EDITORIAL
R This month’s cover image features all 80 CIF member projects starting on page 21 August/September is Issue 5 of 2015
eaching 80 is a significant achievement for an organisation like the Construction Industry Federation. As a body that survives by remaining relevant to its membership, that challenge is faced on a weekly, monthly and yearly basis. So after eight decades of relevance we decided the most appropriate way to mark the anniversary is by focusing on what CIF members do for a living: construction. The choice of 80 projects completed by member firms over the past eight decades was no easy task, but ultimately we think this selection (starting on page 21) will be of great interest to our readers. It makes for a fascinating trip through Irish construction history, not least some of the nuggets of information unearthed about certain projects. I suspect, too,
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Construction Industry Federation
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Construction House, Canal Road, Dublin 6. Tel: 01 4066000 Fax: 01 4966953 Email: cif@cif.ie
Construction House, 4 Eastgate Avenue, Little Island, Cork. Tel: 021 4351410 Fax: 021 4351416 Email: cifcork@cif.ie PRESIDENT: Michael Stone Director General: Tom Parlon Chief Operations Officer: George Hennessy
the list will spark debate about projects that didn’t make the cut. Elsewhere in this issue CIF President Michael Stone and Director General Tom Parlon reflect on what the Federation has meant to the construction sector and the importance it continues to play as we enter a new era for the industry. I hope you enjoy reading this special issue of Construction. C
MAIN CONTRACTING: Martin Lang, Alison Irving SPECIALIST CONTRACTING: Sean Downey, Gillian Ross INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS & EMPLOYMENT SERVICES: Jean Winters, Cheryl Treanor EASTERN REGION: Hubert Fitzpatrick, Noel O’Connor SOUTHERN REGION: Conor O’Connell WESTERN / MIDLAND REGION: Justin Molloy SAFETY & MANPOWER SERVICES: Dermot Carey LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT: Robert Butler, Laura Dennison MEMBERSHIP: Renee McManus FINANCE / ACCOUNTS: Gabriel MacGrath COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING: Rosalind Travers
CIRI CIRI OFFICE: Jeanette Mair CIRI CPD OFFICE: Robert Butler affinity schemes Safe T Cert Dermot Carey Affinity Cover Joe O’Brien, Justin Molloy, Gillian Heffernan CQAI Robert Butler Register of Heritage Contractors Jeanette Mair Imagine Renee McManus CERS: Frances McNally Tel: 01- 407 1434 Email: info@cers.ie MILESTONE ADVISORY: Susan O’Mara Tel: 01- 406 8021 Email: info@milestoneadvisory.ie CWPS: Brigid Finn Tel: 01- 406 8025 Email: info@cwps.ie
DIRECTOR / EXECUTIVE TEAM HOUSING & PLANNING: Hubert Fitzpatrick, Noel O’Connor, Jeanette Mair
August/September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 01
21
80@80 special
Featuring 80 CIF projects
CONSTRUCTION
CONTENTS
5 CIF NEWS
87 ICF
Conference sponsor announced
Concrete Federation traceability
13 AECOM REVIEW
88 KINGSPAN
Interview with John O’Regan
New product launched
16 PROJECT OF THE MONTH
89 TRAINING
GRIFOLS in west Dublin
All the CIF courses
19 MPDI
90 INDUSTRY NEWS
Masters painters on tour
Stories from wider construction sector
84 PENSIONS UPDATE
95 DIARY
Susan O’Mara with latest news
CIF meetings and events
85 BAM M11
96 LAST FIX
New road opens early
President visits CIF project
05 16
86 CIS STATS Look at latest numbers
85
august/september 2015
90 August/September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 03
A Federation built by members
As the Construction Industry Federation reaches 80, President Michael Stone, reflects on the importance of the Federation over the past eight decades and the crucial role it will play into the future.
“It is a great honour to be Construction Industry Federation President at any time, but particularly as the CIF celebrates its 80th anniversary. I remember joining the CIF back in 1998, the pride I felt at the time that my young company was now a member of the Federation. That sense of pride continues to this day as we strive to make the construction sector a better place to work for the next generation. I think that as you read this issue of Construction, like me, you will be struck by how crucial our industry is to the overall Irish economy. At times it’s tough job – a construction site isn’t for the faint-hearted – but the sheer breadth of projects featured on these pages display all too clearly that without a fully functioning construction sector Ireland Inc. would be in big trouble. One only has to look at our Foreign Direct Investment sector: companies such as Intel, Google and Pfizer simply would not invest here if they did not have confidence in the Irish construction industry delivering their facilities to the leading edge standards that they require. The skills our colleagues bring with them in each and every project is testament to the belief that Irish construction workers are the best trained in the world.
Of course 80 years ago we lived in a very different era. Safety and workers’ welfare were only, at best, secondary considerations. Over time, CIF member companies have enthusiastically embraced a proper health and safety culture, to the extent that construction accidents are, thankfully, a rare occurrence. Over 40 years ago, our Federation also led the way in establishing a Construction Workers’ Pension Scheme that has stood the test of time. While far from a glamorous profession, there is integrity in our industry that other sectors find hard to match. We are judged on what we produce, there is no hiding place, nor should there be! The Construction Industry Register Ireland is a fine example of facing the future with confidence. The register is a public declaration that we want the best in our industry and companies that operate outside best practise standards are not welcome. The 80 projects featured here and built by CIF members are a timely reminder of why it’s important to celebrate the industry’s achievements. The challenge is to stay competitive, embrace innovation and continue to build the Ireland of the future.”
August/September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 05
CIF NEWS
CIF welcomes Housing Agency report
CIF Director for Housing Hubert Fitzpatrick says the publication of the Housing Agency’s National Statement of Housing Supply and Demand 2014 and Outlook for 2015 –17 is a timely contribution to the on-going housing debate. “The report clearly outlines the mismatch between new housing supply and housing demand, and confirms that the average new housing supply required per year for 2015 – 2017 will be circa 21,000 new units,’ he says. “With current new house and apartment construction activity levels at circa 11,000 units annually, there is a clear requirement to increase the level of residential construction in key areas.” According to the CIF Director the model for new residential construction that pertained from the past is not working at present. The key issues that are curtailing new supply in key growth areas include: • Financing: The cost of finance is still prohibitively high in some locations thus making projects unviable; • Planning: Regulatory planning requirements including high development levies, uneconomic densities in some areas, and local authority standards that exceed the Department of the Environment Community and Local Government Standards for new residential construction can all act as deterrents to recommencement of new residential building activity; • Adequate Mortgage Approvals: Uncertainty exists re availability of adequate mortgage approvals for new home purchasers. A
purchaser will receive the same level of mortgage approval for purchasing a house in County Leitrim as he will for a house in Dublin notwithstanding the fact that house prices in Dublin could be a multiple of those pertaining in County Leitrim; • Costs: The overall costs of construction must be reassessed. New houses and apartments in Ireland carry a VAT charge of 13.5% while in the UK, VAT is charged at Zero rate. “While Government has listed a range of actions in its strategy for Construction 2020 to address these impediments, we must see a clear implementation plan to put these recommendations into effect,” he adds. “We note that the ISIF has announced its €500m home-building finance joint venture with KKR, which is to be welcomed, but we now must ascertain what the cost of this funding will be, and will it be affordable in line with current house prices and all in construction costs. “The report from the Housing Agency is a valuable tool for any house builder, financier or home purchaser in looking objectively at the housing market, and giving an independent view as to what the real need for new house building activity is. “We need credible and reliable information to ensure that the mistakes of the past in terms of oversupply of a market does not prevail again. One thing for sure at this stage is that the industry is a long way off from oversupplying the new housing market in terms of new supply over the next couple of years.”
At the recent CECA AGM (1) were (2) (l-r) Martin Lang (CECA Secretary/ CIF Director Main Contracting), Orla Brady (CIF Administrator), Pat Lucey (CECA President), Colin Cleary (CECA Vice President) and Alison Irving (CIF Executive). In our last image (3) William Byrne (with Martin Maher in the background) upon the announcement that Mr Byrne is stepping down from the CECA Executive Committee.
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• Smoke and Natural Ventilation • Rainscreen Cladding • Coxdome Rooflights and Roof Glazing • Plastic Distribution • Service and Maintenance
Williaam Cox Ltd P h o n e : 0 1 4 6 0 5 4 0 0 E n q u i r i e s : a d m i n @ w i l l i a a m c o x . i e We b : w w w. w i l l i a a m c o x . c o m
Dial before you dig! You never know what’s below the surface. Digging into a gas pipeline can cause serious injury – even death. So before you break ground, always check the location of gas pipelines. It could save your life. Email - dig@gasnetworks.ie or visit www.gasnetworks.ie/dial
In an emergency call
02702RO FP Construction Mag A4.indd 1
17/07/2015 14:41
Maples & Calder announced as sponsor of the CIF Annual Conference
T
he Construction Industry Federation is pleased to announce Maples and Calder, a full service leading international law firm, as sponsor of the CIF Annual Conference. The conference takes place on Thursday the 1st of October 2015 at the Hogan Suite, Croke Park Conference Centre, in Dublin. The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Activity, Jobs and Solutions’. The construction industry is now in recovery phase with 13,100 jobs created in the industry in 2014 and 6,300 created in Q1 2015. This year’s conference will focus on those areas which are key drivers of activity, foreign direct investment and housing. There will be a line-up of top level speakers along with panel discussions to allow delegates to gain insights into the latest information on the industry. Announcing this year’s conference, Tom Parlon, CIF Director General said: “We are delighted to secure this partnership with Maples and Calder as sponsor of the CIF Annual Conference. Maples and Calder provides legal expertise and insight on construction matters to members of the CIF so having this partnership is very welcome”. Commenting on the sponsorship, Dudley Solan, Partner and Head of the Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group in Maples and Calder’s Dublin office said:
“We are delighted to partner with the CIF for this notable conference as we witness the continued recovery and growing vitality of the construction sector. The construction industry has seen a recent resurgence, responsible for a 45% upsurge in additional jobs created in the economy in 2014, with further growth continuing into 2015. This is evidence of the industry’s pivotal position in the wider recovery. “Maples and Calder has Ireland’s foremost construction disputes resolution practice. In the last few years our marketleading team of more than 20 lawyers has successfully represented our clients in a variety of high-profile and complex building and civil engineering disputes, in both the public and private sectors. In the current, more active market, our clients are also turning to us to help them avoid disputes before they occur – particularly at precontract stage.” Tom Parlon added: “The continued jobs growth in the industry is good news, not just for the sector itself but also for the economy as a whole. Activity in the construction industry is a key driver of activity in all areas of the economy. However we cannot take it for granted and we must continue to work as an industry to consolidate the recovery. “We are looking forward to an informative conference where our guests will be able to come away with the most up to date
insights on the construction industry from speakers who are all experts in their given fields.”
