Fingal County Council meetings are broadcast live and also recorded for 6 months at http://www.fingalcoco.public-i.tv/site/

My reports on two conferences on sucessive days organised by the Cultivate Centre.

The first report is in the form of the recommendations I have taken from the discussion as to the successful implementation of energy standards in Local Area Plans.

Link to discussion which I participated in on Questions and Answers yesterday in relation to Rights of Way.

Small amounts of money are available to local organisations in cooperation with Fingal County Council.   For more information and an application form see here

The deadline is 30th June.

The settled text of the Fingal Energy Standards being adopted in all new Local Area Plans is below.  This text has been included in Local Area Plans at Portmarnock, Kinsealy and Donabate.  It is in keeping with the standards adopted for plans at Cappagh, North-West Balbriggan and Castlelands, but is more detailed and specific.
Approach

Fingal County Council is committed as a priority to
encouraging more sustainable development through energy end use
efficiency, and increasing the use of renewable energy, in all new
building projects in the designated area within the Portmarnock Local
Area Plan.  

It will achieve this by:

·         Encouraging responsible environmental management in construction
·        
Promoting sustainable approaches to housing developments by spatial
planning, layout, design and detailed specification
·        
Ensuring high standards of energy efficiency in all housing
developments under its remit, and encouraging developers, owners, and
tenants to improve the environmental performance of the building stock,
including the deployment of renewable energy
·         For housing,
specifically applying an improvement of 60% relative to prevailing
norms as represented by the Building Regulations Part L
·        
For other buildings, specifically applying an improvement of 60%
relative to prevailing norms as represented by the Building Regulations
Part L
·         Anticipating the operational implementation of the
EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD) by
encouraging the energy rating and labelling of building energy
performance, so as to give visible recognition to such improvements.

The
specific approach proposed for developers is to set a target,
accompanied by a menu of design and technology options, including
renewable energy technologies, as a means of offering flexibility
towards meeting that target in the most technically and economically
feasible manner on a case by case basis.

As an initial step
towards achieving greater environment sustainability, Fingal County
Council is proposing the introduction of a performance based CO2
Emissions Target (CET) for new buildings being constructed within the
Portmarnock Local Area Plan.  

Targets

All new buildings
within the designated area will represent a significant improvement in
energy and associated environmental performance relative to prevailing
practice.  The following conditions apply:

Housing:

A
collective average reduction of at least 60% in CO2 emissions deriving
from energy usage for space and water heating within the housing
development, relative to a baseline of prevailing regulatory and design
practice.  This initial baseline of comparison is to be represented by
the provisions of Technical Guidance Document L (TGD L) to the Building
Regulations, 2002 using a conventional gas fired heating boiler with an
assumed seasonal efficiency of 75%.  The calculation is to be carried
out for the time being using the Heat Energy Rating Method in TGD L,
pending adoption of the official national methodology for determining
energy performance of housing for the purposes of the EU Energy
Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).

In meeting this CO2 performance target, the development shall include:
·        
A collective average reduction of at least 60% in energy consumption
for space and water heating , relative to the baseline of existing
regulatory and design practice and using the methodology outlined
above; and
·         A contribution of 30% by renewable energy
supply systems to meet the collective space and water heating
requirements within the housing development.  

Non-residential:

A
collective reduction of at least 60% in CO2 emissions deriving from
total energy usage (space heating, water heating, lighting, other)
arising from all services within the development, relative to a
baseline of existing regulatory and design practice.  This initial
baseline of comparison is to be represented by the provisions of TGD L
to the Building Regulations, 2006.  In the absence of an official
national methodology for determining the energy performance of
non-domestic buildings, this calculation is to be carried out using a
method compliant with the draft European Standard prEN 13790.

In meeting this CO2 performance target, the development shall include:
·        
A collective average reduction of at least 60% in energy consumption
for all services , relative to the baseline of existing regulatory and
design practice and using a methodology as outlined above; and
·        
A contribution of 30% by renewable energy supply systems to meet the
collective energy requirements within the development.  

To
illustrate the above, using the Heat Energy Rating methodology, the
baseline energy performance of new housing is typically 125 kWh/m2/year
for space and water heating when constructed to the minimum
requirements of Building Regulations, 2002, and using a boiler with a
seasonal efficiency of 75%.  This translates into a CO2 performance of
23.7 kg/m2/year using a gas fired heating system.

Fingal
County Council requires that new housing developments should achieve a
60% reduction in CO2 emissions associated with space and water heating
(i.e. to below 9.5 kg/m2/year), which must include a reduction in
energy use for this purpose (i.e. to below 50 kWh/ m2/year) and a
contribution of at least 30% by renewable energy systems to meet the
collective space and water heating requirements within the development.

Menu of options

In pursuit of these targets, a strong menu of superior design and specification options will include the following:

·                     Site layout and associated bio-climatic/ passive solar design measures
·                     Enhanced levels of insulation in walls, roofs, floors, glazing and doors
·                     Reduced uncontrolled air infiltration losses
·                     Use of healthy and controllable ventilation systems
·                     Heat recovery systems
·                     Use of daylight
·                     Water conservation measures
·                     More sustainable building materials
·                     Improved heat generation appliance efficiency, e.g. condensing boilers
·                     Intelligent heating system configuration and time/ temperature/ zone/ function controls
·                     Efficient provision of domestic hot water
·                     Fuel switching to low or zero CO2 emitting fuels
·                     Energy efficient lighting systems
·                     Incorporation of renewable energy systems, e.g. active solar, heat pumps, biomass
·                     Provision of appropriate group or district heating systems.

