Irish Construction News July August 2024

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irish construction news

NEWS

5 LDA announces housebuilder partnerships panel to deliver 5,000 new homes

5 Tuath delivered a record 2,482 homes in 2023

7 40 new jobs to be created as Murphy doubles pipe fabrication business capacity

8 Ardmac acquired by Purever Industries

8 Ireland on the cusp of rapid growth – Davy Economic Report

10 ‘Build 2024’ report welcomes efficiencies but highlights sustainability challenges

11 Tánaiste opens Sisk’s new smart HQ at Citywest 13 Sun protection is vital during the summer months 13 Collen appoints David Barron as technical director

15 Join the Celebration: World Green Building Week 2024 in Ireland

FINANCE

17 Company considerations regarding Auto-Enrolment – John Geraghty, Business Develop-ment Consultant, CPAS

INTERVIEW

18 Being at the heart of change in Irish Construction – Paul Brown, CEO, Sisk

24 Closing construction’s circularity gap – Patrick Moloney, Director for Strategic Sustainability Consulting, Ramboll

28 Clancy embeds sustainability and efficiency in its operations – Chris Chambers, Dublin Regional Director, Clancy Construction

PROJECTS

31 The Rubrics, Trinity College Dublin – Clancy Construction

32 Glanua showcases advanced sustainable wastewater treatment solutions in Boherbue project

SECTOR FOCUS

36 Ireland’s Top 60 Contractors 2024

39 Construct Innovate Seed Fund programme supports 18 innovative research projects

41 Ireland Chapter of the Project Management Institute launches Construction CoP

42 Bridging the gender gap: Attracting women to construction engineering in Ireland – Women in Technology & Science Ireland (WITS Ireland)

44 Kevin Hollingsworth appointed president of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland

44 Engineers Ireland conference celebrates International Women in Engineering Day

45 Build Digital Annual Survey identifies issues to be addressed to facilitate digital transi-tion

46 Glanua secures strategic funding from Rabobank

46 GMC Utilities partners with Future Planet for CSRD compliance

SUSTAINABILITY

47 Land Development Agency publishes Sustainable Development Strategy

48 Tackling carbon hotspots in construction – Marion Jammet, Head of Policy and Advocacy, IGBC

50 Healthy Homes Ireland calls for urgent focus on retrofitting Irish homes

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

52 All the latest products and services news

PUBLISHER

Foundation Media Ltd

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Tel: +353 (0)1 677 3157

EDITOR

Robbie Cousins robbie@foundationmedia.ie

DESIGN

Joanne Birmingham

CONTRIBUTORS

Colm McHugh, Irene Rondini, Marion Jammet, John Geraghty, Jennifer Keenahan

PRINTER

WG Baird Ltd

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Joe Connolly

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From the editor

TThe newly published Expert Group report on Future Skills Needs underscores the importance of adopting MMC and outlines how firms should proceed. The report recommends upskilling senior management and workers, transforming many on-site jobs into logistics roles and creating new roles within the construction supply chain. The largest skill gaps are at the senior management level, which may be hindering new training uptake. Critical areas for construction upskilling include design, planning, material procurement, off-site management, transportation, and on-site installation. Sample changes required include ensuring crane operators and lorry drivers are trained appropriately to handle modular components. The report prioritises senior management training to equip leaders with skills to advance their businesses.

Transitioning to an off-site production model will improve efficiency, reduce waste, and help lower embodied carbon emissions, which account for 37% of Ireland’s emissions. This shift is vital for advancing material circularity in construction.

Construction and the built environment are directly responsible for 37% of Ireland’s emissions, comprising 23% operational emissions associated with the energy used to heat, cool, and light buildings, and 14% embodied carbon emissions from the production of construction materials, transport of materials, construction process, maintenance, repair and disposal of buildings and infrastructure. Off-site will be vital in addressing carbon emissions and advancing the creation of a circularity or materials economics in construction.

In this issue of Irish Construction News, Patrick Maloney, Director for Strategic Sustainability Consulting at Ramboll, a global leading authority on circularity, warns business owners need to understand the implications of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) for their businesses and advises them to stop treating

circularity as a waste management issue and instead view it through a materials economics prism, where it brings value.

Paul Brown, CEO of Sisk, is overseeing a transformational change at Ireland’s leading contractor. He shares his insights on how the Sisk business model is evolving, advancing sustainable practices, and what lies ahead in the coming years.

Chris Chambers, Dublin Regional Director at Clancy Construction, talks about integrating Lean and other modern construction practices as well as sustainability into Clancy operations.

Jennifer Keenahan, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at UCD and board member of WITS Ireland, writes that construction still has much to do to make sites and jobs more accessible, but women are having a growing impact in engineering and construction.

Marion Jammet, Head of Policy and Advocacy at IGBC, details the building elements contributing to embodied carbon and how the issue might be tackled under new regulatory policies.

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. If there are any issues or stories you would like to see featured in Irish Construction News, email me at robbie@ foundationmedia.ie

Regards

Robbie Cousins

It’s

Go Further | Build Smarter

LDA announces housebuilder partnerships panel to deliver 5,000 new homes

The Land Development Agency (LDA) has announced the establishment of its framework panel of 15 of Ireland’s largest homebuilders to accelerate the delivery of affordable homes.

The framework provides a range of delivery partnership options, including forward funding mechanisms, which will ease financing issues by allowing phased payments to housebuilders for affordable homes.

Subject to funding, the LDA is targeting the delivery of 5,000 homes as part of the initiative, which is the second phase of the agency’s Project Tosaigh programme and has already resulted in agreements to deliver over 2,800 affordable homes.

The 15 homebuilders qualified for the panel through an open and transparent public procurement competition designed to deliver large-scale, high-density, sustainable, affordable housing projects. These builders are:

• Alanna Homes

• Ballymore

• Cairn Homes

• Chartered Land

• Elkstone

• Glenveagh Properties

• Greenacre Construction

• Greenseed

• Marlet Property Group

• McGarrell Reilly

• O’Callaghan

• O’Flynn Group

• Park Developments

• Quintain

• Royalton

The LDA will fund key housing projects during construction based on development milestones being reached. This process will allow for a more collaborative partnership between the LDA and panel members, assisting in the accelerated delivery of costrental homes.

Most of the new homes will be stateowned cost rental apartments, with the LDA investing around €2bn, in addition to over 10,000 affordable and social homes already in progress. The panel’s establishment will expedite housing delivery and ensure value for money through competitive mini tenders. The framework panel will remain in place for four years, at which point the LDA will issue a tender to form a new panel.

John Coleman, Chief Executive, LDA, said: “The announcement of our panel of housebuilder partners marks a step-change in how the LDA delivers homes. It identifies strong project partners who will work with us to design and deliver affordable homes in the right places, at scale and at the right cost. The framework will give the LDA greater control over the housing projects it funds, as the agency will be more involved in design and financing from an earlier stage. It also provides more certainty for the housebuilders we partner with, incentivising them to achieve development milestones through staged payments.”

Tuath delivered a record 2,482 homes in 2023

Tuath Housing delivered a record 2,482 homes in 2023, providing homes for more than 7,000 people across 16 local authorities nationwide, according to its annual report for 2023.

The ‘Affordable Homes Sustainable Futures Annual Report 2023’ was officially launched by Bob Jordan, CEO of the government’s Housing Agency at Tuath’s Dublin office.

Tuath has 5,000 more homes in the pipeline and is working with its partners to invest in people, places, and communities. It now has 13,000 homes under its management and has housed 34,000 people nationwide since the not-for-profit housing association was established in 2000.

The organisation continued its commitment to cost-rental housing in 2023 and has dellivered more than 450 cost-rental homes to date, with an additional 2,000 homes on the way.

In line with its sustainability focus, Tuath Housing also converted a disused office block in Cork city into 35 new homes, proving there are opportunities to create homes from empty commercial spaces in urban areas.

Springville House’s evolution from a derelict 1970s office block into a vibrant residential complex in Cork city centre was a testament to the power of innovation,

Professor Paddy Gray, Chair, Tuath Housing; Ailbhe Fusco, Tuath Housing tenant (Santry, Dublin); and Seán O’Connor, Chief Executive Officer, Tuath Housing, at the launch of Tuath Housing’s annual report for 2023.

collaboration, and sustainable development.

The ambitious redevelopment project addressed the pressing need for affordable housing in a high-demand area of the city and exemplified a commitment to environmental responsibility and community engagement.

In 2023, further sustainability goals were reached as Tuath recorded a 7% reduction in its carbon footprint. It also completed energy upgrade works on an additional 185 homes under its retrofit programme. It also joined Circular Reno, an EU-funded project aiming to implement scalable biobased deep energy

retrofit packages of facade and roof systems using various biobased materials.

Sean O’Connor, CEO, Tuath Housing, said, “Our annual report is an important opportunity to share the progress and success we’ve achieved over the past year. Despite challenges posed by inflation and the rising cost of living, we have remained committed to our mission of providing highquality housing to those in need.”

He added:” Tuath is making progress towards addressing the historic shortage of homes in Ireland, but this progress must be sustained.”

John Coleman, Chief Executive, Land Development Agency.

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40 new jobs to be created as Murphy doubles pipe fabrication business capacity

Murphy has officially opened a new, state-of-the-art specialised pipe fabrication facility at the civil engineering company’s Irish base in Newbridge Co Kildare.

These new facilities include a 1,200-sq metre pipe fabrication facility, an x-ray facility, a pipe and tank pressure testing bunker, a shot blasting bay and a painting/ coating bay

The new facility more than doubles the capacity of the Murphy pipe fabrication business and will create up to 40 additional jobs over the next five years.

LEADING PIPELINE CONTRACTOR

For over half a century, Murphy has been a leading pipeline contractor across Ireland and the UK, offering design and construction services for the gas, water, and process industries.

In recent years, Murphy has completed high-quality process pipework on major infrastructure projects for clients such as Gas Networks Ireland, Mutual Energy, Vermilion, Irving Oil, Air Products, Intel, Uisce Eireann, Shell, SGN, and Aughinish Alumina.

The new test facility adds to Murphy’s capability for supplying advanced nondestructive testing (NDT) solutions for critical infrastructure, including x-radiography, ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle inspection (MPI), dye penetration inspection (DPI), shot blasting and coating, and hydrostatic and pneumatic pressure testing.

The bespoke design and layout of this facility allow for full, unrestricted use of x-ray equipment, incorporating the most up-to-date safety features. The new

hydrostatic bay has a design capacity for 220 bar pressure and nine cubic metres of test medium. Also, it incorporates the industry’s most up-to-date safety features, including remote viewing and digital test logging from an independent control area.

This facility provides unparalleled safe systems of work for historically high-risk activities. It provides both internal and external stakeholders with the opportunity to view a project’s status and NDT results in real time.

A HUGE IRISH SUCCESS STORY

Commenting at the plant’s opening, Minister of State with Responsibility for Business, Employment and Retail Emer Higgins, said: “I am delighted to see Murphy’s pipe fabrication facility open and fully operational. Murphy is a huge Irish success story. From its foundation by a Kerry man in London in 1951 to its operations today across Ireland, the UK and North America- Murphy is a business that has always had a very proud connection to Ireland, and particularly to this area of Kildare, where its Irish operations have been headquartered since 1968. As one of the biggest civil engineering companies in Ireland, Murphy has an important role in helping us deliver Project Ireland 2040, which seeks to construct a more resilient and sustainable future for all. This latest investment is a testament to Murphy’s dedication to delivering the quality and excellence on which it has built its reputation for almost 75 years.”

John Murphy, CEO, Murphy, said: “It is great to see our new pipe fabrication and testing facility opening, which will double our capacity and create up to 40 additional jobs. We are proud to continue to invest in

Newbridge - this ensures that our pipeline of work in this area continues to grow and allows us to nurture future local talent.

“Murphy’s pipe fabrication and testing capabilities, like so many of our services, were developed in response to our clients’ needs and have developed in line with the innovations which have taken place within the sectors in which we work.”

John G Murphy, Managing Director, Murphy (Ireland), said: “For over five decades, our pipe fabrication business has supported our work throughout Ireland and the UK, evolving from mainly specialist gas pipeline works. Our new state-of-the-art pipe fabrication and testing facility here in Newbridge further strengthens our already unparalleled experience and expertise in this sector. Murphy is passionate about direct delivery for our clients, and this investment shows our commitment to increasing our capacity and expertise in this area, allowing us to support our clients at every stage of their project.”

Kevin Buckley, Operations Director, Murphy (Ireland), said: “We are thrilled to see the opening of our new pipe fabrication and testing facility here in Newbridge. This investment underscores our commitment to delivering high-quality services to our clients and reflects our dedication to innovation and excellence in the pipeline industry. By doubling our capacity, we can better meet the evolving needs of our clients and support major infrastructure projects across Ireland and the UK. This new facility not only enhances our technical capabilities but also provides significant employment opportunities in the local area, further strengthening our community ties.”

(L to r): Kevin Buckley, Operations Director; Murphy (Ireland); John Murphy, CEO, Murphy; Minister of State with Responsibility for Business, Employment and Retail Emer Higgins; and Hubert Fitzpatrick, Director General, CIF; at the opening of the new Murphy pipe fabrication and testing buildings in Newbridge.

Ardmac acquired by Purever Industries

Global industrial group Purever Industries has acquired Irish specialist contracting firm Ardmac for an undisclosed sum.

Ardmac provides clean, technical, and working environments for sectors such as life sciences, data, microelectronics, EV battery and commercial industries across Europe. It delivers high-value workspaces and technical environments in Ireland, the UK, mainland Europe and further afield.

It is headquartered in Dublin and has offices in Manchester, Craigavon, Cork, Brussels and Switzerland. The company had a turnover of €230m in 2023 and employs more than 520 people.

Founded in Madrid in 2001 and now headquartered in Portugal, Purever Industries manufactures cleanroom and isothermal products. It operates in seven countries, primarily in Europe and the US, employing over 1,100 people, and it reported €222m in revenues in 2023.

Purever CEO Luis Coelho Borges will manage Ardmac, with executives Jason Casey, Michael Quinn, and Enda Murphy assuming new roles. Jason Casey has taken up the role of chief operating officer, Michael Quinn has become chief technical officer, and Enda Murphy has taken on the role of chief business officer.

Ardmac will continue to operate under its current brand. Purever’s CEO highlighted the acquisition as a significant moment for Purever, creating synergies and competitive

advantages.

Luis Coelho Borges commented: “The acquisition of Ardmac represents a landmark moment for the Purever group as we continue to scale and diversify our core offering. Significant synergies will be created as a consequence of this transaction, and we believe both businesses will benefit from growth in this regard.”

Speaking about the acquisition, Ardmac CEO Ronan Quinn said: “This is an exciting development that will strengthen our future growth prospects as part of a new chapter in the 45+ year history of our business. Under

new ownership, clients will continue to receive the same high standards of service that they are accustomed to with Ardmac.

“Purever’s is a strong and complementary fit for Ardmac,” he added. “Following the completion of the transaction, both businesses will benefit from enhanced capabilities, expertise and scale.”

The acquisition does not include Carlowbased Cental Engineering Ltd, a business Ardmac shareholders acquired an equity stake in during 2020. Cental will continue to trade as normal.

Ireland on the cusp of rapid growth – Davy Economic Report

In the latest ‘Davy Economic Report’ detailing its Irish economic forecasts, Davy Group expects a broad-based acceleration of economic growth to 4.5% in 2024 and 4.3% in 2025 – from an estimated 3% growth in 2023. This forecast is underpinned by employment growth of 2% a year and a significant increase in housing output.

Key features of Davy’s economic forecasts include lower inflation of close to 2%, providing a boost to consumer spending growth; housing output to reach above 40,000 units next year; and residential property prices to grow 7.5% this year due to a limited increase in transactions.

The report states that the Irish economy accelerated into 2024 and is on the cusp of rapid growth, helped by lower inflation. Foreign direct investment (FDI), highskilled job creation and a rising population underpin the economy’s resilience. Its economic growth forecasts are above consensus, with buoyant activity levels putting pressure on Ireland’s infrastructure.

It prioritises capital spending on housing and decarbonisation and says that threats to competitiveness must be tackled to avoid a slowdown in FDI and job creation.

Davy expects the population to reach 5.9 million by 2030, which would be 524,000, or 10%, ahead of the National Planning Framework (NPF) baseline of 5.36 million.

In a “high migration” scenario, the NPF expects a population of 5.5 million by 2030 and close to 6 million by 2040. Davy forecasts the population to reach 6 million nearly a decade faster than the high migration scenario in the NPF, with significant implications for housing demand.

It forecasts an increase to 36,000 new dwelling completions this year and 42,000 next year. However, this remains well short of its estimate of underlying housing need.