About Maples and Calder Maples and Calder is a leading international law firm advising financial, institutional, business and private clients around the world on the laws of Ireland, the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands. With a reputation for being innovative and entrepreneurial, Maples and Calder is known worldwide as a market leader with highly qualified lawyers who are specialists in their respective practice areas. The Maples and Calder Dispute Resolution team in Dublin is known for its particular expertise in alternative dispute resolution. The team has a wealth of experience and know-how in mediation, expert determination, conciliation, adjudication, and arbitration. In all of these forms of alternative dispute resolution, Maples and Calder lawyers perform their own advocacy. The Maples group comprises more than 1,100 staff in 14 offices worldwide, 275 of whom are based in our Dublin office. To find out more about the firm, visit: www.maplesandcalder.com / www. maplesfs.com.
August/September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 09
CIF Donegal Branch AGM and North West AGM CIF Donegal branch members pictured at the CIF Donegal Branch AGM on Wednesday, 29th June in the Mount Errigal Hotel, Letterkenny. In our second picture at the CIF North West Branch AGM, on Thursday 30th June in the Sligo Park Hotel, is Michael Keenan, outgoing Chairman with Vice Chairman Lisa O’Donnell.
At the Civil Engineering Contractors Association presentation of its donation to the Cherry Orchard Equine Education & Training Centre were (l-r) Pat Lucey CECA President, Mark Mellotte, CEO Cherry Orchard Equine Education & Training Centre and Martin Lang, CIF Director Main Contracting
Walls Construction hosts ‘Mind our Workers’ A Walls Construction site in north Dublin was the setting for address by David Mitchell from Pieta House about the importance of looking out for co-workers who may be suffering from stress-related illnesses. The address to Walls Construction staff is part of the ‘Mind Our Workers’ joint campaign organised by Pieta House and the Construction Industry Federation . The campaign aims to encourage more communication about suicide and mental health on construction sites and amongst construction workers around the country. The Mind Our Workers campaign will run throughout the year. The tagline for the campaign is ‘On our sites, in our minds’. Visit twitter #mindourworkers
Workers from Walls Construction at the ‘Mind our Workers’ site address, July 2015
August/September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 11
aecom
Challenges remain but construction sector remains positive
Earlier this year AECOM published its annual review of the construction sector in Ireland. Brian Foley spoke to John O’Regan from AECOM about how he views the industry in 2015 and beyond.
T
here is a confident voice running through the AECOM Annual Review for Ireland 2015, one of the better forecasting publications aimed at the construction sector, that reflects the mood in the Irish construction sector as we head into the second half of the year. As John O’Regan points out, annual turnover in the construction sector in 2014 stood at €11bn, this year is projected to break the €12.5bn barrier while in 2016 turnover is expected to reach €15bn. All good news, though still short of the €20bn the sector needs to achieve for long-tier sustainability. John, who works as AECOM’s Head of Programme, Cost Consultancy, Island of Ireland, says that the firm anticipates that construction industry activity will grow by 12-15% in 2015 with this strong growth pattern due to continue as the economy recovers. “Growth in activity was experienced by most sectors with the Dublin commercial sector being the most active. Whilst certain sectors of the market are hot, speculation of a bubble is premature. The industry is still at around 50% of the level of output that would be expected in a properly functioning mature economy.”
“However, the pace of growth may present challenges. A skills shortage is now a certainty. Experienced and skilled people are in short supply in Ireland and will only return if salaries and working conditions are right. In addition, the numbers of graduates and apprentices are at all-time low levels and the rewards of working abroad are attractive.” He cites, in particular, the “culture” of working abroad. “In previous years people emigrated for necessity, now it’s a lifestyle choice,” he says. Graduate QS numbers have collapsed since the downturn, he adds. “Will be lose the ‘Irish experience’, those workers with a unique understanding if the Irish construction sector?” he asks. Having said that, the sector is positive: “There has been a sharp increase in the number of feasibility studies and planning applications, which bodes well for the future. He also notes that the construction industry in 2014 experienced a two-tier recovery. “If we draw a comparison between the east of the country - particularly the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) - and the west,
August/September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 13
John O’Regan, AECOM’s Head of Programme, Cost Consultancy, Island of Ireland and look at employment statistics for the industry, we find that the eastern region has shown a 10% increase since 2012 compared to only a 1% increase in the rest of the country. Similarly planning permission approvals and house completions in the GDA are well ahead of the rest of the country in the same period. On the other hand, there is increased optimism that during 2015 some of the impetus that started in Dublin in 2013 will spread to other urban areas and their surrounding regions.” The AECOM Annual Review of the Construction Industry also looks at different sectors within the construction industry and John O’Regan says that it is not unexpected that the level of activity will vary across sectors as they respond to demand from the market. “The public capital programme is the single biggest investor in capital projects and, whilst it has been much reduced, it has been instrumental in maintaining a functioning construction industry over the last five to seven years.” He welcomes the 6% increase in the value of the public capital programme for 2015 but said that due to tender inflation this investment will only yield a 1-2% increase in public construction. AECOM reflects the wider industry through the downturn as John explains that in 2008 30% of its work was public sector while by 2012 that increased to approximately 60%. “The percentage is swinging back now,” he says, citing the Linkedin European HQ project the company is currently undertaking. Turning to the issue of construction costs, he warns that careful attention needs to be paid to movements in construction
14 CONSTRUCTION August/September 2015
costs and tender prices. “We would anticipate that 2015 will see another year of modest cost inflation, albeit at a marginally higher rate of approximately 3%. “If we look back at tender prices over the last 20 years, we see that they have followed the trend of most boom/bust cycles with accelerated inflation followed by sever deflation, raising the question of whether it will be different this time. “Supply costs are likely to maintain a modest upward trajectory in 2015. The AECOM Tender Index recorded a 4% increase in 2014 and we would anticipate tender price increases averaging 5% in 2015. However, we would expect to prices increase in the GDA between 4% and 7%
and between 3% and 5% in the rest of the country. “These price increases are tracking above cost inflation and are an indication of contractors recovering some margin which had disappeared in the downturn. These increases tend not to be evenly spread across all rates but rather there has been a marked increase in preliminaries and in key trades such as mechanical and electrical services,” he says. “The Irish construction sector has been through a turbulent decade, less than 10 years ago it was posting annual turnovers of €36bn, but the return to normality is proceeding well and the optimism in the sector is well-founded,” he concludes. C
The AECOM Ireland management team AECOM is a fully integrated professional and technical services firm positioned to design, build, finance and operate infrastructure assets around the world for public- and private-sector clients. The company has nearly 100,000 employees — including architects, engineers, designers, planners, scientists and management and construction services professionals — serving clients in over 150 countries around the world. AECOM employs over 600 people in Ireland while it boasts global revenue of approximately $19 billion during the 12 months ended March 31, 2015.
Project: GRIFOLS logisitics centre, Grange Castle, Dublin Main Contractor: Stewart Project duration: early 2014 – mid 2015 The GRIFOLS logistics centre, located in Grange Castle Business Park in west Dublin, is a highly specified building that will store and process plasma products for medical use. Built by Stewart over a 15-month period, construction included the installation of specialised cold rooms and automated packaging lines, as well as a three-storey administration block. In charge of the project was Stewart Regional Manager Roy Pickford. As one of Stewart’s largest projects to date, Roy took a CIF delegation on a site tour, where he mentioned that the 15-month completion time was a notable achievement considering the complexity of the project. Andrew O’Connell, GRIFOLS Managing Director, is on record as saying the Stewart team “were prepared to be very flexible” in responding to client requirements. He mentioned Stewart’s ability to identify specialist subcontractors as being crucial to the project’s success. The 230,000 sq. ft. plant boats a number of specialist features such as the sophisticated ASRS (Automated Storage & Retrieval System) to assist in the storage and retrieval of products in the freezer and chilled high-bay cold-rooms. Stewart commenced on the project in early 2014, employing over 500 construction workers on the site. According to Roy, the project has identified Stewart “to the market” as a leading contractor capable of delivering a complex project with the most demanding requirements. The pharmaceutical industry has been a key area for economic growth and recovery in Ireland and one of the most important contributions that the pharmaceutical industry makes is the direct employment of 25,000 people in the manufacturing sector and at least another 25,000 people indirectly employed in serving the sector to include the construction of new facilities. C Photo credit: Donal Murphy
16 CONSTRUCTION August/September 2015
project of the month
August/September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 17
MPDI
Master Painters and Decorators of Ireland tour Fleetwood Paints
M
embers of the Master Painters and Decorators of Ireland (MPDI) recently attended the Fleetwood Paints Manufacturing facility. Located in Virginia, Co. Cavan, Fleetwood employs more than 130 people and hosts Ireland’s largest paint laboratory with over 15% of its personnel actively involved in research and development. Twelve members of the Association met with Conor Doyle, Fleetwood Director and Tom O’Connell, Sales Manager with the company. Fleetwood Paints was founded in 1950 and is Ireland’s largest indigenous paint company in the manufacture, development and sale of coatings and related products to professional, industrial, commercial and retail customers. Following lunch, members took a tour of the factory and observed components being blended to manufacture paint and viewed the paint production line where paint is filled and lidded. A visit to the laboratory involved the quality control process and how paint is tested for consistency and the effects of paint under
MPDI Members: • Brightlight Decor Mr Patrick McGovern Sales@brightlightdecor.ie 01 46200086 Kiltipper, Dublin 24 • Dridex Ltd t/a McLoughlin & Son Mr Brian McLoughlin mcwork@eircom.net 021 4875668 Ballincollig, Co Cork • E & J Decorators Ltd Mr Errol Quinn errolquinn@yahoo.co.uk 083 4083900 Knockmanagh, Killarney, Co Kerry • Edward Feehely Decorators Ltd Mr Edward Feehely edfeehelydecor@eircom.net 021 4500535 Cork • Forde Decorators Mr Ian Forde colin@fordedec.com 1890 390190 Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 • Galway Painting Co Ltd Mr Ronan Byrne info@galwaypainting.com 091 753364 Galway
