no obligation to use it, Members considering the use of composting toilets should be aware that consent has not yet been sought for the use ofhumanure anywhere on site, whether within individual plots or on communal land. Consent should not be assumed. Public health concerns (including hypothetical threats to groundwater) may override your rights over your land. Take advice from SPIL's Energy, Waste and Water Group before including a composting toilet in your planning application. Actions for each Member

• Segregate garden and kitchen wastes • Place in community composting bin • Advise SPIL if considering a composting toilet.


• Design and construction of composting bins • Organization of management and transport

3.5.4 Household wastes – recyclable inorganics Responsibility: Individual members and SPIL Commitment: Collection of all recyclable wastes from the ecovillage Aspiration: Provision of a similar service for existing village Verification: SPIL annual reports


All paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, metal and other recyclables will be collected at the neighbourhood recycling centres, ready for transfer to longer-term storage a a waste depot elsewhere on site (probably near the boiler house & fuel store). From time to time, the collected recyclate will be transported from there to the nearest LA Recycling Centre. (Currently, there is one in Nenagh and another at the Ballaghveny landfill site between Cloughjordan and Toomevara.) Actions for each Member

• Waste segregation • Placement in recycling bin


• Design and construction of recycling bins • Organization of management and transport

3.5.5 Household wastes - other Responsibility: Individual members and SPIL Commitment: Collection of all other wastes from the ecovillage. Aspiration: Provision of a similar service for existing village Verification: SPIL annual reports Residual (non-recyclable) wastes will be handled by a similar system. However, provision will be made for direct acceptance of hazardous wastes (cosmetics, paints, solvents, chemicals etc) at the waste depot and for their secure storage and disposal. Meat wastes may require separate collection for the foreseeable future. Actions for each Member

• Waste segregation • Placement in appropriate bin for residual waste • Direct transfer of hazardous wastes to safe storage.


• Design and construction of collection facilities • Organization of management and transport • Safe storage of hazardous wastes • Information and feedback (on all wastes).


3.6 Materials of Construction 3.6.1 Materials - general Responsibility: Individual members Commitment: To use Preference 1* materials wherever possible Aspiration: To use Preference 1 materials throughout Verification: SPIL's assessment of Member's Construction Plans *Defined in “Environmental Preference Method for Selection of Materials in Construction and Refurbishment” by Boonstra et al (see References). The “Green Building Handbook” by Tom Woolley is another useful source. The ideals are to choose non-toxic materials that are safe and sustainable in manufacture, use and decay: a) regionally resourced materials with low-embodied energy, wherever possible, in order to reduce the environmental impacts of transport and manufacture. b) materials that can be reused or recycled readily at the end of their life (or at least disposed of harmlessly), used in such a way that that they can be readily recovered at the end of their useful life. c) safe materials, that do not contaminate indoor air or create exceptionally toxic fumes in a fire. However, in the present undeveloped state of the eco-construction industry in Ireland, some compromises might be necessary, such as the import of specialized products and the use of PVC insulation on wiring. Actions for each Member

• Provide as much specific information on materials as you can in your pre-planning submission


• Collect and disseminate information on materials and suppliers • Negotiate bulk purchase.

3.6.2 Timber/wood Responsibility: Individual members Commitment: To avoid use of wood from unsustainable or unknown sources Aspiration: To avoid use of imported wood Verification: SPIL's assessment of Member's Construction Plans The following order of preference for selection is suggested.

Rankings for timber/wood 1. Local reused 2. FSC native

The Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certifies timber from sustainably managed forests. Certification is less reliable for tropical woods An


3. Native hardwood or FSC non tropical 4. European temperate

Sources should be defined, especially for reused wood, where the supply might not match the demand. Actions for each Member

• Provide as much specific information on materials as you can in your pre-planning submission


• Collect and disseminate information on materials and suppliers 3.6.3 Other materials Responsibility: Individual members and SPIL Commitment: To use natural materials; to minimize synthetic/hazardous materials Aspiration: To eliminate the use of hazardous materials Verification: SPIL's assessment of Member's Construction Plans The ideal is to use natural materials throughout. For example, timber-frame construction with high vapour permeability can create breathing, hydroscopic walls, which would increase moisture migration from inside to out. Use of natural paints and waxes wherever suitable (e.g. water based or organic finishes) would assist. Avoid the use of PVC, synthetic glues and waxes, timber preservatives and synthetic materials that outgas VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), such as formaldehyde). Such materials may cause “Sick Building Syndrome” or give rise to Chemical Sensitivity. Bear in mind that manufactured timber products (plywood, chipboard etc) can contain large amounts of such synthetics. Alternatives to PVC include:

