Irish Construction News December 2022/January 2023

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From the editor

The latest Central Statistics Office (CSO) Labour Force Survey results (Q3 2022) reveal that there are now 171,000 people employed in the Irish construction sector, compared to 146,300 in the same period last year. This is also an increase of 3,700 people on the 167,300 employed at the end of Q2, 2022.

Of the 171,000 now employed, 155,300 (90.8%) are male, and 15,300 (9.2%) are female, incidentally, a slight drop (0.1%) in the percentage of women working in the sector in Q2 2022.

Another Q3 CSO report notes that home building has dropped by 16% in Q3 as construction costs continue to soar, with overall construction output falling 2.7% between July and September.

In this issue of Irish Construction News, we speak with two of the country’s leading property developers, Hines and Marlet, about reducing the carbon footprint of current and future building stock and what needs to be done to boost housing output in a sustainable way.

Claire Pomroy, Director of Development, Hines, discusses Hines’ pioneering international work with low carbon, taller timber buildings and how switching to a design-for-performance approach could be a real “game changer” for sustainable development.

Sakinah Brennan, ESG Manager, Marlet Property Group, discusses the need to move beyond A BER-rated housing and consider carbon emissions from concept and across a building’s whole life cycle.

Breedon Ireland managing director Pat Gilroy discusses the impact of building materials price increases and how Breedon has put sustainability at the core of its operations.

The inaugural Towards Net Zero Construction Awards were recently held, and in this issue, we publish a comprehensive report on the awards with all the winners.

Our case studies focus on two projects in the Net Zero Awards Housing category, sponsored by Irish Construction News Highfield Park student accommodation, by DTA Architects and Walls Construction, took the overall Housing award, with Jameson Heights, by ClearyDoyle and Deaton Lysaght Architects, being commended.

In Opinion, solicitor Henry Hathaway looks at the key issues that all parties should consider before entering into Design & Build contracts, and Colm McGrath, Managing Director, Surety Bonds, writes about how the world’s central banks are walking a wobbly tightrope as they try to maintain economic stability.

Elsewhere, we have all the latest construction and engineering news and analysis.

Please take a moment to scan the QR code below and sign up for our free e-newsletter. And, if there are any issues or stories you would like to see featured in Irish Construction News, email me at robbie@ foundationmedia.ie

We wish you a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous 2023!

Regards Robbie Cousins Editor

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Congratulations to Tomás O’Leary of MosArt, who was awarded the Net Zero Champion accolade.

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Government updates Housing for All plan to address “changed circumstances”

According to the government’s first annual update on the Housing for All plan, the supply of new homes is increasing, with 20,807 new homes completed in the first three quarters of the year, more than the whole of 2021 (20,560) or any other year since the CSO series began in 2011, and the government is confident that the 2022 Housing for All target of 24,600 new homes will be exceeded.

The report continues by stating that homes are being provided in the right places, in line with its compact growth objectives, which “are aimed at building sustainable and vibrant communities across the country”.

It notes that apartment completions in Q3 2022 increased by over 153% from the same quarter last year, and close to half of the new homes completed in the quarter were part of a multi-home development. Despite the impact of cost inflation and the war in Ukraine, there continues to be a strong pipeline, with building started on almost 21,000 new homes between the months of January and September 2022 and planning permissions granted for 19,837 homes during the first half of the year.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

The government has introduced a range of affordable purchase and rental measures and legislated for long-term reforms of the housing and planning systems.

The report outlines the following measures and initiatives introduced since the plan was announced:

• The First Home Scheme was introduced in July 2022 to make it easier for firsttime buyers to afford a new home. Since its introduction, over 800 applications have been received, with 606 approvals issued to date

• The Local Authority Home Loan enables successful applicants to borrow up to 90% of the market value of the property

• Delivery of cost rental homes with Statebacked rents at least 25% below what they would be on the private market. In 2023, a further 1,850 cost rental homes are to be delivered

• An extension of the Help to Buy scheme to the end of 2024.

• The delivery of 9,183 social homes in 2021

• The introduction of a Ready to Build scheme, funded through the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund

• A new Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant

• A new Town Centre First policy that includes initiatives to revitalise towns

• Changes to the Fair Deal scheme to remove disincentives to renting or selling vacant property

• Establishment of a new Construction Technology Centre and other policies to promote the widespread adoption of modern methods of construction (MMC)

• Construction sector recruitment initiatives, including the new ‘Future Building’ initiative to spearhead activation and recruitment and additional investment to increase the availability of apprenticeships and training

• A new Croí Cónaithe (Cities) Fund to address the financial gap between the construction cost and market price for apartments, designed to deliver 5,000 apartments in our city centres

• The LDA’s Project Tosaigh Scheme, aimed at accelerating the delivery of homes on sites with full planning permission which would not otherwise be developed due to financing or other constraints

MARKET CHALLENGES

The government acknowledges that there are challenges in the housing market, and it is working to address them. In the year since the publication of Housing for All, there have been unprecedented difficulties arising from the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, and rising interest rates.

The updated plan sets out how the

government is responding to these changed circumstances and ensuring the focus remains on the delivery of homes at scale and speed to resolve the crisis.

It includes new and updated measures intended to:

• Reduce the cost of construction

• Make the planning system more transparent and user-friendly

• Improve the rental market

• Increase student accommodation

• Deliver more social and affordable homes on state lands

• Revitalise towns and villages

• Boost productivity through accelerating the adoption of MMC

• Expand the construction sector labour force

Commenting on the publication of the updated Housing for All Action Plan, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said, “Housing for All provides a comprehensive plan which is working. We are building and delivering increasing numbers of new homes, while fundamentally reforming our system of housing.

“Despite the unprecedented challenges arising from the war in Ukraine, we will exceed the target to deliver 24,600 new homes in 2022. And we have now set out an updated set of actions across multiple departments and agencies to build on the progress to date.”

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said: “This government believes in home ownership. Our absolute focus is on increasing the supply of new homes as quickly as possible so that this generation has the opportunity to buy or rent at more affordable prices.”

The government has published its first annual update of the Housing for All plan, which states its 24,600 new homes target for 2022 will be exceeded.

LDA breaks ground on state’s largest public housing scheme

LDA’s Shanganagh passive house development, when completed, will comprise 597 social and affordable homes, with the first completions in 2024.

The Land Development Agency (LDA), in partnership with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, has broken ground on the largest public housing scheme in the state in recent years at Shanganagh, Shankill, Co Dublin.

The project’s commencement was marked with a sod-turning ceremony by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien TD, An Cathaoirleach of Dún LaoghaireRathdown County Council Councillor Mary Hanafin, and LDA chief executive John Coleman.

Shanganagh is an important milestone in progressing Housing for All (HfA), delivering on the LDA’s mission to unlock state land to deliver large-scale affordable housing projects around the country.

Construction is now underway by Walls Construction on 597 homes, with the first being available by the end of 2024. The homes at Shanganagh will be 100% affordable, with 51% cost rental (306 homes), 15% affordable purchase (91 homes) and 34% social housing (200 homes). The development will offer a mix of accommodations suitable for single people, couples, and families, with 99 of the new homes to have three bedrooms.

LARGEST ‘PASSIVE HOUSE’ SCHEME

The development will be the largest residential scheme certified to achieve the ‘passive house’ low energy use standard, which has significantly lower energy consumption and associated heating costs compared to other new builds.

Sustainability features include very low energy demand, low car parking provision (0.54 spaces per home), high bicycle parking provision of over 1,300 spaces, and design features to make working from home easier.

AN IMPORTANT STEP

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said, “Shanganagh is exactly the kind of development we envisaged when the LDA was established - a

state-owned developer and homebuilder building new housing on publicly-owned lands.

“There is a strong mix of different housing types, including social housing for people on the housing list, cost-rental properties for low- and middle-income workers living in Dublin, and affordable housing for families to purchase. That’s the right approach. It’s really encouraging to see significant progress being made and the start of the largest public housing scheme in the state. It’s another important step to achieving our target of building 40,000 new homes a year by the end of the decade.”

Darragh O’Brien, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, said: “I’m delighted to see works begin here in Shanganagh, with much-needed social and affordable homes being delivered. These homes will be of extremely high quality, serviced by a host of amenities, providing safe and secure homes for life. The LDA is central to our HfA plan and are working closely with our local authorities and my department to deliver social and affordable housing in significant sites across our cities and towns. I want to commend them for bringing this project to fruition, and I look forward to seeing it progress.”

LAND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

John Coleman, CEO, LDA, said, “Breaking ground here at Shanganagh is a very important moment for the LDA in delivering on our mission to accelerate the delivery of affordable housing on state land. We are particularly proud of the scale of the

SUSTAINABILITY AT SHANGANAGH

Shanganagh is the latest LDA project which, this year, has sought permission for over 2,300 homes around the country, 100% of which will be affordable and social.

A key feature of the Shanganagh development is sustainability. Elements of the design include high density and compact site layout with a net development density of 85 units per hectare. All apartments have been designed to achieve the passive house standard.

There will be car parking provision of 334 spaces for residents and visitors, in addition to 31 spaces for a creche, café and shop. This equates to a ratio of 0.54 spaces per home.

Car parking spaces have been made available for car-sharing schemes.

A centralised district hot water heating system will utilise renewable energy heat pumps, which will provide both economies of scale and reduced operating and maintenance costs. Communal lounge areas, community and function rooms and an external village square will be used for social events and will engender community integration. Business pods and co-working units will assist residents who work from home or run small businesses.

Shanganagh scheme, which will be the largest direct-build public housing scheme in the state in recent years. The project’s design is rooted in sustainability and energy efficiency and will deliver a large quantity of much-needed affordable and social housing to the area.”

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien; Taoiseach Micheál Martin; An Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire- Rathdown County Council Councillor Mary Hanafin; and LDA chief executive John Coleman.

Suir Engineering acquired by private equity group Duke Street

It has been announced that Suir Engineering, one of the country’s leading providers of mechanical, electrical and instrumentation engineering services, is to be acquired by private equity group Duke Street.

Suir, which employs 1,300 people and is headquartered in Waterford, was a jointly owned subsidiary of Dalkia and EDF Energy.

The company said the transaction, which includes investment by the senior management team, will enable it to enhance its services to clients. At the same time, operations will continue as normal from its main base in Waterford and its other offices in Dublin, Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Frankfurt.

Suir, which has nearly four decades of engineering expertise in its core sectors of pharma, energy & utilities, food & beverage and data centres, has an annual turnover of around €300m.

The completion of the transaction remains subject to obtaining applicable regulatory approvals.

Duke Street, one of Britain’s best-known private equity groups, has a strong track record of investing in industrial service

companies. Over the past 25 years, it has invested over €2.5bn in more than 50 companies, achieving investment returns in excess of 25% over that period.

Paul Adams, Partner, Duke Street, said Suir’s reputation as a provider of innovative engineering solutions on projects across Europe was second to none.

“We are delighted to acquire Suir Engineering, a market-leading business that is a great fit for our investment programme. The Duke Street team has previous successful experience in industrial services as well as Suir’s underlying sectors. The company has a highly skilled workforce, an extremely strong safety record and a healthy

with Duke Street would be transformative for the company, enabling it to grow steadily while continuing to provide the best service possible to its Irish and international clients.

“We at Suir are looking forward to partnering with Duke Street, who share our vision, values, and ambition. Together, we will accelerate Suir’s growth by investing in people and expanding the business proposition to include more international work in key client sectors such as technology, renewables, and life sciences.

Designer Group appoints Paul Nicholls as new managing director

Designer Group has announced the appointment of Paul Nicholls as managing director, saying he will lead the next phase of its growth plans.

Well-known in the construction industry, Nichols has delivered high-profile projects in sectors including data centre, commercial, healthcare, industrial and pharmaceutical, both in Ireland and overseas. He holds a Building Services Degree and a Diploma in Project Management and is a member of CIBSE and Engineers Ireland. He is vice president of the Mechanical Engineering & Building Services Contractors Association of Ireland.

Paul Nichols will have responsibility for Designer Group’s Irish business, which includes its international business in Africa and North America. He will report directly to Michael Stone, Group Chief Executive Officer and founder of Designer Group.

Commenting on the appointment, Michael Stone said, “The decision to appoint Paul as managing director is a testament to our growth and success. Looking ahead, Paul will provide leadership and support for the delivery of our strategic growth plans for the group. His wealth of experience, along with his can-do attitude, will maintain and nurture our culture of excellence and delivery for our valued clients.”

Designer Group is a leading international engineering solutions group, with operations in Ireland, the UK, Africa, Europe and North America, delivering full design and installation for all electrical and mechanical technical services.

pipeline of projects across Europe in all of its highly attractive end sectors.”

Michael Kennedy, Managing Director, Suir Engineering, said he believed the partnership

Paul Nicholls, Managing Director, Designer Group.

Stewart Construction appointed to Construct Integer €30m Galway innovation and manufacturing facility

to meet increased demand for regional research, development and manufacturing capabilities as well as capacity for catheters and delivery systems. It will significantly increase Integer’s presence and capabilities in Galway.

Commenting on the announcement, Rachael Stewart, Director, Stewart Construction, said, “We welcome this further investment in Galway by Integer, and we are delighted to be entrusted to deliver this important facility for the region. Our role in this project is a direct result of our experiences in the medtech space. Our team is amongst the best at what we do. By understanding the needs of this specialised sector, we can ensure quality, value and cost certainty.”

Leading international medical device outsource (MDO) manufacturer Integer has announced that it has contracted Stewart Construction to build a new €30m innovation and manufacturing facility in Galway to further increase its presence and capabilities in the region.

This contract is for the build and fit-out of the new two-storey facility on a greenfield site at IDA Business and Technology Park, Parkmore East, Galway. Stewart Construction has been instrumental in the development of the IDA Business and Technology Park over the past 25-plus years and has delivered five blocks, with a total area of 15,721 sq metres, since 2006.