The report states closing Ireland’s per-adult housing shortfall compared to other European countries based on the projections would require just under 85,000 units a year until 2030, or 2.6 times the 2023 level of completions.

Ardmac cleanroom project for confidential client.

Build 2024’ report welcomes efficiencies but highlights sustainability challenges

The Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, Paschal Donohoe, has published the ‘Build 2024 - Construction Sector Performance and Capacity’ report.

The Build 2024 report provides a comprehensive insight and several key findings into various aspects of the construction and built environment sector, including costs, planning, skills, productivity and sustainability. It highlights a variety of positive trends in the construction sector in 2022 and 2023, which include:

• 41,000 planning permissions for housing units in 2023, an increase of 21% over 2022

• 17,601 homes upgraded to a BER rating of B2 or above in 2023, an increase of 108% relative to 2022

• Construction and construction-related apprentice registrations increased by 3% and 2%, respectively, in 2023, relative to 2022.

Publishing the report, Minister Donohoe said: “Build 2024 shows that collaboration between the public and private sectors continues to increase the efficiency and productivity of the construction sector. It is vital to maintain the existing momentum and focus on measures that can assist in removing bottlenecks to delivering on the priorities outlined in the National Development Plan (NDP).”

The report analyses Ireland’s construction and built environment sectors, including current challenges and initiatives to improve efficiency, productivity, and quality. It acknowledges that the industry has faced unprecedented challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic, inflation, and supply chain issues while also making substantial inroads in adopting Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and Building Information Modelling (BIM).

SECTOR INVESTMENT

Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) captures public and private investment in building and construction (B&C) in housing, commercial buildings, civil engineering and public infrastructure. GFCF in B&C increased by circa 6% to €31.5bn in 2023 relative to 2022. Forecasts anticipate GFCF in B&C of €36bn in 2024, with further growth anticipated in the years ahead as investment continues to grow.

The National Development Plan (NDP) 2021-2030 provides €165bn in capital investment. An additional €2.25bn in capital funding was agreed by the government in early 2024 to support NDP project delivery. Two core funds under the NDP are the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF). A total of 132 projects have received funding of €1.7bn between 2018 and 2023 under the URDF. A total of 245 projects received funding totalling €577m between 2018 and 2024 under the RRDF.

Under planning and delivery trends, the report shows increased residential commencements and planning permissions, although it notes Dublin saw a drop in apartment planning permissions.

Procurement reforms are underway, which will see the adoption of greater project lifecycle processes in the Public Works Contract and the Capital Works Management Framework (CWMF).

The report notes a slight decrease in material costs and significant drops in energy prices, while there has been a 38% increase in construction employment since the Covid low, with a tight labour market and efforts to attract new entrants continuing.

The report notes that undergraduate entrants in engineering, manufacturing, and construction accounted for 12% of all new entrants in Ireland in 2022/2023. There was also a rise in apprenticeship registrations and increased training in energy efficiency, with The Build Digital Project and other government initiatives aimed to enhance digital technology and MMC adoption.

SUSTAINABILITY

Construction and demolition (C&D) waste reached 9 million tonnes in 2021, a 10% increase from 2020, and is projected to rise to 15 million tonnes by 2030. The upcoming “Supporting the Circular Economy Transition in the Irish Construction Sector” report will recommend reforms to embed circular economy principles, aiming to reduce C&D waste.

Greenhouse gas emissions in the construction sector rose from 505,000 tonnes in 2020 to 665,000 tonnes in 2021, a 31% increase. New guidelines for public projects and cement procurement (see p 51) will help reduce these emissions, with the cement sector accounting for 5% of Ireland’s emissions in 2022.

The Climate Action Plan 2024 outlines steps to halve emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050. The built environment sector’s emissions dropped to 11.1% in 2022 from 12.3% in 2021, thanks to stricter regulations and improved efficiency.

The National Retrofit Plan shows promising progress, with 17,601 homes upgraded to B2 status or above in 2023.

IN CONCLUSION

The Build 2024 report concludes that there is reason to be positive in terms of the initiatives which the public and private sectors have underway to increase the efficiency and productivity of the industry. It also underscores the importance of innovation, funding, and sustainable practices in overcoming challenges and advancing Ireland’s construction sector.

The Build 2024 - Construction Sector Performance and Capacity report can be downloaded at https://www.gov.ie/ publications or scan the QR code

EY-Euroconstruct – Irish housing completions

forecast to be strongest among 19 European countries

The pace of construction of new residential homes in Ireland continues to accelerate according to the latest forecasts from EY-Euroconstruct, with estimates for completions revised upwards to 36,000 this year and 41,000 for 2025. Housing completions per 1,000 of the population in Ireland - at 6.9 in 2024 and 7.7 in 2025 - are projected to be the strongest among the 19 Euroconstruct European countries and more than double the overall average (3.3 per 1,000 in 2024 and 3.1 in 2025).

Total Irish construction output, including non-residential and civil engineering, is forecast to grow by 3.9% in 2024, the highest in the Euroconstruct area and 5.7% in 2025. The volume of new non-residential building (including retail, office and industrial buildings, student accommodation and hospitality) is expected to break even in 2024 before recovering modestly in 2025 (up 1.3%).

CONTRACTION IN CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY

At a European level, the contraction in construction activity is set to continue in 2024, with the consensus forecast across the 19 Euroconstruct countries of an overall reduction of 2.7% this year, mainly caused by significant challenges in the new residential sector in 15 of 19 Euroconstruct countries. The problems of recent years (eg, higher interest rates, although now beginning to turn, inflation, and rise in construction costs) will continue to weigh on building construction, while civil engineering is expected to expand strongly in 2024. The expansion in civil engineering is driven by a variety of investment needs but, above all, by the financial backing of

governments.

The Euroconstruct network is projecting a return to total construction growth in 2025, albeit a modest 1.3%, as the interest rate cycle turns and inflationary pressures ease, with the positive trend continuing in 2026.

EY Ireland is the Irish member of the Euroconstruct network, an independent construction market forecasting network active in 19 European countries. The 19 country partners of the Euroconstruct network analyse factors influencing the three principal segments of construction - residential, non-residential (eg, office, industrial, hospitals and schools) and civil engineering (eg, transport, energy and water infrastructure) and provide up to date projections for each segment to 2026.

41,000 HOMES TO BE DELIVERED IN 2025

Annette Hughes, Director at EY Economic Advisory and member of Euroconstruct, says: “New residential construction activity continues to expand in Ireland, and we are revising up our forecasts for housing completions for 2024 to 36,000. We are also forecasting that supply will increase further in 2025 to 41,000, which would be the highest number of completions since 2008. This pace of new housing growth in Ireland, the fastest in Europe when measured on a per-population basis, is a significant outlier compared to the European average as assessed by Euroconstruct members, where supply is projected to contract in 2024 and 2025.

“This expansion in the delivery of new homes in Ireland is very welcome and has been driven by a range of factors. These factors include multiple policy

interventions to speed up the delivery of new homes and drive down the cost of construction, particularly for the delivery of affordable and cost-rental housing. The reallocation of some capacity in the sector from commercial to residential construction is also impacting. The impact of these interventions can take time to feed through the system, so much of the new housing that we are forecasting to complete in 2024 is a result of measures from some time ago. To this point, the extension of temporary waivers, which have spurred a significant increase in commencements notices in recent months, is expected to result in the highest level of completions since 2008 next year.”

She continues: “For the wider Irish construction sector, the picture is more mixed. Civil engineering continues to perform well. However, non-residential construction is flat at best, hampered by the reduction in commercial activity and the reallocation of capacity into the more vibrant residential sector.”

KEEPING A LID ON CONSTRUCTION INFLATION

Annette Hughes adds: “While our forecast is positive for the Irish construction sector, keeping a lid on construction inflation, maintaining cost control and reallocating capacity in the sector towards growth areas will be key. In this context, a continued expansion of residential housebuilding, supported by an increase in the adoption of modern methods of construction to improve efficiency and delivery across the sector, will be important. Policy settings that support the continued expansion of residential construction activity in particular will also be essential.”

Tánaiste opens Sisk’s new smart HQ at Citywest

Ireland’s largest construction and engineering firm, Sisk, has moved over 200 of its staff into a newly retrofitted building at Citywest Business Campus, Dublin. As a result of the retrofit, its new headquarters has achieved an energy rating of A3, which is up from D2. Tánaiste Michéal Martin officially opened the new offices.

The facility has 18 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and a state-of-the-art gym. The building has solar panels installed on the roof, an external air source heat pump and VFF air conditioning.

A CIRCULAR ECONOMY APPROACH

Over 150 Sisk staff and supply chain partners carried out the retrofit project. The largest contributor to carbon savings is having upgraded an existing building instead of building a new one from scratch since the structure, shell and core of an office building usually account for over 70% of the total building’s carbon footprint.

DIGITAL TWIN BUILDING

This fit-out reused carpet tiles, raised access floors, ceiling tiles and external paving, accounting for a 17% reduction against an ‘all-new’ fit-out scenario.

The building is a full ‘Digital Twin’ building. This innovative solution will enable Sisk to operate and manage the energy and occupancy rate of the building remotely. Sisk facilities management company, SENSORi FM, will do this.

Sisk employs 2,500 people and has over 5,000+ supply chain partners across Ireland, UK and Europe.

A POSITIVE IMPACT ON FUTURE GENERATIONS

Paul Brown, CEO, Sisk, said: “Our new retrofit HQ has been a huge undertaking. Now that we have a new home that reflects our modern business, we’re no longer ‘just’ builders but trusted construction experts. Our new HQ demonstrates our key

strategic priorities, including People & Culture, Net Zero, Digital Transformation and Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). While this marks a significant change for Sisk, upholding the values of our founder, John Sisk, is essential that we look after our people and give them an environment fit for purpose where they can thrive in their respective careers. Our message is clear: We have been in business for 165 years, and we want to continue to have a positive impact on future generations.”

Tánaiste Michéal Martin said: “I am delighted to officially open Sisk’s new head office in Citywest Business Campus today. This state-of-the-art facility is a retrofit building that has been upgraded from a BER Rating of D2 to A3 and exemplifies what we want to see more of throughout industry as we work towards our retrofitting and climate goals.”

A smart building is an interconnected structure that uses technology to automate systems like heating, lighting, and security for efficient operation and occupant comfort. A digital twin building is a virtual model that mirrors a real-life building in real time, helping to manage and analyse its performance and maintenance.

Pictured at the Sisk Innovation Hub during the official opening of Sisk’s new headquarters at Citywest Business Campus, Dublin, (L to r): Sarah-Jane Pisciotti, Innovation and Design Director, Sisk; Paul Brown, CEO, Sisk; Tánaiste Micheál Martin; Juan Morillas, Head of Sustainable Design, Sisk; Cillian Kelly, Head of Digital Project Delivery, Sisk; and Gary McGann, Chair, Sicon Limited.

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Sun protection is vital during summer months

Even on cloudy days, sun protection for outdoor workers is crucial. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) urges nationwide action to protect against harmful UV radiation. Outdoor workers particularly operating in construction, agriculture and landscaping sectors face increased UV exposure, leading to health issues like skin cancer, cataracts, and heatrelated illnesses.

Rising skin cancer cases among these workers highlight the need for better protection. Employers have a legal and moral duty to safeguard employee health.

The HSA recommends the following steps for employers to mitigate UV exposure risks:

• Risk assessment – Conduct thorough risk assessments to identify potential UV hazards and implement appropriate control measures.

• Education and training – Provide training programmes to educate workers about the dangers of UV radiation and the importance of sun protection.

• Protective clothing – Ensure that workers wear appropriate clothing, including wide-brimmed hats, longsleeved shirts, and sunglasses that offer UV protection.

• Sunscreen provision – Supply broadspectrum sunscreen with a high SPF and encourage regular application.

• Scheduling adjustments – Whenever possible, schedule outdoor work to avoid peak UV radiation times, typically

between 11 am and 3 pm.

• Shade and breaks – Provide shaded areas and encourage regular breaks to reduce prolonged sun exposure.

Employees are encouraged to take personal responsibility for their sun safety by:

• Wearing protective gear – Always wear sun-protective clothing, hats, and sunglasses.

• Using sunscreen: Apply a generous amount of broad-spectrum sunscreen 20 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours or more frequently if sweating.

• Seeking shade – Take advantage of shaded areas during breaks and

lunchtime.

• Hydration – Stay hydrated to help the body cope with heat and sun exposure.

Tim Dowling, Senior Inspector, HSA, says: “Protecting outdoor workers from the harmful effects of UV radiation is crucial. Even on cloudy days in summer, the UV index can be high. With proper education and preventive measures, we can significantly reduce the risk of skin cancer and other sun-related health issues for outdoor workers.”

For more information about sun protection for outdoor workers, visit the HSA website www.hsa.ie

Collen appoints David Barron as technical director

Collen has appointed David Barron as the company’s technical director. In this role, he will also serve on Collen’s executive management team, which comprises eight senior executives who will oversee the strategic direction of the business to facilitate growth both in Ireland and internationally.

Barron will oversee Collen’s technical and engineering processes and strategies to ensure their efficiency and alignment with the company’s larger strategic objectives. He will also drive the company’s adaptation of the latest advances in digital construction, MEP, modular construction, planning processes and design management across the group.

David Barron brings over 21 years of experience in senior engineering positions across the construction sector to the role. His career started with Mercury Engineering before moving to BAM as MEP director.

Speaking about his appointment, David Barron said: “I am delighted to join a best-inclass organisation with a reputation for quality and excellence and a rich history spanning over 200 years. As a member of Collen’s executive management team, I look forward

to contributing to the firm’s overall strategic direction as we seek to capitalise on our substantial growth to date. The construction industry is constantly evolving, and Collen is best placed to capitalise on key growth areas while maintaining the reputation for excellent service for our clients, which we have earned.”

Collen’s executive management team is now focused on a number of strategic priorities, including its work with data centre service providers and the energy sector, both of which are forecast as growth markets. It will also seek to build on the growth of its Irish operations and internationally in the Nordics region.

The business has been in the Collen family for eight generations and over 210 years. During that time, it completed a number of iconic projects, including the RDS, Croke Park, Fitzwilton House, Dublin Port, and Inishthrahull Lighthouse.

In recent times, Collen’s projects include The Freight Building/Premier Inn, 1 & 2 South County Leopardstown and Haymarket Smithfield.

L to r: Joe Mahon, Safety Rep, PJ Hegarty; Sinead Gaines, EHS Manager, PJ Hegarty; Ian Sharp, Project Manager, PJ Hegarty; Brian Molloy, HSA Inspector; Ronan Redmond, CIF Executive, Safety & Training.

David Barron, Technical Director, Collen.

Sally Gap Bar, Powescourt Hotel, Wicklow

Premier Inn Hotel, Gloucester St, Dublin University Hospital Kerry, Tralee, Co. Kerry

Coleman Court Student Accommodation, Cork

Join the Celebration: World Green Building Week 2024 in Ireland

IRENE RONDINI, Communications Lead and Biodiversity Support Officer, Irish Green Building Council, invites construction industry stakeholders to participate in organised events to mark World Green Building Week 2024.

From 09-15 September next, the Irish Green Building Council (IGBC) invites you to celebrate World Green Building Week (WGBW) 2024.

This globally recognised event advocates for an urgent decarbonisation of the built environment and the transition to more sustainable construction and urban development. Held annually in September, WGBW 2024 brings together designers, builders, investors, manufacturers, policymakers, and the public to promote the integration of green practices in the building industry.

Spearheaded by the World Green Building Council, WGBW emphasises the importance of reducing the carbon footprint of buildings and creating a built environment that enhances the health and well-being of its inhabitants.

In Ireland, the IGBC and its members play a crucial role in organising events, workshops and discussions tailored to the Irish construction landscape.

Construction and the built environment are responsible for 37% of Ireland’s carbon emissions – 23% are operational emissions, while 14% are embodied emissions from the production of construction materials, transport of materials, the construction process, and the maintenance, repair and disposal of buildings and infrastructure.

BUILDING A ZERO-CARBON IRELAND

In 2022, the IGBC launched ‘Building a Zero Carbon Ireland’, a roadmap with recommendations to halve our sectoral emissions by 2030 and to decarbonise Ireland’s built environment by 2050. Since then, the Irish Green Building Council has been running an awareness campaign, #BuildingLife, which aims to get the industry talking about whole-life carbon and how to address it. Now, WGBW 2024 will be the perfect opportunity to start taking action.

WORLD GREEN BUILDING WEEK 2024 EVENTS

This year’s detailed calendar of events will be unveiled soon at www.igbc.ie and will include webinars, workshops and building tours. An exciting tour will take place in Cobh, Co Cork, showcasing the town’s efforts to integrate biodiversity and nature-

based solutions into its urban environment. Additionally, an interdisciplinary event will focus on increasing collaboration between professions to reduce carbon emissions from all stages of a building’s life cycle. The IGBC will also host webinars on sustainable finance and circularity as well as other initiatives for its members.