• cast iron, vitrified clay or cross-linked polyethylene (XPLE) for piping • low-density polyethylene (LDPE) for wiring • wood or aluminium for windows and doors • galvanized steel for guttering and drainpipes

Some of these products might have to be specially imported, so good planning will be needed.


3.7 Light and air 3.7.1 Daylight: Responsibility: Individual members and SPIL Commitment: 4% Daylight Factor in all rooms; natural light in all workspaces. Aspiration: High levels of daylight, reduction of electricity demand and an

improved living environment Verification: SPIL's assessment of Member's Construction Plans Natural light feels good, in moderation, and saves energy. However, most houses fail to make good use of it. While some rooms are well lit on a good day, others rarely are and some never see daylight at all. Thought at the design stage can effect great improvements at little cost. Possible techniques include:

• site layout, to maximize access to the sun • careful building orientation • dual aspect for main rooms (i.e. windows on two or more sides) • shading above windows, to moderate the summer sun • 'light-shelves' below windows, to reflect light into the room • skylights • 'light-pipes', to bring light into internal spaces (e.g stairways)

Calculation of the Daylight Factor (DF) is complicated but designers can obtain computer packages to do the job. You should submit an electronic copy of the file with your planning application. Shading is, of course, needed too. Excessive light can be as bad as not enough – and a greenhouse can get very hot. An over-glazed room can easily overheat (even in winter, in Ireland) and can make reading or TV/computer use difficult.Automated shading should be considered if you are often out all day. Actions for each Member

• Design for good use of daylight • Submit your DF calculations with your PP application.


• Collect and disseminate information on techniques, devices and suppliers • Negotiate bulk purchase.

3.7.2 Electric Light Responsibility: Individual members and SPIL Commitment: To avoid incandscent and halogen bulbs and to use low-energy

lamps for all lighting. Aspiration: To minimize the use of electricity for lighting Verification: SPIL's assessment of Member's Construction Plans


Our design standard under Concerto is for an annual maximum of 7 kWh of electicity per sq m for lighting. This will require low-energy lamps in all applications. Design for them everywhere, so that all shades and diffusers will be big enough and you are not forced to use a conventional bulb. Avoid the use of tungsten filament lightbulbs (ie traditional incandescent bulbs) or halogen bulbs in both fixed and movable lamps. Beware of fitting a diverse range of lamps needing hard-to-find replacement bulbs. External lighting is covered under #3.8.4. Consider installing a DC (direct current) lighting system. Such systems are usually low-voltage so the wiring is cheaper and does not need to be installed or certified by a qualified electrician. About half the wiring in a house comprises separate lighting circuits, so the cost saving can be worthwhile. LED lights (light-emitting diodes) use DC and are very efficient. However, they are expensive and the range of colours available as yet is limited. Avoid overuse of lights by:

• An individual switch for each light (instead of one switch for several) • Consider automated switches, to automatically dim the lights to off when the

sun is shining or the room is unoccupied. • Consider remote switching (used like a TV remote) to reduce the length of

wiring needed (and the need to try every switch until you hit the right one!) • Reduce external lighting to an absolute minimum • Minimize the use of lighting as decor (e.g. downlighters are very wasteful)

Actions for each Member

• Take an active interest in the design of your lighting system, • Don't leave the location of lights and switches to the electrician. • Consider future needs at the design stage.