Integer’s presence in Ireland also spans more than 25 years. Throughout that period, Integer has consistently invested in its infrastructure, technology and associates. The new facility is required

Speaking about the company’s latest expansion plans, Payman Khales, President, Cardio and Vascular Business, Integer, shared, “This expansion further demonstrates Integer’s commitment to supporting our customers’ growth strategies. The new Galway facility will allow us to continue our investments in research and development in this important medical device hub.”

The initial phase of the project includes the construction of a 67,000-sq-foot facility on land purchased from IDA Ireland. Construction commenced in November, with Phase 1 completion due in 2024.

Founded in Galway in 1902 by James Stewart, Stewart Construction has a track record of delivering public buildings and commercial blocks. The team has particular expertise in the delivery of cutting-edge pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing facilities.

cleanroom

Smithstown Light Engineering has appointed Townmore Construction’s cleanroom division with a design and build contract to fit out a new cGMP ISO8 cleanroom suite within its Suite II facility in Shannon, Co Clare.

This fast-track project has been designed with performance, safety and sustainability in mind. Upon completion, the suite will be capable of being controlled to achieve ISO8 and will have a setback facility in order to reduce energy usage and running costs when not in use. Other sustainability features include optimised HVAC design for negligible air loss and high-efficiency LED lighting throughout.

Significantly, most specified products will be sourced from manufacturers based in Ireland and the UK, with the exception of the motors, which come from Germany, to minimise the carbon footprint of the project.

Speaking about the project, Dr Gerard Henn, CEO, Smithstown Light Engineering, said: “We look forward to working with the Townmore team on this fast-track project.

The new cGMP ISO8 cleanroom suite will further support our global medical device client base with the ability to carry out secondary and ancillary process steps in a controlled environment.”

Finbarr Marrett, Head of Townmore Construction’s Cleanroom Division, said: “We are delighted to be working with such a long-established partner as Smithstown Light Engineering on this cutting-edge project. It provides an important opportunity to use the design and delivery experience of our team to deliver an innovative and sustainable facility in Shannon, and we look

forward to a long-standing relationship with Smithstown Light Engineering as both entities continue to grow and evolve.”

Phase 1, comprising the new cleanroom suite, is expected to be handed over and fully operational in Q1 of 2023.

Townmore has offices in Dublin, Cork, Tullamore and London and operates as a main contractor across the housing, healthcare, hospitality and industrial sectors, with special expertise in the delivery of cleanrooms and other controlled environments.

Townmore Construction’s

division appointed to deliver a new state-of-the-art cleanroom facility

CGI of the new Integer facility in Galway.

Solicitors specialising in: Construction Law

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a: Osprey Business Centre, Naas, Co Kildare p: +353 01 639 2911

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Henry Hathaway Solicitors is a niche law firm that is tailored and designed to cater specifically to the construction industry.

Henry Hathaway qualified originally as a Civil & Structural Engineer and has previously spent twelve years in the construction industry representing both Contractors and Engineering Clients. He is a practising solicitor in both Ireland and England and Wales. He acts for clients in relation to disputes and litigation as well as regularly advising on dispute avoidance and alternative dispute resolution. He also acts on non-contentious matters on smalland large-scale construction projects using his

extensive knowledge of the industry both in Ireland and the UK.

Henry Hathaway Solicitors provides bespoke training and development progammes for construction companies, which cover areas of contract formation and interpretation, claims in loss expense, and interim and final account disputes. These programmes are suitable for companies that require advice on the compiling of claims, that have payment disputes and to support those who require legal assistance in the process of administering their contracts.

Sisk appointed for Killaloe Bypass, Shannon Bridge Crossing and R494 Improvement scheme

John Sisk & Son has been named as the main contractor for the new Killaloe Bypass. The project will provide a western bypass around Killaloe, a new bridge crossing of the River Shannon and an upgrade of the existing R494 regional road from Ballina to Birdhill.

The scheme is over 6km long and will cross the River Shannon approximately 1km downstream of the existing Killaloe Bridge.

The project team, led by Clare County Council, with Tipperary County Council and the Department of Transport and scheme consultants RPS Consulting Engineers, has been progressing the delivery of this significant piece of infrastructure for the mid-west region over the past number of years.

The scheme comprises three sections as follows:

• Killaloe Bypass – This part of the scheme aims to create a western bypass around the town of Killaloe, which will connect the R463 to the north of the town with the proposed Shannon Bridge Crossing section and the R463 to the south of the town.

• Shannon Bridge Crossing – This section of the scheme will cross the River

Shannon approximately 1km south of the existing Killaloe Bridge and connect the proposed Killaloe Bypass with the R494 at a new roundabout at Roolagh.

• R494 Upgrade – This section will involve widening, regrading and local realignment of the R494 from the aforementioned new roundabout at Roolagh to its junction with the R445 (former N7) north of Birdhill.

The Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan TD, recently turned the sod for the scheme,

which followed the formal contract signing between Clare County Council and Sisk.

John O’Connor, Regional Director, John Sisk & Son, said: “Sisk is delighted to be selected as the main contractor for this vital new infrastructure improvement project which, when complete, will significantly upgrade the current roads network in both County Clare and County Tipperary. Sisk has considerable experience delivering similar schemes at this scale.”

Conack Construction’s Tom O’Connor and Kieran Cusack named 2022 EY Established Entrepreneur Of The Year

Tom

This year the programme received a record number of entrants, with finalists having collective revenues in excess of €1bn.

Conack was founded in 2008 and will have an expected revenue of €150m this year, up from €73m in 2020.

Diversification of projects has been an area of sharp focus and one that’s central to Conack’s growth strategy. Co-managing directors Tom O’Connor and

Cusack

that their portfolio of work at any given time is spread across a range of

hospitals, and hotels to apartments and social housing.

The company employs over 200 people, works with over 2,000 subcontractors across Ireland and aims to achieve a turnover of €250m by 2025.

The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ programme is a global recognition programme run in 145 cities in more than 60 countries. Currently in its 25th year in Ireland, the programme works to recognise, promote and build a supportive community around Ireland’s high-growth entrepreneurs and is considered one of the strongest programmes globally.

O’Connor and Kieran Cusack, co-founders of Limerick-based Conack Construction, have been named 2022 EY Established Entrepreneur Of The Year.

Kieran

ensure

construction projects from universities,

Pictured at the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards, Kieran Cusack and Tom O’Connor, Joint Managing Directors, Conack Construction.

Pictured (L to r): Marcus O’Connor, Director of Service, Tipperary County Council; Joe MacGrath, Chief Executive, Tipperary County Council; Pat Dowling, Chief Executive, Clare County Council; Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan; Cllr Roger Kennedy, Cathaoirleach, Tipperary County Council; Carmel Kirby, Director of Physical Development, Clare County Council; Seán Lenihan, Senior Engineer, Clare County Council; and Cllr Tony O’Brien, Cathaoirleach, Clare County Council.

Is it time to review our approach to the use of timber for taller buildings?

Hines, one of the world’s largest privately-held real estate investors and managers, is active in 28 countries, with $92.3B in global assets under management((as of 30/06//22). The company established a foothold in the Irish market in 2011 when it set up operations in Ireland. Today, it employs circa 60 people in Ireland and has a €3.5B portfolio of assets across retail, office and residential projects under management.

Globally, Hines’ reach has enabled it to pioneer and support innovation in sustainability and modern construction techniques. In Ireland, it is an active supporter of the Irish Green Building Council’s (IGBC’s) #BuildingLife campaign. Through this campaign, Hines is working to leverage learnings from other markets to facilitate the reduction of whole-life carbon emissions in Irish building stock.

#BUILDINGLIFE CAMPAIGN

IGBC #BuildingLife ambassador Claire Pomroy, Director of Development, Hines, left Ireland to start her engineering career, first in Australia for 10 years before spending four years working in Switzerland. Returning to Ireland four years ago, she first worked on Macquarie Capital’s PPP of TU Dublin’s new Grangegorman Campus before joining Hines, which she says attracted her because of its innovative approach to development.

Now, in addition to being one of the key executives heading up Hines’ development operations in Ireland, she also heads up the country’s ESG responsibilities.

“As a director in the Hines Ireland office, my day-to-day job is overseeing the development of large urban regeneration schemes,” Claire Pomroy explains. “But I also wear an ESG hat and oversee the ESG function in Ireland in coordination with my European counterparts in the organisation.”

USE OF TIMBER

She comments that as a campaigning body, the IGBC has become an important advocate for dismantling barriers to higher-density timber housing in Ireland through the #Buildinglife campaign, and these

barriers not only need to be removed, but all stakeholders need to be resourced and upskilled to make this feasible.

“A recent Joint Oireachtas Committee report has recommended that the government now looks to potentially permit timber structures over 10 metres and engage with building control and fire authorities to achieve this.

“If we are looking to build taller buildings, particularly with timber, the challenge is not just around deregulating timber. We also need to ensure that all stakeholders are resourced and upskilled accordingly, and there is wider industry engagement on aspects such as insurance coverage. Forestry licencing will likely need to be rebooted. It is all about having joined-up thinking and action.”

MODERN METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION

Pomroy adds the modern methods of construction (MMC) sector needs to scale up quickly if it is to play the essential role required of it in future housing delivery in Ireland.

“It is great to see the introduction of ConstructInnovate, Ireland’s new national Construction Technology Centre; the Build Digital Project; and Enterprise Ireland’s Built to Innovate programme coming out of the Housing for All policy. These programmes will help underpin and drive investment and efficiency, particularly in the MMC sector.

“But Ireland is still trailing in areas such as building with timber. By comparison, in Amsterdam, its 32 local municipalities signed new regulations that commit to building a minimum of 20% of all new homes, including apartments, with timber from 2025.

“We need to dismantle barriers identified that currently inhibit, or slow down the adoption of low-carbon development typologies, construction methods, products and processes.”

Pomroy explains that Hines wants to leverage its international standing and do all it can to facilitate transition to a low-carbon Irish property market.

“We have produced an open-source embodied carbon reduction guide in collaboration with a top international structural and civil

Claire Pomroy, Director of Development, Hines, speaks with ROBBIE COUSINS about the use of timber in taller buildings, the 15-minute city concept and the importance of designing for performance in reducing carbon emissions.

CGI of Hines’ 10-storey, timber T3 Building in Toronto, Canada, the latest in a global series of modern timber workplaces built by Hines.

engineering firm. We are also investing in developing innovative, sustainable construction practices and materials.”

In Barcelona, for instance, Hines is developing the T3 Diagonal Mar building, a 3,610-square-metre five-storey office building, which is being built using cross-laminated timber (CLT).

“T3 Diagonal Mar is the first fully wooden building of its kind to be constructed by Hines in Europe. The CLT structure is part of our innovative ‘T3’ family of buildings, a new generation of offices built on three pillars: The warmth and sustainability of timber, superior transit connectivity and cutting-edge technology.

“The on-site fabrication for the structure of this building was completed in approximately two months by six people with a small crane. We are now looking at ways to mimic this across Europe and scale up. It is quite a game-changer.”

The concept also extends beyond Europe. T3 Bayside in Toronto, Canada, is the latest in the global series of modern workspaces to be built with Hines’ proprietary T3 concept.

She adds, “Timber resonates with people. It’s very attractive, and it has low embodied carbon as well as being a speedy material with which to build. There is a lot of housing stock to be built in Ireland, and we want to unlock the use of MMC and mass timber to address not just the environmental considerations but equally viability.”

PRIORITISE WHAT WE BUILD

According to the Paris Climate Agreement Roadmap to 2050, buildings represent an estimated 36% of global final energy consumption and 39% (28% operations, 11% materials and construction) of global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.

Pomroy explains she was interested to learn about the estimated extent of embodied carbon associated with Ireland’s road-building programme under the National Development Plan.

“As illustrated in the IGBC’s Building Zero Carbon Ireland document, the embodied carbon of Ireland’s newly planned roads would far exceed emissions for construction of any other type of infrastructure, such as public transport, schools, hospitals or even the infrastructure required to decarbonise our electricity.

“In Ireland, there’s been over-reliance on cars. We need to challenge ourselves by focusing on concepts such as the 15-minute city, where compact neighbourhoods allow residents to access their daily needs (housing, work, food, health, education, culture and leisure) within a short walk or bike ride. The concept is being implemented in Paris and other major cities, and a programme was recently launched by the C40 Mayors group [A global network of mayors taking urgent action to confront the climate crisis to support it to go mainstream]. It is positive to see the concept appearing in the newly adopted Dublin City Council Development Plan (2022-2028) as informing the plan’s strategic context and vision.”

Pomroy also points out that household sizes are declining and aligning more with the EU average.

“We need to consider the type and mix of housing needed in future. The IGBC’s Building Zero Carbon Ireland Roadmap notes that we likely already have a sufficiency of three- and four-bedroom stock in most areas and an undersupply of one- and two-bedroom homes. We also have much larger homes than our EU neighbours and should be aiming to reduce our average new home size to meet future needs, as well as make adaptive reuse of existing buildings where viable.”

DESIGN FOR PERFORMANCE

Pomroy says that collaborating with colleagues across Hines’ European network and her experience in other markets gives her useful insight into innovation in the sustainability space, something that has also helped in her role as a #BuildingLife ambassador.

“I had worked previously both on the design side and in advisory roles for environmental bodies promoting the sustainable agenda in Australia, where there has been a huge focus on whole-life carbon and a ‘design for performance’ approach that transformed the market. The IGBC #BuildingLife campaign is now highlighting the well-evidenced ‘performance gap’ between design and operation when developing new commercial assets.”

ADDRESSING THE PERFORMANCE GAP

The performance gap that Pomroy refers to is the gap between how buildings are expected to perform in emissions terms and how they actually perform.

She explains, “To date, Ireland’s energy performance regulations promote efficiency in theory with Building Energy Ratings (BERs) –but there is no visibility post-completion on the actual kilowatts and carbon intensity of the energy used. Operational performance has not been required to be reported or benchmarked and has therefore been invisible to the market, especially for investors and occupiers. However, this will evolve rapidly in the coming years as we transition to a low-carbon economy and the regulatory landscape shifts. I’m very much behind the #Buildinglife campaign’s focus on this

and

“There is a lot of housing stock to be built in Ireland, and we want to unlock the use of MMC and mass timber to address not just the environmental considerations but equally viability.”