different light sources. In the Research and Development Department, MPDI members were given a glimpse of the way paint is tested for durability, the effects of weathering, a comparison with competitor’s products and how new products are developed and tested to adapt to market influences. The painters had many questions and provided beneficial feedback to Fleetwood on their experiences. The tour concluded with a visit to the warehouse where the products are ‘palleted’ and transported nationally and internationally to more than 400 retailers across Ireland and International markets. The Master Painters and Decorators of Ireland offer comprehensive residential and commercial painting services nationally. They are professional, skilled and experienced painters whose aim is to provide quality workmanship. Association members strive to develop their skills and keep up to date with developments in all paint manufacturing to ensure their clients receive the most suitable and durable product for the project. C • Ramberg Painters & Decorators Ltd Ms Ingrid Ramberg royramberg@eircom.net 091 510950 Galway, Co Galway
• Innisfree Decorator Ltd Mr Donal Lyne donaljlyne@hotmail.com 021 4871029 Victoria Cross, Cork
• Liam Feehely Ltd Mr Fergal Feehely liamfeehely@eircom.net 021 4507700 Glanmire, Co Cork
• J S McCarthy Ltd Mr Des Forde des_forde@jsmccarthy.ie 021 4364977 Douglas, Cork
• Lynch & Manning Ltd Mr Michael Manning m.manning@lynchandmanning.ie 01 8389215 Blackhorse Avenue, Dublin 7
• J S McCarthy Ltd Mr Gerry Lockhart catherine_core@jsmccarthy.ie 01 898 3777 Nangor Road, Dublin 12
• M V O’Halloran Ltd Mr Ian O’Halloran mvoh@iol.ie 01 6265547 Cherry Orchard, Dublin 10
• J W McNulty Ltd Mr Paddy McNulty jwmcnultyltd@eircom.net 074 9131319 Ballybofey, Co Donegal
• McCosker & Sons Ltd Mr Rossa McCosker info@mccoskerpaints.com 071 9851228 Ballyshannon, Co Donegal
• Kelly & Thompson Ltd Ms Jennifer Thompson jenny@kellyandthompson.com 01 2893068 Blackrock, Co Dublin
• O’Connell Group Ltd Mr David O’Connell ocg@eircom.net 021 4312002 Ballygarvan, Co Cork
• Kriscolor Ltd Mr Chris Cooke info@kriscolor.com 045 526596 Kildare, Co Kildare
• Pollock Decorators Ms Kate Pollock ben@pollockdecorators.ie 01 2698939 Milltown, Dublin 6
• Roger Cooney Ltd Mr Mark Dilloughery cooneydecorating@gmail.com 021 4274886 11 Moore Street, Cork • Seamus Duff & Sons Ireland Ltd Mr Damian Duff damianjduff@gmail.com 086 4118091 Dundalk, Co Louth • Sean Doyle Const. Services Ltd Mr Sean Doyle sdcs@sdgroup.ie 053 9130666 Kilmuckridge, Co Wexford • Sheric Ltd Mr Richard Treacy rptsjab@hotmail.com 01 2352020 Dunlaoghaire, Co Dublin • Thomas O’Malley Painting Mr Tommy O’Malley tomomalley07@hotmail.com 01 4582551 Blessington, Co Wicklow
August/September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 19
Eighty projects representing 80 years of the CIF. That was the brief when we set out a few months back to pick construction projects completed by CIF members over the past eight decades. It’s important to note this is an entirely subjective list picked by Construction editor Brian Foley and journalist Linda Daly. The criteria for selection was straightforward: a project made it onto the list if it was any of following – the first of its kind; award winning; innovative; iconic; infrastructurally critical or a combination of some of the above. As CIF Director General Tom Parlon writes in the foreword to this special supplement, “the wealth of innovative buildings and infrastructure that our industry has constructed over the past 80 years is a testament to the resilience of our industry”. These 80 projects, therefore, are a celebration of CIF members, 80 years and counting…
“The wealth of innovative buildings and infrastructure that our industry has constructed over the past 80 years is a testament to the resilience of our industry”
I am delighted to introduce to you this special edition of Construction, in which we celebrate 80 years of Construction Industry Federation’s existence, by looking back on 80 of the most iconic and inventive buildings and landmarks that are on display across the country. The CIF has been in existence almost since the foundation of the State, and was set up during a time when Ireland was in deep economic recession, before we were a part of the European Union, and while we were facing immense tariff restrictions with our nearest neighbours, the UK. Living standards were exceptionally low, reflected in the type of housing being built at that time. Economic growth was non-existent, inflation unfathomable, unemployment rife, and emigration at a figure not far below the birth rate. Further hardship brought on by the second world war was a major cause of concern for our government, and the lack of indigenous industry was proof of this. Things turned a corner for our industry in 1956 however, when TK Whitaker was appointed Secretary of the Department of Finance. His main focus was on free trade, with increased competition, and a shift from our dependence on agriculture to industry and services. The First Programme for Economic Expansion, which he introduced, paved the way for economic recovery and was the basis for the stimulus of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the Irish economy that we have today. In 1973, Ireland joined to then then European Economic Community (ECC), a decision which further accelerated
economic growth and brought about the first boom of the construction industry. Throughout the history of the State, the construction industry has played, and will continue to play, a major role in indigenous economic development and the attraction of FDI. Simply put, if we are to continue to attract new FDI and support job creation, we must ensure that we have the offices, the transport, the schools and the housing to meet the needs of our new work force. While recent years have seen an increase in hardship for the people of Ireland, there is certainty that economic and living conditions will not see a return to the standards seen during the 1940’s and 1950’s. The construction industry has gone hand in hand with the economic growth of our country, and in fact can be used as a barometer to measuring the success of the Irish economy as a whole. The wealth of innovative buildings and infrastructure that our industry has constructed over the past 80 years is a testament to the resilience of our industry. I very much hope you enjoy reading about them in the coming pages of this anniversary edition of Construction. Tom Parlon is Director General of the Construction Industry Federation
August/September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 23
Construction Industry Federation Timeline 1930 – 1934 The number of people employed in the construction sector doubles while imports of cement increases from 197,000 tonnes to 350,000 tonnes.
1935 The CIF is founded in May by a group of builders who had previously established various master builders’ associations in Dublin, Cork, Drogheda and Dundalk. The first meeting is held at 60 Dawson Street.
1936 The Federation’s first Director, a Mr T Kelleher, is appointed in November. The first AGM was held in May.
1937
The first CIF council in 1935
The Federation is deeply involved in a strike that was to last 28 weeks. In June the Federation President J Walter Beckett held a meeting in Government Buildings where a final wage increase was agreed.
1938 Federation moves to 20 Merrion Square and changes its name to the Federation of Builders, Contractors and Allied Employers of Ireland.
1940 The outbreak of war leads to problems accessing building supplies. Federation President D McCaffrey visits An Taoiseach Eamon De Valera to voice concerns about the issue.
1943 Dublin branch formed with 106 members.
1951
The CIF National Executive in the 1970s
The prospect of CIE having complete responsibility for delivery of all building supplies causes the Federation concern. Letters of protest are sent to every member of the Oireachtas.
1952 Construction output falls to levels last seen in 1938.
1954 To put the recession in context, over 95% of architectural graduates leave the country.
1956 Federation President Ivan Webb calls for the government to “sanction….those building schemes which would give the maximum employment….using the minimum amount of imported materials”.
24 CONSTRUCTION August/September 2015
At the opening of Federation House in 1983 are (l-r) PJ Walls, Managing Director PJ Walls, Bob Thompson, CIF President, Tom Reynolds, CIF Director General and CJ Midmer, Honorary Treasurer CIF
1957 Total value of contracts of Federation members falls by 49%. Sub contractors express concern at the methods of ensuring payments on the existing form of sub contract of the RIAI Standard Form of Building Contract.
1961 Construction workers wages increase by 19%.
1962 Thomas Reynolds is appointed as a new director and secretary. He left his post as general secretary of the Local Government Officials Union to join the Federation.
1963 The Cork-Dublin gas pipeline under construction in 1982
Construction House, 1983
Membership stands at 278 while in April the Midlands Branch is established.
1964 A seven-week strike starting in August is ended when the Federation introduces, among other initiatives, a pension scheme for employees, the first of its kind in Ireland or Britain. A British minister of state asks to meet the Federation to discuss details of the scheme.
1969 Construction Industry Federation is formally adopted as the official name of the Federation.
1970 Membership is now 820.
1976
The CIF National Executive in 1985
As unemployment in the construction sector increases by 70%, Federation members are angered to learn a ÂŁ10m mechanical contract is awarded to a British company, Kellogg Ltd., on the Marina Point NET project without the contract having been put to tender.
1983 The CIF moves from 9 Leeson Park and 4 Northbrook road to the new purpose built Federation House, Canal Road.
1985 The CIF provides free representation for members at the Employment Appeals Tribunal. Of the 173 cases referred there is a 90% success rate, compared to 51% in the wider industry.
1993 The Cork Branch Executive pictured in 1957
First signs of recovery as the sector starts to grow. Housing construction increases from 20,000 units in 1990 to 50,000 by 1999.
2007 Liam Kelleher retires as Director General. Tom Parlon takes on the role.
2014 Tom Reynolds joins the CIF in 1962.
The Construction Industry Register Ireland (CIRI) is launched, with the aim of raising standards in the industry.
August/September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 25
1930s & 1940s
Cork City Hall When the reconstruction of Cork City Hall began in 1932 – almost 12 years after it had been destroyed by fire in December 1920 - it fell to Eamon de Valera to lay the foundation stone. The new version of City Hall was designed by Jones and Kelly, who opted for a traditional design with references to Custom House in Dublin. It came complete with a tower. John Sisk & Son was enlisted as the contractor. The quantity surveyor was JL O’Connell, and electrical work was carried out by Fitzgerald and Co from Cork. The façade was completed in limestone, much of which had been quarried in Little Ireland, and delivered to the Cork city site by an early electric crane. Circular and swing saws were used to cut the stone, considered to be at the cutting edge of technology for its time. However, mules powered the simple hoists. Three miles of steel conduit and 17 miles of cable were used. Bandon Steel Industries supplied the banquet hall steel casements. Some departments of Cork Corporation opened in March 1935 but it wasn’t until September 1936 that the hall was officially opened by De Valera. An extension to City Hall was opened in 2007.
Project value: €176,430
Building the new suburbs In the early 1930s, Dublin Corporation faced huge pressure to tackle the housing crisis in Dublin city. Media referred to areas within the inner city as slums, and called for action to deal with the situation. A number of areas in Dublin were identified for public housing schemes, including Cabra, North Lotts, Ballybough, Clonliffe Road and Crumlin. In the Crumlin area of south west Dublin, preparations for a corporation cottage estate had started back in the 1920s with the laying down of a sewerage scheme. Under the 1931 Housing Act, the corporation was given powers to acquire land for housing by compulsory purchase order. In 1934, it bought almost 20 acres in Crumlin for just over £55,000. The first part of the scheme, Crumlin South, would comprise 3,000 four-roomed houses, built in mass concrete. Between 1936 and 1937, over 1,000 houses were built, and this phase was finished in 1940. The second phase, Crumlin North comprised 2,416 houses. Work began on this phase in 1938, and construction was eventually completed in 1944-1945 after it was delayed by World War II. House builder G&T Crampton got involved in the scheme in 1936 when it was awarded a contract to build 537 houses. It would win more contracts and build at least 1500 houses in the area. HG Simms, Dublin Corporation’s architect, had designed and planned the scheme.
