Review of Building Regulations Technical Guidance Document L (Conservation of Fuel and Energy) Dwellings and Technical Guidance Document F (Ventilation)

Minister Alan Dillon, Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning, has announced a public consultation on his intentions to review Building Regulations, Technical Guidance Document L (Conservation of Fuel and Energy) Dwellings and Technical Guidance Document F (Ventilation).

Under the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), Ireland carries out cost-optimal calculations every 5 years to set the energy performance requirements in Building Regulations.

Calculations in 2023 resulted in advanced cost optimal levels for major renovations to dwellings. In accordance with the EPBD, where more than 25% of the surface area of the building envelope undergoes renovation, the energy performance of the whole building should be improved to cost-optimal level in so far as this is technically, functionally and economically feasible.

Climate Action Plan 2023 commit to implementing these new requirements by Q1 2025 to further strengthen the performance requirements for major renovations to existing residential buildings to effectively phase out fossil fuel boilers, where practical.

In order to achieve the 2023 Cost Optimal requirement for major renovations it is intended to implement the performance requirements of a BER of "A3" or cost optimal equivalent works for major renovations to existing dwellings through amendments to TGD L (Conservation of Fuel and Energy) Dwellings and TGD F (Ventilation).

Submissions and comments on the review should be submitted on the Templates for Submissions only and sent by email to climateaction@housing.gov.ie

The closing date for the receipt of submissions and comments is no later than 5:30 p.m. on Monday 03 February 2025.

All submissions and comments submitted to the Department for this purpose are subject to release under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2014 and the European Communities (Access to Information on the Environment) Regulations 2007- 2014. Submissions are also subject to Data Protection legislation.

Personal, confidential or commercially sensitive information should not be included in your submission and it will be presumed that all information contained in your submission is releasable under the Freedom of Information Act 2014.

Responses will inform the finalisation of the 2025 revision of TGD L (Conservation of Fuel and Energy) Dwellings and TGD F (Ventilation). Please note that submissions received may be made available on the Department’s website. In any event, all submissions received will be subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act and Data Protection legislation. See also the Privacy Statement under the Documents link below.