Claire Pomroy, Director of Development, Hines.

highlighting the business case of design for performance.”

Claire Pomroy notes that across the commercial office sector, Australia has achieved significant reductions in energy intensity by focusing on operational performance.

According to IGBC’s Building Zero Carbon Ireland Roadmap, over the past 14 years Australian offices rated using NABERS [a tool for benchmarking operational performance] have achieved savings of 42% and reduced carbon emissions by 53%, which is one of the fastest transformations of buildings globally. The introduction of NABERS has led to a ‘design for performance’ approach with a very high correlation between the simulated design and the post occupancy performance.

Explaining what design for performance looks like, she says, “For new build commercial projects, sophisticated energy modelling tests a range of dynamic design approaches against potential operational scenarios, including faults and poor calibration. The design review process is often audited, and there are contractual arrangements that outline the builder’s guarantee to achieve a specified base building outcome, which in turn can be stepped down to other designers. Monitoring of real-time data is then critical, and the use of predictive analytics helps turn this into actionable information for facility and asset management teams to fine-tune the asset and drive performance year on year.

“For premium new builds, design is pushed to its very limits, and innovative technologies are called for to ensure market-leading performance can be achieved in use. Performance is, of course, impacted by how the space is occupied; therefore, early engagement and building strong relationships with occupiers are critical.

“Many studies of Australia’s market transformation have shown that once benchmarked information was made available, occupiers and investors quickly understood the value of better-performing buildings. This effectively decoupled investment in energy performance from payback periods to lettability and cap rates. This competitive advantage drove the market-led transformation in the early days. With today’s high energy prices and the regulatory backdrop, there is now more incentive than ever from tenants and occupiers to align.”

She continues, “In Ireland, we need to be as ambitious as possible when designing a new building, particularly as the planning process is lengthy and the regulations are being updated so often. From a risk management perspective, it makes perfect sense to get this right. We always look ahead because we need to future-proof our developments.

ROAD-MAPPING DECARBONISATION

Pomroy notes that Hines’ European Core Fund has achieved 36% carbon reductions from 2016 to 2022 on landlord-controlled parts of its portfolio, for which several buildings are located in Dublin. Hines is currently working on road-mapping the decarbonisation of all of its Irish assets. “There will likely be less aggressive and slower regulation for existing buildings, but this is where the greatest innovation and divergence from business-as-usual is required. Practicalities may also come to bear, such as occupants with longterm leases that can impede timelines for deep retrofits, so both short- and long-term planning is required.

CARBON RISK REAL ESTATE MONITOR

She continues, “We have been using a science-based decarbonisation trajectory tool known as the Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor (CRREM). This provides the real estate industry with science-based decarbonisation pathways aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement goals of limiting the global temperature rise to below 1.5°C.”

CRREM is an EU-funded tool to manage asset-stranding risks and renovation strategies. “We’ve been applying this across our standing assets for a while now, and we have seen increased traction in decision-making by key investors that want to push out the potential stranding year for a platform to be no sooner than 10 years away,

which leads to action.

Another element of this work is moving to a point where developments are fully electrified for heating and cooling as the electricity grid moves towards more renewable sources of energy.”

She adds, “We are heading towards full electrification, but we are also looking to reduce energy demand as part of this process. The CRREM tool has enabled us to plan for both reducing the energy demand and carbon emissions by the fuel source that we’re using.”

She points out that CRREM provides some interesting insights into the make-up of other countries’ national grids.

“Some European countries have different grids and, as a result, different trajectories. For example, France has a lot of nuclear power, which is currently considered a transitionary fuel under the EU Taxonomy. Sweden has a lot of hydroelectric power. So the trajectory for assets in these countries, utilising their grid electricity, is really down the CRREM graph, demonstrating good performance. In Ireland, our wind power is choppy, and we have a way to go regarding our grid emissions. So, the more on-site renewables and load balancing we can integrate, the better.”

Globally, Pomroy notes that Europe’s CRREM tool joined forces with the internationally leading Science-Based-Targets- initiative (SBTi) earlier this year. “Hines has committed to set science-based targets (SBT) to help further reduce our environmental impact, building on our global target to achieve net-zero operational carbon in our building portfolio by 2040”.

IN CONCLUSION

She refers to the importance of collaboration between all stakeholders if progress is to be made. “As an international organisation, Hines can take learnings from one market and apply them in other markets. We have achieved much through collaborating with our peers and industry stakeholders.

“In Ireland, IGBC’s #BuildingLife campaign has brought together top stakeholders and thought leaders from across the sector to find solutions that reduce carbon emissions across the whole construction process. But time is running out, and we need greater buy-in to be successful. There is also much to be learned from our EU neighbours. Ireland must redouble our efforts to keep pace. And urgently so,” Claire Pomroy concludes.

Chatham & King, mixed-used development in Dublin 2.

CGI of Hines’ T3 Diagonal Mar in Barcelona.

Throughout Ireland, the trusted names of Lagan Asphalt, Lagan Materials and Whitemountain Quarries will now be operating as Breedon Ireland.

Three of the biggest names in the industry now making a material difference as one. Stronger together.

Discover more at BreedonIreland.com

Breedon Ireland’s smart approach

delivering value for money to customers

Breedon Ireland managing director Pat Gilroy speaks with BARRY MCCALL about opportunities presented by his new role of managing the country’s largest independent materials supplier in the current market and discusses how Breedon is reducing its carbon footprint and embedding sustainability as a core value throughout its operations.

Legend is not a word that is often applied to construction industry professionals. Indeed, it is more commonly found on the sports and entertainment pages of the newspapers than it is in the business section. But Breedon Ireland managing director Pat Gilroy has straddled the sporting and business worlds seemingly effortlessly and certainly justifies the epithet.

“It helps when you get up at 5:30 in the mornings,” says the man who is one of that exclusive band of individuals who have won AllIreland Senior Football Championship medals as both a player and a manager.

In Gilroy’s case, he was a member of the Dublin team that won the All-Ireland for the first time in 12 years in 1995 and, as manager, led the county victory in 2011 – their first since that September afternoon in 1995. He stepped down from the manager’s role at the end of the 2012 inter-county season, but he later took up the position of Dublin senior hurling team manager for a year in 2017.

He has also managed to fit in a highly successful career in the construction and property sectors.

“I have been working in various parts of the construction industry for the past 20 years, mainly in energy, waste and water projects,” he comments. “Later on, I worked in the M&E design sector. I spent some time in the UK and came back to Ireland in 2016. I have been in property development for the past four years.”

The move to Breedon wasn’t actually part of a plan. “I wasn’t out looking for a job, but opportunities like this one don’t come up too often in Ireland,” he explains.

A number of factors attracted him to the role when it was offered to him.

“Entrepreneurship is in the DNA of the Breedon Group, and a lot of decisions are made locally here in Ireland,” Gilroy explains. “It’s a relatively new brand, but it has acquired companies with great track records and histories over the years. It really appealed to me from both a cultural and sustainability point of view. Sustainability is very close to my heart.”

BREEDON GROUP

Breedon is a leading construction materials group with extensive operations in Great Britain and Ireland, but, as Gilroy mentions, the brand is relatively new to this country. Up until May of this year, the company traded in the Republic of Ireland as Lagan and as Whitemountain in Northern Ireland.

Headquartered in Dublin, Breedon Ireland’s Republic of Ireland business is a fully-integrated aggregates and downstream products business. The company comprises all Breedon’s construction materials and contracting services businesses, including aggregates, asphalt, ready–mixed concrete, bitumen, contract surfacing highway maintenance, civil engineering and airfield construction. The company offers the same range of services to customers in Northern Ireland.

“That’s what we do as a business,” says Gilroy. “It’s very integrated, and we are organised both north and south.”

BREEDON PROJECTS

Some of the high-profile projects that the company has been involved

in recently include work for Sisk on the Dunkettle Roundabout upgrade in Cork, a contract for surfacing on the M1, the set down area in Dublin Airport, and a significant street lighting project in the Down-Armagh area in Northern Ireland.

The materials side of the business, which Gilroy runs, employs 300 people. “It’s a big business, turnover last year was €255m. Our main customers are the local authorities, which account for about 80% of our business. The balance is with contractors and developers.”

Interestingly, Breedon will often supply other companies that are competitors in the market.

“We supply people in the same industry,” he explains. “If we have a local advantage in terms of producing materials close to where they have a job on, we will supply to our competitors. The same happens in reverse. There is no point in hauling materials from quarries in one place to a job at the other end of the country if you can source them nearby. It is also a much more sustainable way of operating. That’s the nature of the industry; competitors often buy from each other and sell to each other.”

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS

Sustainability is a recurring theme with Pat Gilroy.

“Planet, People and Places are the pillars of our sustainability strategy. We are working hard on developing our people both from a health and safety point of view and personally and professionally. We are nothing without our people. In terms of the planet, we are looking at delivering projects more sustainably and other initiatives, such as using EVs in the business. We place a very strong emphasis on sustainability. And we want to make a positive contribution to the communities where we work and to be a good neighbour.”

STRATEGY

Sustainability is core to the company’s forward-looking strategy.

“Our aim is to have more sustainable products,” says Gilroy. “It’s the right thing to do. The energy crisis has served to focus people’s minds on it, but it was already a core value at Breedon. We are looking at water and waste as well, and we have set a number of key objectives in those areas for next year.”

He continues, “The market is demanding it, and we are demanding it of ourselves. There will always be a need for construction materials, and our role is to produce them and use them as sustainably as possible. Sustainability also covers our neighbours and the way we interact with them. We aim to minimise the disruption caused by our projects and our extraction activities.”

GEO-POLITICAL IMPACTS

Naturally, events on the international stage are having an impact on the business.

“The cost of materials has risen, and the cost of transportation has gone up as well. Our people are under pressure, and we are doing things for our people to help ease the burden. We are helping them with guidelines and advice on energy efficiency and things like that. We are also making cost of living payments to people who need them.”

The effects are being felt at all levels.

“Prices are rising across the business. This means we need to be smart about how we deliver value for money to our customers.”

It also requires careful management at the procurement end.

“Oil prices vary from month to month. That requires daily monitoring and management. We are talking about it every single day to see what we can do to manage the business. At the Group level we’ve hedged our fuel and energy costs and that provides us with about a year of visibility”

This all adds up to a tough environment.

“There are all sorts of pressures on the construction industry right now” he continues. “We have to deal with constant change and volatility. Not having an executive in place in Northern Ireland slows everything down as well. Inflation is having an impact everywhere, and decision-making processes have definitely slowed down. But we have to deal with it. It’s not going to be easy, but this is where our entrepreneurial DNA will come into its own. We will continue to focus on sustainable organic growth and the right acquisitions should the opportunities present themselves,” Pat Gilroy concludes.

Pat Gilroy, Managing Director, Breedon Ireland.

“Entrepreneurship is in the DNA of the Breedon Group, and a lot of decisions are made locally here in Ireland.”

Marlet Property Group has embedded sustainability in all aspects of its operations

Under its sustainability policy, Pat Crean’s Marlet Property Group describes itself as being committed ‘to building thriving communities by creating healthy, sustainable places to live’. This, it says, is at the core of everything it does, and as one of Ireland’s largest property developers, it sees itself as having ’a responsibility to lead the industry in sustainable practices by setting measurable targets, reporting on progress, and driving innovation throughout its developments’.

SUSTAINABILITY AWARENESS

Marlet’s head of ESG, Sakinah Brennan, says she has observed huge growth in the level of knowledge and understanding across the industry about sustainability and the development of healthy buildings for people to live and work in.

“Time was when a developer would deliver an A2- or A3-rated building, and everyone was happy,” Sakinah Brennan comments. “There were no questions about the carbon emissions from delivering that building or the carbon emitted in operating the building in two or three years. But, because of the work by bodies such as the Irish Green Building Council (IGBC), there is now a growing appreciation and understanding of the critical importance of reducing the embodied carbon of the buildings we construct and that they should also perform in carbon terms as one would expect an A-rated building to perform.”

As head of ESG with Marlet, her job is not just about sustainability - although this is a huge chunk of her responsibility - Brennan

also oversees initiatives around the social impact of Marlet projects as well as the governance and reporting aspect of the property developer’s business.

“The emergence of ESG has been a real game changer for the property development business,” she continues. “It has enabled companies to set out a structured route to contribute to reducing carbon emissions and help create a better society through targeted and measurable actions. For Marlet, this has been driven and supported by our head of development Brian Coppinger.

“For the most part, my role is taken up with the classic kind of environmental sustainability, making sure that Marlet schemes are future-proofed and that we use the best technologies and processes available to build in a sustainable way.”

SOCIAL IMPACTS

The social side of the role has become more central to what Marlet does.

“Marlet is a large-scale residential developer, predominantly operating in and around Dublin city, and what we do impacts established communities. So, we aim to build developments that, in addition to being healthy, sustainable places for our tenants, add social value to surrounding communities.

“To this end, we engage with local communities and provide spaces in our developments that can be used for wider community gain. This could be in the form of meeting halls, or even arts or community programmes and exhibitions organised in conjunction with local authorities and local

The governance piece, she says, is about ensuring that what Marlet does is clear and transparent to all stakeholders.

One example of a Marlet initiative that ticks all of these boxes is a blue roof being installed on its Green Acre Grange build to rent (BTR) development in Dundrum, Dublin.

“In our Green Acre Grange development, we are developing one of the country’s first blue roofs, which is a very exciting sustainable piece of infrastructure that will benefit the wider community. It is designed to provide temporary storage and slow release of stormwater runoff. So, not only are we driving sustainability with innovation in a very large residential scheme, we are mitigating flooding for the local community, and we are able to report to investors and the local authority that the initiative will have a huge positive social impact.”

Brennan adds that the BTR model requires developers to focus on community building and to make sure that they are building places where people want to live.

#BUILDINGLIFE CAMPAIGN

Marlet has worked with the IGBC for several years, and it enjoys a synergic relationship with the body.