3.7.3 Air-tight Construction Responsibility: Individual members and SPIL Commitment: To be defined later. Aspiration: To build to the best European standards. Verification: Members' Constuction Plans, plus stagewise pressure-testing of

dwellings, if practicable. Air-tightness and ventilation, both of which are essential for comfort and energy-efficiency, must be considered at an early stage of design (see #3.1.2). Good ventilation (see #3.7.4) is essential but is not obtained by uncontrolled draughts. Draughts and multiple minor air leaks can greatly increase heat losses – on the very


kind of cold, windy day when you need to conserve heat most, especially if you want to make good use of stored solar heat. Air-tightness needs attention at all stages of design and construction. Some guidelines are given in the Appendices but you should also consult the experts and books for advice on techniques. Care is needed in many construction details and the relevant experience is scarce in Ireland. Make clear to any contractors you employ that your house might have to pass a standard pressure test before it can be signed off as complete – and that stopping draughts after building is much harder than building well in the first place. Such pressure tests are standard in many countries and mandatory in some. They are carried out by fitting a temporary test door in place of one of the external doors of your house. This houses a large fan and a pressure gauge. The pressure that builds up when the fan is running is a measure of the quality of construction. Ideally, such tests should be repeated at each major stage of construction Actions for each Member

• Make sure your designer understands the need for air-tightness. • Make sure your builder understands how to achieve it.

Actions for SPIL

• Investigate pressure-testing. • Consider whether to require it and at what stage(s) in building.


• Set up a locally based testing service, then roll out to the wider area.. 3.7.4 Ventilation Responsibility: Individual members and SPIL Commitment: 1-5 Air Changes per hour (ACh). Aspiration: Passive ventilation Verification: SPIL's assessment of Member's Construction Plans Many Irish houses, old and new, are draughty on a windy day but most modern houses are under-ventilated at times. This is bad for human health and for the house too, since damp can build up and allow decay to set in. The use of permeable, natural, materials can help, since they allow water vapour and other gases to diffuse through, but they will not suffice on their own. Building Regulations set mandatory minimum requirements but these are generally inadequate. Uncontrolled ventilation can cause condensation due to under-ventilation or, depending on conditions, high energy losses due to over-ventilation. Even controlled ventilation can account for 20-30% of energy losses. The above ACh target covers a broad range because it assumes a conventional approach, in which fresh air passes first through the living rooms and bedrooms, then through the kitchen or bathroom before venting to the exterior. As the same air flow


passes through rooms of differing size, the ACh value varies from room to room. The lower value might apply to a typical bathroom, the larger to a living room. An additional need for good ventilation arises in a passive solar house. The heat gain on a sunny day can soon turn a house into an oven and good high-rate ventilation is needed to moderate the temperature increase. So a controlled ventilation system is needed for all these reasons – and it must be capable of delivering a high air flow too, for summer cooling. A case can be made for automation, so that the house is not too hot in the evening when nobody has been at home during the day. Adequate ventilation can be provided by means of natural or forced convection. Natural (passive) convection relies on a chimney-like ventilation shaft or equivalent structural design to draw stale air out of the house, driven by the wind and by temperature differences. This has the advantage of requiring no automation to alleviate over-heating. It can be supplemented by opening windows, ideally on opposite sides of the building when the house is occupied. Forced convection uses electric fans, so it is more controllable. It can be more effective at recovering heat in winter. The ducts carrying warm air from the bathroom and kitchen can be passed through a heat exchanger in winter (usually in the loft) before venting to atmosphere, as do the ducts carrying cold outside air to the living rooms and bedrooms. Heat passes from the warm air to the cold, so that up to 80% of heat in the outgoing air is recovered – a substantial energy saving, far more than the 25W or so used by the fan. At the same time, the chill is taken off the inflowing air. Supplementary heating (e.g. by the District Heating system) can warm this further, if needed, in a cold period. In summer, the heat exchanger is bypassed, so the heat loss is maximized and cool air is drawn in. Operation is usually automated, so that the house should be comfortable to come home to at any time of year. SEI is a strong supporter of such systems and additional grants may be available (via SPIL). Heat recovery ventilation is becoming quite popular. However, the case for it is weak in Ireland, where extreme cold is rare, and weaker still where district heating will provide low-cost heat from renewable sources. Actions for each Member

• Be sure to consider ventilation at an early stage in design. Business Opportunities and Actions for Village Groups



3.8 Community issues Sustainability requires thinking beyond the level of a single house. A compact layout brings us close to our neighbours, so that some aspects of use and design can become of more importance than in a more wasteful, dispersed, settlement. On the other hand, it also creates new possibilities for low-impact living, such sharing facilities and transport and food-growing areas, are all covered in this Charter because they affect r might affect the design of a dwelling. Other key features not covered here include the development of a localized economy and, especially, of local work and business opportunities. 3.8.1 Transport Responsibility: Individual members and SPIL Commitment: To make it easy to live without owning a car. Aspiration: To minimize car use in general and car traffic within the residential

area in particular. Verification: Future surveys by SPIL SPIL will design the residential area for people, rather than for cars. Features will include:

• One landscaped car-space within easy reach of each house • Narrow roadways (about 4.5m wide) to reduce vehicle speed • Dedicated cycle and pedestrian routes where possible.

