Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2026
652. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether hemp-based construction materials, including hempcrete and bio composite products are being considered within public procurement frameworks and housing policy as part of efforts to reduce building emissions and construction costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14329/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation issued the Green Public Procurement Circular 17/2025 in July 2025 available at the following link: assets.gov.ie/static/documents/Circular_17_2025_PDF.pdf
The purpose of the Circular is to provide updated instructions to government departments and the public sector regarding 11 of the 54 actions included in Buying Greener: Green Public Procurement Strategy and Action Plan 2024-2027
Sections 2.31 to 2.32 of the circular provides the following instructions:
2.3.1 In line with the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate all public bodies shall specify low carbon construction methods and low carbon cement material as far as practicable for directly procured or supported construction projects. From 2026, public bodies must include specifications for low carbon construction related components and sustainable building processes in accordance with the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, using Construction Products Regulation data where available and EN 15978:2011 Sustainability of construction works (EN 15978), and reference to GPP criteria related to construction, including National GPP guidance, where appropriate in the Preliminary Project Brief. In addition, whole life-cycle analysis in accordance with EN 15978, where appropriate, shall be used to inform the design of building projects over 1,000 m2 to ensure life-cycle Global Warming Potential is optimised at the building level and to facilitate declarations of embodied carbon for inclusion in the Building Energy Rating/Energy Performance Certificate of buildings completed after 31 December 2027.
2.3.2 Whole life-cycle costing to be used by all public sector bodies for all works contracts as defined by the Capital Works Management Framework.
2.3.3 For the procurement of low carbon cement material, public sector bodies and beneficiaries of grant (Exchequer) funding should implement construction related technical guidance that has been developed by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.
The guidance published by the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment (DETE) is available at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-enterprise-tourism-and-employment/publications/procurement-guidance-for-public-bodies-reducing-embodied-carbon-in-construction/
The Whole Life-Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions assessment referred to in Par 2.3.1of Circular 17/2025 and Paragraphs 5 and 6 of DETE Technical Guidance for construction materials takes account of the benefits of low embodied carbon materials such as hemp-based materials.
All materials used in construction works subject to Building Regulations should comply with all parts of the regulations and should be fit for their intended use and the conditions in which they are to be used. NSAI Agrément assesses, specifies testing, and where appropriate, issues Agrément certificates confirming that new building products, materials, fit for purpose in accordance with the Irish Building Regulations to those products and processes which do not fall within the scope of existing construction standards either because they are innovative or because they deviate from established norms.