“The #BuildingLife campaign reflects one of our biggest challenges,” Sakinah Brennan explains. “For Marlet, much of our focus is on reducing scope 3 category GHG emissions. These emissions result from activities in assets we own and manage. Because we are a developer of BTR schemes,

community groups.”

Sakinah Brennan, Head of ESG, Marlet Property Group, speaks with ROBBIE COUSINS about how the leading real estate group is reducing carbon emissions across its operations and property portfolio and why there is much more to sustainability than constructing A-rated buildings.

St Clare’s Park, Harold’s Cross, Dublin, a Marlet BTR development.

this includes the embodied carbon of the buildings we construct, as well as the operational emissions of the buildings.

“The #BuildingLife campaign is the first programme that recognises this challenge. It is pushing the industry, suppliers and regulatory bodies to acknowledge and address where carbon starts and ends when it comes to construction and building performance.

“The leadership that the IGBC has shown in working with people across the industry to develop the Building a Zero Carbon Ireland roadmap to decarbonise Ireland’s construction and built environment sector has resulted in a massive change in the sector. The industry is finally transitioning to a point where we are beginning to measure the impacts of buildings, not just during operation but the whole process of how they come into being.

“It is invaluable to us as a developer to have this outlook whereby we measure carbon from the raw materials for the very first brick come out of the ground right through to the building’s end of life and disposal. This is why IGBC’s work aligns perfectly with the challenges that we are looking to address.

Brennan adds that before #BuildingLife, the embodied carbon piece was not something that anybody put any pressure on developers to address.”

“People wanted a shiny new building with an A BER rating. There was little or no concern about it having very low operating emissions or about how it was built to achieve an A1 or A2 rating. The campaign

has put emissions reductions out front, and it makes people aware of the fact that if we are serious about reducing the carbon footprint of the sector, we must take a wholistic approach.

“But, it is still early days, and while there are huge roadblocks to be addressed,

the campaign has brought focus to the challenges ahead.”

SUSTAINABILITY AT MARLET

Marlet now carries out carbon assessments from the beginning of each development.

“We carry out carbon assessments on our early designs, Sakinah Brennan explains. “This tells where we are with any project in terms of our carbon intensity and enables us to make construction method, design and specification changes to reduce that intensity. Small design or materials specification changes can result in massive carbon emission reductions. Considering carbon at the beginning of a project rather than further down the road is a huge game changer. We have made good use of the IGBC life cycle assessment tools, such as its carbon calculator, to this end.”

ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT DECLARATIONS

Marlet has introduced a requirement for environmental product declarations (EPDs) into its procurement process.

“In all of our contracts, we have a requirement for a minimum number of product EPDs to be met. This is essential,” Brennan explains. “If we are to progress carbon reduction in construction, EPDs for all products must be brought on-stream. One of the biggest challenges in preparing carbon figures during assessments is the huge level of approximation we still carry out. We need better data to make more specific, informed choices on what products we are using. We have seen substantial advances in the

Sakinah Brennan, Head of ESG, Marlet Property Group.

Blue roofs at Marlet’s Green Acre Grange development in Dundrum, Dublin.

production of EPDs in the past 12 months. Supplier knowledge has improved. It is easier for larger manufacturers to produce EPDs. But many small- and medium-sized producers need more support to develop this essential side of their business. Enterprise Ireland has been very good, but there needs to be more push to encourage and support firms to produce EPDs.”

Sakinah Brennan says that while the science is moving, it is not happening quickly enough.

“Sustainable solutions are not being made available in the cost-efficient way for us to make the huge impact decisions that we want. I think greater innovation in certain critical building materials is needed, and the government needs to assist with this, maybe through grants and new regulations.

“Setting carbon emission reduction targets, which is what everyone is talking about, is really important. But, if the science doesn’t catch up and we don’t put these key enablers in place, the targets will become defunct. The 2030 51% carbon emissions reduction target set for the sector will not be achievable.”

SUSTAINABLE RENOVATION

In terms of sustainable development opportunities, one area that excites Sakinah Brennan is the move towards renovation, especially in the commercial building space in city centres.

“In the past, the norm was to demolish and then build a more efficient building. But we now appreciate that there’s substantial carbon in existing buildings, and the far more environmentally-friendly route

is to refurbish them. Marlet sees great opportunities in this area.”

She adds that biodiversity in buildings is also finally being taken more seriously.

“Marlet is moving towards taking a biodiversity net-gain approach on our schemes, even bringing biodiversity into our buildings. This is great for the environment and for the people who live and work in these buildings.

“We now measure the biodiversity of a site at the very beginning of a project before design. We then design in added diversity, so we not only maintain what we can of what is there but add to it. This is new, but is being incorporated into all of our early scheme designs.

“And, of course, we provide full reports to investors, local authorities and planners, all of whom have responded positively to this. Stakeholders want us to be innovative and to go the extra mile, and our challenge is to work this within the budget of the project.”

REDUCING OPERATIONAL EMISSIONS

Marlet is introducing initiatives to make sustainability improvements in its BTR schemes. Initiatives undertaken include retrofitting filtered water taps to provide drinking water in individual residential units. It has also had great success with introducing more sustainable waste disposal practices.

“In a survey of residents in our St Clare’s Park, Harold’s Cross BTR scheme,” Sakinah Brennan explains, “We learned that residents were very supportive of us working to reduce the environmental impact of the

development. 75% of respondents said that they were ‘extremely interested’ in what we were doing to make where they lived more sustainable.

“Through work with Bord na Mona, we introduced waste compactors at St Clare’s, and this has reduced the number of waste collection journeys required by our waste disposal contractor.

“An initiative we are currently working on is to provide residents with monthly emissions performance reports on their buildings through an app so that they can see the carbon footprint of where they live. We aim to develop this and get to a point where in cooperation with residents, we set emissions reduction targets and work with them to hit these targets.”

IN CONCLUSION

In closing, she says that Marlet, going forward, has changed its energy procurement strategy to the complete electrification of buildings with smart metering for all tenants to enable them to collect as much data as possible in terms of use.

“When it comes to sustainability, we know where we are now. We have sustainable procurement policies in place. We know that our tenants support us in developing more sustainable buildings. We will continue to work with the IGBC and our supply chain to reduce embodied carbon of our developments. We know that there is much to be done if the sector as a whole is to achieve that 51% carbon emissions reduction goal by 2030, but Marlet is committed to being at the fore in helping the sector achieve this goal,” Sakinah Brennan concludes.

Living area in Marlet Lime Street apartment, Dublin

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Meet the industry leaders driving MMC adoption in Ireland

2022 saw the launch of MMC Ireland, an industry collective established to represent companies involved in the planning, design, procurement or delivery of offsite and other modern methods of construction (MMC) in Ireland. Construction in Ireland, and indeed globally, is in transition, and innovation and collaboration will be vital in building a more effective and sustainable sector.

MMC Ireland, as an industry representative body, has the ability to collaborate with all key stakeholders and governmental bodies, facilitating the exchange of technical and project learnings.

The Irish government has strongly committed to enabling a more efficient and sustainable approach to building design, construction and operation. Under the ambitious National Development Plan and the National Planning Framework, offsite and other MMC have a vital role to play. This is particularly important for the postpandemic recovery of our built environment, economy and communities.

MMC IRELAND

More than three years in the making, MMC Ireland is a collaboration of industry talent and experience, working in partnership to ensure successful industry delivery of these national ambitions. But the industry needs a roadmap from the government, showing how existing procurement processes can be aligned with the ongoing housing needs of the nation. Offsite and other MMC will be a critical part of the delivery plans, and not just as an emergency response.

As the single largest buyer of construction services, the state has a massive task ahead in terms of aligning its procurement processes with the increasing demand for housing, healthcare and educational buildings and the ever-increasing capabilities of the offsite and MMC sector in Ireland. The industry is rising to the challenge and needs to be aided by the state through a regulatory framework that supports on-the-ground delivery. While this started to happen as part of the state’s Covid-19 response and as a part of its response to providing quality accommodation to people displaced by the ongoing war in Ukrainian, offsite and other forms of MMC have much to offer beyond emergency response. They are the way

forward for efficient, effective delivery of the built environment.

MMC Ireland is focused on the recognised seven categories of MMC, namely: volumetric modular, structural panelised, offsite components, additive manufacture, non-structural assembles and sub-assembles, offsite building material improvements and onsite process improvement.

Together, the almost 40-strong membership is looking at ways to enable a significant increase in housing delivery of all types and tenures right across the country.

Critically, 54% of Ireland-based companies using offsite and other MMC do not believe the right skills are currently available, according to research carried out by the Construction Professionals Skillnet earlier this year.

MMC Ireland acknowledges this as a challenge facing MMC adoption. The organisation has a number of working groups, including an Education/Skills Group that is currently identifying critical knowledge and skills gaps across the various disciplines that can be addressed either through collaborating with existing state and academic facilities or through delivering industry-focused CPD.

As many MMC Ireland members operate in markets other than Ireland, there is a sense that the Irish industry needs to upskill beyond current standards and technologies and regain the global leadership position that it held two decades ago.

MMC IRELAND MEMBERSHIP

The genesis of MMC Ireland can be traced

MMC Ireland is a new industry body established to develop Ireland’s offsite and other modern methods of construction. It will achieve this by sharing sectoral knowledge and insights and engaging with state and industry bodies to facilitate adoption.

Panels from a Framespace Solutions LGS system on site.

back to a gathering in 2019, where the chairman of both Tide Construction and Vision Modular Systems, John Fleming, inspired the industry with a vision of ‘Rebuilding Ireland through Modular Construction’.

Today, many of Ireland’s best-known construction brands are among the members of this integral industry body, including C+W O’Brien Architects, Evolusion Innovation, Horizon Offsite. O’Dwyer Steel, Glenveagh, Cairn Homes, Clancy, NorDan Vinduer, Peppard Investments Limited, John Sisk & Son Ltd, Xtratherm, Errigal, Arc Engineering Ltd, Vision-Built, John Paul Construction, CarlowBuild, Actavo,

MMC IRELAND MEMBERS’ BOARD

Framespace Solutions, ABM Design and Build Ltd, Procon Modular, LMC Group Ltd, Mac Zero Modular Buildings, Hines Ireland, HLM Architects, Saint-Gobain Ireland, Platt Reilly, CPAC Modular, Rothoblaas srl, PETRUF Consulting Structural Engineers, Steelframe (part of Montane Developments), Visor MMC, Instaspace and Greenspan.

MMC IRELAND OBJECTIVES

The over-arching objectives of the body are to develop and promote Ireland’s MMC sector, nationally and internationally, in order to build knowledge and awareness of the benefits of offsite and other MMC. This

work has already started through the coming together of the sector over the past year.

MMC Ireland members have committed to sharing sectoral knowledge and case studies to better understand the current obstacles to adoption. The intended outcome will be a more developed supply chain with a strengthened capacity.

OFFSITE INSIGHTS

Another important facet of the organisation is exploring how best the industry can feed insights to the state to ensure a regulatory environment that addresses common challenges relating to product and system testing, certification and quality. Where possible, MMC Ireland members are actively engaging with governmental and sectoral bodies, work groups and task forces to share knowledge and project learnings, with a view to assisting with the development of greater efficiencies in procurement policies.

The resourcing of state departments, state agencies and academia to support MMC and emerging technologies for the built environment has been welcomed by the industry. And in the proud tradition of the three-legged stool, the robust voice of industry will need to be captured and included in any meaningful conversation about the future of construction. It is a voice the organisation is ready to use together.

MMC Ireland members are already working to gather insights and identify common challenges or obstacles to MMC adoption.

For 2023, the MMC Ireland team will continue to work closely with stakeholders from the public sector, the private sector and academia to ensure those insights feed into relevant policymaking for the successful growth of offsite and other MMC in Ireland.

By coming together, MMC industry leaders are already sharing best practices and exploring data-driven ways of benchmarking performance, all with sustainability and the circular economy at the fore.

General membership of MMC Ireland is now open to organisations involved in the design, procurement and delivery of offsite and other MMC in Ireland.

Further information is available at www.mmcireland.ie

The MMC Ireland members’ board comprises Declan Wallace, Evolusion Innovation; Pat Kirwan, C+W O’Brien Architects; Tony McLoughlin, Glenveagh Properties plc; Eoin Waldron, Castle Modular; Ger Fahey, Horizon Offsite Ltd; Richard Walsh, O’Dwyer Steel; and Kevin Loftus, Cairn Homes plc. L-R: Declan Wallace, Evolusion Innovation; Arthur O’Brien, C+W O’Brien Architects; and Pat Kirwan, C+W O’Brien Architects.

Interior of a module at LMC Group production facility.

Three-storey LGS frame hotel in Finchley, England, by Vision Built.

Highfield Park, which won the Housing Development award –sponsored by Irish Construction News – at the recent inaugural Towards Net Zero Ireland Construction Awards, is a flagship student accommodation scheme in Dublin 7. It comprises 402 student bedrooms with 444 student bed spaces arranged in 92 cluster apartments and studios across nine blocks on a brownfield site of nominally 1.36 hectares.

The project, designed by DTA Architects and built by Walls Construction, embodies the principles of sustainable/net-zero design through careful site planning; retention of a mature landscape; retention/

repurposing of existing historic buildings, careful detailing and design of the building envelope, selection of greener/low carbon materials, efficient energy use/sources, natural ventilation and sunlight, air tightness testing, use of thermal bridge analysis as a meaningful design tool, water conservation/ harvesting, and careful construction and operational waste management.

THE SITE

The site is hidden behind a modest frontage on North Circular Road, in a ‘back lands’ condition of distinctive sylvan character. The new student housing extends the prevalent north-south urban grain of the immediately

surrounding residential context, creating an east-west spatial orientation in built volumes.

Typology, scale and register transition southwards and eastwards, from the retained existing gate lodge to smaller scale house type buildings (red) interfacing with that existing residential context, to larger apartment buildings (grey) located towards the deep LUAS cutting and industrial uses including Broadstone Station.