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The Theatre Royal, dublin The CIF was only in its infancy when the iconic Theatre Royal was completed in 1935. This was the fourth, and final, version of the theatre and with a capacity of 3,700 proved difficult to fill on a regular basis. A special feature on the new building, published in The Irish Decorators’ and Builders’ review, explained that construction work only commenced in September 1934 and that many difficulties were encountered during the course of excavation owing to the fact that the Liffey once flowed over the site. According to the feature, excavations for a bar to serve the stalls necessitated working 24 feet below river level for three months. “The bar is really a reinforced concrete tank 80 feet by 45 feet and bears the four main stanchions, which have a 600 tons load at the base,” it added. “The Theatre Royal is not only a monument to its designers and constructors and decorators but also to the splendid team work which has been put in by all the sub contractors.” The theatre closed in 1962, then demolished before the much-maligned Hawkins House appeared in its place.
Butlins comes to Ireland The construction of holiday camps in Ireland in the late 1940s was met with mixed reactions from the general public. Some concerned Catholics complained that they were an English concept and not appropriate for holy Ireland. But by 1948, Ireland had three holiday camps, the largest and highest profile of these being Butlin’s at Mosney in Co Meath. This was Butlin’s first camp outside of the UK, and construction began in 1947, with the camp launching 10 months later. Enough chalets to accommodate 2,000 people were built on the 300 acre site near Gormanstown, as Butlin’s launched an advertising campaign to attract Irish holidaymakers. The UK firm countered the bad feeling by building a church onsite; it opened in 1949. Construction firm Collen Bros (now Collen Construction) was tasked with completing the site work and recreational facilities. In the months before the camp opened Meath
County Council wrote to Butlin’s to ask it to pay one-third of the cost of a road connecting the Dublin-Belfast Road to Mosney, but Butlin’s refused. The holiday camp opened its doors in July 1948. It operated under the Butlin’s brand until the 1980s when it was sold and rebranded as simply Mosney. By 1999, as Irish holiday makers started to eye sunny holidays abroad, the holiday camp was turned into asylum seeker accommodation centre. The first holiday camp to open in Ireland was Red Island in Skerries, a development by Senator Feargal Quinn’s father, which differed to the English-style camp as it housed all guests under the one roof. It closed in the 1970s. The third holiday camp, opened in 1948, was Trabolgan in Cork, operated on behalf of Pontin’s. It wasn’t as successful and by 1958 had been turned into a boarding school. In 1985 it was returned to its former glory.
Project value: £500,000
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Boland’s Mills Boland’s Mills in Grand Canal Dock has hit the headlines in recent months with a planned €150m development given the go ahead for the site. But the grain silos made their own headlines when they were constructed in the early 1940s, helping to provide employment during World War II. In 1941, Collen Brothers carried out its first project for the flour milling industry when it was tasked with building a new grain silo for the Dock Milling Company. Using reinforced concrete, the silo contained 12 storage bins, each with the capacity to hold 70 tonnes of grain. There were technical difficulties associated with the project because a very smooth surface finish was needed for the concrete. Collen Bros was innovative in its approach, and used a new method of vibrating the concrete, which grew in popularity in the 1940s. Silos were added on to the next two centuries. While the old mill building, which stopped production in 2001, is protected, the silos aren’t so the towering structures will come down to make way for office, residential and retail space as the new development gets under way.
Galway sanitorium Ireland’s very first million pound construction contract was signed in 1948, and went to John Sisk & Son. The contract was to build a new tuberculosis treatment centre, Galway’s Merlin Park Sanatorium. In the late 1940s, the Irish government embarked on a programme to build sanatoria to deal with the tuberculosis pandemic. At the time around half of the deaths in 25 to 35 year olds were caused by TB. The Tuberculosis (Establishment of Sanatoria) Act, 1945 was enacted and allowed for the construction of the sanatoria. Three regional sanatoria were planned in Dublin, Cork and Galway; with Galway the first to open in 1952. The 400-bed sanatorium was about three miles from the city on the Merlin Park grounds. The site development work had been carried out by Walls & Brothers. A Edward Smith was quantity surveyor. Electrical installations were awarded to Patrick Lynch of Dublin, and mechanical installations to Hadens Engineering company. Construction include seven pulmonary ward units, adolescent and children’s units, a chapel, staff dining facilities, staff homes and a mortuary. The Bishop of Galway blessed the site when the first sod was turned in 1949.
Project value: £1m Entire project value (site acquisition, development, building work and M&E installations): £1.62m
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1950s & 1960s Busaras This Sisk project was the source of much controversy when it was completed in 1953, and continued to divide opinion for many years after its completion. Busaras was the brainchild of renowned Irish architect Michael Scott, who was influenced by le Corbusier and the early International Modern Style. Built between 1947 and 1953, Busaras was the first major work of modern architecture in post-war Dublin. The building was designed to house a bus terminus and transport company offices; it also featured a small newsreel cinema to occupy travellers. Constructed of reinforced concrete with Portland stone cladding, Busaras remains one of the landmarks of modern architecture in Ireland. The building won the Royal Institute of the Architects if Ireland Triennial Gold Medal in 1955. It was featured on a stamp in 1982.
Project value: â‚Ź8m
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Private housing boom If the 1930s were characterised by the commencement of Dublin Corporation’s public housing schemes, the 1950s will be remembered for the emergence of large private housing in certain parts of the capital. A number of private housing estates started to build up around the city at that time. G&T Crampton had been building and leasing properties on its land at Clonskeagh Castle Estate since the 1930s but by the 1950s other developers were building in the area. These included Wharton Estate Company. Individuals also bought sites and asked builders to construct one off homes in the area. Generally, however, construction in Clonskeagh shifted from being done on an ad hoc basis to being carried out more strategically. In July 1950, for example, G&T Crampton decided to build 10 houses on one side of Whitethorn Road. Features included presses in the bedrooms and kitchen. Clonskeagh started to change from a semi-rural location into a built up one with the construction of factories also. That’s not to say that public housing schemes weren’t ongoing during this period. Nearly 140,000 residential units were built with State aid between 1948 and 1964, with capital expenditure believed to be in the region of £225m. By the 1960s, the rate of private house building outstripped local authority building for the first time.
Galway Cathedral The Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed in Heaven and St. Nicholas, more commonly known as Galway Cathedral, was commissioned by Bishop Michael Browne in 1956. It is located in the Nun’s Island on the site of the former Galway City gaol, and is the youngest great stone cathedral in Europe. Designed by JJ Robinson, Keefe and Devane, the tender for the construction work went to John Sisk & Sons. Robinson was a prolific ecclesiastical architect who incorporated several design concepts in the building, including Hiberno-Romanesque with a Grecian style dome and gothic windows. The structure is constructed of stone and made using local Galway limestone. The ceiling is made from American wood and the floor of Connemara marble. Striking features include the sizeable copper-roofed dome, limestone towers, stained-glass windows and copper-clad doors. The foundation stone was laid in 1957, and the build took eight years in total. Its dedication ceremony took place on the Feast of the Assumption in August 1965 with much fanfare. It was broadcast on television and was presided over by Cardinal Cushing, a Boston cardinal sent by Pope Paul VI. President Eamon De Valera also attended as did many religious and political dignitaries.
Project value: £600,000
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Iniscarra Dam, cork The ESB’s plan to improve electrification in rural Ireland went back as far as the 1920s, around the time that Ardnacrusha on the Shannon was built. That plan was delayed by the outbreak of World War II, but work on the Lee Hydro Electric Scheme, which included the massive construction job of building the Iniscarra and Carrigadrohid buttress dams, began in 1952. Three international construction firms were hired as the main contractors. They included Le Societé de Construction de Batignolles (SCB), a French firm, Siemens-Schuckert, a German firm that had worked on the Shannon scheme; and JM Voith, another German firm. Swiss firm Brown-Vovert fitted the generators at Inniscarra, while our very own John Paul & Co was tasked with building three bridges and new stretches of road for the scheme. A number of sub-contractors were employed, including the firm McLaughlin and Harvey, and at its peak the scheme employed 1500 men. The scheme involved the flooding of 3,500 acres of land. The Iniscarra Dam, the bigger of the two dams, was 173 feet tall at its maximum height, and 813 feet long. The Carrigadrohid was a more modest 70 feet tall.
Project value: £2.65m
American Embassy When the US embassy commissioned a new building in Ballsbridge in 1957, it set its architects with the task of designing a building that fit in with the triangular site, was functional, attractive and had Irish stylistic features. Work began in 1962 following several issues concerning budget and design. American architect John M Johannsen, a former college alumni of John F Kennedy, personally showed Kennedy the plans for the building and the president greenlit the construction. The design, which reflects a mixture of Irish architectural history and modern American design concepts, was created in conjunction with Irish architects Michael Scott & Partners. Renowned Irish builder G&T Crampton was brought in to construct the round structure. The rotunda building and repeating circular elements take influence from Irish round towers, Martello towers and ringforts. The unique bridge and moat, whilst honouring Irish heritage, was added as a security feature. The building has five flours with an internal three story atrium designed to make maximum use of natural light. Irish materials were used where possible. The floors are made from Connemara marble whilst Irish granite was used in the base structure. The Embassy opened in May 1964 and the building received an An Tasice award in 1969.
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Ballymun Towers While it failed as a social housing project, the 1960s Ballymun scheme was a milestone in Ireland’s modern history. It was the first high-rise social housing project. Located on the site of a former agricultural college, the scheme commenced in 1965, in an effort to respond quickly to Ireland’s social housing needs. The government wanted to move people away from deteriorating tenements in the city centre. Up to that point, Ballymun comprised farmland and a small village with a handful of cottages at the Ballymun Road/Santry Avenue junction. Cubitts, Haden and Sisk formed a joint venture to build 3,260 homes in a number blocks of up to 15 storeys. Eventually, there would be seven 15-storey tower blocks, 19 eight-storey blocks, and 10 four-storey blocks, as well as 1,987 standard housing units. The first 15-storey tower was completed in 1966, 50 years on from the 1916 Rising, so each block was named after the leaders of the Rising. The blocks were system built, using pre-cast Balancy system blocks with standardised floor-to-floor ceiling heights of 8ft 6 inches throughout. The goal was to construct 1,000 homes a year. By 1969, all of the units were completed, housing 12,000 people in homes that were larger than the average Dublin Corporation house. The housing project was well-received at first, with tenants having two bedrooms, running hot water, central heating and lifts. The main cause for failure was the lack of communal public facilities; the scheme was originally supposed to include office accommodation, shopping facilities and an entertainment centre. Demolition began in 2004.
