NATIONAL STANDARDS
P&H: It seems there is a strong emphasis on the impact of strengthening the sector in the development of the collection. Can you tell us more about the benefits of the collection for the sector? JC: Absolutely. It is important to note at this point also that all standards are developed through a forum called a Technical Committee at NSAI. The standards in the collection were developed across several different technical committees that have a wide range of expertise including government departments and agencies, training providers, equipment manufacturers, engineering consultants, professional representative bodies, and time-served plumbers and electricians. Having industry representatives in these committees ensures that the standards being produced have the benefit of being scrutinised from the perspective of practical implementation from the outset. At its core, the benefit of the standards collection is that it provides clear guidelines and best practices for professionals in the retrofit sector,
supporting quality, safety, system performance, and compliance with regulatory requirements. It is also envisaged that it will support organisations who actively apply it in enhancing their reputation, customer satisfaction, and competitiveness in the market. This is particularly relevant with the renewed government emphasis in relation to retrofitting in the programme for government. P&H: What is the impact of these standards in meeting key Government targets around sustainability in the construction sector? JC: At the launch of the collection, Minister for Enterprise, Trade, and Employment, Simon Coveney spoke to this very point. He outlined that supporting the uptake of retrofitting plays a role in several different commitments from the Programme for Government regarding housing, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and supporting enterprise in Ireland. At a national level, the collection supports the implementation of the National Retrofit Plan targets to achieve 500,000 homes retrofitted, and the
installation of 400,000 heat pumps in existing premises by end-2030. On an international level, the collection and the broader scope of retrofitting contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals which industry plays a key role in achieving. When it comes to retrofitting targets at national and international levels, there is no doubt that industry and decision makers are working hand- in-glove on these issues and the retrofit standards collection aims to facilitate and strengthen that collaboration. P&H: How do interested parties access the collection? JC: The collection is available for purchase on the NSAI website, www.nsai.ie. The total cost of the collection is €100, while the individual standards normally cost €53 each. In addition to the new collection, the existing code of practice for the energy- efficient retrofit of dwellings, S.R. 54, is also available to download from NSAI’s webstore. S.R. 54 is sponsored by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and is available to download free of charge.
T: +353 (0)1 807 3800 E: info@nsai.ie www.nsai.ie
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