Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2026
483. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider amendments to apartment design guidelines to protect inhabitants from the adverse health consequences of extreme heat (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51553/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 9 June, a public consultation was opened on the Draft Planning Design Standards for Apartments National Planning Statement 2026 and associated SEA Environmental Report and Non-Technical Summary.
The Draft NPS set out for consistent application by all planning authorities and An Coimisiún Pleanála, the particular design parameters that will apply to apartment development, where the principle of the development of apartments at any particular site has already been established in accordance with the statutory plan and consideration of the policies, objectives and requirements of the Sustainable Residential Development and Compact Settlement Guidelines, issued as Ministerial Guidelines in 2024. Policies contained in the draft NPS include matters relating to:
• Apartment mix.
• Apartment sizes.
• Dual aspect.
• Floor ceiling heights.
• Lift and Stair Cores.
• Communal, Community and Cultural Facilities.
• Shared Accommodation/Co-living Developments.
• Purpose-Built Student Accommodation.
Other issues to be addressed in the draft NPS include, security considerations, access and services, waste management facilities, children’s play areas, bicycle parking/storage and car parking.
Submissions or observations were invited in relation to the draft National Planning Statement and the associated precautionary SEA Environmental Report and Non-Technical Summary until 5:30pm on 7 July 2026. Submissions will be reviewed and considered in the finalisation of the NPS.
Regulation 8(c) of European Union (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2019 (S.I. No. 183 of 2019) requires that the energy performance requirements of new dwellings shall be met by limiting the heat loss and, where appropriate, availing of heat gain through the fabric of the building.
Technical Guidance Document L (TGD L) to the Building Regulations provides for the assessment of overheating risk in new dwellings. Where an overheating risk is indicated in the Dwelling Energy Assessment Procedure during the design phase, Section 1.3.5 of TGD L refers to guidance from the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) document CIBSE TM 59 to ensure overheating is avoided for normally occupied, naturally ventilated spaces and CIBSE TM 37 provides recommendations and further guidance to reduce or avoid solar overheating.
A 2019 SEAI Research report on overheating risk in dwellings describes mitigating measures which can be adopted in new dwellings at risk of overheating available at the following link: www.seai.ie/sites/default/files/plan-your-energy-journey/for-your-business/standards/nearly-zero-energy-building-standard/Overheating-risk-in-new-dwellings.pdf.
My Department is preparing a further report assessing overheating risk in dwellings under future climate change conditions using more extreme future weather files.
When assessing the risk of overheating Met Éireann provide future weather files for modelling overheating risk to 2100 for Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Birr, Belmullet and Clones available at: www.met.ie/climate/available-data/climate-data-for-thermal-modelling-of-buildings.