We encourage everyone in the industry to participate in this WGBW 2024 by organising events and taking concrete actions, such as:

• Endorsing and implementing the Building a Zero Carbon Ireland roadmap: Choose one or more action(s) relevant to your sector to implement. To endorse the roadmap, fill out the form on our website at www.igbc.ie/ building-a-zero-carbon-ireland

• Upskill in Whole Life Carbon and Circularity: We offer courses on our learn.igbc.ie platform to facilitate upskilling, and during WGBW we’ll make our ‘Circularity in The Built Environment 101’ course FREE for all. Use the discount code WGBW24 at learn.igbc.ie.

• Share Your Actions: Use social media, interviews, and other platforms to share the steps you’re taking to reduce carbon emissions in the built environment. Inspire others by showcasing your commitment to sustainability. Please tag IGBC

Rondini, Communications Lead and Biodiversity Support Officer, IGBC.

social media and use the hashtags #WGBW2024, #BuildingLife and #ActNowForClimate.

Join IGBC in making World Green Building Week 2024 a landmark event for sustainability and decarbonisation in Ireland.

For more information, please visit www.igbc.ie

Irene

A tour of Clerys department store and office building in Dublin with JLL Architects during WGBW 2023.

The Irish government’s Auto Enrolment (AE) pension scheme has moved from blueprint to construction. Are you ready?

CWPS is the dedicated pension scheme for the construction industry and has the right solution for your business.

As an industry wide pension scheme, CWPS have been supporting the construction sector by providing pension, life assurance and illness benefits for nearly 60 years.

We are working with employers to ensure they are taking the necessary steps to get AE ready.

Company considerations regarding Auto-Enrolment

JOHN GERAGHTY, Business Development Consultant, CPAS, discusses how the government’s Auto-Enrolment Pension Scheme differs from other pension plans and what business owners need to be doing to prepare for contributions to the scheme starting in early 2025.

The government’s Auto-Enrolment Pension Scheme has been officially enacted into law, and contributions are anticipated to commence early in 2025. Employers must be well-informed about the essential details and requirements of autoenrolment, as it may have implications for their existing pension arrangements and employees who are not enrolled in a pension scheme.

The National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority (NAERSA), a newly established government entity, will be responsible for managing the scheme. Recently, the Department of Social Protection has chosen Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to administer the pension auto-enrolment system. TCS is an Indiabased multinational company engaged in information technology services and consulting with a presence in Letterkenny.

To prepare for auto-enrolment, employers should develop an action plan well in advance of the commencement date. Conducting a gap analysis of their employees is critical to identify individuals who are currently not included in any pension scheme. If so, what is the plan for these employees?

Eligibility for the scheme encompasses employees aged between 23 and 60 years who earn over €20,000 per year unless they are already participants in another pension arrangement. Both employers and employees are expected to contribute to the scheme, beginning at a rate of 1.5% each, gradually increasing to 6% over a ten-year period.

Contributions are as

*Employer contributions and the State top-up will be capped at a maximum €80,000 of an employee’s gross salary.

There are noteworthy distinctions between auto-enrolment and existing occupational pension schemes that employers ought to be aware of. For instance, auto-enrolment does not provide tax relief like traditional pension arrangements do. Instead, a state top-up equivalent to 25% tax relief is available. Employers running an auto-enrolment scheme alongside another occupational pension arrangement should familiarise themselves with the two different taxation systems that will be applicable to payroll.

Occupational pension schemes are more advantageous for pension scheme members paying 40% tax, while the autoenrolment scheme may have a greater impact on the take-home pay of taxpayers on the 20% rate.

Additional voluntary contributions (AVCs), which allow members to enhance their retirement outcomes by contributing

more to their pensions, are not currently possible under autoenrolment. Moreover, auto-enrolment does not offer additional benefits such as life cover, sick pay, and income protection, which are valuable incentives for employers seeking to attract and retain key personnel.

The introduction of auto-enrolment will grant access to pension schemes and employer contributions to a generation that would otherwise solely rely on the state pension. As the only OECD country without a mandatory retirement savings system, Ireland is playing pensions catch-up with most of the developed world. Hundreds of thousands of Irish workers are set to benefit from Auto-Enrolment, and the Department of Social Protection estimates that around 800,000 workers will be enrolled into a new workplace scheme, which will make a real, meaningful difference to their income after retirement.

However, is this state-run scheme the right choice for your business - especially if you are already providing some employees with pension provision and additional benefits?

Employers should seize this opportunity to assess their needs and implement a solution that suits them best.

For further assistance with preparing for auto-enrolment, you can contact John Geraghty, Business Development Consultant at CPAS, via email at j.geraghty@cpas.ie or by direct dial 01 223 4942

CPAS manages the Construction Workers Pension Scheme (CWPS), the Construction Executive Retirement Savings (CERS), and provides additional financial support services through Milestone Advisory DAC.

John Geraghty, Business Development Consultant, CPAS.

Being at the heart of change in Irish Construction

As construction giant Sisk moves to a new home in Citywest, CEO Paul Brown speaks with ROBBIE COUSINS about the contractor’s many achievements in 2023 and the rapid changes happening in Irish construction, several of which Sisk has been been striving towards.

After taking up the role of CEO at John Sisk & Son in 2022, Paul Brown took time to better understand the business he had been a part of for the previous nine years. “I had spent eight years leading Sisk’s UK division and managed the civil engineering sector in Ireland for a few years,” Paul Brown explains. “I thought I knew the business well, but reflecting on it now, I realise it was even stronger than I initially believed. In those first few months, I spent a significant amount of time familiarising myself with the company’s operations in Ireland and Europe, and it’s been a positive first couple of years.”

However, there were also challenges. “We dedicated a lot of time to closing down some legacy projects in various countries,” he explains. “Some in the UK dated back decades.

“I have been really pleased with how the business has developed. In 2022, we made some changes in our organisational set-up to meet the needs of a rapidly changing marketplace, creating key new

divisions. For instance, we extracted our data centre and life sciences business from the normal domestic Irish business capability and created a new division. That has underpinned much of our success in the past 18 months.”

SISK ACHIEVEMENTS

Today, Sisk employs 2,500 people across all of its operations. In 2023, it had a recordbreaking turnover of nearly €2.5bn. By comparison, its pre-Covid turnover in 2019 was just under €1.4bn.

Significant projects completed include Coopers Cross, Analog Devices, and Meta’s Lulea Data Centre in Sweden - Sisk’s biggest project delivered to date.

“We doubled our life sciences and data centre volume from around €400m to €800m in the period. And the domestic Irish division also maintained its business and has grown in stature by winning highquality public and private sector work.”

In Dublin city centre, off Grafton Street, Project Kells is a world-class commercial building that faced some complex

Paul Brown, CEO, Sisk.

At the official opening of Sisk’s Citywest offices (L to r): Paul Brown, CEO, Sisk; An Tánaiste Micheál Martin; and Gary McGann, Chair, Sicon Limited.

interfaces, including the Luas cross city tramline and a major pedestrian footfall in the main artery of Dublin city centre.

In Cork, the high-profile Dunkettle Interchange was a complex piece of engineering. It was also one that Paul Brown took a close interest in.

“I’m a civil engineer. Before becoming CEO, I took over the role of COO of the civil engineering division in Ireland in 2019, at a time when we were pricing Dunkettle. I was immediately attracted to the project because of the complexity of the challenge, and I was very close to the project from tender to delivery.

“I am delighted to say that we delivered a world-class facility on time and on budget as a result of the collaborative approach taken by the customer TII, Sisk and all of the consultants. This was a phenomenal achievement. Dunkettle Interchange is an extremely complex piece of infrastructure.”

In The Netherlands, the CAR-T Cell Therapy Production Centre project in Leiden is a new manufacturing facility for Bristol Myers Squibb. It is the first CAR-T cell therapy production centre in Europe and fifth in the world. It houses the latest technology and production equipment dedicated to personalised treatments for European cancer patients. Paul Brown comments: “Given the importance of treatment to the end user, Sisk is extremely proud to have completed this project.”

In the UK, the Santander Unity Place project in Milton Keynes was a complex project that has cemented Sisk’s position as an office provider in London.

UPCOMING PROJECTS

Sisk, in conjunction with Dublin City Council and development partner Bartra, has turned the first sod on the O’Devaney Gardens redevelopment, which will deliver

1,044 new homes in the heart of Dublin city. When complete, 50% of the A-rated homes will be delivered to Dublin City Council for social and affordable housing. Phase 1 of the development will see the delivery of 379 A-rated social, affordable, and cost-rental homes, a park, crèche, community space and retail units.

Sisk is also building seven muchneeded community nursing units (CNUs) throughout Ireland. The €250m 104-week programme will deliver 530 badly needed nursing-home beds to the HSE by the end of 2024 at the following locations: Ardee, Athlone, Clonmel, Thomastown, Killarney, Midleton, St Finbarr’s (Cork).

To maximise the use of modern methods of construction (MMC) techniques, the building superstructures are being manufactured off site using pre-cast concrete. When complete, all buildings will be an A2 Building Energy Rating (BER) minimum.

In the UK, Sisk was recently appointed by Premier League champions Manchester City Football Club as the construction contractor for its €350m development of the club’s best-in-class fan experience and year-round entertainment and leisure destination at the Etihad Stadium. The development will include several connected all-weather facilities, fully integrated into the stadium, centred around an expanded North Stand with one larger, single upper tier above the existing lower tier, increasing capacity to over 60,000.

OUTLOOK

Paul Brown says he is very pleased with Sisk’s revenue of about €2.5bn in 2023. His goal is to maintain the level of quality projects, but also improve the blend of projects and where the contractor operates.

“Our revenues are sitting at around

€2.5bn. We don’t, as such, have a strategy to grow the top line of the business from here. Our goal is to improve the blend of what we do and where we do it.

“Put simply, for instance, we want to grow our data centre and life sciences capability with quality projects and clients.

“Our services division, including Sensori FM and VisionBuilt, has a turnover of around €200m. We want its revenue to increase by €300m over the next three years. But again, the blend of work we pursue is critical to our view of success.

“Another division, Strategic Projects, is set to grow as retrofit and decarbonisation market opportunities arise over the coming years.”

MARKET CONDITIONS

While 2023 and 2024 to date have been hugely successful for Sisk, there are still several challenges that the CEO and senior management team of Ireland’s most successful construction firm have to deal with, and price volatility and supply security are upmost in the mind of Paul Brown.

He comments: “The majority of the price volatility and availability issues that we saw during the 2021-2023 period have now abated. But the period did result in elevated price levels for many construction commodities that are unlikely to ever return to pre-Covid-era levels.

“We will remain vigilant around materials markets pricing and availability. If we consider the events of the past few years, supply chain disruption seemed to begin with Brexit, then we had the systemic upheaval of the Covid-19 era, followed by the war in Ukraine and the subsequent European energy crisis.

“Each of these events has had a significant impact on our materials supply chains, and

Dunkettle Interchange, Cork.

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it is reasonable to expect that we will see further supply chain disruptions in some form or another in the coming years.”

ESG CRITERIA

In 2023, Sisk was one of 14 Irish companies to achieve an A- score in its Carbon Disclosure Report. CDP, a global non-profit, runs the world’s environmental disclosure system, awarding A or A-grades to only 1.5% of the 23,000 companies reporting in 2023.

Paul Brown comments: “Our 2030 Sustainability Roadmap outlines ambitious targets aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals. We produce a yearly sustainability report, continually strengthening our sustainability ethos and actions to build a more resilient business.”

Sisk adheres to ISO20400, the international standard for sustainable procurement, exceeding baseline requirements by over 25%. This standard guides organisations to achieve sustainable outcomes through their supply chains. Brown adds: “For Sisk, this is crucial for anyone involved in procurement decisions and supplier interactions.”

In October 2023, in partnership with Green Restoration Ireland (GRI), Sisk prepared a site in Co Offaly for the sowing season, aiding sustainable peatland agriculture. This project, one of Ireland’s first wetland farms, raised the water table on three hectares of former peat pasture, avoiding 30-40 tonnes of CO2 emissions. Sisk has submitted greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets to the Science

Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The SBTi’s Target Validation team classified Sisk’s Scope 1 and 2 target ambition as aligning with a 1.5°C trajectory.

Paul Brown is delighted that Sisk was one of the 15 founding members of the Irish Supply Chain Sustainability School, having been a member of the UK School for the past seven years. The school provides free industry-supported training, knowledge sharing and support for best practices in sustainability within the Irish built environment.

Membership to the school is free, offering access to hundreds of CPD-accredited online sustainability training sessions and e-learning resources.

HEALTH & SAFETY

In 2017, Sisk engaged with DEKRA, the world’s largest independent nonlisted expert organisation in the testing, inspection and certification sector, to assess the entire business. They provide a wide range of services focused on ensuring safety, minimising risk, and maximising performance. Sisk is at Level 3 in DEKRA’s safety barometer. To put that result into perspective, NASA and submarines would be at Level 5, and Sisk is now aiming for Level 4.

Paul Brown notes: “Over the past three years, Sisk has placed a huge emphasis on H&S with a relentless focus, which has borne fruit. A lot of this was due to better communication, and as a result, accident frequency rates (AFR) statistics have improved significantly. In 2023, we worked

26.02 million hours with an AFR rate of 1:00.”

MENTAL WELLBEING

Mental wellbeing is a massive issue across the construction sector. As CEO, Paul Brown is committed to maintaining and developing a supportive workplace where employees can find the support they need if they are in difficulty.

He explains: “At Sisk, we recognise the importance of talking about mental health and normalising mental health conversations. To help start the conversation, we devised ‘Mental Health Matters’, our 45-minute non-clinical mental health awareness training, available for all Sisk sites and offices to book.

“These sessions are run by our Sisk Mental Health Leads and offer participants insights into a basic understanding of mental health.

“In addition to this, Sisk is also delivering ‘safeTALK’; an internationally recognised and evidence-based half-day suicide alertness training programme with over 100 staff trained in safeTALK so far.”

He continues: “This training is available to anyone at Sisk looking to contribute towards building a suicidesafer community. No previous experience or formal preparation is needed before undertaking this training. Participants will gain an understanding of the importance of suicide alertness and learn clear and practical steps on what to do when supporting someone who is at risk of suicide.

The Residence, Coopers Cross, Dublin.

“We have also achieved re-accreditation for our commitment to employee health and wellbeing by being awarded ‘The KeepWell Mark’ from Ibec.”

The Ibec KeepWell Mark is a national accreditation that recognises organisations that put the health and wellbeing of employees at the forefront of company policy. It comprises a set of eight health and wellbeing pillars, ranging from mental health to physical activity.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Sisk’s 2023 graduate cohort was its largest and most diverse intake to date (48 graduates, 19% international hires and 25% female). Technology and the race to net zero have changed the dynamic of the construction industry, and Paul Brown comments that Sisk’s vision is to be at the heart of change.

He says: “We are trying to make careers in construction as attractive as possible. Collectively, the industry doesn’t attract enough females and people from diverse backgrounds. We are trying to unlock those talent pools and have invested much in our equality, diversity and inclusion programme.”

Sisk hosted an Equality, Diversity & Inclusion stakeholder event in London in September 2023 for its UK clients and supply chain partners.

“We had a guest panel featuring industry leaders in the ED & I space. This marked somewhat of a milestone on our journey, being able to authentically share and listen to people’s lived experiences from a variety of diverse backgrounds. This was a moment, a sense of realisation that while we have made significant progress in recent years, we have much more to do, with a firm commitment to continue pushing the boundaries.”

Building on this progress, Paul Brown adds that Sisk has developed an Inclusion

and Belonging Compass, which shares the concrete steps the contractor is taking to create a more equitable and welcoming workplace for everyone in which everyone has a role.

“The Compass charts a course, firmly grounded in our core values, to deliver on our vision for inclusion and belonging at Sisk: We ask people to ‘Come as you are, do your best work, grow, and have fun at a company where you belong’.”

NET ZERO ORGANISATION BY 2030

Amongst Sisk’s Sustainability Roadmap targets, perhaps the most ambitious is for Sisk to be a Net Zero organisation, without the need for offsets, by 2030. This means eliminating Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.

“Our strategic priorities of MMC, net zero and digital are inextricably linked, and together, they underpin our approach to construction, which is to build as efficiently as we can whilst causing the least disruption possible.

“Perhaps the most innovative and impactful key focus area is the development of a Net Zero Advisory Service for our clients. For most organisations, the Scope 3 emissions account for most of their carbon footprint. Sisk is no different.”

MMC INNOVATION

Sisk’s Ukrainian Rapid Modular Housing Project (URMH) won MMC Project of the Year at the Irish Construction Industry Excellence Awards. The award submission was based on three of the seven sites – Cork Mahon, Sligo and Claremorris – which house 104 modules.