Future development might include perimeter parking space for everyday use, so that most members will need vehicle accethass to the residential area only to drop off and collect. SPIL will encourage and/or promote:

• Non-commuting lifestyles • Walking or cycling for local trips • Car-pooling and/or car-sharing • Use of bio-fuels in the local area • Community bus services • Rail service improvements • Use of public transport by visitors, perhaps by negotiating discounts.

It is recognized that many of the above measures should ideally be in place before members take up residence and preferably before house-building begins. The Mobility Group is working on some of these topics, with the assistance of an EU grant. Mendes Ltd, a company owned by Village members, is the Irish Partner in an EU funded project (see #2.8), which will involve the design and implementation of several measures to facilitate living without a car These include:

• Development of personalised travel plans, covering the movement of both people and goods, for individual residents of Cloughjordan and for local organisations and businesses (present and future).


• Ascertaining current mobility activities and future mobility needs through a series of individual interviews and focus groups

• Designing a range of Mobility Services, in line with the travel plans, for the movement of people and goods.

• Providing Mobility Advice for the inhabitants to enable them to choose from a number of criteria when deciding which method of transport to use. These criteria would include the level of CO2 emissions, energy use, cost, time and suitability. This information would be provided through web based software to assist in the decision making process.

• Implementing a range of Sustainable Mobility Services, including car/van sharing, lift sharing, cycle hire, demand responsive bus and taxi services as part of an integrated approach, which would link with existing bus and rail services.

Car/van sharing will be effected by setting up a locally-based, affordable, car-hire club. The aim is to enable subscribers to hire a car little or no notice, by the hour or by the day, with a minimum of administration and formalities. Actions for each Member

• Make a personal commitment to reducing car use • Consider reducing car ownership if you can • Be willing to experiment with new ways of doing things


• Facilitate car-free lifestyles 3.8.2 Social & Communal Facilities Responsibility: SPIL Commitment: To social sustainability, aiming at a sustainable community that

provides public access to all communal open spaces, buildings and visitor exhibitions, green routes and wildlife areas.

Aspiration: To provide shared systems and resources, such as communal dining or laundry facilities.

Verification: SPIL annual reports. SPIL has made little progress in the area covered by the heading 'Aspirations', beyond its commitment to provision of Community Buildings. However, communal facilities are important, not only for the direct contribution they make towards sustainability but also for the support they give to social structures. Bear in mind that shared facilities need not be site-wide: adjoining houses or apartments can easily be designed to share a utility room. A cluster could too. In the case of houses, it might be simpler legally to establish such a facility within the site of one of them, backed up by an informal agreement to share use. However, the arrangement could be more formal and enforceable in the case of apartments, as the building would include communal areas.


These matters do not fall neatly into the remit of any Village Group, so it may be that a new group is needed. As usual, that will need a dedicated enthusiast to establish one. Actions for each Member

• Consider whether there is a service you could provide for the community. • Consider whether you could start a Communal Facilities Group.


• Investigate needs and opportunities • Investigate means of meeting these needs at community level • Help individual members or groups to meet needs better catered for by

smaller-scale enterprises. 3.8.3 Domestic animals Responsibility: Members & SPIL Commitment: To consider the needs of animal-owners at the design stage. Aspiration: Good relations between neighbours Verification: Members meetings Other ecovillages have advised us to clarify our policy on pets and livestock but we have yet to do so. We should consider setting up a Members Group to develop such a policy. Potential concerns include biodiversity, health and noise, plus ethical objections to keeping animals for food. Meanwhile, Members planning to keep 'outdoor' animals should consider consulting their close neighbours (not just those in their cluster). Actions for each Member

• Ensure that your plans are acceptable to your neighbours Actions for Village Groups

• Clarify policy on animals... 3.8.4 Light pollution and noise pollution Responsibility: Members and SPIL Commitment: To minimize disturbance Aspiration: Preservation of the natural environment, as far possible. Verification: Members meetings Noise and light pollution should be kept as low as possible to protect wildlife and to create a calm, peaceful home zone for human residents. Much of this can be worked out once we have settled in but it would make sense to avoid contentious features at the design stage. These might include burglar alarms and automatic or excessive external lighting.


