Horizons

House of Tomorrow: The timber-framed, two-storey house at the Ideal Homes Exhibition in the RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin, this weekend provides concrete evidence that many eco-design and building principles have finally been embraced by mainstream builders.

The most striking feature in the 2,600-sq-ft house must be the "living roof". Constructed in layers (including a metal deck and a membrane made from cedar bark on which the plants grow), the roof provides a natural habitat for plants, insects and birds while reducing noise and dust pollution, controlling air humidity and improving air quality.

Other environmentally-sound aspects of the so-called House of Tomorrow are glass walls, recycled carpet tiles and non-toxic insulating materials. The Ideal Homes Exhibition continues today, tomorrow and Monday until 6 p.m. daily. Adults: €7/€9, children/pensioners: €4/€7.

Educational energy saving

The schoolchildren attending the new eco-schools in Tullamore, Co Offaly and Raheen, Co Laois can bask in the knowledge that their schools incorporate the latest construction techniques to improve energy-saving features. The eco-schools have increased daylight levels (with most windows facing the early morning sun) and user-controllable, natural ventilation. The aim is to use less than 20 per cent of the energy used by standard schools and generate no carbon dioxide emissions. www.constructireland.ie

Cementing carbon tax

Friends of the Irish Environment is calling for companies producing cement to be included in the forthcoming carbon tax. There have been proposals that such industries be exempted from the tax on economic grounds. But FIE argues that cement production is responsible for about five per cent of the Irish greenhouse gas emissions and cement producers should therefore pay for their share of emissions.

Wallpaper through the years

An exhibition tracing the history of wallpaper making from the 18th Century to the 20th Century opens on Wednesday in the Dublin Civic Trust building, 4 Castle Street, Dublin. The exhibition will include examples of flock wallpaper, block-printed wallpaper and machine-printed papers. A day-long seminar on the conservation of wallpaper will be held on October 31st. Speakers include David Skinner, a restorer and maker of historic wallpaper. Tel: 01-4750067.

Paper lunch bags

Well done to Walsh Printers in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, who have just developed paper lunch bags. If you are among the increasing number of people concerned about unquantifiable chemical residues in plastic- or clingfilm-wrapped sandwiches, you will be interested in these new greaseproof paper bags. In addition, they can be recycled or will naturally decompose on a compost heap. €2.39 for a box of 50 bags. Tel: 0505-23655.