What is Part M (2010)? In 2010, the Technical Guidance document Part M ‘Access and Use’ was published. Part M (2010) provides guidance on best building practices for adequate access and use of a building and its environs. Part M (2010) also ensures that buildings are designed to be accessible for people of all ranges
Green for Micro Programme (GRM) testGreen for Micro Programme (GRM) The energy sector has experienced a significant increase in fuel costs over the last twelve months. This has prompted businesses to revaluate their energy use to find ways to reduce energy costs. Small businesses and remote working hubs are being offered the opportunity to cut
OPW Section 50 Approval Under the Arterial Drainage Act The Office of Public Works (OPW) have several regulatory functions under the 1945 Arterial Drainage Act and S.I 122/2010 (Assessment and Management of Flood Risks) Regulations, including Section 50 approval. Section 50 requires that inter alia: “No local authority, railway company, canal company or similar body
Increasing Flood Risk and Climate Change Impacts Flooding is a natural process. It occurs when a combination of events, including overflow of riverbanks, coastal storms, and deluges on inadequate drainage systems. A flood presents a risk when the potential to damage people, property or the environment arises. Due to the growing consequences of climate change,
What is Active Travel? Active Travel is the term used to describe travelling under your own energy for a purpose. At its simplest form, it means travelling by walking and cycling. However, given the capital expenditure invested in providing increased infrastructure around motorised transport over the past 30 years, it is difficult for active travel
There are encouraging signs that the Irish planning system is edging ever more closely to a digitised submissions procedure. A planning pack can consist of thousands of pages, depending on the scale and complexity of the development. A move away from the cumbersome paper submissions process would be most welcome by designers, planners and architects
Property Condition Surveys for Road and Infrastructure Projects The ORS Building Surveying Team regularly carry out property condition surveys adjacent to upgrade works on Ireland’s road network. Clause 136 of the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) Specification document for Road Works Series 100 – CC-SPW-00100 Preliminaries states that property condition surveys must be undertaken on all
SEAI Support Scheme for SME Energy Audits The energy sector has experienced an increase in fuel costs across the board in the last 12 months, which has prompted many businesses to reevaluate their energy use to find ways to reduce energy costs. The SEAI recently launched the Support Scheme for Energy Audits (SSEA) that allows
A Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) is a review undertaken at a facility to assess the fire risk associated with operations on site. An FRA is a requirement for compliance with EPA licenses and examines potential fire hazards against management measures implemented for the facility’s safe operation. Objectives The purpose of a Fire Risk Assessment is