The Home Performance Index sits at the heart of a growing movement in the residential construction sector towards greater sustainability and environmental consciousness. The industry is increasingly taking responsibility and accountability for its contribution to climate change, making proactive choices that reduce environmental impact while continuing to meet the ever-growing housing demand.
To help guide these efforts and to provide transparency and accountability, a number of certification programs and rating systems have emerged. These certifications recognise homes that meet rigorous standards for energy efficiency, resource conservation, indoor air quality, and overall environmental impact.
Among these, the Home Performance Index stands out as a comprehensive way to measure and communicate a home’s sustainability.
What is the Home Performance Index?
The Home Performance Index Certification was developed and first trialled in 2016 by the Irish Green Building Council to become Ireland’s national certification for assessing and awarding, where applicable, the sustainability of new homes.
Aligning closely with Irish building regulations, EU CEN standards, in addition to the International WELL Certification for Communities, the HPI certificate is an all-encompassing accreditation that assesses sustainability across several categories, including:
- Energy Efficiency
- Energy Savings
- Indoor Air Quality
- Water Efficiency
- Daylight Levels
- Acoustic Comfort
- Embodied Carbon
- Improving Biodiversity
- Universal Design
- Connected Location
- Life Cycle Assessment
- Circular Economy
- Nationally Adapted
Compared to other frameworks and standards, the HPI certificate is one of the only certifications that fully considers each of the above categories, making it the most comprehensive assessor of green building and construction in Ireland.
Why Certify Homes Under the Home Performance Index?
A HPI Certification has key benefits to a number of key stakeholders, from the developer, to the design teams, financial institutions and most importantly, the end homebuyer or renter.
Lower lifetime costs for future homeowners
Certified homes are guaranteed to be more energy-efficient and resource-conscious, which means the final end-user can benefit from significant reductions in common utility bills such as heating, electricity, and water.
Healthier, more liveable spaces
Putting an emphasis on healthier living spaces, the HPI takes into consideration the standards that ensure homeowners are benefiting from better indoor air quality, natural daylight, and sound insulation, which has been known to have distinct well-being benefits.
Future-proof against regulation
Climate change is only becoming more aggressive and demanding, making sustainability targets stricter and more commonplace. By achieving a HPI certification will help ensure projects will meet or exceed the current green building and design requirements, avoiding costly retrofits in the future.
Responsible investment in communities
The HPI Certification puts a great emphasis on communities, ensuring the delivery of residential developments that keep the community at the heart of the process, promoting good site planning, sustainable locations, and easy access to amenities and public transport, features that support vibrant, connected neighbourhoods.
Access to green finance
HPI-certified projects can qualify for reduced-rate green loans, both for developers and homeowners.
For developers, this helps to manage development costs while delivering higher quality.
For homeowners, having an A-rated, energy-efficient, green and sustainable home can open up fantastic financing opportunities, allowing you to be assessed for green mortgages, offering preferential and discounted rates.
How is the Home Performance Index Assessed
The HPI Certification takes 30+ indicators across 5 key categories into account:
- Environment
- Health & Wellbeing
- Economic
- Quality Assurance
- Sustainable Location
Properties will be awarded per indicator and will be obligated to meet a target score before being awarded points that will contribute to the certification being issued.
How the Home Performance Index is Managed
The HPI process is managed by certified professionals trained by the Irish Green Building Council. Developers, design teams, and assessors work collaboratively from the start to ensure all criteria are met efficiently.
Key tools like the HPI Technical Manual and Certification Calculator guide decision-making, while regular IGBC updates ensure the standard keeps pace with the latest best practices and regulations.
The HPI Certification offers a powerful opportunity to rethink how we design, construct, and deliver residential developments, minimising the environmental impact traditionally associated with the building process.
At Whitebox, we have our own in-house assessors, which will support us to create communities built to last a lifetime, serving today’s market while meeting the needs of generations to come.
It challenges us to keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in sustainable construction, ensuring every home we deliver is efficient, healthy, and truly future-focused, and we look forward to contributing positively to the future of housing across Ireland.
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