“URMH was a first-of-a-kind project in Ireland (3D primary structural systems), and a detailed lessons-learned pack has been developed incorporating feedback from site teams, consultants, manufacturers and our client, the Office of Public Works.”

“We are very proud of this project as it brought together the leading players in the Irish MMC market to collaborate and deliver quality modular homes at speed and within budget. It demonstrated that Irish offsite manufacturers can work together, and I hope, now we have shown what can be done, that we can kick on from here and start delivering homes in Ireland at the scale that is needed.”

SKILLS SHORTAGE

Sisk has consistently advocated for proactively addressing the skills shortage that the industry faces.

“Our commitment to skills development in Ireland is demonstrable by our hugely successful in-house carpentry and joinery centre in Dublin and our continued support of the Ireland Skills Live competition at The RDS, Dublin, that saw 20,000 second-level students attend this event last September.

“In the UK, in my role as vice-chair of Build UK and CEO of Sisk, I attended the launch of Open Doors 2024 alongside Julie White, Chair of Build UK, at our Great Charles Street project in Birmingham city centre. Open Doors takes visitors behind the scenes to showcase the fantastic range of careers available in construction across the UK.”

IN CONCLUSION

Paul Brown is optimistic about Sisk’s future despite global challenges. “Sisk will keep building on our strengths. We’re nearing the ideal mix of clients. Revenue isn’t our primary driver. We don’t face pressure from shareholders to increase it. We will size the business appropriately and keep enhancing our service capabilities to support growth. My role is to solidify our market position and ensure a sustainable return for the business and our shareholders,” Paul Brown concludes.

Expert guest panellists Kate Bellingham, Steven Bartlett and KD Adamson discuss equality, diversity and inclusion at a Sisk construction skills shortage event hosted at The Royal Academy of Arts, London.

Paul Brown speaking at the Sisk Supply Chain Awards 2023.

Irish owned and managed, Automatic are exclusively dedicated to the fire protection business. Our engineers and designers are recognised as experienced and respected individuals among their peers within the construction industry. As a Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) Level 4 Certified contractor (highest accreditation level available), we are permitted to design, install, commission and self-certify all of our works on all categories of sprinkler systems, without third-party certification or supervision.

Closing construction’s circularity gap

Patrick Moloney, Director for Strategic Sustainability Consulting, Ramboll, speaks with ROBBIE COUSINS about what needs to be done to embed circularity into construction projects.

The European Green Deal is a package of policy initiatives designed to set the EU on the path to a green transition with the ultimate goal of reaching climate neutrality by 2050. It supports the transformation of the EU into a fair and prosperous society with a modern and competitive economy. The Green Deal comes with several acronym-friendly directives and regulations, some of which are set below.

CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING DIRECTIVE

The most familiar directive, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), is an EU regulation that requires companies to collect data and prepare reports on their environmental, social and governance (ESG) impacts as well as related risks and opportunities. The CSRD integrates the EU taxonomy, a classification system for demarcating environmentally sustainable economic activities. By setting robust assessment criteria, it standardises the concept of sustainability across diverse sectors and industries, creating a universally understood language for what qualifies as sustainable.

A parallel regulation, also part of The Green Deal, the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), is designed to elevate transparency in sustainable investments. The SFDR requires asset managers to classify funds as either an Article 6, 8 or 9 fund depending on their level of sustainability. Article 6 is funds without a sustainability scope, Article 8 is funds that promote environmental or social characteristics, and Article 9 is funds that have sustainable investment as their objective.

The CSRD, EU Taxonomy and SFDR are intended to transform how sustainable finance is administered in the EU, working together to create a coherent and efficient framework that empowers stakeholders to make informed and responsible choices and move towards a more transparent and accountable corporate environment.

The EU Taxonomy serves as the foundation for sustainable activities, with CSRD and SFDR building on this through stringent disclosure requirements.

One other directive, the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), places an obligation on large companies regarding adverse impacts of their activities on human rights and environmental impact throughout large companies’ environmental chains.

From a construction or built environment perspective, the CSRD will put sustainability reporting on a similar footing to financial reporting from 2025 - with all the responsibilities that come with that.

Primarily targeting large companies and listed entities, the CSRD aims to boost sustainability information transparency and inform stakeholders about companies’ sustainable performance. The CSRD reporting requirements timetable is set out below:

• Public Interest Entities (PIEs) in the EU with over 500 employees, currently covered by the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD), must comply with CSRD requirements starting from the fiscal year 2025 (based on FY2024 data).

• For PIEs with fewer than 500 employees, the directive will apply in the fiscal year 2026 (based on FY2025 data).

• Any company operating within the EU that meets at least two of the following thresholds: more than 250 employees, a turnover of €40m, or total assets of €20m, will need to comply

Patrick

by the fiscal year 2026 (based on FY2025 data).

• EU-listed small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) meeting at least two of these thresholds: having 50 to 250 employees, a turnover between €8m and €40m or total assets ranging from €4m to €20m, will be included from the fiscal year 2027 (based on FY2026 data).

European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) are key to the CSRD, standardising ESG reporting in the EU. While the CSRD outlines reporting requirements, the ESRS provide the framework and methodology. The 12 ESRS cover environmental, social, and governance issues, offering investors insights into companies’ sustainability impacts.

Two standards, ESRS 1 (General Requirements) and ESRS 2 (General Disclosures), are cross-cutting. ESRS 1 covers double materiality, value chain, and sustainability information preparation, while ESRS 2 covers governance, strategy, impact, risk management, and metrics.

The remaining ESRS address specific ESG matters:

• Environmental: climate change, pollution, water and marine resources, biodiversity, resource use, and circular economy

• Social: workforce, value chain workers, communities, consumers, and end-users

• Governance: business conduct.

Moloney, Director for Strategic Sustainability Consulting, Ramboll.

CIRCULARITY GAP REPORT 2024

The recently published ‘Circularity Gap Report for 2024’ by NGO the Circle Economy Foundation and Deloitte states: ‘In just the past six years alone, the world has consumed over half a trillion tonnes of materials - nearly as much as the entirety of the 20th century.’ The report contends that driving change across food, built environment and manufacturing sectors could slash by onethird the amount of raw materials needed from nature.

Under buildings and infrastructure, it states the four key policies to do this would be:

• Optimising the use of existing structures

• Using secondary materials rather than virgin materials

• Adopting energy efficiency measures, and

• Prioritising circular approaches such as modular construction and materials such as renewable wood over steel.

SUCCEEDING IN THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Patrick Moloney, Director for Strategic Sustainability Consulting, Ramboll, is director of a division that sits across Ramboll’s global operational divisions, providing a strategic overview for the multifaceted areas of the built environment and resource provision, be that roads, bridges, water, buildings, energy, etc. He also heads up Ramboll’s virtual network around circularity globally.

He was in Dublin earlier this summer for the Irish Green Building Council’s (IGBC’s) Build Green Now conference to give a presentation titled ‘Succeeding in the Circular Economy’, in which he highlighted the importance of contractors moving away from seeing circularity as a waste management issue and to look at it through the prism of materials economics where it brings value to their projects and businesses.

Patrick Moloney explains: “It is imperative that the built environment and other sectors transition to a circular economy to address our planet’s greatest challenges, such as resource scarcity, climate change, and biodiversity loss.

“We have a gap, a huge materials gap. 90% of material inputs into our economies are virgin materials. This is a critical gap that needs to be closed and there are a range of actions that can be taken to do this.”

DEFINING CIRCULARITY

Moloney says the first of these actions is actually defining circularity in a built environment context.

“I always start with a definition or lack of a clear definition of circularity. Definitions of circular economy are vague and abstract as it can mean different things in different sectors. I believe that each business, enterprise and product needs its own unique definition and a specific matrix that can track materials and thus close the gap and stakeholder collaboration is vital to achieving this.

“Looking at the built environment, from investor to developer to contractor to manufacturer, the demands of each, albeit with the same goal, differ. But, all parties need to collaborate to ensure a successful transition with respect to the entire value chain. And innovation will be critical, as we need to rethink how we use materials or the choices that we make.”

For the purposes of having an overarching definition, Patrick Moloney believes the two-sentence EU definition of a circular economy sums it up best in general terms: ‘A circular economy is an economic system whereby the value of products, materials and other resources in the economy is maintained for as long as possible; Enhancing their efficient use in production and consumption, thereby reducing the environmental impact of their use, minimising waste and the release of hazardous substances at all stages of their life cycle’.

He explains: “This definition places a value on products, materials and resources and aims to maintain this value for as long as possible. Waste is only mentioned in the second sentence. So understanding that keeping something useful and in the loop for as long as possible is fundamental.”

RAMBOLL’S SIX KEY PRINCIPLES OF CIRCULAR ECONOMY APPLIED TO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Moloney adds that Ramboll, when looking at the built environment, has six fundamental principles that would guide the establishment of a circular economy:

1. Design out waste – Utilise reusable, recyclable and sustainable materials for building design to reduce waste. Modular

Pictured at the IGBC’s ‘Build Green Now’ conference in May 2024: Patrick Moloney; urban planner Sylvain Grisot; and Pat Barry, CEO, IGBC.

construction, material passports and design for deconstruction methods should be emphasised for easy deconstruction and material recovery.

2. Prolong/extend lifetime – Prioritising and utilising existing buildings through adaptive reuse. Construct new buildings with durable materials, adaptable and flexible designs to facilitate future modifications or use cases, extending their useful life and reducing the need for demolition and reconstruction.

3. Use waste as a resource – Perform pre-redevelopment audits and implement construction waste management plans that prioritise the reuse, repurposing and proper recycling of debris, such as using crushed concrete for sub-base materials.

4. Facilitate regeneration – Design buildings that not only reduce environmental impact but actively improve it, such as integrating rainwater harvesting systems to replenish local aquifers and using materials sourced from certified regenerative farms that enhance soil health.

5. Operate in systems – Encourage collaboration across the construction industry to share sustainable practices and technologies, aiming for a systemic approach to resource efficiency and waste reduction. Leverage digital twins and big data to match decommissioning and deconstruction activities with nearby construction demands.

6. Capture and share value – Demonstrate tangible business value. Distribute the economic benefits of a circular value chain fairly, ensuring all actors reap the economic and financial benefits.

THE VALUE PROPOSITION

For circularity to work at a project level, he says that contractors need to fully understand investors’ and clients’ requirements as well as manufacturers’ needs and capacities to meet the project’s requirements.

“Contractors first have to understand how funding flows from the top down and then what is required to bring the right materials up through the supply chain.

“We can’t be just doing this for the greater good of the planet. It must have a tangible value for every stakeholder. One company in the supply chain should not suffer because another demands that their particular goal be achieved. Success is incumbent on

all stakeholders having synergy and understanding each other’s requirements.”

Moloney refers to the directives and regulations outlined at the beginning of this article that are being transposed into law across the EU at the moment,

“It is essential that company directors fully understand their CSRD requirements and the implications of other directives and regulations being transposed into law at this time. For instance. ESRS E5 (Resource use and circular economy) requires companies to provide a detailed overview, including impact analysis and risks and opportunities assessment, management criteria, implemented strategies, sustainability goals, and specific information on material flows, incoming and outgoing, including waste management. Companies also need to have effective plans in place to leverage existing sustainability efforts and find ways to get value from them.”

He adds that under the CSRD, chief financial officers will be responsible for signing off on their company’s CSRD reports, which will be subject to the same level of audit scrutiny as company accounts.

“From the outside looking in, I sense that the Irish business community has yet to grasp how quickly CSRD reporting is coming down the line and what the new regulations mean for their clients and supply chain relationships.

“Energy provision is fundamental to the security of society. Rare minerals and metals are central to our energy infrastructure, and materials such as copper, nickel and cobalt are all dwindling resources. Meanwhile, construction has the biggest footprint in terms of carbon emissions and materials consumption. It is imperative that it embraces circular thinking and action.

MOVING AWAY FROM A WASTE MANAGEMENT MINDSET

Moloney adds: “The CSRD presents an opportunity for business owners to better understand the impact of their operations on the environment and to take measures to gain a competitive advantage in what will be a changed marketplace.

“I think within the construction stakeholder chain, there is a huge disconnect about circularity, and systems need to be put in place to make circularity work for everyone. Currently, unused materials are generally viewed as waste and not a resource. Materials can be weighed. They have a tangible value. So contractors need to figure out ways to reduce them as an input or give them value as an output.”

He continues: “Companies are being forced to rethink and be transparent about what they do with materials that come into their businesses. The quicker this is recognised, the quicker they can move to a position where they could gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.”

EARLY STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT

Patrick Moloney adds that all stakeholders need to be involved and have input from the earliest point of a project for circularity to work, as each should have specific expertise in how they can bring circular value to the project.

“If you are responding to a tender that is 90% price-driven, it is fair to say from a sustainability perspective, you are limited in what you can do. All the parts of the value chain have a level of ignorance that can affect those below them. Those further down the chain who aspire to be great are impacted because those above them lack understanding of what they do and can bring to the project. The reverse is the same, whereby if investors or clients have specific sustainability asks, they need to convey these and know they are understood. Everyone should be able to educate and maybe inspire others about what can be achieved and what value is to be gained from their input.”

Rare minerals and metals are central to our energy infrastructure, and materials such as copper, nickel and cobalt are all dwindling resources.

NEXT STEPS

For circularity to work at a project level, it needs to be addressed at a sectoral level by cross-sector bodies.

Patrick Moloney explains: “It cannot be stressed enough how important it is for representative bodies such as the IGBC to bring industry stakeholders together to work out the logistics of closing the circularity gap. Value chain actors need to discuss the issues to identify and understand the pressure points. Solutions won’t be achieved unless all actors are heard.

“Ultimately, circularity needs to bring value to everyone. We need to move from a point where a product or material is defined as being ‘recyclable’ to where it is actually going to be ‘recycled’. It doesn’t work otherwise. The process has to be value-driven at the end of the day. Construction is a money-driven business. The heart can be the right place, but if there isn’t a value proposition or business case to move forward in a certain direction, companies won’t move unless there is regulation to push them. So, there is a need for a stick and carrot combination.

“The stick is the regulation that forces companies to act. The

OPTIMISING THE USE OF EXISTING STRUCTURES

By embracing the Circular Economy principles in their 3 Sheldon Square project in London, Ramboll helped British Land transform a 20-year-old building with several inefficiencies into a modern, sustainable, and highly desirable office space.

One of the primary objectives within British Land’s original brief was to ‘embrace the circular economy’ and create a refurbishment that could challenge convention and meet the performance and attractiveness of newbuild office space. With conviction and early collaboration between the client and design team, the project addressed all key policies in the Circularity Gap Report 2024. This is a collaboration between Deloitte and Circle Economy Foundation that presents a roadmap for ambitious change to unlock capital, drive transformation and close the skills gap.

The policies addressed in the project include:

• Using secondary materials rather than virgin materials, 30% of MEP services are retained

• Adopting energy efficiency measures, and

• Prioritising circular approaches - Carbon circularity efforts saw a 70% Improvement against 2030 LETI.

3 SHELDON SQUARE PROJECT

The 3 Sheldon Square project was originally characterised by a British Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E, high energy consumption, and an overall lack of amenities such as outdoor space and a welcoming reception area.

carrot is that there is value to be gained from embracing circularity or materials economics. When we talk about sustainability, we rarely talk about the value of it. We speak in terms of emissions reductions. There has to be value in setting science-based targets. If the consequence of inaction is losing tenders, then that in itself must bring value. But as the gap closes, new value propositions will emerge.

“The transition to circular economy needs to be both economically and financially viable, and we need to be able to articulate the value proposition. It is inevitable that we will find solutions. Change will inevitably happen, and those companies that embrace circular economics at the earliest stage will benefit most from it,” Patrick Moloney concludes.

The Irish Green Building Council runs a quarterly ESG Community of Practice for its members to share experiences and build knowledge. The next session will be on CSRD Reporting in Dublin on Wednesday, 11 September. For more details, contact memberservices@igbc.ie

The building faced numerous challenges. By focusing on the reuse and refurbishment of the existing structure, British Land managed to extend the building’s life by 15 years, significantly reduce energy consumption through the implementation of all-electric systems and solar shading, and enhance the overall arrival experience with improved reception and end-of-journey facilities. These changes not only met the growing ESG commitments of end customers but also created a space that promotes health, wellbeing, and biophilia or a desire or tendency to commune with nature.

