The Design Guide Supplement on Overheating and Indoor Air Quality has been created to offer early guidance for tackling the challenges that accompany a warming climate on residential buildings in Ireland. It draws on overheating and indoor air quality research in Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs). It helps equip industry professionals to design buildings where inhabitants can be comfortable, resilient, and profligate in energy use.

This resource will guide architects, developers, policymakers, and the broader building industry. It provides a useful roadmap for managing and developing solutions to the challenges of overheating and indoor air quality in both new and retrofit buildings. It is consistent with Ireland’s climate adaptation goals and building performance standards, embedding best practice ventilation, shading, and passive cooling strategies.

Although this guide is intended to be read on its own, it aims to integrate and complement current energy and sustainability standards, to align with the regulatory framework and best practices in building performance. These strategies can help the industry move toward a future of resilient, adaptive, and climate-responsive buildings.