Exterior lighting switched on by an infra-red beam from a key fob, for example, would come on only when needed, rather than whenever a resident (human or animal) walked past. Low-intensity time-limited lights directed downwards would minimize disturbance. The design of the street lighting remains undecided. Planning regulations require SPIL to design for cars, so cables are being installed for a low-impact, energy-efficient but fairly conventional lighting system. However, many members favour much less intrusive options. Actions for each Member

• Consider your neighbours, human and non-human, in design Actions for Village Groups

• Establish mechanisms for dealing with nuisance and for conflict resolution in due course.

• Actions for SPIL

• Keep the design of street lighting under review.

--- END ---

Deliverable Report

SERVE 26

Appendix 3 – Sample DEAP for Eco-Village Dwelling

Acorn Energy Mob: 086-3987116 Art Gallery [email protected] Main Street, Cloughjordan, Co.Tipperary.

Energy Analysis on house plans (Energy analysis on house-plans for site92 in the Ecovillage, Cloughjordan using

DEAP software)

Client: Johnny Connolly, 8 Blackhall Place, Dublin 7

Architect: Susie Whyte

Susie Whyte Architects, Walshetown, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath

Completed by: Brendan Power

Date: 19th May 2008


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................................2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY................................................................................................................3 1 BER ANALYSIS 1 STANDARD SPECIFICATION...................................................................4

1.1 HOUSE DETAILS...............................................................................................................4 1.2 VENTILATION...................................................................................................................5 1.3 HOT WATER ....................................................................................................................6 1.4 LIGHTING ........................................................................................................................6 1.5 SPACE HEATING ..............................................................................................................6 1.6 BER RESULTS ................................................................................................................7

2 RECOMMENDATIONS ..........................................................................................................8 2.1 IMPACT OF RECOMMENDATIONS .........................................................................................9

APPENDIX 1 - WHAT IS THE BUILDING ENERGY RATING, BER................................................10


Executive Summary

Acorn Energy carried out an energy analysis using the Dwelling Evaluation Assessment Procedure (DEAP) software version 2.1.2 on the house plans for Johnny Connolly as supplied by his architect Susie Whyte on site 92 in the Ecovillage in Cloughjordan. Using the DEAP software it was possible to calculate the estimated annual energy consumption of the house and to calculate an estimated Building Energy Rating (BER). The BER is measured in total primary energy which takes account of not only the delivered energy used by the house but also the energy losses of boilers etc. and the energy involved in transporting of fuels. In the case of electricity it takes into account the losses in generating electricity and supplying it to the home. The analysis was carried out using drawings, specifcations and information supplied by the client. The estimated BER obtained for the house plans supplied is as follows: BER = B1 Primary Energy Consumption = 92.25kWh/m2/year Note that at the moment using the DEAP methodology a default value for seasonal efficiency of 75% has to be taken for the Wood Chip Boilers efficiency. The wood chip boilers to be used for the district heating system in the ecovillage has a rated efficiency of 90% but it does not have a certified seasonal efficiency as required for DEAP. Using the default 75% efficiency figure results in a BER which is 15% higher. If the supplier of the boilers REMS can certify that the seasonal efficiency is 90% the BER result would then be 80.6 kWh/m2/year. This is a much improved B1 rating much closer to the targeted A3 rating of 74.9kWh/m2/year. There are a number of recommendations suggested that could reduce the overall BER for the house. If these steps were to be implemented and combined with an improved efficiency figure for the wood chip boiler it could produce a good A3 rating.


1 BER Analysis 1 Standard Specification

1.1 House Details

Detailed calculations were carried out to calculate the external surface areas of each part of the exposed building fabric. The calculations are shown in the table below.