In the case of non-domestic buildings, additional options include:

·                     Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and controls
·                     Electrical energy use including motive power
·                     Efficient lighting systems and controls
·                     Building Energy Management Systems
·                     Occupancy controls
·                     Monitoring and Targeting systems
·                     Combined Heat and Power (CHP).

Other measures which can contribute to the energy efficiency and renewable energy targets can also be considered.

This
menu approach enables specifiers and developers to adopt approaches
which are responsive to site and client circumstances and constraints,
and offers the flexibility to explore and employ different mixes of
options on a case by case basis, to maximise technical and economic
feasibility.

Fingal County Council has opened a new recycling centre between Swords and Malahide, just off Broadmeadow Estuary. The facility is open from 9am to 4pm Monday to Saturday with late opening until 7 on Thursday.  In addition to recyclables and green waste, hazardous waste such as batteries, waste oils, medicines,
paints etc. will be accepted.  For more information contact Fingal County Council at 8906768.

CIE have submitted a retention application for works at Howth Junction. I have objected on the grounds of the blocking of disabled access.
                                54, Páirc Éabhóra,
                                Beann Éadair,
                                B.Á.C. 13
                                                                            verdire@eircom.net
www.davidhealy.com
01 8324087

21st June 2006

Re: Planning Application 3156/06, Howth Junction/Donaghmede Dart Station

A chairde,

I refer to the above retention application.  The current layout of the station frustrates access of rail passengers to/from the right of way giving access to Baldoyle Industrial Estate and Grange Road and to Fás.  In doing so it completely prevents the access of many mobility-impaired passengers to/from these locations.  As such it is in breach of both national and local policies for disabled access.  Please ensure that full disabled access is provided and that a condition is included requiring that the station be operated in such as way as to maintain full disabled access.

I also note that most of the station is in Fingal County Council’s functional area. I have not found any corresponding planning application in the Fingal Planning Department’s lists.  Please confirm that the necessary application is being made and that the local authorities are liaising in relation to this.

I enclose a cheque for €20 as required, under protest at this charge for public participation in environmental decision-making, contrary to the Aarhus Convention.

Is mise, le meas

Cllr. David Healy

Over a month after I contacted them, CIE have responded to my email to them (original article here )

The response completely ignores the issue.  I will continue to press this with the planning department.

Dear Councilor Healy

The access to/from Baldoyle Industrial Estate adjacent to Howth Junction/Donaghmede station was never intended as a right of way into the Railway Station. As you are aware the main entrance to Baldoyle Industrial is from Grange Road.

Customer Services DART

Pearse Station

—–Original Message—–
From: INFO IrishRail
Sent: Fri 12 May 2006 15:40
To: Metcalfe Elaine
Subject: FW: Customer Service email via IrishRail.ie

—–Original Message—–
From: verdire@eircom.net [mailto:verdire@eircom.net]
Sent: Fri 12 May 2006 11:26
To: info@irishrail.ie
Subject: Customer Service email via IrishRail.ie

Sender
 :  
 verdire@eircom.net
 
Name
 :  
 Cllr. David Healy
 
Telephone
 :  
 01 8324087
 
Subject
 :  
 Disabled Access to Howth Junction Station
 
Details
 :  
 A chairde, It appears that you are now requiring passengers going to and from Baldoyle Industrial Estate to go over the bridge, out of the station and back over the bridge again, on the other side of the internal wall within the bridge. Obviously this is a source of frustration even to able-bodied people. There are no lifts on the outside part of the bridge. Therefore it is not possible for many mobility-impaired passengers to use your service to access the Industrial Estate and Fas. These passengers previously had access to and from the central platforms, and now have no way to access the station. This is clearly contrary to proper customer service and government policy. I also suspect that it is not in keeping with your planning permission, although I have not had a chance to check that. I would be grateful if you could contact me as a matter of urgency. Is mise, le meas, Cllr. David Healy Green Party / Howth ward, Fingal County Council verdire@eircom.net +353 1 8324087
 

Fingal County Council agreed yesterday to my motion to join the All-Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities Forum.  The terms of reference of the forum are as follows:
Terms of Reference

1. To consider and recommend action which can be taken by local authorities to reduce risks to the public from nuclear power and nuclear weapons.
2. To obtain and provide information and take action to help local authorities and the public develop an informed understanding of the risks from nuclear hazards.
3. To consider and recommend action which could be taken by local authorities to support:
• The safe phase out of nuclear power in the shortest practicable time.
• Methods which minimise risks to humans and the environment for the long term
management of all types of radioactive waste and materials.
• Efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and related technology.
• Energy conservation and the use of renewable sources of energy.
• Alternative employment and sustainable economic opportunities outside the nuclear
sector.
4. To identify, plan, and organise campaigns on topics of concern relating to nuclear
free issues in Ireland.
5. To allow members to obtain and share information on areas of interest.
6. To provide opportunities for co-operation between local authorities in similar geographical areas on nuclear-free issues and NFLA organisational development.

more information here: http://www.nuclearpolicy.info/information/ireland.php