The project’s success can be attributed to the integration of sustainability and wellbeing into the initial project brief, allowing British Land to deliver a high-quality space quickly and at a relatively low cost. The removal of gas boilers and the maximisation of material retention led to improved energy performance and low embodied carbon, showcasing the feasibility of high-level sustainability credentials. The creation of outdoor spaces and greening on balconies, along with the incorporation of biophilic features in the reception area, resulted in a welcoming environment that meets the best-in-class standards expected by modern tenants. These strategic enhancements not only addressed the supply constraints of Grade A office space in London but also ensured that the refurbished building aligns with contemporary expectations for energy efficiency, smart technology, and sustainability certification.

3 Sheldon Square, London, before renovation.

3 Sheldon Square, London, after renovation.

Clancy embeds sustainability and efficiency in its operations

Chris Chambers, Dublin Regional Director, Clancy Construction, speaks with ROBBIE COUSINS about the company’s move towards greater efficiency and sustainability and suggests a discernible shift is evident in young people’s perceptions about the construction sector.

Clancy Construction has been experiencing a significant increase in the number and types of opportunities and types of projects in recent times. This could, in part, be attributed to its ongoing transition to more sustainable and efficient work practices. With 14 projects currently on site nationwide, its portfolio spans residential, commercial, healthcare, educational, and restoration works.

Clancy Construction director Chris Chambers and the rest of the contractor’s senior management team are very pleased with the direction the contractor has taken over the past four years. In this period, it has solidified its reputation for delivering fast-track MMC projects, enhanced its Lean construction capability, delivered several high-profile restoration projects and implemented a sustainability strategy to guide the decarbonisation of its operations.

Chris Chambers explains: “We’re very happy with how the business has progressed in recent years. Everything is coming together in line with our medium-term business strategy up to 2026. We now have three offices: our head office in Tipperary, a Dublin office and, more recently, an office in Cork. In total, we have 14 sites in operation at the moment beneath a line stretching from Dublin to Galway. These are a mix of commercial and residential contracts, with commercial covering healthcare, office work and education facilities. We also have some conservation work, which I am always pleased to see, as our conservation team has come into its own in recent times and has a lot to offer clients.”

He continues: “Healthcare has been a mainstay of the business for over 10 years. It was a key contributor to the business surviving the downturn. At the

beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, we had reached a point where we were ideally placed to deliver safe, fast-track solutions. We won a contract to build two hospitals in Limerick for HSE - a singlestory, 24-bed unit at University Hospital Limerick and a three-storey unit at Croom Hospital. Working under the then-new Covid-19 Standard Operating Procedure, we completed these projects in 14 and 17 weeks, respectively. We have since taken on a further eight fast-track hospital projects, and we are currently working on site at St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin, in a live environment, where we are carrying out enabling works for the new National Maternity Hospital.”

Elsewhere in Dublin, Clancy is building 86 apartments over four blocks in Stillorgan for Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. This project - ‘St Laurence’s Residential Community’ in Stillorganincludes a new library facility.

“We also have residential developments in Cork, Limerick, Wexford and Kilkenny, as well as a complex restoration project in Laois for a confidential client.”

The Limerick healthcare project referenced above, along with many others, has been built using a light gauge steel framing (LGSF) 2D panelised system and other off-site elements.

Another LGSF project, the 554-bed Bandon Road Student Accommodation in Cork, saw individual five to six-storey apartment blocks constructed and weatherproofed in 18 weeks, with the internal finishing cycle taking just 16 weeks.

SUPPLY CHAIN

Chris Chambers says that one of the critical factors in Clancy’s success is the professional relationships it fosters with its supply chain. “Our company ethos is to

The Rubrics, Trinity College Dublin.

build in partnership, be that client, other project stakeholders or subcontractors. We enjoy a good working relationship with our supply chain and subcontractors. We have used several off-site manufacturing companies for reinforcement steel, LGSF systems, 3D modular systems, bathroom pods, pre-packaged plant and many more elements, when they are a good fit for the particular project. We have been on a learning journey alongside many of these key suppliers. The LGSF system is ideally suited to live environments as it minimises disruption and deliveries and reduces the need for wet trades outside.”

EI BUILT TO INNOVATE FUNDING

In 2022, Clancy’s ability to innovate and deliver complex projects with minimal delay saw it selected for Enterprise Ireland Built to Innovate funding under the government’s Housing for All programme. This funding enabled it to advance lean expertise across its operations.

Clancy began piloting the Lean Last Planner system tool in 2017, which led to it standardising some of its systems, such as Two-Week and Pull Planning, and moving away from traditional Gantt charts.

Chris Chambers explains: “When we began introducing Lean practices into our operations in 2017, it had a real impact. We teamed up with Lean training consultancy Crystal Lean Solutions (CLS), and with them, we have taken it to the next level in recent years.

“In 2022, Enterprise Ireland was mandated to work with domestic contractors for the first time to help achieve greater efficiencies and drive Housing for All delivery. We were successful in our application for funding. Since then, working with CLS, we have rolled out White Belt, Yellow Belt and Green Belt Lean training for our team. At this point, we have 120 people who have completed Lean White Belt training, 80 have completed Yellow Belt training, and 30 have completed Green Belt

training. We are now looking at Black Belt training options.”

CONSERVATION

As Chris Chambers already pointed out, Clancy is very proud of its work in conservation and restoration. One notable project completed at the end of 2023 is The Rubrics building in Trinity College Dublin. Prior to that, Clancy had carried out extensive restoration works to St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin.

“The repurposing or refurbishment of older buildings has a lot to offer in terms of reducing construction’s carbon footprint.

The Rubrics in Trinity College was built between 1699 and 1705. It is the oldest continually in-use residential building in Dublin and the oldest building on the TCD campus. Our work involved upgrading the building after stripping it out and retrofitting it to contemporary energyefficient standards.

“This work included boring 21 150-metre deep geothermal holes in the centre of the campus to provide hot water and space heating to the building. We increased insulation levels significantly with glassrock insulation, a natural and sustainable material. We also applied an external lime render with insulation properties on the back elevation. This replaced a cementitious render that had been applied at some point over the years. Every element in the building was upgraded with sustainability in mind. The appearance of the building is also now more in keeping with the original type of external facade that was in place.”

SUSTAINABILITY

At the start of 2022, Clancy set about putting a formal sustainability strategy in place and appointed an internal sustainability subcommittee. This committee aligned Clancy’s sustainability strategy with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which they saw as a comprehensive framework to use in terms of getting a plan in place.

Chris Chambers, Dublin Regional Director, Clancy Construction.

Bandon Road student accommodation project, Cork, constructed on a fast-track programme using light gauge steel framing.

Chris Chambers points out that as a contractor, Clancy has always tried to do the right thing. “The sustainability strategy we put in place in 2022 has 11 of the UN SDGs that we see ourselves as being able to influence. We put these under three headings: ‘People’, ‘Planet’ and ‘Performance’. People covers issues such as health and wellbeing of staff, as well as training and development in terms of education and gender equality. Under Planet, we looked at affordable, clean energy and circularity in terms of trying to reuse or recycle where possible and reduce waste. With Performance, we looked at improving our performance as a sustainable business.”

He continues: “Businesses have to make money to be in business. From a sustainability point of view, it’s important that we build and maintain a business that will be here for generations to come. We have been putting the foundations in place that will ensure longevity in the business with several key metrics to measure this.”

Clancy set measurable targets under each of three headings and has reached a stage where it is now preparing data-rich reports.

“We have sustainability champions on each site who compile monthly reports on every project. They report back on key matrix such as energy usage and waste to landfill, etc.”

The strategy was launched in November 2022 and is well embedded at this stage. “We’ve made great strides with the strategy. We’re collecting a massive amount of data, which enables us to make good decisions, as data is critical to making good decisions. One example of this in action is how we have been using generators, which generally are hugely inefficient and heavy fuel users.

“We have a pilot project on our Stillorgan apartment development, whereby we’ve designed a system in collaboration with a storage battery manufacturer. We are powering the full site, which includes two tower cranes and a large welfare set-up, from one generator and a large storage battery. When the battery is powered up, the generator shuts off. Rather than having several generators running idly on site, we only run the generator when needed. The data collected indicates that we have reduced the carbon footprint of the project by approximately 80%.”

Chambers adds that using HVO instead of diesel for the generator could reduce the carbon footprint by over 90%. But, the use of HVO is prohibitively expensive.

“At the moment, HVO is twice the price of standard diesel. I would like to see more done by the government to reduce taxation on low-carbon fuels for construction sites.”

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Opportunities for young people to develop an exciting and sustainable career in construction have never been better than at the present time. Chris Chambers believes that perceptions about construction work have changed dramatically in recent years.

“I think the opportunities in construction are vast at the moment. It’s a very exciting time to be involved in the sector. There are a lot of wins that will be achieved over the next few years.

“Gender diversity offers a huge opportunity for construction given the levels of requirement for housing and the expected population growth. I think encouraging women and girls into the industry is hugely important, and Clancy is doing everything we can to make the sector more attractive and accessible to women.

“As well as working with the CIF, we have our own schools outreach programme. We also have a placement programme to encourage younger people of all genders and persuasions into the industry. It’s crucial that we get as many people as we can in. Construction isn’t what it used to be. It is a far more innovative and forwardlooking industry than in the past. It is a very exciting space to be in at this time.”

He adds: “I recently visited my old secondary school, where my former woodwork teacher, Mr Murphy, informed me that for the first year ever, more girls than boys are taking construction studies for the Leaving Cert in the school. I was delighted to hear this. I think it’s a great thing for the industry. Perceptions amongst young people about construction are changing. It is no longer being seen as a sector of bricklayers, plasters, roofers and wet trades. There’s an understanding that we are moving to a more innovative structure and framework in terms of delivery, and there’s an enormous digital and sustainable element to this.

“Clancy has gone through a large digital transition programme, and we have embedded sustainability in our operations. We’re now looking at AI and seeing how we might leverage this to the best of its ability. It’s an incredibly exciting time, and having this type of innovative thinking with sustainability behind it is a real enticer for young people to commit to the industry. Ultimately, I believe the next generation wants to make a difference and impact the environment and society. They can see construction has shifted towards being more sustainable and has a role to play in improving the planet for future generations. They can also see opportunities to innovate and contribute to this challenge. This is key to encouraging more people into the industry, and we need to remain focused on this for the coming years,” Chris Chambers concludes.

Pictured beside the 160KVA/240KWh energy storage system at Clancy’s Stillorgan apartments development: Chris Chambers; Denis O’Callaghan, Cathaoirleach, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council; and Frank Curran, CEO, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

Renovation of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin.

The Rubrics, Trinity College Dublin – Clancy Construction

Clancy Construction’s refurbishment of The Rubrics at Trinity College Dublin restored the historic building to its former glory and reduced its carbon emissions with interventions that included drilling 21 150-metre-deep geothermal holes to deliver hot water and space heating.

The Rubrics, built between 1699 and 1705, is the oldest building on Trinity College Dublin’s (TCD’s) campus and Ireland’s longest-serving purpose-built residential building. It reopened after an 18-month conservation and restoration project carried out by Clancy Construction, with Pascal and Watson Architects, Carrig Conservation, AECOM and consultants WH Stephens.

The Rubrics formed part of the original quadrangle of red-bricked residential buildings around Trinity’s Library Square, which included the Old Library to the south. After the 1850s, the other buildings of the quadrangle were gradually demolished to leave the free-standing Rubrics building. Another floor was added in 1894.

Clancy undertook the refurbishment of the entire 1,715-sq metre, four-storey building to provide residential apartment accommodation and an ancilliary study. The project included the conservation of the protected structure and the delivery of 22 studio residential units and 36 student bedrooms.

One of the largest conservationrestoration projects to be undertaken in the state’s history, with site works beginning in July 2019, The Rubrics required a surrounding scaffold installation, roof repair with slate replacement with Valentia slates, all set out over three phases.

Phase 2 included the largest temporary roof scaffold ever built in Ireland.

On the rear elevation, Clancy replaced a cementitious render with a porous lime render, restoring the building to what would have been its original splendour.

The refurbishment of over 30 of the original clerestory window units was also undertaken as part of the project.

The red-brick building is now home to new staff while they find their feet in Dublin. It also provides short-term accommodation for visiting scholars, student accommodation, and a new reading room with facilities to enable retired academic colleagues to continue to participate in projects.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Sustainability has been at the heart of the conservation, designed to achieve modern

performance standards in this historical building while respecting its heritage.

The work on the building included critical structural work and the installation of ground-source heat pumps, which now service all the heating and 80% of the hot water requirements of this 320-year-old building. There has been a 40% improvement in the building’s fabric thermal performance and a 75% reduction in primary energy use and CO2 emissions for the building.

At the official opening of the retrofitted Rubrics building, TCD Bursar Eleanor

Denny said: “The Rubrics is a true landmark on Trinity’s campus. What has been achieved with this beautiful building - in preserving its historic nature while ensuring it can meet modern energy standards - is extraordinarily exciting. This project will be a pathfinder for future projects involving our heritage estates. It demonstrates the opportunities that exist when traditional building crafts meet innovative and sustainable technologies.”

The Rubrics won the “Retrofit of a Building” award at the Towards Net Zero Awards 2023.

The Rubrics on Trinity College Dublin’s Library Square.

Glanua showcases advanced sustainable

wastewater treatment solutions in Boherbue

project

Employing an early contractor involvement framework facilitated collaboration between Uisce Eireann, Glanua and the entire project supply chain, boosting efficiency, innovation, and sustainability on the new Boherbue Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The village of Boherbue in northwest county Cork has undergone considerable expansion in recent years, resulting in increased demand for housing. This growth has presented infrastructural challenges, particularly for the original wastewater treatment facility, which struggled to cope with the surge in population. Additionally, the plant had fallen short of EPA treatment standards, underscoring the pressing need for an upgrade. Of particular concern was the risk of discharge of treated wastewater into the river Brogeen, a protected conservation area that serves as the habitat for the freshwater pearl mussel.

In collaboration with Uisce Eireann and Cork County Council, Glanua undertook

a comprehensive project to modernise and enhance the capacity of the treatment plant. This initiative would address the immediate needs of Boherbue’s growing community and ensure compliance with environmental regulations.

EARLY CONTRACTOR INVOLVEMENT

The project, delivered under the Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) framework, aimed to address the overloaded and outdated infrastructure while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and meeting the evolving needs of the community. The project was groundbreaking because of the multifaceted approach taken by Glanua to efficiently

treat wastewater, reduce carbon emissions, and protect natural ecosystems.

GROUNDBREAKING PROJECT

Key features of the upgraded facility includes new inlet works, a stormwater tank, biological treatment processes and tertiary solids removal systems. Leveraging the ECI framework allowed for the integration of innovative solutions such as solar energy, natural sludge drying reed beds and the preservation of existing constructed wetlands for stormwater overflow. This innovative approach set a new standard for sustainable wastewater treatment and ensured long-term environmental benefits for Boherbue and its natural surroundings.

HEALTH & SAFETY

Glanua prioritised safety throughout the project with meticulous planning and earlystage involvement of safety protocols such as Access Lifting and Maintenance (ALM) workshops a Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) study to reduce risks. Following project completion, the site obtained an impressive Safety Management Score of 98.88%.

INNOVATION

Innovation was central to the project’s success with advancements in wastewater treatment technologies and practices. Adopting the ECI framework facilitated enhanced collaboration between Glanua, the client and the extended supply chain, promoting efficiency, innovation and sustainability throughout the project lifecycle.

Effective project management was crucial in delivering a multifaceted solution. The innovative design, integrating sustainability initiatives such as sludge drying reed beds, solar technology, and reuse of constructed wetlands, along with modular off-site construction for precast tanks and steel modular buildings, marked a pioneering project approach. The project was completed on time and budget, with commissioning completed in March 2024.

The innovation in this project also lies in its comprehensive integration of advanced treatment processes and renewable energy solutions, surpassing conventional wastewater treatment solutions. By combining a new biological treatment process and tertiary solids removal with the incorporation of sludge drying reed beds and a solar panel farm and reuse of the existing constructed wetlands, the project adopts a multifaceted approach to enhance sustainability and reduce carbon emissions.

SLUDGE DRYING REED BEDS

The implementation of sludge drying reed beds (SDRBs) significantly increases sludge concentration to up to 40% dry solids (DS) after 10 years of operation. This revolutionary approach reduces sludge export volumes by more than tenfold compared to conventional methods, thereby minimising transportation and dewatering costs while substantially reducing the carbon footprint of the Boherbue WwTP. SDRB sludge can also be directly land spread without the need for additional chemical conditioning, further enhancing its environmental benefits.

There are numerous benefits to the inclusion of sludge drying reed beds instead of using traditional sludge management practices. These include, but are not limited to:

“Leveraging the ECI framework allowed for the integration of innovative solutions such as solar energy, natural sludge drying reed beds and the preservation of existing constructed wetlands for stormwater overflow.”

• Reduction of the carbon footprint of the plant by approximately 45T over a 10year period.

• Carbon capture via natural plant growth

• Up to 25% organic matter removal due to mineralisation

• Dewatering process completed with zero energy consumption.