Project value: €9.5m
Cork County Hall Upon its completion in 1968 - after 70 years of effort to find independent headquarters for Cork County Council - Cork County Hall was the tallest inhabited building in Ireland. It stood at 211 feet tall, and had 17 storeys. Aside from its height, the building was also a landmark construction project in Ireland because it brought all administrative and civic departments together in one building for the first time. The hall had been designed by Cork’s county architect, Patrick L McSweeney, and built by general contractors PJ Hegarty and Sons. On a three acre site, the building consisted of a single vertical-block design with a distinguishable surface of precast concrete tracery. Over 47,000 sq ft of windows were put in place by Smith & Pearson. The external height of the building meant that piles had to be laid on bedrock 50 feet below the ground. Construction of the floors above ground were done in such a way that each floor became the work platform for laying the next. This meant that the building could be completed without scaffolding, saving the council £20,000 in the process. One floor was added every three weeks. Cork County Hall was redeveloped in 2006, and now has a triple height concourse for a public space, additional three-storey and six-storey wings, and an elliptical council chamber.
Project value: over £500,000
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Cork Opera House When the Cork Opera House was destroyed by fire in 1955, many believed it spelled the end for the landmark in the city. It was the first time in 250 years that Cork was without a major theatre. Indeed, it did take 10 years and major refurbishment before it would open its doors again. What lay outside the doors, however, raised eyebrows with many Cork residents who criticised the absence of architectural embellishment. The property was brick heavy and accused of having an ugly fly tower. But those involved did the best they could with the finance available. On the other hand, the interior was a huge success praised for its intimate atmosphere. Cork Opera House set about remedying the façade in the early 1990s when it commissioned Murray O’Laoire Associates to design a more modern theatre. It wasn’t until 2000 that the project received financial support so that construction could begin. Sisk was brought on as the main contractor. Work was carried out in three stages, and the result was a 1000-seat theatre, complete with an exterior comprising cantilevered design of glass and steel. The glazed façade, which links the three floors, looks over Emmet Place and the river. The Half Moon theatre was built to the rear.
Project value: £300,000 (1960s); €10m latest refurbishment
Liberty Hall Ireland’s first skyscraper, Liberty Hall was constructed from 1961 to 1965. Standing at 195 feet tall with 16 storeys including a theatre, it held the title of Ireland’s tallest building until recent years. Built to provide a new headquarters for the Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union, Liberty Hall was designed by engineer Desmond Rea O’Kelly and constructed by John Sisk and Sons. The building was a controversial project with most Dubliners believing it was too tall. O’Kelly designed the copper roof to compliment the nearby Customs House, in a bid to marry the old with the new. The entirety of the outside façade was made of windows comprised of non-reflective glass. This gave the building a translucent appearance, and for a time Liberty Hall was known by locals as “Crystal Tower”. Most of the windows were destroyed by a bomb in 1972 and were replaced using standard glass. The viewing platform, a popular attraction, was closed following the bomb. Built on the site of the original City Hall, the scene of much activity in 1916, the building now houses the headquarters of SIPTU. Moves in 2012 to demolish and redevelop it into a 22-storey tower were quashed by An Bord Pleanala. Liberty Hall received a commendation from the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) Triennial Gold Medal competition for 1965-67.
Project value: £650,000 [Source Irish Times,1965]
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Poolbeg Chimneys The Poolbeg Chimneys in Ringsend, have dominated the Dublin skyline since their construction in the 1960s and 1970s. Standing just over 680 feet high, chimney one was constructed in 1969, while chimney two, which is slightly taller at 681 feet, was added in 1977. Forming part of the Poolbeg Generating Station the plant and chimneys stand adjacent to the Pigeon House Power Station, Ireland’s first electricity station, built in 1903. Pigeon House ‘B’ was redeveloped and modernised to create the Poolbeg Generating Station in 1971. The chimneys were decommissioned in 2010 and whilst it was initially decided to demolish the chimneys objection have led to a decision to preserve the chimneys and to cap the tops of each stack.
RTE Studios On New Year’s Eve 1961, President of Ireland Eamon de Valera launched Ireland’s first television service to an audience of 80,000 people around Ireland. This momentous occasion in Ireland’s history followed a 15-month construction programme that saw the first television studios built on the Stillorgan Road in Donnybrook. Dublin-based E Stone & Sons was enlisted as the main contractor for the new television headquarters, and a few hours after signing the contract in October 1960, moved onto the 23 acre site. Michael Scott and Associates had designed the centre, a twostorey structure, 30 feet high. The main studio extended to 4,000 sq ft, the second to 1700 sq ft. Smith and Pearson was responsible for aluminium and steel in construction, while
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Riverdale was the subcontractor for the erection of 2,100 sq yards of precast roofing. McManus & Ryan laid an acre of floor covering, while Alex Malcolm & Co fixed 35,000 sq ft of acoustic ceiling tile. In conjunction with the Donnybrook site, Pye (Ireland) also worked on the erection of a £105,000 transmitter station at Kippure in Co Wicklow. The highest landmark in Dublin, the aerial was almost three times the height of Nelson Pillar. In 1969, the studios were damaged by an IRA bomb, and have been redeveloped and added to over the years. The radio studios were added to the site in 1973. In 2009, the broadcasting authority launched plans for a new 860,000 sq ft media centre under Project 20205. It is expected that RTE will sell off some of its now 30 acre site to boost its coffers.
Project value: £500,000
Stillorgan Shopping Centre The first large suburban shopping mall in Ireland, the Stillorgan Shopping Centre opened for business in December 1996. Then Taoiseach Sean Lemass did the honours while teen heartthrob Dickie Rock blasted out a tune. MEPC (Ireland) was the developer of Ireland’s first mall. The firm brought on John Costello of Costello, Murray & Beaumont as architect to design 110,000 sq. ft of shopping accommodation on a nine acre site. Renowned Irish firm G&T Crampton was hired as the main contractor. The builder had to overcome the wettest winter in Ireland’s history to complete construction on time. It did so by using pumping systems to drain the rainwater and bringing on 50 sub-contractors and suppliers. MEPC also had to rehouse 19 families who lived on the site, so purchased a 3.5 acre site nearby and G&T Crampton built homes for the families within three and a half months. The Stillorgan Shopping Centre project itself was completed in 18 months, with an open air plan and 12 foot wide cantilevered canopy to fend off the rain. The main feature was an illuminated sign tower. MEPC commissioned the German-born sculptor Imogen Stuart to create a sculpture The Fiddler of Dooney. Almost 50 years on from its construction, and plans have been submitted for a revamp of the centre, which will include a new glass roof and façade, the addition of almost 5,000 sq ft of floor space and a redesign of the car park.
Project value: £1m
UCD Belfield UCD purchased the 330-acre Belfield estate in the 1930s to provide playing fields for its students but it wasn’t until the 1960s that it started to decamp from the city. Today it is a modern campus university that has combined period properties with state-of-the-art buildings. Architects A&D Wejchert designed much of the campus’s buildings after winning a £3500 competition. The 355,000 sq ft science complex, which consisted of four buildings all interconnected, was among first to be completed on the site, with construction carried out by McInerney. The 140,000 sq ft arts building, complete with restaurant, was next, built by Sisk and officially opened by President De Valera in 1970. A number of Ireland’s construction firms have worked on the campus ever since, including John Paul Construction, which built the 1970s 60-metre UCD Water Tower, winner of the 1979 Irish Concrete Society Award. Belfield had a number of innovations including being
home to Ireland’s first atrium building, the Administration Building, completed by Sisk in 1972. It received the Triennial Gold Medal from the RIAI in the 1970s. Throughout the years UCD expanded with a number of projects: Collen, for example, built the student residences at Roebuck Hall. A new campus development plan was established in 2005, and a number of buildings have been constructed since. In 2012, a 720,000 sq ft science centre was completed at the cost of €48m The €50 million UCD Sport and Fitness complex, home to the country’s third Olympic-sized swimming pool, as well as a debating chamber, theatre and cinema, opened in June 2012
Project value (original cost): €7m
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1970s & 1980s AIB Bank Centre, dublin Built in the 1970s, the AIB Bankcentre in Ballsbridge, Dublin, brought all possible banking facilities together in one complex for the very first time. In 1973 AIB purchased 13.5 acres of land from the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) for £4.3m and spent around £700,000 for additional land to tidy up the site. When planning was granted for the office development in 1975 it set a precedent for other permissions in the area. The architect Andrew Devane of Robinsons Keefe and Devane (RKD) designed a complex with 440,000 sq ft of accommodation. The residential element of the scheme, comprising 90 apartments, was built first by developer Finbarr Holland. The main contractor was G&T Crampton who, provided valuable work for construction workers in an economy dogged by recession. Joseph McCullough and Partners were the structural engineers, Seamus Monahan and Partners were quantity surveyors. Varming Mulcahy Reilly and Associates were the service consultants, and John Balance was project management consultant. In 2004, the rear of the bank centre campus underwent a major refurbishment programme, which saw three of the concrete framed buildings linked by a central atrium space. The site was sold for around €380m in 2006 in a sale and leaseback agreement, with property developer Sean Dunne paying €200m for four of the eight blocks and Hibernian paying €180m for the rest. Dunne’s holdings recently went on the market through Nama, and developer Johnny Ronan is likely to purchase and redevelop the site.
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Aughinish Alumnia Plant, limerick Reported as the biggest building operation ever undertaken in Ireland, the Aughinish Alumina plant on the Shannon Estuary was a certainly a mammoth project, and remains the Republic of Ireland’s biggest manufacturing site on 1,000 acres. In 1974, Canadian firm Alcan announced it would invest £100m in an aluminium plant on the Shannon. A fall in demand and a slow economy saw the project deferred for four years until 1978. By the time the plant was operational in 1983, the original figure of £100m had been upwardly revised to £640m. Some 265 Irish companies were involved as contractors during the five year building programme, which was dogged with unofficial industrial relation problems in year two.
Among the construction firms to work on the project were Collen Brothers and London firm Christiani & Nelson, awarded a £10m contract for work on a marine terminal at Aughinish Island. CBI Constructors worked on design, fabrication and the erection of 30 precipitator tanks for the plant. Dublin firm J&C McGloughlin, part of the TMG Group won a £1.75m contract to supply structural steel. HA O’Neil, part of the Jones Group, and William Press and Son, a UK firm, were tasked with erecting structural steel and the installation of pipework. Siac got a £1.1m roofing contract. On September 24, 1983, alumina was produced for the first time at the plant.