Landscape is an integral organising device, setting out a sequence of staged spaces of distinct character and function but interlinked within a coherent whole. Buildings frame these spaces in a collagist

composition of subtly modulated alignments and offsets, creating a rich new internal campus environment, characterised and defined by the existing stands of retained mature trees and existing stone walls and complemented by a planting strategy which enhances and protects the existing biodiversity and habitat, home to Common and Soprano Pipistrelle bats.

THE BUILDINGS

The latent rectangular form of each building is manipulated to articulate volume and provide a range of study bedroom sizes. These are organised in townhouse or ‘cluster’ apartment groupings, while extensive communal amenities in the central building act as a focal hub activating the surrounding spaces.

Windows and recessed terraces, on rigorously controlled modulated sizes related to room depth and optimal glazing ratio, are grouped to form large elemental openings, reducing the visual scale of facades to inherently cellular accommodation.

The material palette is contained to brick in two colours with anthracite aluminium window framing and metalwork, leavened through localised granite walling and gold anodising. Detailing is reductive and robust, commensurate with the elemental massing and ordered elevational treatment.

MATERIALS

In specifying and selecting materials, the design team placed a strong emphasis on durability/ robustness as an integral aspect of long-term sustainability in commercial and environmental aspects.

Material selection was guided by the sustainability ratings contained in the BRE Group Green Guide to Specification, An Environmental Profiling System for Building Materials and Components (now superseded), and consideration was given to the energy and carbon embodied in manufacture, ability to be recycled and toxicity of each material among other criteria. Material selection on this basis ensured buildability with a high standard of workmanship, aesthetic consistency and appropriate robustness and longevity for a project of this scale. Assessment of the project using Irish Green Building Council (IGBC) OneClick LCA indicates that embodied carbon for the project is approx. 315 kg/m2 GFA.

Specifically, the concrete for the project, supplied by O’Reilly Concrete, utilised up to 30% GGBS. The supplier advocated for a low-carbon approach to construction, engaging in active recycling of all water used in production and offsetting their carbon production through planting trees, etc.

Brickwork, supplied by Ibstock, used 100% green electricity in production and the production site is accredited to

ISO14001 (Environmental Management Systems), BES6001 (Responsible Sourcing in Construction) and ISO 50001 (Energy Management).

Aluminium window frames, by Reynaers Aluminium, have a Cradle to Cradle certification achieved by meeting

stringent criteria of material health, product circularity, clean air and climate protection, water and soil stewardship and social fairness.

Increased fabric efficiency was achieved through the provision of; highperformance insulation and optimum

CASE STUDY

levels of airtightness. As the design and build construction process evolved, with buy-in from the main contractor, Walls Construction Ltd, DTA and Passivate undertook 2D and 3D modelling of key detail junctions using PSI-Therm software to optimise the building envelope based on actual site conditions. These studies incorporated thermal and hygrothermal analyses and enabled efficiencies to be achieved for the client and contractor without compromise to quality design outcomes/ levels of fabric efficiency.

ENGINEERING SERVICES

The building also incorporates seamlessly integrated high-efficiency mechanical and electrical engineering services; MVHR and VRF heat pump technology; energy-efficient LED lighting throughout; centralised CHP located in the basement of the central building; water conservation measures; use of solar control glazing throughout and an efficient mechanical and natural ventilation strategy to ensure optimum comfort levels are maintained for the end user.

Centralised heating is supplemented by a heat interface unit (HIU) within each cluster, which uses heat distributed from the central network to provide heating and domestic hot

PROJECT TEAM

water. Digital thermostats within the cluster bedrooms and common living/ kitchen/ dining constantly feed information to the local HIU. This centralised system results in improved energy efficiency, reduced CO2

Client: GSA/ Global Student Accommodation

Architect: DTA Architects

Main Contractor: Walls Construction Ltd.

M & E Consultant: Belton Consulting Engineers Ltd.

Energy Consultant: Geraghty Energy Consultants ltd.

Energy Consultant: Passivate Ltd.

Civil & Structural Eng: Cronin Sutton Consulting

Cost Consultant: Cogent Associates

Landscape: DTA/ Bernard Seymour Landscape Architects

Photography: Marie-Louise Halpenny/Donal Murphy

emissions and reduced running costs by having one large heat source running very efficiently instead of each property having separate, less efficient heat generation.

PROJECT INFORMATION

Location: 274 North Circular Road, Dublin 7

Site area: 13,635 sq metres/ 3.37 acres / 1.36 hectares

Programme: Student Housing, 402 bedrooms/ 444 bed spaces in 92 apartments/studios

Residential Density: 27 dwellings per acre/68 per ha (119 rooms per acre/ 295 per ha)

Gross Floor Area: 15,332 sq metres (Inc. basement plant at 221.9 sq metres)

Project Start: 2016

Status: Completed 2020

Jameson Heights –An A-rated housing development inserted in an iconic setting

Council, Jameson Heights was commended in the recent Towards Net Zero Ireland Construction Awards for its sensitive design and an exemplary construction process that delivered an A2-rated development on the side of the Great Sugar Loaf.

Nestled on the side of the picturesque Great Sugar Loaf in Ireland’s Garden County of Wicklow, James Heights, Kilmacanogue, combining vernacular forms with modern technology and building techniques, is a local authority housing scheme that makes the most of its scenic setting.

The development is one of several social housing schemes ClearyDoyle has completed for Wicklow County Council over the past few years.

The site is accessed through the Rockfield Park and Carraigoona housing estates, ascending steeply on the slopes of the Sugarloaf Mountain. Early site investigations indicated that a plateau of fill material covered much of the site, and a piled foundation was proposed. However, as site clearance of the dense gorse-covered hill proceeded, outcrops of rock were discovered, which had to be removed to provide the finished levels required.

While the extent of the required rockbreaking work was unanticipated, it was turned to advantage by providing the material with which the retaining gabion structure was made, practically and sustainably eliminating the export of the excavated material from the site.

THE PROJECT

Through their approach to this development, Deaton Lysaght Architects and ClearyDoyle showed that it is possible to build A2 BER energy-efficient and low-energy housing without a radical approach to construction or an over-reliance on complex renewable technologies.

Jameson Heights, with a project value of €4.5m, comprised the construction of 20, A-rated two- and single-storey houses with associated substantial external site works on a hard rock green/brownfield site that adjoins an existing 20-year-old housing estate.

The scheme was a direct response to the housing needs of this high-demand area. The overall housing composition of the scheme is as follows:

• Six one-bedroom houses (single-storey)

The informal layout preserves views and breaks down the massing of each group of houses.

• Nine two-bedroom houses (two-storey)

• Five three-bedroom houses (two-storey)

The 20 houses achieved a u-value of 1.6W/m2K, with primary heating and hot water from air-to-water heat pumps feeding radiators and a tank, and primary electricity supply from photovoltaic roof panels. Each house also has a highly efficient Aereco direct control ventilation system.

CHALLENGES

The Jameson Heights site is located on land west of an existing housing estate at the foot of Sugarloaf Mountain. As a result of this, there were very challenging ground conditions to be addressed, including a requirement for the installation of piling before construction could begin.

For the most part, the scheme was built during the Covid-19 pandemic. After the first Covid-19 closure of the industry in March 2020, social housing was exempted from further Covid shutdowns.

Supply chain challenges were added to by the introduction of a new Covid-19 Standard Operating Procedure, which ClearyDoyle coordinated with client Wicklow County Council and its subcontractors to deliver the project on time and within budget.

SITING THE HOUSES

Architect Michael Lysaght, Deaton Lysaght Architects, comments that the architects were conscious of the need to develop a separate focus for each group of houses in the development, thus avoiding an overbearing linear layout.

“The mix of single- and two-storey houses in an informal layout also makes reference to the siting of the houses in a sensitive landscape, preserving views of the Sugarloaf from each part of the scheme, and breaking down the massing of each group of houses.

He continues, “The result is a scheme whose built form is reminiscent of the organic growth of agrarian settlements of yesteryear; hunkered down against the wind where necessary, more defiant in calmer corners.“

“The houses are compliant with nZEB with an A2 rating. They are designed on the ‘fabric first’ principle, whereby the floor, walls, roof, windows and doors are highly insulated, thereby reducing the requirement for energy in heating; attention to detail in eliminating thermal bridges in the construction, and ensuring airtight construction; and the provision of

Designed by Deaton Lysaght Architects and built by ClearyDoyle for Wicklow County

ELEMENTAL U-VALUES

An A2 BER rating was achieved on the majority of homes with the following elemental results.

The external walls of each house are constructed with traditional concrete blocks, as specified by the client, and have a 150mm insulated cavity with a u-value of .13W/m2K.

The wall insulation used was Xtratherm CavityTherm full-fill cavity wall PIR insulation.

Ground floors with Xtratherm Thin-R PIR floor insulation have a u-value of 0.14W/ m2K.

Pitched roofs with Knauf Earthwool Loft Roll 44 insulation on the ceiling have a u-value of 0.1 W/m2K. The houses have no chimneys.

Front doors are Munster Joinery Passive uPVC door sets with a u-value of .85W/ m2K.

Windows are argon-filled double-glazed uPVC with a u-value of .73W/m2K.

Primary space and water heating are from air-to-water Thermia iTec Eco heat pumps.

AIRTIGHTNESS

Although the homes are highly insulated and are near passive house standard, they are not designed to passive house standard.

Air tightness tests were carried out once the building envelopes had been completed, with the homes having permeability ranging from 2.1 – 2.9m3/(h.m2) at 50 pascals on completion, with the majority below 2.4 m3/ (h.m2).

HEATING AND HOT WATER

Each home is fitted with an air-to-water heat pump heating system, and this provides heat for radiators and hot water. The houses have Myson radiators throughout, manufactured in a Myson facility with an Accredited Environmental Management System ISO 14001:2015.

The heating and hot water are controlled by Danfoss timeclocks, operating at set intervals depending on how they are set to ensure temperatures are maintained at the level required.

A wall thermostat controls the overall heating system, with individual radiator thermostats controlling temperatures in each room.

ELECTRICITY

A .64kW photovoltaic (PV) panel array system is mounted on the roof of each house and positioned to maximise solar gain. These contribute to the electricity requirement of each house. The panels have been placed on the front or rear of houses depending on the individual house’s orientation to maximise efficiency.

Each house has two PV panels, generating about 300Kwh per year. The average Irish house uses about 4,200kWh per year. So, if the resident uses all of the electricity that the two panels produce, there is the potential to reduce the electricity bill by 15%. If there is no demand for PV electricity, it will be fed onto the grid.

VENTILATION

The BER results include the calculations for ventilation. Each house has an Aereco DCV whole-house extract ventilation system installed. The concept of demand-controlled ventilation rests on the principle of providing occupants with the right amount of fresh air when they need it, where this is useful.

With intelligent airflow management, energy savings are made on every occasion, and the need for ventilation is low or null. Any activity that emits indoor air pollution, such as food preparation or showers, generates a temporary need for greater ventilation to remove the pollution quickly. DCV optimises heating consumption and indoor air quality on a fully automated basis.

ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND COST

The majority of Jameson Heights houses

achieved a Building Energy Rating of A2, near passive house, with end-of-terrace houses achieving an A3 BER, meeting the required standard at the time of their construction. This indicates that average energy consumption is 39.84kWh per year with average CO2 emissions of 7.83kg CO2/ m2/yr. The electricity generated by the PV is available for free for residents to use.

The way the scheme is built means that CO2 emissions are 60% less than traditional houses.

Its overall u-value of 1.24 (A2 BER) was achieved using available building materials, such as wall, floor and attic insulation, argon-filled double-glazed window and a thermal heat pump.

The pragmatic approach taken by ClearyDoyle with Jameson Heights resulted in the scheme being commended in the recent inaugural Towards Net Zero Ireland Awards.

IN CONCLUSION

The development at Jameson Heights shows that by careful and sensitive design and technical input to the design and construction process, new housing can be successfully inserted into a challenging site of high scenic amenity. As the landscaping matures, Jameson Heights will continue to complement the iconic setting on the slope of the Sugarloaf.

DESIGN TEAM

Client: Wicklow County Council

Architect: Deaton Lysaght Architects

Main Contractor: ClearyDoyle

Civil & Structural Engineer: Waterman Moylan

Mechanical & Electrical Engineer: Homan O’Brien

Quantity Surveyor: Tom McNamara & Partners

Landscape Design: Hayes Ryan And Associates

renewable energy sources in PV solar panels which provide up to 80% of the annual heat requirement.”

Jameson Heights is set on the side of the Sugar Loaf Mountain.

Modular Solutions with Jones Engineering

One of the ways Jones Engineering has been improving productivity is with the movement of the construction process away from the physical site into controlled manufacturing and assembly environments by providing integrated modular and off-site construction solutions.

With the backdrop of increasing demand for Life Science, Data Centre and Microelectronic manufacturing campuses – the timescale between Basis of Design (BOD) to Facility Ready (FR) has been under increasing pressure to reduce.

Jones Engineering, in an effort to increase efficiency and predictability, improve safety, minimise the level of disruption to site, client and the environment, and reduce the time frame of BOD to FR, have invested heavily in the past number of years in not just leaner ways of working but in challenging how the Engineering and Construction sector approaches the delivery of projects. These efforts culminated in the launch of a new division, Jones Engineering Manufacturing Ltd., in 2019.

Jones Engineering Manufacturing is based in a 9,000m2 centre of Design for Manufacturing & Assembly (DfMA) excellence in Co. Carlow. This stateof-the-art facility brings their core competencies in Mechanical, Electrical & Instrumentation and Fire Protection and the added competencies of Civil, Structural & Architectural under one roof. This allows their teams to design, manufacture, install and deliver modules from small to large-

scale projects.

Their multidiscipline team, having a core understanding of traditional stick-build construction, have delivered on several “Integrated Modular Solutions” (Products) for clients based on the simple idea of “plug and play”; whereby they have taken a Client BOD to fully tested and commissioned CE / UKCA Marked products ready for site infrastructure integration.

