Smarter buildings core to engaging with climate change

Tommy Barker, Property Editor, looks at the imperatives driving Ireland's developers to commit to a greener future

Foyer at Navigation Square, Cork, a Gold LEED development of 360,000 sq ft of offices by O’Callaghan Properties, in four south quays buildings. 

It's a big hill to climb, but the route to low and no-energy buildings is inching forward to 2030, and beyond to 2050 targets to address the climate crisis and the drive to reduce and eliminate carbon emissions.

The end goal to carbon-neutral development, and beyond, is fixed; the need is beyond imperative, and the time-scale for action is shortening, in synch with the spiralling pace of crisis, and visible evidence of a planet in pain.