Project value: IR£640m
Central Bank In the heart of Dublin city, the Central Bank courted controversy from inception to completion. Designed by Sam Stephenson, an up-and-coming architect, it sought to be almost invisible on Dame Street. Critics said it was too tall, too modern and too different. Proponents, including the Architectural Review, hailed it as a marvel of modern architecture. Nobody could argue that it wasn’t unique. John Sisk & Sons was the main contractor, constructing a building with a suspended roof and hanging floors held in place by cables and steel billets. The suspended roof gives the building an upside down appearance. Work began in 1972 but was halted on numerous occasions in 1974 and 1975 by public inquiries. The building’s height was debated in the Dail with objectors claiming it was taller than the approved plans. In the end Stephenson’s firm had to pay the Central Bank £200,000 when the copper roof was left off. It was put on 18 years later. It was an immense project taking two weeks alone to pour the concrete needed to construct the inner core towers. Each floor was constructed at ground level and then lifted into place with all of the fittings and service equipment already in situ. The building was finally completed in 1978. In the not too distant future it will have new tenants, as the Central Bank moves to a new €140m eco-premises on North Wall Quay. The Dame Street building is expected to sell for €30m.
Project value: £10m
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Irish Life Centre The first major mixed-use development in Dublin city centre, the Irish Life Centre is believed to have shaped development in the city centre in the 1970s and 1980s. An office, retail and residential scheme, it certainly helped to rejuvenate north central Dublin in the 80s. Ground was broken on the four acre site in 1975, and planning was granted for 10 instead of nine storeys. The centre included 240,000, sq ft office space, 50 one and two bed residential units, a mall and 375 car park spaces. Half of the office space was to be let while the other half was filled out by Irish Life Assurance Company, the developers of the centre. The mall section of the centre included 12 retail shops, ranging in size from 385 sq ft to 2,000 sq ft, and at the time it was reported to be one of the “greatest ever retail opportunities”. Occupying the former Brooks Thomas and Education Company sites, the centre ran from Lower Abbey Street back to Talbot Street. Designed by Robinson Keefe and Devane (RKD), the centre was built by John Sisk and Son, who used 45,000 cubic metres of concrete. The design was a departure from brick-heavy 1970s buildings, however, with 50% of the building covered in special solar control glass. Construction was completed in 1978.
Project value: £20m
NUI Galway Having started life as one of three Queen’s Colleges in 1849, the NUI Galway underwent major transformation both in name and aesthetics during the 20th century. Physically, the university saw major change in a decade-long development in the 1970s, when a new masterplan for the college, at that stage known as University College Galway, was adopted. Designed by Scott Tallon Walker, it unified the 300-acre campus, incorporating academic, cultural, residential and recreational facilities. In 1970, John Sisk & Son signed the largest single ever contract in the Galway area, a £2m contract to build a two-storey science building, four-storey library and a restaurant on the campus. There was further development in the 1990s, with an old munitions factory converted into a student centre. Since the turn of the 21st century, more buildings have been added as the university spends €400m on its Campus of the Future capital investment programme. These include Áras Moyola, home to the School of Nursing and Midwifery, the multiple award-winning engineering building – the first in Ireland to use voided slab systems
Total project value: £12m
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Papal Cross In early August 1979, just after the three-week builders’ holidays had started, construction firm John Sisk & Son got a call about building a papal cross and vestry chamber for the Phoenix Park. The project needed to be turned around in jig time, well ahead of Pope John Paul II’s visit on 29 September. So Sisk called back some of its men from their holidays. In the space of four weeks, the 35 metre high papal cross was erected, which involved major logistical challenges, including the fact that Phoenix Park had no access to electrical mains or services. The cross and chamber were designed by Ronnie Tallon of Scott, Tallon and Walker. The cross was made up steel girders weighing in at a total of 31 tons and requiring 5km of welding. The girders were cast at J&C McGloughlin steelworks based in Inichore. Due to their length, they proved difficult to transport, so had to be moved along Dublin’s widest and longest roads making for a long, convoluted journey from Inichore to the Phoenix Park. The cross was put in place by 200 tonne cranes, the largest in Ireland at the time, and set on a scaffold podium with over 43,000 sq ft of grey carpet. The concrete chamber supporting the cross was used as the vestry chamber on the day. The cross was completed on 14 September 1979, two full weeks before Pope John Paull II visited on 29 September and presided over an open air mass attended by over one million people, the largest gathering of people in Ireland for 150 years. In recognition of his design, Ronnie Tallon received a Papal Knighthood.
Project value: £50,000
Shannon Airport As air transport entered a new era in the late 1960s, the Irish government gave the go ahead for new terminals at Dublin and Shannon airports. The aim was to construct structures that could cater for state-of-the-art Boeing 747 jumbo jets, which would carry up to 400 passengers. Up to that point Shannon was capable of catering for 100 passengers disembarking from flights. A new terminal would help it cater for 300 passengers per aircraft. Construction of the new terminal at Shannon Airport began a few months after the Boeing 747’s
first flight, with builders PJ Hegarty appointed as the main contractor on the project. The architect was Jack Ruddle. The terminal consisted of two buildings, extending to 67,200 sq ft, one a large rectangular office, the other a 900 foot long narrow pier building with air bridges. Some 27,000 sq ft was given over to shops and eateries, which was much larger than a new extension at London’s Heathrow at the time. Shannon Airport’s new terminal was opened in May 1971.
Value: £3m
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Turlough Hill One of the state’s most ambitious civil engineering projects, Turlough Hill is also Ireland’s only pumped hydro-electric storage system. The ESB embarked on this project in 1968 with the aim of building a hydro-electric storage system in the middle of a mountain, Glendassan Valley, close to the scenic Wicklow Gap. The work involved building a tunnel through the mountain, almost 17000 feet of roads over mountains to the top of Turlough Hill, as well as the excavation of 82,000 cubic yards of earth. Environmentalists were up in arms, but the ESB put a huge emphasis on making sure the structure fit in with the surrounding landscape. It took out a series of press ads to allay fears, and the project even included replacing things like grass. The station features a large underground chamber, which houses the power station, a natural
lower reservoir, Lough Nahanagan, and an artificial upper reservoir at the top of the mountain. A number of German firms worked on the tunnelling project, and Irish firm Ascon carried out development work. The project tunnelling consortium included: Alfred Kunz & Co, Philipp Holzmann, Siemens-Bauunion, Strabag and the Irish Engineering and Harbour Construction Ltd. The main contractor for underground works was Lotz. Some 500 engineers and construction workers were involved. Turlough Hill started generating power in 1974. Today, it generates up to 292MW of electricity at peak periods by releasing water from the upper reservoir and allowing it to flow through four turbines into the lower reservoir. During times of low demand, the water is then pumped back up to the top reservoir.
Value: £12m
Blackrock Clinic The longest established private hospital and clinic in Ireland, Blackrock Clinic was built in the 1980s by some of Ireland’s leading medical professionals: Maurice Neligan, Joseph and Jimmy Sheehan and George Duffy, the nuclear medicine specialist. Through their company Medical Development Ireland, the partners had bought a 5.5 acre site at the old Rosefield House on the Rock Road for £900,000. Work on the first phase of the clinic, a 45,000 sq ft octagonal building for outpatients, began in March 1983. It helped take a large number of consultants out of cramped clinics around Fitzwilliam Square. The second phase, a private 100-bed hospital, was opened in 1986.. The architect was Patrick Campbell of Campbell Conroy Hickey Architects. The main
46 CONSTRUCTION August/September 2015
contractor was PJ Walls, who at the peak of construction had 150 men working on the site. The façade had maintenance free elements, while the ground floor areas were in travertine marble. A feature fountain was placed at ground level where a John Robinson sculpture, which depicted a group of five children, was placed. Outside, there was space for 220 cars on the site. In 2008, Blackrock Clinic announced a €100m expansion to include a new emergency department, day surgery unit, and a multi-storey carpark. The building programme, carried out by Sisk, involved adding three floors to the top of the hospital building. The number of beds was increased to 170, and it became the first major acute hospital in Ireland to accommodate all of its inpatients in single rooms. Work was completed in 2014.
Value: £20m (1980s) €100m (2010)
The DART The year of the inaugural DART service, 1984, was an auspicious one as it also was the 150th anniversary of Ireland’s first railway service, the Westland Row to Kingstown line, which occupied 10km of today’s Dublin Area Rapid Transport system. DART’s electric infrastructure was provided by GEC (General Electric Company) and the original rolling stock by Linke Hoffman Busch. Ancillary works included new footbridges, automatic level-crossings and two new stations at Sandymount and at Salthill and Monkstown. It was a controversial project. The line runs through some of the capital’s most affluent districts where public transport is less of a necessity than elsewhere and where, because the line hugs the coastline, the passenger catchment area is often 50% less than ideal. However, the DART has stood the test of time. Its arrival heralded a growing national confidence and a perception that we were a modern, European nation. Thanks to the success of the DART, we have the LUAS and, perhaps also, we have had greater investment in our bus fleet. In 1997, it was extended northwards to Malahide and southwards to Greystones at a cost of £7.3m. Recent plans to create the Dart Underground through the city centre were deferred.
Project value: £113m
Eastlink Ireland’s first toll bridge opened on the East Link Road in Dublin on 21 October 1984. The East-Link bridge, which lies over the River Liffey and connects Ringsend with the East Wall road, was a publicprivate partnership between Dublin Corporation, Dublin Port and the National Toll Roads company. It helped to direct traffic away from Dublin’s city centre. Upon opening it cost cars 30p to make the journey across. Today, the price is €1.75. The bridge was first proposed in 1980, with construction finally getting underway in May 1983. It was completed to programme, 80 weeks later. Designed by McCarthy & Partners, with Dorman Long Bridge and Engineering, the bridge is simple in its design, opting for function over aesthetics. The main contractors were Irishenco with Thomsons of Carlow. The bridge has four fixed spans, each 26 metres long, as well as an opening span of 45 metres and an approach road of 1150m. The single leaf structure weighs 500 tonnes. Ten metres in width it is supported by steel piles, which are driven into the black boulder clay of the Liffey floor. The bridge was enormously beneficial to Ireland’s city centre, and within the first six months of operation one million vehicles traversed it.