The journey from BOD to CE /UKCA Marked Product progresses in parallel with the Client and A/E (Architectural / Engineering) Teams, striving for the design to be 100% complete prior to any physical manufacture or assembly. This ensures the end product is fit for purpose with the end user (Operations) always in mind. This collaborative and open approach has allowed Jones Engineering to transform how it delivers on projects providing for; improved design compliance, improved quality control, upfront efficient design processes and reduced manufacturing, assembly, integration (site) and operational risks. This results in improved predictable costs and allows for off-site commissioning and testing along the way while focussing on the speed of delivery of the overall project.

Using fast-track modular design processes also takes a large percentage of the project work off-site, which improves site congestion. Reducing the number of people on site at any one time increases the safety of everyone. It is possible to provide clients with “Speed for Delivery” while prioritising safety by developing these types

of innovative solutions.

“The off-site modular sector is key to the much-needed future development, innovation and success of the Construction Industry.

“A greater collaborative focus is required to increase efficiency & predictability, improve safety, along with minimising the level of disruption to site, client & the environment. We believe that all parties need to recognise the need to embrace change and, indeed, become agents for change within the Construction Industry. New mindsets, methods of engagement and relationship types must be explored and put in place without delay as the construction industry continues to move from a hierarchy approach to a more efficient and effective round table approach.

“Our experienced constructionmanufacturing team bring this much-needed change towards a more efficient process for our customers; allowing them to maximise the potential of their project under one roof from Concept Design through to Off-Site Manufacture/Assembly and Site Integration. We currently design and manufacture for clients in Ireland, across mainland Europe and the UK,” says Ian Davy, General Manager, Jones Engineering Manufacturing.

This solution has been working well for their current clients. They have successfully transported cooling modules to Holland, Belgium, Finland, and Denmark, as well as E-Houses and Packaged Plant Rooms across Ireland and the UK. The average size of each component was 19m long by 4.2m

Jones Engineering

believe productivity and innovation need to be a huge focus in making the Irish construction industry the most productive, highest quality, safest and competitive in Europe and beyond.

wide by 4m high. This necessitated detailed planning and cooperation between the Jones logistics teams and the authorities involved, including permit applications etc. It has proved so successful they will be extending this solution on additional global sites in the future.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) / Digital engineering is also critical to prefabrication and modular construction. It enables integrated architecture and engineering workflows. It supports the concept of repeatable designs, which enables optimisation of a design across the feasibility study and conceptual engineering.

Jones have been leading the way in BIM for over 15 years now and have recently obtained the BSI Kitemark™ for BS EN ISO 19650 parts 1 and 2. They successfully passed the audit held in 2021, making them the first Irish engineering contractor to hold a BSI Kitemark for BIM (Design and Construction) certificate against ISO 19650 that covers Mechanical, Electrical

and Fire Protection systems. It demonstrates that Jones BIM processes, procedures, and management systems on completed projects are fully in compliance with international standards for managing information using BIM.

Jones credit these BIM achievements to the fact they constantly evaluate different software versions, system applications and advancements in construction methods in order to offer the best and most optimum solutions to deliver specific projects based on clients’ requirements. The Jones BIM Team utilise the latest BIM modelling techniques incorporating new self-established BIM initiatives to overcome previous challenges successfully. Unrivalled subject experts with a proven track record, Jones Engineering BIM apply specific design solutions and value engineering based on project scope, relevant challenges and exact enduser requirements, ensuring a risk-free programme for both the client and design team.

Some of their BIM projects in Ireland include Boland’s Quay, the EXO Building and the National Rehab Hospital. Overseas clients include confidential data centres, Bioenergy facilities and blue-chip pharmaceutical companies. Over the last five years, Jones Engineering teams have successfully completed almost €3billion worth of projects ranging from the Medical, Life Science, Building Services, Industrial, Semi-Conductor, Data Centre and Power and Energy Sectors, almost half of which was overseas.

Jones Engineering currently employs over 4,000 people working throughout Ireland, Europe and the Middle East. They have an annual training budget of over €2m and encourage all of their employees to attend internal and external training courses on a regular basis. Jones Engineering projects are based around the globe, giving employees the chance to work in extreme locations from Arctic conditions reaching subzero temperatures of -40° to extreme heat environments reaching temperatures of +50°. From offshore oil rigs prone to 100 mph winds and 80-foot wave surges to tunnelling under rivers and cities. The possibilities are limitless.

A list of current vacancies can be viewed on their website www.joneseng.com

TOBIN Consulting Engineers named as CPD Employer of the Year

Multidisciplinary engineering practice TOBIN Consulting Engineers has been awarded the 2022 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Employer of the Year Award by Engineers Ireland.

Sponsored by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, the CPD Employer of the Year Award recognises the use of best practice continuing professional development initiatives in achieving organisational objectives.

The Galway headquartered organisation was presented with the CPD Employer of the Year Award at an online event hosted by Engineers Ireland and attended by representatives from over 50 CPD-accredited employer organisations throughout Ireland.

Congratulating TOBIN Consulting Engineers on their achievement, Dee Kehoe, CPD Director at Engineers Ireland, said: “Engineers Ireland is pleased to award TOBIN Consulting Engineers the 2022 CPD Employer of the Year Award in recognition of its creative, comprehensive, and systematic approach to the development and delivery of key CPD initiatives as part of its 2020-2023 Statement of Strategy.

“These initiatives, which include the

establishment of the TOBIN Coaching Academy, focus explicitly on the development of technical and managerial leadership competencies and will address the challenge of succession planning and the development of the next generation of leaders who will grow and develop TOBIN. I applaud TOBIN Consulting Engineers for their strategic approach and commitment to CPD and wish the CPD team and the wider organisation continued success with future learning endeavours.”

Commenting on the CPD Employer of the

Year Award, Ciaran McGovern, Managing Director, TOBIN Consulting Engineers, said: “For us to be considered to be an exemplary CPD-accredited employer by Engineers Ireland has meant placing the concept of being a learning organisation at the core of our strategic planning, in the development of our business. It is a fantastic achievement to have received this award, and it is a huge endorsement and formal recognition of all the work our team has done to support and develop our people.”

Hardware sector welcomes expansion of vacant homes grant

Hardware Association Ireland has welcomed Minister Darragh O’Brien’s recent announcement that the Department of Housing will be extending grants for refurbishing vacant and derelict homes to the entire country.

The Croí Cónaithe Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant has been expanded to cities and rural areas, where previously it was only available in towns and villages. The grant will now cover the entire country. The funds available under the scheme are €30,000 for vacant properties and €50,000 for derelict properties.

Commenting on this, Hardware Association Ireland chief executive Martin Markey said, ‘’This is a really welcome announcement from Minister Darragh O’Brien and his department. It will help bring many empty homes around Ireland back into use, going a long way to easing the pressure on the housing market. These are measures that Hardware Association Ireland called for this year in our action plan to tackle the empty homes problem. We are

very pleased that the minister is acting on this.’’

Martin Markey added; ‘’We want to provide incentives for people to bring empty homes back into use. We have a vacancy rate of 8% in a housing crisis, and our cities and towns are being destroyed by row upon row of empty homes, so we hope the government take on board more of our proposals. Renovating empty homes has the added benefit of affordability, and they have much lower carbon emissions than building a new home. There are fewer planning complications, and it can be done a lot quicker than new builds also. We have a huge stock of empty homes just waiting to be renovated, so it is a huge opportunity that we can unlock.”

Hardware Association Ireland is the representative body for Irish hardware and DIY retailers, builders’ merchants, distributors and manufacturers. It represents over 400 members nationwide and 26,000 staff in the sector.

Martin Markey, Chief Executive, Hardware Association Ireland.

Dee Kehoe, CPD Director at Engineers Ireland, presents the CPD Accredited Employer of the Year award to Damien Grehan, TOBIN Regional Director with responsibility for the Dublin office (left) and Ciaran McGovern, Managing Director, TOBIN.

CIS reports 20,423 residential units commenced in 11 months to November

2022 was another tumultuous year for Irish residential construction.

ADAM DARGAN, Residential Researcher, Construction Information Services, details key residential building activity trends and looks at how the new large-scale residential development initiative might shake things up in 2023.

Global events have led to a situation where material costs and general inflation are through the roof, while labour shortages remain a major challenge on many construction projects. The construction sector throughout Europe has experienced similar challenges, with Eurostat reporting the average construction cost rise up to Q3 2022 is 30%.

The CIS database shows us the following construction statistics:

SUBMISSIONS

Year to date to the end of November 2022, CIS recorded 1,690 planning applications lodged, equating to 81,541 units, with a regional breakdown of 74% in Leinster, 21% in Munster, 4% in Connacht and 1% in Ulster. For the same period, November 2020 to November 2021, applications lodged equated to 1,547 comprising 58,962 units

APPROVALS

In the 12 months to November 2022, CIS observed 1,040 planning applications approved, equating to 39,799 units, with a regional breakdown of 64% in Leinster, 27.5% in Munster, 5.4% in Connacht and 3.1% in Ulster. For the same period to November 2021, planning applications approved equated to 1,140, comprising 40,171 units.

COMMENCEMENTS

Year to date to the end of November 2022, CIS recorded 20,423 units commencing on site, with a regional breakdown of 77% Leinster, 18% Munster, 4% Connacht and 1% Ulster. In the same period last year, 22,781 units were commenced on site. In the year to date, CIS has recorded a total of 679

residential projects commencing on site. In the same period in 2021, a total of 709 residential projects started on site.

COMPLETIONS

In the year to the end of November 2022, CIS recorded 13,957 units being completed, with a regional breakdown of 75% Leinster, 18 % Munster, 4.5% Connacht, 2.5% Ulster. In the same period, January 2021 to November 2021, CIS observed 11,376 units being completed, and 348 residential projects completing in total. In the same period in 2021, 407 residential projects were completed.

When we review the Irish construction output up to November 2022, we can see that levels are better than we might have expected. By and large, submissions and approvals are running at a similar level to the year-on-year 12-month period, but completed units have increased by 35%.

This must count as a major achievement given the extraordinary challenges faced in 2022. However, we can see a concerning reduction in new planning applications in the 12 months to the end of November 2022, down to 59,000 from 81,500 dwelling units, a near 28% drop. This drop coincides with the introduction of a new large-scale residential streamlined planning initiative; the Largescale Residential Development (LRD) Act 2021.

WHAT IS LRD?

The government released new legislation in 2021 for large-scale residential developments, resulting in the Strategic Housing Development (SHD) process lapsing on 25 February of this year and being replaced by the Planning and Development (Amendment) LDR Act 2021, effective from 16 April 2022.

The LRD Act sets out new arrangements for large-scale residential developments (LRDs), which supersede the existing SHD

process, which was originally introduced in December 2016 with the intention of speeding up the planning permission process for “well-designed large-scale housing developments” on land already zoned for residential developments.

The SHD provisions were subject to a “sunset clause”, which was originally 31 December 2019. That expiry period was extended to December 2021 following a review of the SHD system in 2019 and, finally, to 25 February 2022 as a result of the government’s Covid-19-related extensions to planning timeframes.

HOW DID THE SHD INITIATIVE PERFORM?

Since the introduction of the SHD scheme in December 2016, 487 SHD applications were lodged (or about 98 applications per year), of which 273 were granted planning permission. Of these 487 projects, only 25% commenced on site. The number of LRDs lodged to date is just 24, which is a run rate of 41 applications per year.

IN CONCLUSION

CIS expects to see volumes consistent with 2022 lodged for planning throughout 2023. It is hard to determine what the expected uptake in large-scale applications lodged via the LRD initiative will be. To address and assist in the government’s housing delivery targets, we would expect to witness an increase in both commencements and the delivery of housing. Despite external factors, we expect construction output in the residential sector to remain steady in 2023.

Information is correct as of 01 December 2022 and excludes the self-build market. For more details on Residential Project information and Analysis, please visit www. cisireland.com or call 01 299 9200 to speak with the CIS research, sales and insights teams.

Uncertainty creating volatility

COLM MCGRATH, Managing Director, Surety Bonds, writes that the world’s central banks

are walking a wobbly tightrope as they try to maintain economic stability.

Uncertainty is creating volatility. The war in Ukraine, the crazy ‘Trussonomics’ scenario in the UK, China’s zero-Covid policy and US mid-term elections are just the tip of the iceberg. The world today seems, to me, absolutely bonkers and makes it very difficult to see a clear path ahead.

In my most recent article in Irish Construction News, I wrote that inflation in Ireland, Europe and the US while running at record levels. Recent figures the European Central Bank [ECB] forecast year-end annual inflation of 8.1%, down from 10.7% with the Federal Reserve [Fed] predicting annual inflation of 7.7% compared to 8.2%) suggest that it has peaked and is decelerating due to aggressive interest rate hikes by the Fed and the ECB. This seems to be the case based on recent reports by both parties and independent economists.

THE HOLY GRAIL OF INFLATION

While there is or was a need to increase interest rates to battle inflation, my concern is whether central banks globally are overtightening, in particular, the ECB and the Fed, in their attempts to get to the holy grail of the 2% target in such an aggressive manner, is causing economic damage. The ECB’s and we could conclude the US’s primary objectives are to maintain price stability, ultimately preserving the purchasing power of their currencies. In fairness, price stability does create conditions for more stable economic growth and a more stable financial system, but I would argue this would apply under more normalised conditions.

Blackrock Investments opinion: “Bringing inflation down to 2% targets will mean significant economic damage, in our view. Why? There’s constrained production capacity in developed economies. The labour market and consumer spending patterns in developed economies have not fully normalized. The result: a mismatch in supply and demand, particularly in the services sector.”

In Ireland, this impacts even more so on the construction sector; demand remains dramatically high while supply is low and reducing.

The Irish Times headline ‘Construction activity shrinks amid cost concerns’ highlights that residential units being developed are down 10%, driven by a drop in apartment starts. Two main factors driving this reduction are cost uncertainty, as material and labour costs remain volatile, and the unpredictable nature of funding, which has been driven by the movement of institutional investors to change their investment strategies.

