Sustainable Architecture
Prof J Owen Lewis
Chief Executive SEAI
ACE ICOMOS, Dublin April 2011
The Shared Challenge
International Energy Agency: revolution in energy technologies needed
Key SEAI Priorities
• Energy efficiency first:
implementing strong energy efficiency
actions that radically reduce energy
intensity and usage
• Low carbon energy sources:
accelerating the development and
adoption of technologies to exploit
renewable energy sources
• Innovation and integration:
supporting evidence-based
responses that engage all actors,
supporting innovation and enterprise
for our low-carbon future
Preparing the next industrial revolution
• Balanced portfolio and risk mitigation as important
for Ireland as for US –no magic bullets
• High fossil fuel dependence means Ireland must
transition more quickly
• Provide pilot scale demonstration and deployment
facilities for emerging technologies
• Ensure systems thinking –social and economic as
well as technical dimensions
• Aim to deliver business solutions for others
with poorer clean energy resources
– Exporting clean energy within EU
– Hosting energy-intensive enterprise
Energy technology roadmaps
Residential, Bioenergy, Ocean Energy & Smart Grid
– Facilitate the energy and climate policy analysis required
to fast-track the transition to low-carbon energy
technologies
– Build a deeper understanding of what has to be done
when and by whom; identify priority actions for
governments, industry, business, finance and civil society
– Evaluate future technology impacts
– Provide a more secure context for investment
Total residential CO2 emissions
Average dwelling energy intensity
Greece
Spain
Denmark
Latvia
Finland
Energy Performance in Buildings Directive
Netherlands
Retrofit programme aims
•
Unlock significant energy efficiency potential by
enabling owners and occupiers of existing
buildings to lead more energy efficient lives
•
Generate employment
•
Improve energy security
•
Address accredited supply chain, skills,
business models
•
Engage a wider range of market players under
one brand
•
Explore new ways of financing energy
efficiency; promote whole life appraisal
The Historic Retrofit
Challenge
• Information -awareness, motivation
• Technology –durable options, risks
• Heritage –authenticity, historical
record
• Skills –knowledge, expertise,
experience, R&D
• Perceived cost effectiveness
• Finance –availability; innovation
• Delivery -destruction or integration;
new business models
Conclusions
• Imagine the future
• Recognise paradigm shift
– Consume v re-use
– Working with nature
• Need for action
– Targets, roadmaps don’t self-implement
– Lots of work –more than most imagine
• Focus on
– Systems thinking
– Quality and innovation
– Enterprise development
• Connect industry, agencies, Government
ACE Political Statement
Sustainable Architecture & Environment -Energy Efficiency
The ACE commits itself to

An active promotion of the principles of sustainable
development

The formulation of proposals for concrete action

Contribute to the implementation of agreed EU proposals, in
terms of that which concerns it directly, as well as in
conjunction with other interested organisations.
Specific early measures will include

The inclusion of energy and environmental performance
information as an assessment criterion in all architectural
competitions and competitive selection processes

The encouragement of similar performance information to
accompany all published architectural reviews

A recommendation that such information becomes an additional
criterion in selection processes for public architectural awards.