Data for DEAP Floor Area Ground Floor Area 110.82 2nd Floor Area 84.33 Average Floor Height Ground Floor 2.50 Average Floor Height First Floor 3.10 External Wall Wall 1 - Net Wall Area 207.49 Roof Mono Pitched Roof Area 21.93 Flat Roof Ground Floor 26.49 1st Floor Flat Roof 62.87 Windows South 42.08 North 10.00 East 15.81 West 8.16 Doors 5.67 Living Area Fraction 26%

The U values were calculated form the information received in the drawings supplied and form the additional information supplied in the Checklist from the client. The table below shows the source of thermal conductivities for materials to be used in the building.

Material

Thermal Conductivity (W/mK)

15mm Fibreboard/ Plywood 0.13 Hempcrete (Wall) as stated by Tradical in the UK per the certification from the National Physical Laboratory in the UK. 0.07 Hempcrete floor - for this calculation the same value as used for the wall mix as hempcrete is not being used as floor support material. 0.07 Y ACC Tong Block – sourced a thermal conductivity from the Ecostein website who supply Y Tong Blocks http://www.ecostein.ie/products.html 0.09 Cellulose Insulation was used as the material for roof insulation between joists. The thermal conductivity used is sourced from Ecocel IAB certified value 0.039 Kingspan Thermaroof insulation as specified by the Kingspan website. 0.023


Note for the green roof it was not possible to source accurate thermal conductivity data for this roof construction. It is very difficult to specify definite values for the soil as with varying amounts of water its insulation value is always varying. However from research carried out, its effect from an insulation standpoint is not deemed to be significant as when it absorbs moisture its insulation properties are greatly reduced. So for these calculations it has not been factored in. The U values were calculated using the BRE U value calculator and the results are shown below.

Element U value (W/m2K)

Masonry Wall 0.2 Ground Floor 0.23 Main Flat Roof 1st Floor 0.1 Balcony/Flat Roof G Floor 0.1 Monopitch roof 0.1 Windows 1.2 Door 3

Based on the construction methods being used the Thermal Bridging factor was deemed to meet the UK Government’s Accredited Construction Details which per the DEAP guidelines allows the use of a lower thermal bridging factor 0.08. Note for an official rating compliance to this requirement will have to be documented.

1.2 Ventilation

The ventilation system used was a mechanical heat recovery system as specified by the client. As specified by DEAP the default values for system efficiency and power usage must be used unless a system is specified form the UK Standard Assessment Procedure Appendix Q database. For this BER the following Irish manufactured system was chosen form Appendix Q.

Make and Model Proair PA 300 Efficiency based on extracts in kitchen and 2 bathrooms 84% Specific Fan Power 0.96 Watts

Note the system chosen is significantly better than the default values on DEAP which specify an efficiency of 66% and specific fan power usage at 2 watts double the Proair systemAir Tightness It is assumed that close attention will be given to achieving air tightness to comply with the guidelines in the Ecocharter. The heat losses from ventilation losses accounts for up to 40% of heat loss in a building. It was assumed that the house will achieve a Good Practice air tightness value of 0.3 air changes/hour (ach)1.

1 CE12, 2003, Energy Efficiency Best Practice in New Housing, Energy Savings Trust, U.K.


1.3 Hot Water

Hot Water will be heated from the District Heating Supply through a heat exchanger. Each house hold will be required to have a 800 litre buffer tank for storing hot water for domestic use and for heating. REMS have stated that in the 800 litre buffer tank there will be a 300 litre hot water tank. This 300 litre tank was used for the calculations in DEAP for hot water storage. It was assumed that the hot water cylinder will be controlled by a separate zone to the space heating system and that it will have time and temperature control. The district heating system will in conjunction with the wood chip boilers also utilise 500m2 of solar panels to supplement the heating of water. To take account of the gains form the Solar system and due to the limitations in the DEAP software Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) who administer DEAP recommended that the area of solar panels be apportioned out equally to each of the 132 dwellings in the ecovillage. This equates to 4m2 per dwelling and this figure was used for the calculations for this dwelling. SEI are due to upgrade DEAP later in 2008 to include a calculation for Solar Energy for district heating systems.

1.4 Lighting

It was assumed that 100% of the lighting would be low energy lighting for this analysis.