DEALING WITH A VOLATILE WORLD

The holy grail of 2% inflation, which is optimum for a balanced economy, is not possible in the current uncertain and volatile world we live in. The current thinking by central banks of fast and furious interest rate hikes is to crush demand, reducing employment, which in turn should reduce inflation, but the downside may cause a recession.

The medium- to short-term goals should be more balanced. A levelling off, lower increases, or a halt to increasing interest rates is paramount. We need to see if these hikes have already taken hold as further increases, particularly high rate raises, could unintentionally push the globe into a much more protracted recession than is required. If this were to happen, then this would leave central banks with very little ammunition to rectify the situation, such as reducing

Colm McGrath, Managing Director, Surety Bonds

interest rates and reverting to quantitative easing to counteract such a problem.

BOND CHALLENGES

A protracted recession with depleted central bank arsenals leaves highly indebted countries open to the debt markets. Government bonds start to become too expensive, leaving these countries struggling to refinance their ongoing debt needs. On top of this, we could also see a period of stagflation, “The danger of stagflation is considerable today,” the World Bank warned this week. “Several years of above-average inflation and below-average growth are now likely.”

Economic slowdown and increased unemployment with consistent high inflation are all down to timing effects of monetary policy, while so many other elements are outside of central banks’ control, such as the bottlenecks of increased pricing of gas, ongoing supply shortages in construction, chip manufacturing, labour, etc, driving up costs.

Could we be looking at another 1970’s type of shock, whereby high-interest rates caused a major recession followed by country debt crises? I hope not. The thinking is that central banks have actioned solutions much quicker this time around. However, the tightrope they are walking now is wobbly; let’s hope they can maintain their balance.

Surety Bonds is Ireland’s only specialist surety and bond intermediary. It provides independent and objective advice to find solutions that deliver optimum results on bonding requirements. To learn more, visit www.suretybonds.ie

& Build must ask itself whether or not the standard form of contract or bespoke drafting contains sufficient terms to address the scenarios envisaged.

Following on from previous articles in Irish Construction News, which tackled points that commonly arise as disputes and with the central intent being for readers to seek to avoid disputes in construction, this article centres on disputes arising out of Design & Build contracts or even where a contract is not wholly a design and build but will have elements of design.

The ordinary position or common quote that is often heard when a potential issue arises during the course of a Design & Build project is for an employing party to potentially reject any complaints or raising of issues and simply repeat that being a Design & Build contract, the issues rest with the employed party. This is a common response when rejecting variations and/or any usual rights under the contract, such as loss and/or expense or an extension of time. It can be usual for parties to then wryly state that the agreement is nothing more than a “design and dump”.

Other employed parties will think otherwise, given their ingenuity and approach to problem solving. They consider that these circumstances provide them with a carte-blanche approach to “value engineer” the project and then increase profits and deliver the project.

Another scenario is where there is only one element of the work to be designed, usually by a specialist in that area, but it needs to be incorporated into an overall design. Where both elements meet and integrate, where does the design responsibly commence and end? The question then is, which one is correct, and how are the above scenarios treated?

HIGH STAKES

Whichever issue or view is adopted, without a firm understanding, the stakes are rather high, and the risk is inherent. If wrong, a party could find itself in a scenario where it is faced with cross-claims, abatements and or a set off.

Those who have read previous articles or attended any events or training by the author will be reminded that the content and intent of the initial agreement are entirely at the root of the answer. Given the fact that if a dispute arises, the first question will be whether the parties had entered into an agreement. The next question will be what the actual terms were, and this is no different here in the case of Design & Build. In essence, any party who is entering into a contract where there is a Design & Build must ask itself whether or not the standard form of contract or bespoke drafting contains sufficient terms to address the scenarios envisaged.

UNDERSTAND THE EMPLOYING PARTY’S INTENTIONS

In usual terms, as part of the initial invite to tender, the employing party will set out what it intends to have built, and this will be in the form of performance specifications or outline drawings. This can be where the initial problems arise. As the parties are free to contract on very wide terms in this instance, the first point to consider is to what extent the employing party’s designs have progressed. There will be a significant difference in drawings issued at tender to the contractor, which were used for planning only or whether or not the employing

HENRY HATHAWAY writes any party entering into a contract where there is a Design

“The proposed designer ought to be very clear as to what extent of design is required or how well-developed the requirements are”

party have effectively developed the drawings to a significant extent with detailed specifications for performance to be reached.

These are two very wide and significantly different scenarios, and the proposed designer ought to be very clear as to what extent of design is required or how well-developed the requirements are.

Having been provided with the above, the contracting party would do well to consider at an early point what its proposals will be in order to meet or reach the objectives set out in the requirements and whether or not, at the point of contract, that its proposals have been accepted as meeting the objectives of the design requirements.

A question could arise at this point, what if the contents or the requirements initially provided to the contractor were, in fact, incorrect or wrong in the first place?

An express term incorporated, which directs liability for the contents of the initial employer’s requirements, is an astute provision. This clearly would not affect the obligations placed on the contracting party that a design it undertakes to meet the initial requirements is to be prepared with reasonable care and skill and in accordance with the statutory requirements. However, the point that risk transfers for any previous design undertaken by the employing party does need to be addressed.

PLANNING REQUIREMENTS

Naturally, any design is required to be undertaken within the confines of any statutory consents and may include various issues or applications under the planning laws. A simple but important question is, who is to be responsible for the gaining of such consents or approvals?

A cursory reminder of not having an express clause to deal with such consents occurred in the case of Walter Lilly v Clin over four separate instances within the courts in the UK. The contract was silent on the responsibility, and, in effect, a term was required to be implied. Had there been an express term, the issue may have been more straightforward, especially in a case where the delays were significant.

SOURCES OF DISPUTE

From the author’s experience, coordination of design and integration of elements or as a whole is often a source of disputes. Welldeveloped standard form contracts still require a design approval process, and when adopted and implemented, the proposed designs are submitted to the employing team and the approvals are provided. Timelines are set in order to ensure that the contractor does not simply leave it until last or clearly will set out timelines so as not to allow for the employing party not to approve or reject.

WHEN DOES DESIGN DEVELOPMENT END?

Another question is when does design development end, and, in fact, become an entirely separate and new scope and can there ever be a variation in a design and build, or, neatly, can it always be materially wrapped up in a generic, all-encompassing term of Design & Build and for the contractor to simply proceed?

There is a distinct difference between merely carrying out a design that was contracted for and for what clearly is a variation to the original intent at the time of contract. Again, and at the risk of being repetitive, this entire answer will depend on the express terms of the contract. The test will be whether there has been a definable change to the initial requirements of the employing party in terms of scope, quality of any specified materials or increase in the standard of the specifications.

CLEARLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS AGREED

The critical point is to understand if a change does, in fact, arise, and this is not quite as easy to always identify. Moreover, the next question will be, who, in fact, holds the risk of any such issue and how has such risk been captured in the drafting. This is also pertinent in respect of any discrepancies or divergences in any design

Henry Hathaway, Principal, Henry Hathaway Solicitors.

produced. There is no inherent reason to suggest that just because a Design & Build contract is in place that all risk immediately is assumed on account of such a procurement process. It simply stems and is derived from the common intention of the parties at the time of contract, and, in these circumstances, parties are encouraged to record the agreement in sufficient terms so as to make it clear. In such scenarios, this would amount to the first step to avoid disputes in construction.

Henry Hathaway is a solicitor who practises in Ireland, England and Wales and specialises in construction law. He is a qualified civil engineer and spent 12 years working in the industry. He advises on contract formation and provides practical advice when entering construction contracts, and regularly provides training and seminar days to companies to assist knowledge and application in order to assist them in avoiding disputes in construction. If you require further information in relation to contract formation or would like to discuss training and development in this area, contact henry.hathaway@hathawaysolicitors.ie

This is one in a series of articles by Henry Hathaway for Irish Construction News.

Disclaimer: This content is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is provided to present information to the broader construction industry and provide awareness. Independent legal advice should always be sought prior to application, and no solicitor/client relationship is formed, and no duty of care nor liability arises from any of the contents of this article.

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Towards NetZero Ireland Awards honour industry champions

The Towards NetZero Ireland Awards were devised to help drive the netzero concept and to acknowledge and support those showing leadership in the netzero arena during this transitionary stage.

The scale of the net zero challenge is undeniably daunting, but the number and quality of the submissions entered for the awards demonstrate that the construction sector in Ireland is 100% committed to the net-zero objective.

It also confirmed that all disciplines within the sector, be it architecture, building services engineering and actual construction, are fully aware of the role they each have to play and of the need for them to work together to achieve net zero status. All the winning entries demonstrated this holistic approach.

A capacity attendance of leading construction, architecture, engineering and representatives were present in the Minerva Suite, RDS, Dublin, recently for the presentation of the inaugural Towards NetZero Ireland awards.

Judges John Macken and Michael Curran; Tomás O’Leary (Net-Zero Champion); and Mona Duff, Judge.

Winners and judges at the Towards NetZero Ireland Awards 2022.

CATEGORIES

There were six categories in all –

• Retrofit

• Commercial Building

• Public Building

• Design Practice

• Housing

• Net-Zero Champion

AWARD WINNERS

COMMERCIAL BUILDING

The Commercial Building category recognises projects that provide high-quality

workplace environments while pursuing net-zero strategies that ensure a reduction in energy use and carbon emissions, thereby impacting the effects of our everyday work practices.

Award Winner: ESB Offices, Commercial Block, BDP

Housing category winners DTA Architects with the Irish Construction News team. (L to r): Michael Curran, Judge; Philip McGaley, and Joe Connolly, Irish Construction News; Niall Rowan, Leanne Martin and John Maguire, DTA Architects; and Robbie Cousins, Editor, Irish Construction News.

Sean Neary, Varming Consulting Engineers and Gavin Phelan, Rhatigan Architects (Public Building Award Winner) and Mona Duff, Judge.

Highly commended: Wren Urban Nest Hotel, BDP

Commended: Gas Networks Ireland Services Centre, Denis Byrne Architects Award Sponsor: Soprema

PUBLIC BUILDING

The Public Building category recognises projects commissioned by public or semipublic bodies and agencies that demonstrate a civic function and are accessible to all.

Award Winner: Donegal Town Garda Station, Rhatigan Architects Award Sponsor: Reynaers Aluminium

DESIGN PRACTICE

The Design Practice category recognises the design team that pushes the principles of sustainable design throughout their work, whether in pursuing new research, exploring contemporary innovations, or leading in best practice.

Award Winner: Donegal Town Garda Station Rhatigan Architects Award Sponsor: Forbo Flooring Systems

RETROFIT OF A BUILDING

The Retrofit of a Building category recognises projects which bring underutilised existing building stock back into contemporary use, achieving a more sustainable built environment through the re-use of extant properties and significantly

improving their energy performance.

Award Winner: The Willows, Peter Nickels Architects

Highly commended: Dockline (New Century House refurb, IFSC), Axiseng Award Sponsor: Ecological Building Systems

NET-ZERO CHAMPION

The Net-Zero Champion category recognises an individual member of a design or contracting team who has demonstrated exceptional commitment and understanding

in the application of net-zero strategies, either with regard to a particular project or across their work as a whole.

Net Zero Champion 2022: Tomás O’Leary, MosArt

Highly commended: Jason Smith, Lawler Sustainability Award Sponsor: Kingspan

HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

The Housing Development category recognises multi-unit residential projects that aim to reimagine the sustainable

Mona Duff, Judge, with Rachel McKenna, Axiseng, and David Pearson, MCA Architects (Highly Commended, Retrofit of a Building).

Mona Duff, Judge; and Peter Nickels, Peter Nickels Architects (Retrofit of a Building Award Winner for The Willows).

credentials of the typical Irish suburban housing estate or apartment scheme – a type of development often associated with promoting carbon-intensive lifestyles but which also holds a significant capacity for change and innovation.

Award Winner: Highfield Park, DTA

Architects

Highly commended: Kilbride Court, COADY Architects

Commended: Jameson Heights, ClearyDoyle

Award Sponsor: Irish Construction News/ Constructionnws.ie

JUDGING PANEL

The judging panel for the Towards NetZero Ireland Awards 2022 were

• Paul Martin, Programme Manager for Technical Standards Development, SEAI and former Chairman of CIBSE Ireland.

• Michael Curran, CIBSE Ireland Chairman and Head of Building Services, Energy and Utilities at NUI Galway.

• Mona Duff, Senior Manager, International WELL Building Institute (IWBI).

• John Macken, Associate Director, O’Mahony Pike Architects

SPONSORS

Organised by Acclaim Events Ltd, there was strong industry support. Category sponsors included Ecological Building Systems, Forbo, Kingspan Panels, Reynaers Aluminium and Soprema, while media sponsors were Irish Construction News, Architecture Ireland and Building Services Engineering.

Duncan Stewart, Architect; Nellie Reid, Managing Director, Meehan Green; and Pat Barry, CEO, Irish Green Building Council.

John Macken, Judge, with Harris Aminudin, BDP (Commercial Building Category, Highly-Commended, Wren Urban Nest Hotel).

The Irish Green Building Council (IGBC) recently hosted its annual residential conference. The focus of Better Homes 2022 was on delivering low-carbon homes at scale.

According to a recent report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), current mobility patterns are incompatible with Ireland’s climate ambitions. While electrification is necessary, it is not sufficient, and rapid reductions in travel demand and shifts to sustainable modes are needed.

At Better Homes 2022, panellists discussed changes in development patterns required, including the need for higher density in new housing developments.

Dr Sarah Rock, lecturer in transport and urban design at Technological University Dublin, explained, “Transport is Ireland’s second highest source of carbon emissions. We tend to forget these emissions are very much linked to how well planning, urban design and transport are integrated or not. To reach our climate targets, we must plan and build low-carbon and highly liveable communities. This means a much more refined understanding of density, linked with land use and accessibility to reduce car dependency.’’

Pat Barry, CEO, Irish Green Building

Council (IGBC), added: “In a climate emergency, all new homes must be located in walkable and well-connected communities.

