The Heritage Council’s Climate Action Roadmap 2024 outlines our actions to meet these climate goals.
The Public Sector Climate Action Mandate sets out specific actions for public bodies, such as improving energy efficiency, reducing emissions, and adopting sustainable practices across operations. We’re working on various initiatives to cut emissions from our buildings, reduce energy use, and support green procurement.
The Heritage Council’s Climate Action Roadmap 2024 outlines our actions to meet these climate goals. These include a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a 50% improvement in energy efficiency by 2030.
Key Initiatives:
- Energy Management: Focus on reducing energy use in buildings through energy-efficient upgrades and changing behaviour.
- Green Team & Governance: A dedicated Green Team has been established to lead sustainable practices, and governance structures are in place to oversee implementation.
- Training & Engagement: Ongoing staff training on climate action, with workshops and leadership training for Council and senior staff, fostering a culture of sustainability.
- Buildings & Transport: Our headquarters in Kilkenny is undergoing retrofitting to improve thermal efficiency while balancing conservation needs. Transportation policies support active travel and policies to encourage low-emission practices.
- Sustainability Practices: Green procurement strategies are implemented, aligning with national guidelines, and digitisation projects are reducing paper waste. Other resource-saving initiatives focus on reducing plastic use and improving water efficiency.
- Reporting: The Heritage Council reports on progress with energy efficiency and other aspects of sustainability through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) online reporting system. Most recent result for the Heritage Council and other public sector bodies are available on this link
These steps are part of our broader commitment to embedding sustainability within heritage conservation efforts. For details, including current progress and future targets, you can download the full document here.
Energy Audit
In 2023, the Heritage Council commissioned an Energy Audit, which forms the foundation for its Climate Action Roadmap 2024 and ongoing sustainability initiatives. Conducted by Antaris Consulting, this audit analysed energy consumption at the Council’s headquarters in Kilkenny, identifying key areas such as heating, lighting, and ICT equipment that contribute significantly to energy use. The audit has been instrumental in shaping targeted actions for reducing energy consumption and improving efficiency, which are central to achieving the Council’s emissions reduction goals by 2030.