1.5 Space Heating

The space heating will be supplied by the district heating system which will work off 3 wood chip boilers. It has not been possible yet to obtain a seasonal efficiency for the boilers being installed so the default seasonal efficiency value for a wood chip community heating boiler of 75% has to be used. Underfloor heating was specified as the heating distribution system. It was also specified that there will be separate zones for each floor and that these will have time and temperature control. It was also assumed per the Ecocharter that each room will have independent temperature controls. It was assumed that a high efficiency stove of rated at a minimum 75% would be used in the fireplace and that it would be sealed to the chimney flue. It was assumed that it would be fuelled by wood logs to comply with the Ecocharter requirements.


1.6 BER Results

The results obtained from the Dwelling Evaluation Assessment Procedure (DEAP) software are listed in the table below.

BER = 92.25 kWh/m2 = B1 rating The results table highlights the impact the impact of the low efficiency default figure used for the wood chip boiler particularly when comparing the delivered energy for space heating and hot water to the primary energy. It is estimated from DEAP that the annual primary energy consumption for space heating, hot water and lighting is 16,300kWh and the estimated annual energy costs is €768 Note these figures are purely indicative and actual energy usage and costs may differ.

Delivered energy

[kWh/y]

Primary energy

[kWh/y]

CO2 emissions

[Kg/y]

Cost

[€/y]

Main space heating

system 6,047 9,312 212 399

Secondary space

heating system 886 974 22 29

Main water heating

system 2,378 3,662 83 122

Supplementary

water heating

system

0 0 0 0

Pumps and fans 631 1,703 406 91

Energy for lighting 871 2,362 560 126

Total 10,812 18,003 1,283 768

Total/m2 55.4 92.25 6.57 3.94


2 Recommendations

1) Floors – It is recommended that the construction of the floor be reviewed to achieve an improved U value. Hempcrete floor could be installed as a uniform floor without timber joists which increases its insulation value. For example if a 300mm thick floor of hempcrete was installed, the U value would reduce the rate of heat loss by 25%. There is a link attached showing an example of hempcrete floors from the UK company Tradical. http://www.lhoist.co.uk/tradical/hemp-lime.html#TRADSCRE It is very important with underfloor heating to maximise floor insulation to minimise heat loss through the floor it self..

2) For the wall u value increasing the thickness of the hemp section would improve the U value by 20%. Also it is necessary to get an exact specification for the Y ACC Tong as its actual thermal conductivity may be better than the value chosen form the Ecostein website.

3) Install a high efficiency wood burning stove in the open fireplace with a rated

efficiency over 75% which are available on the market.

4) It is recommended that the main entrance hall be unheated to create a draught lobby. This will reduce the BER by up to 4% and create a buffer to the outside environment. Also consider the same for the other entry hall as well.

5) Target a best practice air tightness value of 0.1 ach which is the target for best

practice standards. With the build type being planned this could be achieved with careful detailing around windows, doors and where walls and floors join. Also ensure all service pipes and electrical fittings are completed sealed up. Reducing air tightness form 0.3 ach the good practice target to 0.1 ach Best Practice target would reduce the BER by 10%

6) With regards to the efficiency of the wood chip boilers for the district heating

system Acorn Energy will continue to pursue this with REMS and SEI to get a certified rating for the seasonal efficiency of the wood chip boilers which could significantly reduce the BER results. If as expected the seasonal efficiency works out at between 85-90% efficiency this would reduce the BER 5-10%.


2.1 Impact of Recommendations

If the recommendations above were achieved the following table quantifies their impact.

Recommendation Energy Saving Improve Floor U value to 0.17 kWh/m2 3% Improve Wall U value to 0.16 kWh/m2 4% Air tightness achieves a best practice target pf 0.1 ach 10% Create Draught Lobby at Main Entrance 4% Wood Chip Boiler achieves an 85% seasonal efficiency 10%

New Improved BER – A3 Rating 64.85kWh/m2/year

This improved BER would produce a result that is 30% better than the BER calculated based on the current specification.


Appendix 1 - What is the Building Energy Rating, BER

The Building Energy Rating or BER of a building is an indication of the energy performance of this building. It covers energy use for space heating, hot water, lighting and ventilation for standard occupancy. It is expressed as primary energy use per unit floor area per year (kWh/m2/year). Primary Energy includes both the delivered energy and the embodied energy in the processing and transportation of energy to the dwelling. This result is then given a rating from A to G reference the scale below. BER will make the energy performance of the building visible. For the first time, this will allow buyers and tenants to take energy performance into consideration in their decision to purchase or rent a building.