Project value: £6.1m
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Microsoft When a US “micro-computer company” called Microsoft decided to establish its first office outside the US in Ireland in May 1985, the news story barely made a ripple in the Irish media. There was a small blurb on page one of The Irish Times, with a four paragraph story on page 20. The owner was a Mr William Gates, and he was planning to hire 20 people, it read. Thirty years later, and Microsoft now employs 1,200 people and 400 contractors, and has made over €1bn in investments in Ireland. In 1985, Microsoft moved into the former IDA advance factory at Sandyford Industrial Estate. The factory needed re-roofing and recladding, as well as an extra 20,000 sq ft new office build. G&T Crampton was awarded the contract, valued
at over £1m, for work on the factory. Brian O’Halloran & Associates was the architect, and DL Martin was the quantity surveyor. Over the years, Microsoft increased its present, taking space at the Bennettbuilt Atrium buildings in Sandyford. In late 2007, it announced a $500m (€341m) investment in its first Windows Life EMEA Data Centre at Grange Castle in Dublin. Measuring over 300,000 sq ft, it was the first such facility outside the US. Sisk managed the subcontracts on the build. This year it marked its 30th anniversary by announcing a €134m investment in a new 500,000 sq ft Dublin campus at Leopardstown, which will bring its Irish staff together in the same site.
Value: $1bn
Naas bypass Along with the initial stretch of M1 at Santry, the Naas bypass was Ireland’s first motorway and was intended to address major difficulties and relieve the town of around 12,000 vehicles per day, which were clogging its streets. Once likened to the canal construction programme of over 200 years earlier, the project involved largescale construction of road pavements, bridges and earthworks, with new engineering techniques utilised in the areas of pre-stressed and post-tensioned concrete. The design facilitated future extension of the bypass on the Limerick-Cork route at Newhall and incorporated a grass median which would facilitate widening. The bypass was built by direct labour construction on the drainage and fencing elements with input from several contractors on the bridge, earthworks and pavement. Kildare County Council road design staff were responsible for the engineering design and construction management. The earthworks element involved the excavation and importation of 1.5 million tonnes of material. Contractors included W.H. Elliot (Earthmoving), Roadstone Ltd. as well as Uniform Construction Co. Ltd, Coffey Construction Ltd, Irishenco and W.J. Taggart (Ireland).
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1990s Boston Scientific When Digital Corporation announced the closure of its computer hardware plant in Galway in 1993, with the loss of 780 jobs, many thought it spelled doom for the region. But just a few months later, in February 1994, Boston Scientific, a medical devices firm, announced it would establish its European headquarters in a vacant plant beside the Digital premises in Ballybrit. The firm opened a 20,000 sq ft, $24m (IRÂŁ15m) centre of excellence initially, and within two years would expand to add over 200,000 sq ft to its site. Spending an additional ÂŁ40m, the investment made Boston Scientific one of the largest manufacturing facilities in the West. Contractor PJ Walls worked on building the facility in three phases, and it comprised 300,000 sq ft of clean room and storage facilities, as well as 75,000 sq ft of offices, canteen and recreation areas. Boston Scientific eventually branched out with facilities in Clonmel and Cork. A number of contractors have worked with the firm over the years, including PJ Hegarty & Sons and Kirby. PJ Hegarty was appointed as main contractor for a recent construction of a new facility within a fully operational Boston Scientific site. It included adding a cleanroom, warehouse and 540 car parking spaces. Over the years, Kirby has worked with Boston Scientific and is responsible for all project and maintenance related work; it has managed, among other things, the construction of a European data centre.
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Croke Park The redevelopment of Croke Park, which started in 1992, was prompted by safety concerns following a number of stadia disasters in the 1980s, including Hillsborough. By the time it was completed 13 years later, those concerns were well allayed. What emerged was the third largest stadium in Europe, after Barcelona’s Nou Camp and Wembley in London, spanning 16 acres with a capacity of 82,300 people. Sisk Group was the main contractor, and ensured GAA’s schedule of All-Ireland finals went uninterrupted during the four phases of construction. The Cusack Stand came down the day after the 1993 AllIreland final. International firms HOK and Lobb, which merged in 1999, were tasked with drafting the masterplan but it fell to
local firm Gilroy McMahon to complete the design. The Irish company went on to win the RIAI Gold Medal for its work in 2009. Croke Park is a stadium steeped in history, with the highs of All-Ireland finals and the lows of 1920’s Bloody Sunday massacre. In development the challenges of creating a world-class stadium in the middle of a city were overcome. The Canal End was constructed in a stiletto shape with 70% in airspace, and the famous horseshoe effect was created so that Hill 16 remained in terraces. Some 45,000 cubic metres of concrete were used, with 2,000 tonnes of steel forming the five-acre roof. The Cusack Stand, which reaches 11 storeys high, was so tall that Sisk had to use Ireland’s largest crane to complete it.
Project value: €260m
Galway Racecourse Millennium Stand When Stewart, the construction firm, started to build the Millennium Stand at Galway Racecourse in 1998, the firm had a number of challenges to overcome. The old stand had to be demolished immediately after the biggest event in the racecourse’s (and indeed Galway’s) calendar, the Galway Races Summer Festival, which was a technically tricky job. Stewart had an 11 month timeframe to complete the project in time for the following year’s event, and had to overcome wintry windy conditions to stay on schedule. But the firm managed to rise to the challenge. Designed by Ove Arup Partnership, the new threelevel stand comprised a panoramic restaurant on the top floor, a viewing terrace for 8,000 people, a second floor 2000-seater balcony, as well as bars and tote facilities. The structure combined a mixture of reinforced concrete, structural steel and precast concrete elements. High tech IT, heating, ventilation and airconditioning facilities had to be installed. The new Millennium Stand opened in time for the 1999 festival. The work was shortlisted for a Construction Excellence Award.
Project value: €9.9m
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Guinness Storehouse Ireland’s number one tourist attraction may have been originally built in 1904, but it was a 1990s’ refurbishment that turned it into a unique visitor experience. Redevelopment of the Guinness Storehouse, used for the fermentation and storing of Guinness up until the late 1980s, started in 1999. A listed building, it had to be converted with the utmost of care. Main contractor John Sisk & Son employed highly crafted engineering and construction methods. The contractor and architects, UK-based firm Imagination with Dublin-firm RKD, wanted to demonstrate industrial strength so cut out the floors to reveal girders. The six-storey building spans almost 16,000 sq metres and includes a visitor centre, archive, training and corporate facilities, as well as a store and three bars. The most famous of those is the Gravity Bar, which looks out over Dublin from the sixth floor. The entire building is a nod to Guinness, with the large central atrium glazed to resemble a pint glass. The top of the building, the glass roof, resembles the head. Some artefacts from the building’s previous incarnation were included in the new structure such as the large copper roasting machine and 150 year old American Oak vats. Work on the storehouse was completed in 2000. In 2006 a new wing catering for live demonstrations was added. Over one million people visit the storehouse each year.
Value: €40m
Intel It’s a little over a quarter of a century since the US chip giant Intel decided to set up in Ireland. The firm originally opened at a former car showroom on the Long Mile Road in 1989, before moving to Leixlip in County Kildare in 1990. Since then, it has invested a staggering $12.5bn dollars in its operations here, with almost $9bn going towards capital investment. The latest construction project by the firm, a $5bn investment, was announced in 2011, the largest private investment in the history of Ireland. The construction and upgrade project on Intel’s 360 acre site in Leixlip has created 5,000 additional indirect jobs. But over the years, building on the site has been pretty much continuous. Construction on its Fab 10 began in 1991, opening in 1994. In 1995, a second facility, Fab 15 began with a three year project. The turn of the new Millennium saw the construction of Fab 24 project, which was officially opened in 2004, the same year as Intel announced a $2bn investment in Fab24-2. Over the years Intel has worked with a number of construction and engineering firms, including Mercury Engineering, PJ Hegarty & Sons, BAM Group, Jones Engineering, M&W Group and PM Group.
Value: €8.2bn (capital investment)
54 CONSTRUCTION August/September 2015
Jack Lynch Tunnel The first ever under-river crossing in Ireland, the Jack Lynch Tunnel was opened in May 1999 after 10 years of planning, two public enquiries, a major environmental impact study, and four years of construction. On the weekend before the tunnel opened to vehicles, an estimated 100,000 pedestrians walked its length for charity. The immersed tube tunnel was built as part of the N40 ring road of Cork, spanning 4.2km of dual carriageway and 1.8km of approach roads. Inside, the casting basin is 350m long and 250m wide. Its construction took four years, and involved the excavation of a million tonnes of material. Some 120,000 cubic metres were poured in the construction and 8,000 tonnes of reinforced steel were used. Joint contractors were PJ Walls and Tarmac Construction, with UK firm Dredging International also involved. It was initially expected to accommodate 30,000 vehicles a day but daily throughput rose to over 65,000. In 2011, it underwent some retro-fitting to comply with EU regulations around fire safety. It won the civil engineering category at the Construction Excellence Awards 1999.
Project value: £104m
Major Inter Urban Motorways It’s no secret we lagged behind our European and UK neighbours when it came to infrastructure, particularly our road network. The British started planning for its motorways just after the war and by the end of the 1950s sections of the M6 and M1 were complete. Here in Ireland we had to wait another 25 years before we commenced building a modern road network – the short stretch of M1 at Santry and the badly needed Naas bypass. By the 1990s funding was becoming more readily available and gradually major bottlenecks were becoming a thing of the past. Portlaoise was bypassed in 1997 while four years earlier the M9 Kilcullen spur opened. Irish contractors made a herculean effort during the twenty years up to 2010 it took to complete the motorway network. As Sean O’Neill, the NRA’s Head of Communications and a veteran of Boston’s Big Dig, says: “In the early days people were looking towards their global counterparts for experience in this field.” That expertise couldn’t have been attained in Ireland as the projects weren’t happening here. All of a sudden that changed. We not only caught up. We became leaders. Irish contractors, he says, could compete with anyone in the world.
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Smithfield regeneration The regeneration of Smithfield was an ambitious project of which the full potential is yet to unfold. In 1999, McGarry Ni Eanaigh Architects completed the awardwinning design for Smithfield Plaza, a civic space aimed at increasing footfall to the area. The Luas works delayed the refurbishment of the southern end of the plaza, but some years later in 2012, this was finally completed. In the interim, commercial and residential development completely changed the face of the previously run down area when the former Linders Garage on a 2.5 acre site was developed. Fusano Properties, a firm comprising developers Paddy Kelly and John Flynn, as well as Joe and Patrick Linders financed the project. Architects Horan Keogan Ryan were drafted in to draw up plans for 60,000 sq ft of office and retail space, which included two
cinemas, retail outlets, pub and café facilities, as well as basement carparking that goes out under the square. G&T Crampton completed the building work on the project. White Young Green was the engineer. Since the development of Smithfield, it has become a cultural quarter with museums opening in the area, as well as eateries and the Lighthouse Cinema, not to mention the hugely successful Brown Bag Films and other digital firms. The redevelopment is yet to live up to its full potential, however, with the economic downturn, but the regeneration scheme at Grangegorman is expected to have a hugely positive impact on Smithfield in the coming years.
