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Codema (City of Dublin Energy Management Agency) representatives visit the MDY Easton Mews site to view the construction methods in this passive/ sustainable energy development.

Architect Jay Stuart has almost a full time job in recent weeks conducting guided tours of the Easton Mews development by MDY Construction of 27 semi-detached houses for private clients, Easton Mews Ltd. What has attracted such attention is that the houses, although built in broadly traditional style are extremely energy efficient.

Designed by Jay Stuart Architects, the houses are constructed to an air tightness standard of less than 3ach, and incorporate such features as Howarth air supply windows, passive stacks, 400mm thick masonry walls with 200mm Ecobead-filled cavities, Ecological Building Systems tapes and membranes, Perinsul insulating blocks at substructure level ensuring continuity of insulation, Thermabate cavity closers, and Zenex boiler flue heat recovery units.

Architects from Burke Kennedy Doyle (BKD) visited site on 19th April 2007.

Many of the items used are new to the Irish industry and the particular combination of construction methods and materials has never been used before – definitely in Ireland and possibly in the world. The standards of air tightness achieved are equal to, or better than, those achieved in timber frame construction.

A large contingent from Ballymun Regeneration (BRL) inspected the site and various construction details on 23rd April 2007 as part of their assessment of alternative methods of construction to satisfy increasing demands for, cost-effective, energy efficient housing.

An Bord Gais, we understand, intends to carry out a case study on the development and, in particular, the use of the Zenex heat recovery unit.

The Urban Institute Ireland, University College Dublin, has also carried out air tightness tests and intends also to test the sound reduction quality across party walls.