It's about reducing the impact that buildings have on the natural environment . . . from pollution to energy consumption and carbon emissions . . . and implementing design strategies to avoid or minimise that impact.

Has Ireland produced any environmental design of note?

Architect Paul Leech's pioneering five-storey Credit Union in Navan. His design integrated passive and low energy design, renewable energies and low impact materials along with a major advancement in timber structure technologies.

Is there any country whose environmental design/policy you admire?

Sweden. Maybe it's due to their connection with the environment.

They have very advanced environmental goals and policies.

If you were in government what immediate changes would you make to green policy?

I would establish a multi-agency/national forum to assess and implement strategies that facilitated sustainable communities.

Local Authorities could also be doing so much more.

Patrick Daly is a lecturer in Environmental Design at DIT.

www. patrickdaly. net