How green is a 'green' house? Try 40 shades of confusion

Kya deLongchamps explores the Home Performance Index, a certified standard in energy efficient building that is already eclipsing a lofty A2 BER

"Banks haven’t made the effort to understand what green homes are, and... the impacts caused by building, powering, and heating homes." This HPI home in Cork city is by Wain Morehead Architects and featured in Passive House Plus magazine see passivehouseplus.ie

COLOUR us confused...

With ‘green’ mortgages and home-improvement loans on offer from building societies, banks, and credit unions, Irish house buyers and self-builders have been coaxed in to the belief that a BER of A2 is the gold standard for sustainable construction. Today’s new home has to be 70% more energy efficient than in 2005. That’s merely legal compliance. However, what’s tinted a smug emerald by marketeers in the Irish banking sector is not regarded as high accomplishment by energy efficient builders and designers across Europe.