• At full design loads, the SDRBs will remove over 49 20,000-litre tankers from the road per annum.

The construction of the SDRBs commenced in early February 2023, incorporating earth embankments and precast concrete wall sections for formation. Each cell was meticulously lined to ensure water tightness, with feed and drainage pipework installed for optimal functionality. Reeds were planted in late April to establish and grow during the summer months, aided by the importation of sludge to promote growth. This comprehensive approach ensures the effectiveness and sustainability

of the SDRBs in treating wastewater and reducing the carbon footprint of the Boherbue WwTP.

CONSTRUCTION METHODS

Throughout the entire design process, Glanua, in collaboration with Uisce Eireann’s PMO team, evaluated several project aspects, such as energy efficiency (BEP), total expenditure costs and environmental impact. These included:

• Energy efficiency of all motors and equipment (BEP).

• Process and equipment selected on total expenditure costs, which includes CAPEX, OPEX and Capital replacement at end of life.

• The impact on the local environment was carefully assessed for all design options considered during the planning phase.

MODULAR AND OFF-SITE CONSTRUCTION

Modular/off-site construction was used to reduce the carbon footprint and on-site safety risks, with precast panels and BCARcompliant steel modular buildings used to promote efficient delivery and enhance safety.

Precast panels were instrumental in constructing the main aeration tank, reducing construction time and mitigating safety risks compared to traditional insitu methods. Precast wall sections were used to separate the SDRB sections to reduce the footprint size and, again, to reduce construction time and safety risks. Throughout the project, precast process tanks were used extensively, contributing to streamlined construction processes and improved safety measures.

A BCAR-compliant steel modular building was used for the control room, laboratory, and caretaker’s office facilities. This has a significantly lower carbon footprint than that of a conventional blockbuilt structure and, in turn, significantly reduced health and safety risks during construction due to fabrication being completed before assembly on site.

SUSTAINABILITY

Boherbue WwTP showcases Glanua’s commitment to sustainability across various dimensions, including environmental, social, and economic considerations.

The inclusion of SDRBs demonstrates its dedication to environmental sustainability. These beds offer an innovative solution for sludge management, reducing the environmental impact of waste disposal while also providing opportunities for ecological conservation. By using naturebased solutions to treat and manage sludge, Glanua minimised the carbon footprint

associated with traditional disposal methods, thereby mitigating environmental harm. The SDRBs also significantly reduce operational costs, providing a long-term, cost-effective solution.

The integration of solar technology underscores Glanua’s commitment to renewable energy and carbon reduction. By harnessing solar power to supplement the energy needs of the WwTP, the contractor reduced reliance on fossil fuels and contributed to the transition towards a more sustainable energy future. This reduces operational costs and mitigates greenhouse gas emissions, thereby supporting climate action efforts and environmental preservation.

Socially, Glanua’s decision to reuse existing wetlands demonstrates its commitment to maintaining and sustaining biodiversity in the Boherbue community. By incorporating natural elements into its design, it not only minimised disruption to local ecosystems but also to the overall health and vitality of the local environment.

It can also be said that the project’s sustainability footprint extends to additional community benefits, such as job creation and improved wastewater infrastructure, enabling Boherbue to support its growing population and contribute to the economic growth of the surrounding area.

SOLAR TECHNOLOGY

The use of solar technology underscores the project’s commitment to renewable energy sources, contributing to further reductions in carbon emissions. By leveraging these innovative technologies and practices, the initiative sets a new standard for sustainable wastewater treatment, offering a replicable model for other treatment plant projects.

50Kw solar panels have been installed. These will produce 42,500Kwh of electricity per year. This alone will introduce a carbon saving of 13.7T/CO2 per year, which is significant compared to a traditionally built wastewater treatment plant of this kind.

REUSE OF CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS

Integrating the existing constructed wetlands into the wastewater treatment facility, which was core to the design development, brought many benefits, ranging from low operational costs and support for diverse ecosystems to sustainable water management. They also improve the water quality of streams and rivers in surrounding areas, creating conditions for aquatic life to thrive. The wetlands also create a scenic location in the village, promoting biodiversity and providing a habitat for small animals.

IN CONCLUSION

Boherbue WwTP upgrade works is a flagship project for sustainable and carbon-saving treatment processes and will serve as a reference project for future similar projects within the industry. By demonstrating the feasibility and benefits of integrating renewable energy, advanced treatment technologies, and ecological conservation practices, this project sets a precedent for industry-wide innovation and best practices. It complies with stringent EPA discharge consent standards while minimising impact on the existing landscape, demonstrating a commitment to

environmental sustainability, operational efficiency, and community well-being, making it a catalyst for positive change within the wastewater treatment sector and beyond.

Speaking about the project, Darran O’Leary, Programme Manager, Uisce Éireann, said: “We are delighted to have delivered this important project for the community of Boherbue. The modernisation and improvement of the wastewater infrastructure will accommodate further growth in the area and ensure that cleaner and safer treated wastewater is being discharged into the Brogeen River. It also adds biodiversity value to the area and remains sensitive to the surrounding landscape. This, coupled with the use of solar energy, demonstrates our commitment to putting sustainability at the heart of everything we do”.

Andrew Young, Managing Director, Municipal, Glanua, commented: “Glanua’s vision, captured in our tagline ‘For a cleaner planet’, reflects our commitment to environmental stewardship and the protection of natural habitat. Through innovative and sustainable technologies, we ensured that the stringent emission limit values were achieved on Boherbue WwTP, while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions and safeguarding the natural environment, establishing it as one of Ireland’s most environmentally friendly wastewater treatment facilities.”

PROJECT DETAILS

Client: Uisce Eireann

Project: Boherbue Wastewater Treatment Plant

Location: Boherbue, Co Cork

This holistic approach improves operational efficiency and promotes environmental stewardship, paving the way for a cleaner and more sustainable future in the wastewater sector.

Ireland’s Top 60

1

2

3

4

5

Contractors 2024

34

35

38

39

43

44

45

46 Arkil Holdings Ltd (Arkil Ltd, Plant Hire Ltd)

47 T&I Fitouts Ltd

48

50 Shareridge Civil Engineering

54 Dominic O’Connor Ltd €41,930,189

59 John Cradock Ltd €31,500,000 €31,500,000

60 T Bourke Ltd

A LEGACY OF CONSTRUCTION EXCELLENCE

With over 100 years in business, Bennett is a testament to enduring excellence and innovation. Our exceptional team is dedicated to delivering quality builds that stand the test of time. We prioritise sustainability, ensuring every project contributes to a greener future. If you would like to join the Bennett team, visit our website today and explore our exciting career opportunities.

Construct Innovate Seed Fund programme supports 18 innovative research projects

COLM MCHUGH, Centre Manager, Construct Innovate, writes about the Centre’s latest successful Seed Fund Call and initiatives to accelerate sustainable construction materials and services deployment and LCA adoption.

Just 18 months after its launch, Construct Innovate, Ireland’s national research centre for construction technology and innovation, has over 80 industry (Associate) member organisations, with the Land Development Agency as a patron member. The Centre leverages the capabilities, facilities and expertise available across its partner research-performing organisations (RPOs).

SEED FUND CALL

One hugely successful way in which Construct Innovate has been supporting innovation and collaboration in the construction industry is by funding industry-led projects through Seed Fund Calls.

Following the success of its first Seed Fund Call in 2023, Construct Innovate’s second Seed Fund Call attracted many collaborative and impactful project proposals in 2024. There was a significant increase in applications received compared to 2023, which shows the increased engagement the industry is having with Construct Innovate and the value it can bring to construction sector organisations.

A total of 18 project proposals have been approved for funding in the latest Seed Fund Call, totalling over €1.1m in funding committed by the Centre through this Seed Fund Call.

The focus of these projects are wideranging and reflect challenges the industry is facing around productivity, quality, safety and sustainability, as well as opportunities for collaboration. A brief description of each project funded under the call is available on the Construct Innovate website. The outcomes of each project will be published and available through Construct Innovate as the projects complete.

CONSTRUCT INNOVATE AT WORK

WLC Assessment and Carbon Accounting

– A Proposed National Methodology

Construct Innovate’s work is structured around five pillars: Productivity, Affordability & Cost; Quality & Safety; Sustainability; Skills & Training; and Collaboration.

Sustainability is the main focus of the ongoing project UPFRONT-CO2e, which aims to promote sustainable construction materials and life cycle assessment (LCA) in the construction sector.

UPFRONT-CO2e involves applying standardised LCA methods to case study buildings, conducting market analysis and engaging stakeholders. The primary outcome is a proposed national methodology for whole-life-cycle carbon accounting to be submitted to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). This methodology will help the Irish construction industry meet upcoming legislative requirements with a consistent approach to carbon accounting.

WORK READY GRADUATE PROGRAMME

Construct Innovate’s Work Ready Graduate Programme (WRGP), funded by Enterprise Ireland, will start in September 2024. WRGP matches recent graduates from Irish academic institutions with industry members, providing funding support to participating organisations. The

programme aims to help these organisations recruit skilled graduates with research, development, and innovation (RDI) experience and supports graduates with training and mentorship as they begin their careers.

For more information, visit www.constructinnovate.ie

PROJECTS SUPPORTED UNDER CONSTRUCT INNOVATE SECOND SEED FUND CALL

1. In-situ structural monitoring of propped reinforced concrete flat slabs to reduce reinforcement quality and embodied carbon

2. Modernising wind load standards for Ireland: A comparative Analysis of Eurocode Revisions

3. Tailoring steel fibres for 3D printed concrete in civil engineering applications with the Irish construction sector

4. RUBBERPAVE: Integration of ELTs produced crumb rubber in pavement construction for enhanced performance

5. Alternative Irish-based materials suitable as cementitious binders

6. Assessment of recycled tyres as underlay floor treatment (AST-FLOOR)

7. Roadmap for small builders to transition to green finance

8. (A)I-COMPLI: AI-supported automated construction compliance inspection

9. Automated predictive estimation tool for pricing MMC LGS building projects

10. Testing the regulatory sandbox approach in Ireland to support innovation in the con-struction industry

11. Development of the Green Binder Ireland 2050 (GBI3050) system for Ireland: Promoting Sustainable cement production using alternative binders (Part 1)

12. Residential building performance modelling for better indoor air environment

13. Structural health monitoring of mass timber in the Irish climate

14. Reduced embodied carbon in the manufacture of LGS modular construction

15. Optimising slot and stud panel connectors for LGS framing systems: Development and testing

16. PRODIGI: Probabilistic digital twins for bridges

17. RIADA: Irish Road Network Rapid Impact Assessment (RIA) for an efficient recovery after major disasters

18. Solar Construct: Enabling the use of solar energy in the construction sector.

For details on each programme, visit www.constructinnovate.ie or scan the QR code

Ireland Chapter of the Project Management Institute launches Construction CoP

The Ireland Chapter of the Project Management Institute’s new Construction Community of Practice aims to leverage cross-sector project management expertise to enhance excellence in Irish construction projects.

The Project Management Institute (PMI) is the world’s largest project manager community, with almost 700,000 global members and over 300 local chapters, bringing together professional project managers from all sectors to share their knowledge and experiences. It offers a range of recognised certifications, including Project Management Professional (PMP®), the gold standard of project management certification - recognised by organisations worldwide, the PMP validates competence as a project manager, leading and directing projects and teams. The organisation also offers the PMI Construction Professional (PMI-CP™) certification, the only internationally recognised certification that offers an in-depth curriculum focused on the construction industry.

IRELAND CHAPTER OF PMI

The Ireland Chapter of the PMI is a cross-sector community of over 4,000 professional project managers operating in or out of Ireland. In addition to organising networking events and educational programmes, the Ireland Chapter of the PMI keeps members informed on the latest trends, techniques, tools, standards and the growth of project management as a professional discipline worldwide.

CONSTRUCTION COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

One of the chapter’s most recent initiatives has been the establishment of a Construction Community of Practice (CoP), sponsored by KSN Project Management, which aims to foster greater collaboration between construction project managers as well as harness and share the expertise of project managers from across all sectors to drive excellence in project management in construction.

Daniel Eagling, Vice President, Ireland Chapter of the PMI, says project managers in the Irish construction sector face

multifaceted challenges from large-scale housing delivery to planning and managing critical infrastructural projects.

Eagling, who has been instrumental in creating the Construction CoP, says that in the face of the most ambitious building programme in generations, the body was looking to bring the project management profession to a new level to benefit all in the construction industry.

He explains: “The construction sector in Ireland is a cornerstone of economic growth, contributing significantly to employment and infrastructure development. However, construction has been behind a number of other sectors in adapting more modern project management techniques. The goal of establishing the CoP is to provide opportunities for project managers from all sectors to contribute to the projects that will make up the National Development Plan and for construction project managers to have access to the expertise of project managers in other fields who have successfully delivered programmes using more modern and agile project management techniques.”

Daniel Eagling continues by saying that every day project managers are responsible for complex developments, managing resources and ensuring timely delivery.

“This new CoP will provide networking opportunities whereby professionals from all sectors can discuss and share best practices and tailor solutions to meet the needs of the Irish construction industry. With a collaborative approach, we can elevate project management standards, foster innovation, and drive sustainable growth.

“Project management processes have been evolving. Agile practices are now in play, and as a result, project managers find themselves having to spin many plates simultaneously. If we could tap into the knowledge in other sectors where the agile skills are more advanced, this could simplify the challenges we face.”

COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE PROGRAMME

As part of the Construction CoP, the PMI will organise regular events, both virtual and in-person, for networking, sharing experiences, and discussing industry trends. These events will include conferences, seminars, and informal meetups. Discussion forums will enable professionals to exchange ideas, challenges, and best practices through panel discussions, roundtables, and online boards.

An online repository of case studies, white papers, and articles will showcase successful construction project management practices. The chapter will host discussions with industry leaders on challenges and innovations in project planning, risk management, and new technologies. Specialised training and certifications will cover essential skills like scheduling, budgeting, and stakeholder management. A mentorship programme will connect experienced managers with newcomers for knowledge transfer and professional growth.

Ultimately, the Construction CoP will promote R&D in construction project management, partnering with academic institutions and industry research centres. Workshops on sustainable construction will emphasise green building and eco-friendly project management.

GET INVOLVED

The Ireland Chapter of the PMI invites stakeholders, including government agencies, industry associations, project managers, and construction firms, to join its Construction CoP and help address the sector’s most pressing challenges while seizing opportunities for advancement.

For more details on the Construction Community of Practice, visit www.pmi-ireland.org/construction-cop

Bridging the gender gap: Attracting women to construction engineering in Ireland

JENNIFER KEENAHAN, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering, UCD, and board member of WITS Ireland, writes about the barriers and everyday challenges that must be addressed to create a more accessible and comfortable construction workplace for women.

“I could do with a travel potty. It’s hard to find toilets when you are out in the middle of nowhere visiting some site.”

Adirect quote from a longstanding WhatsApp conversation with a close group of female engineers

I’ve known for over 15 years - we first met during our engineering studies at UCD.

There’s no doubt that the Irish construction industry is booming, with projects underway across the country. And after the crash of 2008, this can only be a good thing. However, there’s a persistent lack of gender diversity. While women excel in various construction-related roles like architecture and surveying and are increasingly visible in administrative and support roles, they remain vastly underrepresented in civil and construction engineering. Why is this?

THE CURRENT STATE-OF-PLAY

Reliable data pinpointing the exact number

of women in construction engineering roles in Ireland is scarce. However, Engineers Ireland, the national representative body for engineers, provides a glimpse. In 2022, only 17% of registered engineers in Ireland were women. Women represent just 12% of the engineering profession as a whole, with an even smaller percentage involved directly in construction. This disparity prompts a critical examination of why the sector struggles to attract and retain women, especially when compared to fields like MedTech and pharma.

THE ALLURE OF OTHER SECTORS

MedTech and pharma are often perceived as more progressive, offering better work-life balance, boasting a more prominent female presence, fostering a sense of belonging and mentorship and offering more robust career development opportunities. The allure of high-tech environments, cutting-edge research, and the possibility of contributing to life-saving technologies can be very

appealing.

Construction, on the other hand, is often seen as less innovative and more physically demanding, with long hours and often requiring on-site presence in a male-centric culture, which can deter potential female talent.

A PIPELINE PROBLEM?

Encouragingly, the ratio of women entering construction engineering courses has seen a gradual increase. Data from the Higher Education Authority (HEA) indicates that female enrolment in civil engineering courses has risen by approximately 5% over the past decade, and at UCD, the gender split of first-year students entering engineering programmes has increased to nearly 35%.

However, significant barriers remain to increasing these numbers. Shockingly, in this day and age, many girls still do not have access to higher-level mathematics at leaving certificate level.