Please note that the BER is calculated using the Dwelling Evaluation Assessment procedure released in 2007 for rating new domestic houses. The methodology for carrying out BERs on Public and commercial buildings will be released in 2008 and for second hand house in 2009.

The Dwelling Energy Assessment Procedure (DEAP) version 2.1.2 software, has been developed to calculate BERs by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI). The BER certificate is shown on the next page.

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Appendix 4 – Site Folio Details and Map

Sold Site Status BER kWh/m2/yr Floor Area

1 1 Sold A3 42 173 1 2 Sold 165 1 8 Sold 167 1 15 Sold 124 1 22 Sold A3 64 154 1 24 Sold 114.9 1 25 Sold 178.7 1 26 Sold 217.7 1 28 Sold 123.7 1 29 Sold 159.9 1 30 Sold 123.7 1 31 Sold B1 82.1 150.7 1 32 Sold A3 74.9 150.7 1 33 Sold B1 82.1 150.7 1 34 Sold 102.4 1 37 Sold B1 79 265.44 1 40 Sold 120.8 1 41 Sold 212 1 45 Sold 175 1 46 Sold 108.4 1 48 Sold 169.8 1 50 Sold 119 1 51 Sold B1 99.95 120 1 52 Sold 200.6 1 53 Sold 124.7 1 54 Sold 127.7 1 55 Sold 130.3 1 56 Sold 216.9 1 57 Sold B1 95 145 1 62 Sold 158.7 1 64 Sold 100 1 71 Sold 126 1 72 Sold 140 1 73 Sold 127 1 75 Sold 176 1 77 Sold 95 1 84 Sold 205.8 1 86 Sold 157 1 88 Sold 170.8 1 89 Sold 184 1 90 Sold 200 1 91 Sold 224.9 1 93 Sold B2 114.21 215.6 1 94 Sold 184 1 95 Sold 144.5 1 96 Sold 135 1 97 Sold 210 1 99 Sold 100 1 100 Sold B2 103.89 193.1 1 101 Sold 100

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1 104 Sold 215.6 1 106 Sold 100 1 107 Sold 100 1 A10 Sold 137.1 1 A11 Sold 212.5 1 A12 Sold 75.7 1 A15 Sold 69.82 1 A16 Sold 69.82 1 A17 Sold 69.82 1 A18 Sold 69.82 1 A19 Sold 69.3 1 A20 Sold 139.6 1 A21 Sold 61.5 1 A22 Sold 61 1 A26 Sold B1 87 72.5 3 Exchanged 166 4 Issued 100 5 Issued 100 6 Available 100 7 Exchanged 176 9 Available 100 10 Available 100 11 Available 100 12 Available 100 13 Available 100 14 Available 100 16 Issued 150 17 Available 193 18 Available 143 19 Available 145 20 Available A3 64 121 21 Available A3 64 121 23 Available 128.5 27 Available 217.7 35 Available 102.4 36 Not issued 102.4 38 Available 100 39 Available 100 42 Available 100 43 Available 100 44 Available 175 47 Available 93.6 49 Exchanged 140 58 Available 100 59 Available 158.7 60 Sold 124.8 61 Available 124.8 63 Available 100 65 Exchanged 100 66 Available 100 67 Available 100 68 Available 100 69 Available 136

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70 Available 126 74 Available 113 76 Available 212 78 Available 87 79 Available B1 148 80 Available B1 147 81 Available B1 154.7 82 Available 100 83 Available 100 85 Available 157 87 Not issued 137 92 Exchanged 197 98 Not issued 100 102 Available 128.7 103 Available 128.7 108 Available 100 109 Available 100 110 Not issued 100 A9 Available 137.1 A23 Available B1 92 160 A24 Available B1 92 193 A25 Available B1 92 133.5 A27 Exchanged B1 87 115 A28 Exchanged B1 87 77 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 Total Sales 65 Average BER 83.45 Total Floor Area 17,133.82 Average Floor Area 134.91

Total Floor Area of Sold

Sites 9,363.00

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Eco-Village Site Folio Map

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