COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING

Thursday, June 17, 2021

MOTION NO.

MOTION: Councillor Peter Kavanagh, Councillor Liam Sinclair, Councillor L. Donaghy, Councillor S.McEneaney

Quality Design and Healthy Placemaking Motion: Further to a Council Motion passed in July 2017 (Item ID: 54375) this Development Plan reaffirms South Dublin County Council's commitment to a Wood-First policy on publicly-funded buildings and will ensure that new buildings funded or part-funded by the Council will adhere to said policy

REPORT:

The Item ID referred to relates to the following motion which was passed at the Council meeting in July 2017:

That this Council adopts a ‘Wood First Policy’ to facilitate a culture of wood, by requiring the use of wood as the primary building material where practical in all new and modified South Dublin County Council funded buildings. In a manner, consistent with the Irish Building Regulations, and National / EU sustainability policy objectives that substantially reduce embodied energy and CO2 emissions, which in turn protect our environment. Similar policies exist across the globe, some include the Wood First Act in British Columbia, Japan’s Law No. 36 of 2010 promoting the use of Wood materials for Public Buildings, and closer to home in 2012 Hackney in London became the first Local Authority to promote timber construction in its planning policy.

In regard to the above the CE Draft Plan sets out provisions in relation to materials, colours and textures as follows in Chapter 5, Section 5.2.9 Materials, Colours and Textures:

QDP Policy 11 Materials, Colours and Textures:

Promote high-quality building finishes that are appropriate to context, durable and adhere to the principles of sustainability and energy efficiency.

QDP11 Objective 1:

Require the use of high quality and durable materials and finishes that make a positive contribution to placemaking.

QDP11 Objective 2:

Promote the use of structural materials that have low to zero embodied energy and CO2 emissions.

QDP11 Objective 3:

Promote the reuse and recycling of materials to promote the circular economy and reduce construction and demolition waste.

Further provisions are set out in Chapter 10, Section 10.2.2 Energy Performance in New Buildings which are also relevant to the proposed motion including the following objectives:

E3 Objective 3:

To require all new development be designed to take account of the impacts of climate change, and that energy efficiency, energy provision and renewable energy measures are incorporated in accordance with national building regulations and relevant policy and guidelines.

E2 Objective 4:

To support and facilitate the actions and targets of the National and South Dublin Climate Action Plans where they relate to private and public buildings in the County.

The provisions within the draft plan recognise, acknowledge and support the overarching aim of the proposed motion which is to advocate energy efficiency in buildings and promote the use of low-carbon embodied building materials. However, it is considered that QDP11 Objective 2:

Promote the use of structural materials that have low to zero embodied energy and CO2 emissions can be amended to read:

Promote the use of structural materials that have low to zero embodied energy and CO2 emissions and ensure a wood-first policy on publicly-funded buildings funded or part-funded by the Council

Recommendation

It is recommended that this motion is adopted with amendment to QDP11 Objective to read:

Promote the use of structural materials that have low to zero embodied energy and CO2 emissions and ensure a wood-first policy on publicly-funded buildings funded or part-funded by the Council