THE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT

Our close-knit WhatsApp group of highly competent women work in various roles in construction engineering in Ireland. Yet, commonly, when we go site, a fella will say: “Oh, I was talking to your boss about this”. Said boss turns out to be the entry-level junior engineer.

When we arrive on-site, “the comments start to roll in about the pretty face and nice nails,” although they are usually “Water off a duck’s back, otherwise I wouldn’t be there”. We developed a robust intuition for sexist

behaviour we want to avoid. “We can tell on day one who was sexist based by how they spoke about their wives or lack of ”.

In 2019, our WhatsApp group celebrated the fact that flame-retardant pants for ladies had become available. In 2020, we also celebrated when we were able to get our hands on maternity-fit site gear designed for women’s bodies. We can’t just wear a larger men’s size – it’s unnecessary, uncomfortable and poses safety risks.

On a particularly bad day, one of us shared: “I’m shaking today with the shite that’s been thrown at me on site. It’s squeaky bum time, and some of the lads’ true colours are shining through under pressure”… “They started telling me ‘To go away and get the fry on’.”

And yet, our chat is full of humour, too. In one of our workplaces, A woman once asked why there was a men-only mailing list during a heated debate on gender. We all knew that it was “For scolding the gents over the state of the toilets”.

WITS IRELAND

Women in Technology & Science Ireland (WITS Ireland) is an independent, voluntary organisation supporting women in STEM. Our aim is to attract and retain more women to STEM careers, championing the importance of greater diversity in STEM and encouraging more conversations like this one.

Research shows that women are often less likely to speak up in meetings, especially when they are in the minority. They are less likely to apply for new roles or promotions

unless they meet all the criteria (Generally, men will apply when they meet about 50% because they are more confident taking the chance on it).

You can start to see the challenges when you side this with experiences myself and my colleagues have had in the workplace, which is what makes WITS’ work so important and still so necessary today.

Jean O’Donnell, Chair, WITS Ireland, comments: “We want to give the amazing women in our organisation the confidence and skills required to push themselves forward for promotion opportunities. We want to ensure that we are supporting the development of future CEOs and leaders, and we do this through regular coaching workshops, seminars and by partnering with other organisations who have the same goals.”

DON’T WASTE TIME PINKWASHING!

The Irish construction industry has a unique opportunity to tap into a vastly under-utilised talent pool. The industry can not only attract more women but benefit from the diverse perspectives and experiences they bring. We can address the gender gap by cre-ating a more inclusive environment.

This article was prepared with the support of Vision Contracting. To become a member or learn more about WITS Ireland, email info@witsireland.com, or visit www.witsireland.com

Maggie Cusack, President, Munster Technological University, speaking at the recent WITS Reach for the Stars event at MTU Blackrock Castle Observatory, Cork, sponsored by Vision Contracting.

Kevin Hollingsworth appointed president of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland

The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) has announced the appointment of Kevin Hollingsworth as its new president.

Kevin Hollingsworth is the managing director of Omega Surveying Services and brings extensive experience and a distinguished career in the building surveying industry to his new role. He formerly held the role of vice president of the SCSI for two years, and he has been instrumental in positioning Omega Surveying Services as a trusted partner for owners’ management companies (OMCs) in the Government Legacy Defects Scheme. This initiative focuses on remediating structural defects in numerous apartments and duplexes built between 1991 and 2014. Under his leadership, Omega Surveying Services has gained a reputation for meticulous attention to detail and unwavering dedication, resulting in highquality and reliable project outcomes.

Omega Surveying Services is a part of Murphy Geospatial, which was recently acquired by the global architecture, engineering, and consulting firm Woolpert.

Hollingsworth commented on his new role: “I am honoured to take on the role of president of SCSI. I aim to bring a new level of enthusiasm and engagement, promoting further involvement in the APC process and advancing the surveying profession. Our focus will be on continuous improvement and addressing the critical

issues facing our industry.”

Shirley Coulter, CEO, SCSI, commented on the appointment: “We are delighted to welcome Kevin Hollingsworth as our new president. His extensive experience and dedication to the surveying profession will be invaluable as we continue to advocate for our members and the public interest.”

Engineers Ireland conference celebrates International Women in Engineering Day

Engineers Ireland’s Women in Engineering Group marked International Women in Engineering Day on 23 June with a one-day conference at Trinity College Dublin that covered a wide range of leading speakers from the engineering field and beyond.

Focusing on the theme of ‘Enhanced by Engineering’, the event sought to empower, inspire, and celebrate women in engineering, and heard from Linda Doyle, Provost, Trinity College Dublin; Susan Cormican, Group Director, Ethos Engineering; Tiffany Quinn, Founder, Generate Leads; Noreen O’Keeffe, Career Coach and Mentor; and Neil Curran, Communications and Teams Facilitator, Lower The Tone.

The event was delivered with the support of Arcadis, Jones Engineering, ADCO, AECOM, Atkins, CS Consulting, Jacobs, and Tritech.

According to a recent study by Ipsos B&A on behalf of Engineers Ireland, 39% of women say they do not view engineering as a suitable career, compared to just 29% of men. Similarly, over a third of women respondents said they would not consider the profession if starting a career or pursuing a career change.

Linda Doyle, Provost of Trinity College, Dublin, speaking at Engineers Ireland’s International Women in Engineering conference.

At the recent Engineers Ireland STEM Opportunities’ Leaders Forum, held in Dublin, research presented demonstrated the different expectations for attainment our society tends to place on boys and girls in school mathematics. Similarly, it was highlighted that fewer female role models within the profession can also act as a barrier, as it reduces opportunities for girls and young women to see people like them as leaders within the profession.

Commenting on the event, Engineers Ireland Director General Damien Owens said: “Research suggests that many women still do not consider engineering a career suitable for them. While we have much work to do to change this perception, events like today’s conference do an excellent job in highlighting the important role women play within our profession.”

Colette O’Shea, Chair of Engineers Ireland’s Women in Engineering Committee, commented: “It is important to celebrate International Women in Engineering Day and the amazing network of women working in engineering and engineering-related fields. We want to create connections and build a community to help change the face of the industry for future generations.”

Kevin

L to r: Enda McGuane, SCSI’s Immediate Past President; Kevin Hollingsworth, President, SCSI; and Shirley Coulter, CEO, SCSI.

The Build Digital Annual Survey identifies key issues to be addressed to facilitate sector’s digital transition

Build Digital has published the findings of its Annual Survey 2023 into the level of digital transformation within the Irish construction and built environment sector.

The Build Digital Annual Survey 2023 highlights the current level of digital adoption and captures valuable opinions on driving future digital advancements.

Dr Clare Eriksson, Project Director, Build Digital, underscores the importance of the survey, commenting: “The survey is crucial for identifying and prioritising areas within the industry that require the most support from Build Digital.”

The Build Digital Annual Survey evaluates the current state of digital adoption to identify gaps, challenges, and opportunities. It has recognised key obstacles to digital transformation and will assist the industry in overcoming them. Gathering insights into construction firms’ specific needs and priorities regarding digital transformation is essential for effectively creating supports to assist them. Establishing a baseline for digital adoption and monitoring progress over time is crucial for adjusting Build Digital’s strategies and measuring impact.

By conducting the survey, Build Digital has gathered data that will guide its efforts to support and accelerate the digital transformation of the Irish construction industry, enhancing its efficiency, competitiveness, and sustainability.

KEY FINDINGS FROM THE BUILD DIGITAL TRANSITION SURVEY 2023

– More than half of respondents are involved in their organisation’s digital transformation.

– More than half of respondents plan to initiate or restart their digital journey soon.

– Formal education in digital tools and methods remains ncommon in the sector, with less than half of the survey participants reporting such training.

– One-third of industry participants reported awareness of BIM requirements within the Capital Works Management Framework (CWMF).

– Most private sector employees indicated that their organisations have implemented strategies to enhance project sustainability.

– Training and Competence: Training in digital tools is a critical focus, with over 75% seeking upskilling in areas like BIM, information management, and digital project delivery. Key areas include AI, OpenBIM, and Digital Twins.

– Procurement and Contracts: Digital procurement methods are increasingly adopted to streamline processes and enhance project outcomes.

– Contractual agreements: The survey highlights common industry contracts and examines knowledge of BIM requirements within the Capital Works Management Framework (CWMF).

– Sustainability: Digital tools are key for sustainability, optimising resource use, reducing waste, and improving project sustainability. The survey shows a growing integration of sustainable practices in digital transformation.

– Sector-specific challenges: Each sector has unique challenges in digital adoption, requiring tailored approaches for effective digital transformation industry-wide.

The survey results are part of Build Digital’s ongoing efforts to support organisations in enhancing their digital capabilities and transforming the industry.

The Build Digital Annual Survey 2023 underscores significant progress in digital transformation within the Irish construction and built environment sector. Despite notable advancements, challenges such as cost, expertise and clear benefit realisation remain. The insights from this survey are crucial for informing future strategies

and initiatives to enhance digital adoption, improve efficiencies and foster a culture of innovation and sustainability.

MOVING FORWARD

From the findings of the survey, Build Digital has identified the following actions to be taken.

• Enhancing digital skills: Invest in comprehensive training programmes to improve digital competencies among employees across all sectors.

• Promoting compliance: Encourage adherence to national and international digital standards to ensure consistent and interoperable practices.

• Encouraging collaboration: Foster greater collaboration using common data environments and standardised digital workflows.

• Addressing barriers: Provide targeted support and resources to overcome barriers to digital adoption, including cost concerns and lack of expertise.

• Supporting sustainability: Integrate digital tools to enhance sustainability efforts, optimising resource use and reducing environmental impact.

Addressing these areas will go some way to facilitating Ireland’s construction and built environment sector to continue evolving, achieving greater efficiency, productivity, and sustainability.

The Build Digital Annual Survey 2023 is a valuable benchmark for measuring progress and identifying opportunities for further improvement in the digital transformation journey.

To learn more, visit www.builddigitalproject.ie

Dr Clare Eriksson, Project Director, Build Digital.

Glanua secures strategic funding from Rabobank

Sustainable engineering solutions specialist Glanua Group Ltd has welcomed new strategic funding from Rabobank to support its ambitious growth plans further.

Glanua specialises in delivering innovative and sustainable engineering to design, build and maintain critical water and wastewater infrastructure across Ireland and the UK.

The exact financial details of the funding remain undisclosed, but the financing will significantly enhance Glanua’s capacity to scale its business and expand its presence in the UK’s water and wastewater industry. Much of this growth will be driven by forthcoming acquisitions, which Glanua expects to complete within the coming months.

Rabobank’s funding follows a period of significant growth for Glanua in the past 12 months following the company’s rebranding in July 2023.

Headquartered in Loughrea, Co Galway, Glanua employs over 500 people, with a manufacturing facility in Navan, Co Meath. The company’s turnover increased by 50% for the full year to December 2023, and it

has opened four new offices in Belfast, Cork, Reading and London. Glanua’s headcount grew by 190 since July 2023, as it exceeded its original recruitment target of 100 new staff for the year.

Glanua’s long-term strategic plan is to grow turnover to €400m by 2028.

Karl Zimmerer, CEO, Glanua, said: “We

are delighted to receive significant strategic funding for our company from Rabobank. Partnering with such a reputable bank is a huge endorsement and reflects the substantial potential for future growth that Glanua continues to demonstrate.

“A core part of our partnership with Rabobank is based on our shared values around sustainability. This new funding will ensure Glanua is well-positioned to capitalise on the increased importance of environmental action and the emerging benefits of the circular economy.”

Glanua has committed to reaching net zero by 2040 and continues accelerating its action in areas like nature-based solutions, renewable energy, biodiversity, integrating innovative and sustainable technologies, and driving operational efficiencies (see p 34).

Fiona Egan, Managing Director, Rabobank Ireland, said: “We are delighted to partner with Glanua and support their ambitious growth journey. Sustainability is at the core of everything we do at Rabobank, and we look forward to working with Glanua, a leader for sustainability in the water industry.”

GMC Utilities partners with Future Planet for CSRD compliance

Future Planet and GMC Utilities Group have announced a strategic partnership to ensure GMC Utilities meets its compliance obligations under the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and further enhances its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance.

GMC Utilities undertakes a diverse range of projects throughout Ireland and the UK, including major utility (water, wastewater, gas, electricity and telecom) networks, transport infrastructure and renewable energy, and embedding sustainable practices with customers and suppliers are integral to GMC’s business and value chain.

Shane McCloskey, Managing Director, GMC Utilities, commented: “At GMC Utilities, our commitment to sustainability and regulatory compliance is paramount. By collaborating with Future Planet, we are taking a significant step forward in aligning our operations with the latest ESG standards and reporting requirements. We specialise in six core sectors - water, gas, power, telecoms, public sector, and renewables - and embedding sustainable practices is key to delivering even greater value to our customers and partners.

Commenting on the partnership, Debbie Power, Chief Commercial Officer, Future Planet, said: “We are delighted to be working with GMC Utilities, a company that is clearly of significant importance to many of Ireland’s largest semi-state utility providers. Our aim is to make it easy for them to meet their compliance obligations while centralising their ESG data. The Future Planet platform makes it simple for everyone to collaborate and for the business to build and execute a clear roadmap that will help them achieve their sustainability targets.”

Elaine Casey, Environmental and Sustainability Manager, GMC Utilities, added: “At GMC Utilities, our purpose is to build Ireland’s infrastructure for a healthier and greener future. We are committed to carrying out all our works in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner. This partnership with Future Planet marks a significant step in our ESG journey. We are excited to have them onboard to assist us in conducting a Double Materiality Assessment (DMA), which will underpin our ESG Strategy. The platform itself will play a central role in collecting and managing our ESG data and supporting our disclosure requirements.”

The Future Planet team: Mary White, Operations Manager; Orla Carolan, Executive Director, ESG Strategy & Compliance; Debbie Power, Chief Commercial Officer; Donal Daly, CEO and CoFounder; Ingrid De Doncker, Head of Research and Innovation and Co-founder; and Simpal Sharma, Sustainability Solutions Lead.

Karl Zimmerer, CEO, Glanua.

Land Development Agency publishes Sustainable Development Strategy

The LDA sets out its ambition to be a leader in the creation of sustainable homes and communities.

The Land Development Agency (LDA) has published its Sustainable Development Strategy, which sets out a roadmap for the organisation to achieve its ambition of maximising the supply of affordable and social homes while mitigating environmental impacts and boosting biodiversity gains.

The LDA has identified six strategic objectives for a medium-term focus on mitigating carbon impact and the potential for biodiversity net gain (BNG) across the LDA portfolio.

The strategic objectives of the LDA are:

• Reduce carbon (embodied and operational)

• Promote water stewardship

• Optimise sustainable land use and mobility

• Enhance biodiversity and climate resilience

• Promote circularity

• Support the creation of social value

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Sustainable development is a central consideration in all LDA projects. The agency is keenly aware of the impact of construction and building management on ecological and social systems and has been taking steps to mitigate these effects. The strategy establishes the LDA’s baseline targets and identifies areas of research and investigation required to improve on these.

This plan is the formalisation of many initiatives already being undertaken by the organisation, such as the adoption of the LDA’s Apartment Typology Booklet, which not only standardises the approach to apartment design and facilitates the most efficient delivery of homes but also addresses energy efficiency and universal design.

Strict sustainability criteria are embedded in all LDA projects and partnerships. This is most clearly demonstrated in the announcement of its recent housebuilder partnerships panel framework. All of the homebuilders who qualified had to meet the sustainability thresholds contained in the strategy to be considered for the framework, and partners on future projects will have to align with its targets.

COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION

The LDA says collaboration and innovation will be central to the success of the strategy. It has cultivated strong relationships with partners across a wide range of sectorsgovernment departments and agencies, local authorities, state bodies, third-level institutions, home builders and industry peers - and will maximise these connections to deliver its sustainability ambitions.

The LDA recognises the need for highquality evidence-based data and has actively supported research on sustainability and the built environment since its establishment. Current LDA supported research projects are focused on biodiversity in the built environment, and post-occupancy building performance and tenant wellbeing.

The organisation is also supporting research by the IGBC and Construct Innovate to develop a national methodology and benchmarking tool for whole-life carbon evaluation.

A CLEAR PATHWAY TO ACHIEVE POSITIVE CHANGE

John Coleman, CEO, LDA, said: “The publication of the Sustainable Development Strategy sends a strong signal to our partners, stakeholders and the public that the LDA is committed to becoming a leader in the creation and delivery of sustainable homes and communities.

“The plan identifies a clear pathway to achieve our ambition of driving positive change in the planning, design, construction and stewardship of the built environment for the benefit of all. It commits the agency to establishing industry-leading targets to

reduce carbon, enhance biodiversity and promote circularity across its portfolio of projects, benchmarked against strict performance criteria.