A move away from detached and semidetached homes to a denser and more compact design, including terrace homes, will also lead to a reduction in carbon emissions from both the construction and operation of new homes.”

A CARBON MODELLING REPORT

A carbon modelling report published by the IGBC last month shows that existing policies will lead to a reduction in carbon emissions associated with heating, cooling, and lighting buildings by 2030, but this could be fully negated if embodied carbon emissions remain unaddressed.

Embodied carbon emissions are the emissions associated with the production of construction products and the construction of buildings. According to the Building a Zero Carbon Ireland report, better design, a switch to lower embodied carbon construction materials, and innovation are key to delivering the homes we need without blowing our carbon budget.

Pat Barry explained: “Embodied carbon emissions are a factor of both the quantity of materials used and the carbon intensity of those materials. The advantage of focusing on better design is that it would allow more homes to be built for less cost in materials, manpower, and carbon emissions.”

Speaking at the event, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien TD commented, “Climate and the housing crises are two of the most significant challenges facing our country. Innovation is key, and I welcome the focus

of the event on this topic, as well as the work the council is doing to support the delivery of affordable, low-carbon homes at scale”.

HOME PERFORMANCE INDEX CERTIFICATION

To better address all the emissions associated with new developments, from building them to heating them and accessing them, the IGBC launched a new version of the Home Performance Index (HPI) certification.

The HPI is Ireland’s national certification for quality and sustainable housing. Besides stronger requirements on operational energy and sustainable location, the HPI - version 3 requires developers to measure embodied emissions through a whole life cycle assessment. It also demonstrates alignment with EU taxonomy, which outlines the key criteria to be met for an economic activity to be regarded as green, with a view to tackling greenwashing.

In simple terms, the more environmentally friendly a project is, the easier it should be to obtain funding at a lower interest rate.

Lorraine Fitzgerald, Head of Sustainability, Glenveagh Properties, said: “EU taxonomy regulation provides an opportunity to further improve the way we build homes and advance sustainability in the construction industry. We have already started to see the changing expectations coming through and are incorporating these into our housing projects.”

Further information on the Home Performance Index - Version 3.0 and the “Building a Zero Carbon Ireland” report is available at www.igbc.ie

“To reach our climate targets, we must plan and build low-carbon and highly liveable communities”

Dr Sarah Rock, Programme Director of MSc in Urban Regeneration and Development, TU Dublin; and Pat Barry, CEO, Irish Green Building Council, at the Better Homes 2022 conference.

Reimagining our homes and communities

MARION JAMMET, Head of Policy & Advocacy, Irish Green Building Council, explains some of the amendments in the recently launched Home Performance Index Version 3 and outlines key construction sustainability issues that need to be addressed in the year ahead.

Ireland should have the second-strongest rate of population growth in the EU over the coming decades, reaching a population of six million people by 2050. Housing this growing population without blowing our carbon budget presents significant challenges. The new homes we deliver must not only be highly energy efficient but they must also be built and renovated in a low-carbon way and be well-connected to local communities. This requires policy and regulatory changes, innovation and new financing mechanisms to make sustainable living the new norm.

TOWARDS DECARBONISED, COMFORTABLE, HEALTHY HOMES

Energy price inflation and concerns about the security of supply have led to a renewed focus on energy efficiency as the “first fuel”.

In 2018, operational carbon emissions from the residential sector accounted for 16% of our national emissions. These are the emissions associated with the energy we use to heat and light our homes. New homes designed and constructed to the current Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) standard should be highly energy efficient. However, post-occupancy data on actual energy use must be gathered to ensure they perform as per designed and any performance gaps can be addressed.

When it comes to tackling operational emissions, the real challenge lies in existing homes. Ireland has one of Europe’s most ambitious energy renovation strategies and targets. This will provide certainty to the industry, but much more is needed to deep retrofit over 50,000 homes a year. Energy renovation must become more accessible and affordable. This requires building capacity

in the industry through a greater focus on apprenticeships and by incentivising and facilitating upskilling.

The Build Up Skills Advisor app is a tool developed to make it easier for building professionals and construction workers to identify training courses that suit their needs in a few clicks. Over time, the information collected through the app will be used to develop an Energy Renovation Advisor Register. This, in turn, should make it easier for homeowners to identify building professionals who have upskilled in that area.

Finance is another key element, and climate justice is critical to achieving our climate goals.

While there are existing supports for fuelpoor target households in income poverty, this assistance does not necessarily reach all households that need it. Hence, there is a need to review the SEAI Free Energy Upgrades scheme. Grants cannot be the entire solution, and the introduction of lowinterest loans for the able-to-pay market is urgent. Interest-free loans, already available in Scotland, should become a reality here too. These are examples of actions needed to unlock Ireland’s energy renovation potential.

While the topic is complex, large-scale deep renovation is critical in addressing our sector’s emissions.

REJUVENATING OUR CITY, TOWN, AND VILLAGE CENTRES

The greenest home is often the one that already exists. This is because there are emissions associated with all life stages of a building, from raw materials extraction and production of construction materials to their demolition.

Embodied carbon emissions already account for 14% of Ireland’s emissions. These are the emissions associated with the manufacturing of building materials and the construction and renovation of buildings. With 400,000 homes to be delivered by 2030, our sector cannot reach its climate targets if embodied carbon emissions are not addressed. These emissions account for approximately 50% of the emissions of a new home across its whole life cycle. They largely happen before the home is occupied and cannot be retrofitted. In terms of scale and in a business-as-usual scenario, the construction of these new homes will be each year equivalent to bringing a new Moneypoint coal-burning power station online.

As highlighted in the IGBC’s roadmap to decarbonise Ireland’s built environment –Building a Zero Carbon Ireland – better use of our existing stock must be a priority. The embodied emissions of a deep retrofit in the

Marion Jammet, Head of Policy & Advocacy, Irish Green Building Council.

residential sector account for an average of just one-quarter of the emissions associated with new builds. As many of these properties are located in city, town and village centres, bringing them back into use should also reduce our fastest-growing source of carbon emissions, transport.

Too often, our village and town centres are blighted with abandoned and underutilised buildings. Research by the Heritage Council shows that groundfloor commercial vacancy rates in towns in Ireland is 18-31%, the upper floors are at circa 80% - both levels unheard of in a European context. Bringing these properties back into use requires regulatory changes and new financing models. It also represents an opportunity to make our city, town, and village centres more vibrant, to enhance air quality and restore the cultural and aesthetic value of these areas.

HEALTHY, LOW-CARBON HOMES IN VIBRANT COMMUNITIES

With a growing population, a significant number of new homes and infrastructure must be built by 2030. This represents a challenge as our industry must halve its emissions by then. In simple terms, it means that all new homes must be extremely energy efficient. They must also be located in walkable and well-connected communities. And the construction process itself must be low carbon.

To support this transition, the IGBC

recently launched version 3.0 of the Home Performance Index (HPI). The HPI is Ireland’s national certification for quality and sustainability in new residential developments. The certification goes well beyond the BER to address all of the environmental impacts of new homes, such as the production of building materials, impact on ecology, pollution, water consumption and flood risk.

One of the objectives of the update was to align the HPI with the European Union’s Taxonomy for sustainable activities. The Taxonomy outlines the key criteria to be met for an economic activity to be regarded as “green”. The more environmentally friendly a project is, the easier it should then be to obtain funding at a lower interest rate. As per the requirements of the Taxonomy, new homes certified under version 3.0 of the HPI must use 10% less energy than new homes built to the NZEB standard. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and ecology have also become mandatory indicators.

Conducting LCAs is a first step in addressing embodied carbon emissions. These are a factor of both the quantity of materials used and the carbon intensity of those materials. Reduction in these emissions can hence be achieved by leaner design, ie, using commonly available materials, but using less by optimising building form factor, efficient structural design, and material use. But this approach has its limits. It will need to be

complemented by the decarbonisation of the materials themselves or the development of alternative low-carbon materials, such as bio-based construction materials.

Transitioning to more sustainable building materials and more compact urban growth should also contribute to better protecting biodiversity. 90% of biodiversity loss can be associated with extraction of materials, with 50% material extraction for use in construction. The IGBC has also estimated that current density recommendations and patterns of development could lead to the urbanisation of a land surface equivalent to a third of County Dublin by 2030.

In 2023, the IGBC will provide more training courses on LCA, launch a full LCA methodology and develop additional case studies. For the first time, we will also launch a webinar series on biodiversity and the built environment to support this transition. Construction companies are also encouraged to visit the “Building a Zero Carbon Ireland” webpage to endorse the roadmap and commit to three sector-specific actions to implement in 2023 to make their work more sustainable.

Further information on the Build Up Skills Advisor app, the Energy Renovation Advisor Register and the “Building a Zero Carbon Ireland” report is available at www.igbc.ie. Further information on the Home Performance Index certification scheme is available at www.homeperformanceindex.ie

Ecocem announces breakthrough in cement technology to reduce industry carbon emissions by up to 70%

Leading low-carbon cement technologies specialist Ecocem has announced a significant step in enabling the global cement industry to decarbonise on a trajectory compliant with the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

ACT, a breakthrough cement technology, combines a range of technical innovations with the use of widely available low-carbon materials to decarbonise the production of cement by as much as 70% while enhancing the strength and durability of the concrete it is used to manufacture. ACT is fully scalable and can be deployed globally. It can be produced within existing cement plants without significant investment or modifications and can be deployed rapidly and cost-effectively.

ACT is the culmination of a decade of innovation in the scaling of sustainable, lowcarbon, competitive cement technologies. It has been subject to extensive technical validation and has been successfully demonstrated in industrial trials. A CE mark is expected in 2023, first commercial applications will follow with full market access by 2025 in the European markets where Ecocem is present (France, the United Kingdom, Benelux, Ireland).

LOW-CARBON CEMENT TECHNOLOGY

Founder and managing director of Ecocem, Donal O’Riain, says ACT is a step-change in low-carbon cement technology.

“It is cost-effective, globally scalable, and significantly decarbonising,” Donal O Riain comments. “The cement industry faces a huge immediate challenge if we are to deliver meaningful reductions in CO2 in the next decade. Technology is no longer a barrier to

decarbonisation, and for everyone to benefit fully and rapidly from the potential of ACT, the industry and policymakers need to work together. There has rarely been a more exciting time to be part of the industry.

“But the stakes are high. We are eager to work closely with the cement industry and with policymakers to support the scaling and development of a new generation of lowcarbon cements. Current policy priorities on decarbonising cement have now been overtaken by technology. Fully effective deployment of ACT requires policymakers to provide effective support well beyond their traditional emphasis on CCUS as the core cement decarbonisation technology.”

O’Riain adds that Ecocem will facilitate the rapid decarbonisation of the global cement industry and will work closely with cement producers and make the technology as widely available as possible on an economically advantageous basis.

“We see the broad adoption of ACT as being essential to achieving 1.5°C compliance and look forward to working with the cement industry to make this a reality. Discussions in response to initial interest are already well advanced, and we expect to make significant announcements in the near future.”

REDUCING CO2 EMISSIONS FROM CEMENT

Carmichael Roberts, Co-Lead, Investment Committee at Breakthrough Energy

Ventures, comments, “The rapid reduction of CO2 emissions from cement is a core challenge of any decarbonisation strategy, COP 27 has reinforced how urgently we need scalable solutions,” says Carmichael Roberts. “ACT arrives at a crucial moment and will rapidly accelerate our progress in reaching zero carbon cement.”

CEMENT: RAISING AMBITIONS, REDUCING EMISSIONS

The launch of ACT coincided with the publication of a new Ecocem-commissioned report that shows the urgency of finding short-term solutions to decarbonising cement.

The report, Cement: raising ambitions, reducing emissions, highlights that cement is currently responsible for over 7% of global carbon emissions – more than aviation, shipping and long-haul trucking combined. The report explores how a range of solutions to the industry’s CO2 problem can drive and accelerate innovation. However, it also points out that without industry cooperation and the deployment of new scalable solutions at speed, reaching the goal of a 50% cut in emissions by 2030 is impossible.

Read the full Cement: raising ambitions, reducing emissions report and find out more about Ecocem’s ground-breaking ACT technology here www.ecocemglobal.com/ACT

AG pledges to reduce its carbon footprint by 30%

Pledge, whereby companies commit to reducing scope 1 and scope 2 emissions by at least 30% and begin reducing scope 3 emissions. As part of the pledge, Business in the Community sets science-based targets and will chart AG’s decarbonisation journey.

Last year, AG reduced its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 10% despite a 30% increase in production volumes as the company faced unprecedented demand.

To ensure AG achieves its ambitious target, it plans to invest in its renewable energy production where possible. As well as this, work has begun on reducing the cement quantity in its products – without jeopardising the exceptional quality AG is renowned for.

The creation of a pioneering carbon calculator will also allow AG to calculate its overall carbon impact, as well as the carbon impact per product, driving the firm’s sustainability agenda through the introduction of more environmentally friendly products into the business.

The specialist building products business previously switched to bio-LPG from the industry-standard LPG, resulting in a carbon saving of 70%. The business has also introduced electric and hybrid cars into its fleet with a goal of having a full hybrid/electric fleet by 2025.

Paving and building products firm, AG, has reinforced its position as a market leader in sustainable construction with its latest pledge to reduce its carbon footprint by 30% by 2030 – despite a surge in production levels.

AG, which has manufacturing locations in Fivemiletown, Dungannon, Toome and Carryduff, already has one of the lowest carbon footprints in the industry and is committed to reducing the environmental impact of its operations to an absolute minimum.

The firm has signed a Business in the Community’s Climate Action

AG CEO Stephen Acheson says, “AG has a corporate social responsibility to be sustainable. Each of our sites brings our corporate environmental philosophy to life. Our commitment to reducing our sites’ impact on our surrounding environment is evidenced by the rich biodiversity found around our sites – such as the peregrine falcons currently nesting in our Fivemiletown quarry.

“We are delighted to be making very positive steps in our carbon reduction journey and look forward to working with Business in the Community as we work towards our 2030 target.”

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