“This will enable the LDA to deliver our programme of homebuilding, while mitigating the potential negative ecological impacts and supporting the creation of social value.”

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN ACTION

Set to be one of Europe’s largest certified passive house housing schemes, the Shanganagh project, being jointly delivered by LDA and Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, underlines the agency’s commitment to delivering affordable, sustainable communities.

As the first passive house development at this scale in Ireland, it will provide a significant opportunity for the agency to access in-use data for comparative analysis with other energy performance standards, including the Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) and the Zero Energy Building (ZEB) standards. This research and analysis will inform recommendations for the optimal energy performance standard for use in affordable homes. The first phase of the project is due for completion in Q4 2024.

At the former Digital Hub site in Thomas Street, Dublin 8, the LDA is planning to showcase the adaptive reuse of properties. Preliminary findings show that the refurbishment of existing buildings and former Victorian industrial buildings across the site would mean a saving of 2,644 tonnes of CO2e, when compared to a new-build brownfield development.

As one of Europe’s largest certified passive house schemes, the Shanganagh project, by LDA and Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, showcases the agency’s commitment to delivering affordable, sustainable communities.

Tackling carbon hotspots in construction

Embodied carbon in construction accounts for 14% of national emissions and could increase without action, threatening climate targets.

MARION JAMMET, Head of Policy and Advocacy, IGBC, details building elements responsible for most embodied carbon and how the issue might be tackled under new regulatory policies.

In Ireland, embodied carbon in construction and the built environment accounts for 14% of national emissions. Without targeted actions, these emissionsassociated with the production of building materials and the construction and renovation of buildings and infrastructure - could increase significantly in the next decade, jeopardising our climate targets. Addressing embodied carbon is often perceived as complex, but with new policies set to regulate these emissions, there are simple actions that can be taken to reduce them.

CHANGES IN THE REGULATORY LANDSCAPE

The recasting of the Energy Performance of

Buildings Directive (EPBD) was approved at European level in May 2024. The EPBD is the most important legislative driver to support the decarbonisation of our built environment, and, for the first time, it sets out a framework for measuring and reducing the lifecycle global warming potential (GWP) of buildings. Lifecycle GWP covers operational (lighting, heating, cooling, ventilation) and embodied emissions. This will need to be measured for larger new buildings from 2028 and for all new buildings from 2030, with limit values also introduced by 2030.

Although the EPBD only requires measurement of lifecycle GWP starting in 2028, the more general reporting directives introduced under the EU Sustainable

Proposed timeline for the implementation of whole life carbon rules for buildings under the revised EPBD.

Finance Strategy are already affecting construction investment decisions in Ireland. For instance, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) now link all investment decisions to environmental reporting data. Investors are demanding more data on emissions related to their investments, including buildings. Being prepared with this data will allow Irish businesses to access finance under better terms.

At a national level, the newly published Green Public Procurement Strategy and Action Plan compels public bodies to specify low-carbon construction methods and low-carbon cement materials as far as practical for directly procured or supported projects. From 2027, whole life cycle analysis in accordance with EN 15978 shall be used to inform the design of building projects over 1,000 sq metres.

Marion Jammet, Head Of Policy And Advocacy, IGBC.

IDENTIFYING CARBON HOTSPOTS IN BUILDINGS AND INFRASTRUCTURE

As part of the Indicate project, the IGBC and SEAI are working on a national methodology for calculating the lifecycle GWP of buildings. This will be released by Q3 2025.

The early results of Indicate have allowed the IGBC to identify common carbon ‘hotspots’ in buildings. Not surprisingly, these correlate with heavier building elements and those that need to be replaced more during the building’s lifetime –structural frames and substructures, facades up to completion, and energy systems over the lifetime of the building1. These findings should encourage all designers to prioritise the reuse of existing structures, where possible, and to focus on reducing the embodied carbon of these elements when building new. If using concrete, for example, designers should require optimised strength and quantity with maximum cement replacement. Minimising the volume of concrete required and the cement therein should have the greatest impact on the embodied carbon of a new building. Published Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) give the most accurate information; they show that bio-based materials generally have lower embodied carbon than alternatives such as steel and concrete, and

are lighter, which may allow for smaller substructures. By requiring EPDs for these high-mass elements, more of the building’s embodied carbon can be measured accurately.

PLANNING FOR LOWER EMBODIED-CARBON HOMES

Simple actions in the design and planning phase can also help to reduce embodied carbon emissions. Last year, the IGBC and University College Dublin, with support from Construct Innovate, developed ‘Viable Homes: Guidelines for planners on the design and building of low carbon, low rise, medium density housing in Ireland’. This guidance shows that significant carbon savings can be achieved by rethinking the use of carbon-intensive construction materials in our dwellings, and by adopting planning approaches that minimise car parking, new roads, and new infrastructure. Initial findings show that greenfield housing developments outside towns and cities can contribute up to 30% more embodied carbon per home than equivalent infill developments that use existing infrastructure.

Viable Homes recommends prioritising housing development on empty or underutilised lands in existing urban centres and building connected neighbourhoods with minimised car parking. This can also help to address transport emissions by

reducing car dependency. Viable Homes also highlights that connected dwellings such as terraced houses offer a significant carbon reduction. A side gable wall, which is typically found in semi-detached houses, generates approximately 4-5 times more embodied carbon per square metre than a party wall between dwellings on a terrace.

GOING FURTHER

The IGBC has developed new on-demand courses on Whole Life Carbon Emissions and Circularity. These are available on the IGBC website. During World Green Building Week (09 to 15 September), the Circularity in The Built Environment 101 course will be FREE for all. Use the discount code WGBW24 at learn.igbc.ie.

Further information on these tools and research findings can be found at www.igbc.ie

1. Based on 20 assessments carried out independently by BDP, Cluid Housing, ECR, Grangegorman Development Agency, Helena McElmeel Architects, Henry J Lyons, MMC, Meehan Green, MMP, PM Group, Scott Tallon Walkers, Wain Morehead Architects and Walls, but crucially, all using the same draft national methodology to measure the global warming potential of buildings across their life-cycle, developed by the IGBC in partnership with SEAI.

Healthy Homes Ireland calls for urgent focus on retrofitting Irish homes

Healthy Homes Ireland, supported by the Irish Green Building Council and VELUX, has unveiled research showing the scale of the impact of healthy homes on people’s mental and physical wellbeing.

Healthy Homes Ireland (HHI), with support from the Irish Green Building Council (IGBC) and VELUX, recently unveiled research demonstrating the significant impact of healthy homes on mental and physical wellbeing. The annual Healthy Buildings Barometer, published by the VELUX group and its research partners since 2015, assesses the state of the EU’s housing stock. This year’s research, conducted by the Building Performance Institute Europe (BPIE), complements HHI’s report from last year, which included specific policy recommendations for Ireland.

At the report’s launch, Dr Caroline Düvier from the BPIE gave a compelling presentation on the 2024 Barometer. She focused on the Irish data within the Europewide publication and highlighted several concerning findings, including:

• The renovation rate required for Ireland is +2,900%, whereas the EU needs to achieve +1,400%.

• There has been a 22% increase in damp issues in Ireland.

• Around 275,000 citizens in Ireland do not have sufficient daylight in their homes - Across the EU, the figure stands at 30 million citizens.

• 25% of Europeans live in buildings where the indoor air quality falls below national standards.

On a positive note, Ireland had a 13.5% decrease in CO2 emissions from 2015 to 2020.

MUCH WORK NEEDED TO MAKE IRISH HOMES HEALTHIER

Speaking of the findings for Ireland, Dr Düvier stated: “The Barometer focuses on shaping a healthy, sustainable and resilient future. Ireland is far behind where we need to be, with nearly twice as many buildings requiring renovation compared to the EU overall. There are issues with an increase in dampness and significant numbers of people in Ireland not getting enough daylight in their homes. This needs to be urgently addressed.”

Much work needs to be done in Ireland to make homes healthier. A panel discussion focused on areas of concern in Irish buildings and made recommendations that should be adopted to improve the health of homes and the people who live within them.

Dr Ola Løkken Nordrum of the Irish Doctors for the Environment participated in a panel discussion at the event. He stated: “There is a clear link between health and housing. Our homes and where we live ought to be a source of health and wellbeing, but this is not the case for many people living in Ireland. Air and noise pollution, dampness, lack of nature and sunlight are some of the issues we face. We need to increase awareness around this, but more importantly, we need to act on it. By making our homes and the environment around them healthier, we can live healthier lives.

“We cannot overstate the benefits of improved indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in renovated buildings. The knockon effects are notable. In terms of homes,

they can result in better mental and physical health and savings as high as 44% for families on heating alone. In workplaces and schools, better air quality and light increase productivity and performance.”

HEALTHY HOMES IRELAND

HHI chairperson Kevin O’Rourke called for urgent changes, saying: “There is lots of research, including in our own Towards Healthier Greener Homes report, which shows that the quality of the home you live in has a major impact on a person’s physical and mental wellbeing. But we think more must be done to make homes healthier and greener. There are immediate steps we can take now to ensure that everyone across Ireland is living in healthy homes. A focus and investment by the government on this now will improve people’s health and save money that would otherwise be spent on the health system.

He concluded, “The HHI recommendations are clear: Collaboration is needed across the housing, construction, energy efficiency and public health sectors. We need a central leadership body to advocate for change and set joint goals.

“We must improve IEQ skills of professionals entering the housing industry by including relevant modules in apprenticeships and third-level education. And there is a need to train approved housing bodies (AHBs) and local authorities to maintain homes for better occupant health outcomes and communicate with tenants on how to improve IEQ in homes.”

Speakers at the launch of the Healthy Buildings Barometer report (L to r): Dr Ola Løkken Nordrum, Irish Doctors for the Environment; Susan Vickers, Clúid Housing; Dr Caroline Düvie, BPIE; Kevin O’Rourke, Chair, Healthy Homes Ireland; Dr Marie Coggins, University of Galway; and Simon Jones, Air Quality Matters.

Government approves public procurement guidance to promote reduction of embodied carbon in construction

TThe Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke, has advised public bodies of new guidance when designing public projects and procuring cement and concrete products. The guidance ensures a consistent approach to reducing the embodied carbon - emissions associated with extracting and producing construction materials - in construction projects procured by government departments and their agencies.

In 2022, the cement sector accounted for 2.88 Mt CO2 equivalent or 4.8% of total national emissions. Under the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate, public bodies have committed to better procuring cement and concrete products and construction projects more broadly to send a market signal in favour of lower-carbon construction materials. The guidance agreed by the government will send a clear message to the construction, concrete, and cement sectors regarding the urgent imperative to invest in lower-carbon products and project design.

Minister Burke said the new public procurement guidelines were an important signal for the sector: “The cement sector accounts for nearly 5% of Ireland’s carbon emissions. As a state, we rely on this sector to provide the raw materials to deliver our ambitious public infrastructure and housing projects. In order to reduce embodied emissions while ensuring construction materials are cost-effective and available, the state has to buy smarter and send a mediumterm signal that allows manufacturers to invest in decarbonisation. This proportionate approach ensures a more sustainable Irish construction sector over the long term. Many private construction projects already carefully manage the embodied carbon in their building. The public sector acting collectively can significantly influence the construction sector for the better.’’

The guidance builds on four key objectives. These are:

• Using less concrete and less cement by designing, specifying, and managing products on site better

• Specify lower-carbon concrete

• Specify lower-carbon cement

• Introduce broader carbon management systems for large infrastructure projects.

The guidance for public bodies is based on an expert consultant’s report, ‘Reducing Embodied Carbon in Cement and Concrete Through Public Procurement in Ireland’. This report was commissioned by an interdepartmental group, the Cement and Construction Sector Decarbonisation Working Group.

Climate Change Advisory Council calls for increased use of timber for new builds

The Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC) has urged the government to adopt more sustainable construction methods to reduce sector emissions immediately. Publishing its annual review of Ireland’s industry and waste sectors, the CCAC emphasised the need for increased timber use and modern construction methods (MMC). It also called for whole-life carbon assessments and targets in planning public buildings to meet sectoral targets.

The review noted a 6% drop in industrial emissions from the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in 2023, with reductions in the food sector, pharmaceuticals manufacturing and cement production.

Commenting on the review, Marie Donnelly, Chair, CCAC, said: “One of the primary sources of industrial emissions is cement production. We must address this now by promoting more sustainable building methods, including increasing the use of timber in construction and reducing emissions in the cement production process.

“Updates to the building regulations that support increased use of timber in construction should be consolidated

with the establishment of a high-level cross-departmental task force to prepare an overarching national strategy for the development and expansion of all aspects of the timber industry in Ireland.

“Targets must be set and measures introduced that support the reduction of emissions in cement production. Introducing financial incentives to encourage retrofitting existing buildings over demolition and rebuilding would also help reduce cement demand.”

Cement, the most widely used global material, accounts for over 7% of global emissions. Most emissions come from producing clinker. MMC alternatives like cross-laminated timber (CLT) can often replace concrete and steel.

David Murray, Head of Technical Affairs & Ireland Sales, Medite Smartply, believes the CCAC’s pressing call to increase the use of timber in the construction of new builds in Ireland recognises timber’s vast potential as a construction method.

He explained: “At the individual building level, carbon storage is approximately 50% higher in timber-framed homes than in

masonry homes. Timber has already proven itself as a good alternative to less sustainable construction methods. According to the CIF, 48% to 50% of new-build homes in Ireland are timber-framed, compared to less than 25% in 2021. This illustrates the sharp rise in timber frame construction over the past two years, which is widely expected to continue growing and shows the promising potential of timber in meeting the growing housing demand.”

Marie Donnelly, Chair, CCAC.

Early engagement streamlines balcony design in Sandyford development

Early engagement in Richmond Homes’ Sandyford Central development in south Dublin allowed Sapphire to streamline balcony design and reduce costs while retaining the project’s original vision. Designed by Henry J Lyons & Partners Architects and constructed by John Paul Construction for Richmond Homes, Sandyford Central comprises 564 apartments spread across six distinct blocks, with 434 units featuring aluminium, Glide-on balconies manufactured and supplied by Sapphire. The scheme emphasises communal amenity spaces, including a reception, gym, coworking areas, lounges, multifunctional rooms, a panoramic rooftop lounge, a crèche, and a café.

Richmond Homes faced the challenge of creating a contemporary aesthetic without compromising on time or cost. Early engagement was crucial in overcoming this challenge. By collaborating closely with key stakeholders, Sapphire identified the essential aspects of different boundary types and created a balcony design that seamlessly integrated them into a cohesive aesthetic.

Henry J Lyons maximised the use of

BIM throughout the design and delivery phases of Sandyford Central, incorporating substantial prefabrication elements such as a fully precast concrete frame, Sapphire’s prefabricated balconies, and offsite-produced bathroom pods. This strategy significantly reduced construction timelines and financial impact, ultimately leading to the project’s completion four months ahead of schedule.

Sapphire’s innovative Glide-on balconies are designed to be rigid, lightweight, and quick to install. Each balcony Cassette® is delivered preassembled and factoryfinished to a high-quality standard, requiring minimal on-site finishing. The lightweight aluminium construction reduces the number of façade penetrations needed, minimising the risk of cold bridging and damp issues. This efficient manufacturing process eliminates the hassle of coordinating multiple trades onsite, streamlining the construction process and ensuring high-quality results.

For more information about Sapphire Balconies and their architectural balcony solutions, visit www.//balconies.global/

Sandyford Central apartment block featuring Sapphire Glide-on balconies.

Wavin supports Balbriggan charity

‘Remember Us’

Members of Balbriggan charity group ‘Remember Us’ were joined by Minister of State with Responsibility for Community Development and Charities, Joe O’Brien and ‘Fair City’ star, Rebecca Grimes, together with residents and local dignitaries during the recent launch of a special facility – the Remember Us Sensory Garden.

Remember Us provides a social outlet to people with special needs and their families in the north Fingal area. This beautiful and considered resource was the brainchild of Remember Us founder Nora Roban who has been planning it for many years. With support from Wavin Ireland, the garden has been created as a wonderfully immersive, fully accessible space which features a vegetable garden, wheelchair swing, games area, sandpit, play-shed and will incorporate an outdoor music system.

Established in 1998, Remember Us is an integral part of life for over 250 families across the wider north Fingal area. Its aim is to create a social environment for people with special needs and their families that supports their development and inclusion as

to launch sensory garden

valued members of the community. Speaking at the launch, Nora Roban said, “All of us at Remember Us are delighted to welcome our guests to the opening of our sensory garden. It will be a very special resource for our members and their families, and we’re thrilled to see this long-held dream become a reality. Our thanks to Wavin

Ireland for their support in enabling us to get this project off the ground and for the volunteering efforts of their team. We are so excited to welcome our members and their families to this incredible space, and we’ll look forward to them enjoying it for years to come.”

SAVETHEDATE

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