Value: €165m for Smithfield Market; the Fusano Properties development, Smithfield Plaza (north and south) €8m plus in three phases
West Link Dublin’s biggest toll project, the West Link toll bridge opened amidst much public debate in 1990. Financed entirely by private enterprise – spearheaded by Tom Roche’s National Toll Roads - the high level bridge stands 100ft above the scenic Strawberry beds. There were protests from the Green Alliance and by people opposed to turning roads into “vehicles for private profit”. But the entire Dublin ring road project was a major step forward for traffic management in Ireland, and the West Link toll bridge a key component of that. The 1270ft long bridge, the second highest in Ireland, is a major link in the M50 motorway. At the time of construction it was expected to handle 45,000 vehicles daily. That figure now stands at over 100,000. Designed by Ove Arup and Partners, the bridge looks more like a road on stilts. It comprises a five-span cantilevered structure, and took 1500 tonnes of reinforced steel and 11,000 cubic metres of concrete to build. The deck is built from post-tensioned reinforced concrete with a single cell box girder. The bridge was built by a joint venture between Irishenco (which later went into liquidation and was bought by John Mowlem) and Dywidag, a German engineering firm. At the time of opening it cost cars 60p to go through one of the 10 toll plazas on the bridge. At times of high winds, cars were unable to travel across the bridge, but this was remedied with the placing of heavy shields on the parapets.
Project value: £31m
August/September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 57
Advertorial
New Laois Hire Caterpillar Fleet from Finning Ireland
The biggest is getting BIGGER!
Big expansion plans are on the cards for Ireland’s biggest plant hire group HSS/Laois Hire.
Expansion Plans
HSS Laois Hire Group is Ireland’s largest rental firm with outlets in every city and quite a few towns across the island. It’s the most well established plant hire brand throughout Ireland and UK. The HSS/Laois Hire Group is an award-winning tool and equipment hire company, providing a complete equipment management and hire service to big businesses, trade and DIY customers since 1957. As the only nationwide hire company, HSS/Laois Hire Group has an established network of 24 hire branches and supercentres across Ireland and has recently launched two new branches in Ballymena and Galway. In addition, the company says it plans to open a further seven branches this year. Having such a large network of depots nationwide makes smooth, commercial and financial sense for BAM Construction’s Plant Purchasing Manager, Brian Behan. “It’s a huge benefit. Wherever we are they’re within a stone’s throw,” he says, adding that, in a business where safety is paramount, “HSS, Hire Service Group is second to none”.
Investing in the fleet
HSS Powered Access Division in operation at Dublin Airport
Michael Killeen, managing director of HSS Hire Ireland, Scotland and Isle of Man and the Laois Hire Group says it’s all about giving the customers what they want. “We have consistently invested heavily in our fleet, even during the recession years, in order to maintain a modern up to date fleet and to ensure our customers receive excellent service throughout Ireland,” he says. The HSS/Laois Hire Group focuses primarily on safety, availability, value and support; working with their customer base to help keep their businesses working safely and efficiently whilst driving down their costs. The group also includes a leading training company to ensure customers and their workforce are fully-compliant and safe.
Survival instinct
In 2005 the Laois Hire Group joined with HSS Hire Group and successfully navigated through the recession to
see year on year growth. Michael Killeen’s leadership steered the group through the worst the recession could throw at it and allowed to emerge from the collapse of the economy in good shape to do business. Part of the success has come from the company’s ability to work with clients on some of the highest profile projects in Ireland including the M50, M7 and M8 motorways, N9, Dublin Airport Terminal 2, Monasterevin Bypass and Intel.
Growth and continued investment
In February of this year the HSS Hire Group plc was listed on the London Stock Exchange. “This was a major achievement for the company and puts us in a very strong position to invest in the business on an ongoing basis,” states Killeen. The significant acquisition of Mobile Traffic Solutions, as well as the rolling out of HSS Power has enabled the company to establish the title of leading specialist tool and equipment Hire Company in Ireland. The company has also established a comprehensive Powered Access Division in the Dublin Greenogue Business Park. Michael Killeen points out that the company is made up of a number of different sectors under the one umbrella, catering for everything from training, cleaning equipment services, powered access, power, plant, portable sanitation hire to VMS boards and vast expertise in cleanroom environments. Killeen highlights the company’s capability to “supply everything from the start of a site to the finish of a site.”
Further success
Galway native Michael Killeen has taken the group to new heights in terms of its business turnover, market share and international standing. By working closely with customers, providing them with a first class service at competitive prices and offering innovative hire solutions, Killeen and the HSS/ Laois Hire team seem to have hit on a winning formula. “Success for a hire company is all about continually adapting to the needs of the customer with the aim of providing a one-stop shop for hire needs across all industries with innovative solutions,” concludes Killeen. “At HSS Hire/Laois Hire we firmly believe that we can provide an unrivalled hire experience.” Michael Killeen, managing director of HSS Ireland, Scotland and Isle of Man and the Laois Hire Group
Pictured at the announcement of Laois Hire’s new Selwood agency win for Ireland are Keith McCann, Manager Laois Hire, Ireland Pump Division; Paul Mann, Director Client Services, Selwood and Michael Killeen, Managing Director Laois Hire and HSS Hire Group Ireland and Scotland
2000s Adamstown, west dublin The Adamstown development on the western edge of Dublin city was an ambitious scheme set in motion by three development companies and South Dublin County Council in the late 1990s. Chief among the developers was Castlethorn Construction who in 1997 appointed OMP architects to develop a master plan for the 500-acre un-zoned greenfield site. Castlethorn joined forces with Maplewood developments and Tierra to form Chartridge Ltd. By 2003, Adamstown Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) was created and aimed to deliver between 8,250 and 10,150 homes, with a mixture of retail, leisure, educational and transport facilities. Adamstown rail station was opened in 2007. A number of developments were completed, including Adamstown Castle and Adamstown Square 1, and a neighbourhood centre with shops, crèche and sheltered housing. The development was designed in such a way that there was a hierarchy of streets, with main streets, side streets and courtyards developed. Three education campuses were proposed, with two primary schools and one secondary school now open. Adamstown Community College which opened in 2009 with 69 students, and now has 870. A number of contractors and sub-contractors have worked on various Adamstown schemes to date, including JJ Rhatigan and Kingscroft Developments. Work practically stalled at Adamstown with the onslaught of the recession, but in December 2014 plans to restart the scheme were approved by An Bord Pleanala.
Value: Planned spend â‚Ź2bn
August/September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 59
Aviva Stadium When the decision was made to redevelop Lansdowne Road in the early 2000s, the stadium was the oldest sports ground in Europe. In 2015, in its new incarnation as the Aviva, it is one of the best designed. Its striking curved design and glazed 50m tall façade have won the Aviva award after award, including the 2011 Best International Project at the British Construction Industry Awards. Construction work began in 2007 with a host of CIF members getting involved. Sisk was appointed as main contractor. Mercury Engineering completed fire protection and mechanical services. BAM (formerly Ascon) prepared the foundations and substructure. Siac looked after structural steel in a joint venture with Cimolai,
Ballymun regeneration If the 1960s Ballymun project is worthy of mention in our 80@80, the regeneration scheme which commenced over 30 years later is just as significant. It has involved an 11-year construction and demolition programme and has helped to bring life and optimism back into an area once devastated by unemployment, drug addiction and anti-social behaviour. Ballymun Regeneration Limited (BRL) was set up by Dublin City Council in 1997 to facilitate the regeneration scheme, which would follow a master plan drawn up by OMP Architects and MacCormac Jamieson Prichard, a Londonbased urban design firm. The regeneration project involved the creation of a Main Street for Ballymun, with a range of services added to boost the area. The Axis arts centre, built by
the Italian steel manufacturer. Kentz carried out electrical work. Williaam Cox, the daylight specialist, was responsible for roofing and cladding. Some 4,251 polycarbonate panels along with the Aviva’s undulating wave-like design prevent blocking of light for local residents. Populous, then known as HOK Sport, had worked in tandem with Irish firm Scott Tallon Walker to design the stadium. Over 6,000 people were employed, erecting 5,000 tonnes of structural steel, laying 100 miles of pipework, casting 72,000 tonnes of concrete (Kilsaran’s expertise was called upon) and laying 280 miles of cabling. The Aviva stadium officially reopened for business in May 2010, and now seats 51,700 people.
Project value: €410m
Duggan Brothers, opened in 2001 and a civic centre, built by Bennett Construction, opened in 2003. Pierse built Santry Cross, a mixed schemes comprising a hotel, apartments, crèche and shops. Andorey Developments built The Gateway, which comprises 129 apartments and shop units. The 36 tower blocks are being demolished (the first came down in 2004), and replaced by 5,000 new homes. A range of contractors have worked on the residential units, including Gem Construction, MDY Construction, Laing O’Rourke, McInerney, , Harvey Contracting Services and McCabe Builders. The recession has slowed some areas of the regeneration scheme down, with the Luas yet to make it to Ballymun. Ballymun’s new shopping centre should finally break ground in the coming months after a 15 year wait.
Project value: £2.5bn
August/September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 61
Beacon South Quarter A landmark development in Sandyford, the Beacon Court complex is a major scheme that includes a hotel, hospital, commercial and residential units. It set new standards for large scale, mixed-use developments in Ireland. John Paul Construction were the main contractors of this site, building with a mix of concrete, stone, glass and timber. The architect was The O’Toole Partnership. The scheme included Beacon Hospital, a 26,000 sq m, 186-bedroom private hospital, built over six floors above a double level basement. It was opened in 2006. In an L-shaped building, the four-star Beacon hotel contains 86 bedrooms on one arm of the L, while there is an apartment component with 70 apartments on the other side. Beacon South Quarter is a mix of commercial, retail and residential units, as well as civic amenities. Extending to 105,000 sq m, it comprises 750 apartments in 13 structures ranging in height from seven to 15 storeys. Construction on this element of the scheme was stalled when the recession hit, but John Paul Construction completed it in 2014.
Project value: €500m
Bord Gais Theatre The concept for this project first arose in 1992 on the foot of huge demand for a topclass touring centre in Dublin. It wasn’t until the turn of the millennium that Bord Gais Energy Theatre (as it is known today) finally began to take shape. Live Nation, the entertainment company, presented the concept of a 2,000-seater to the Dublin Dockland Development Authority in 2001, and the pair brought in world renowned architect Daniel Libeskind to design the project. He pushed the boundaries, giving it an angular form and creating a practical yet complex building. Construction finally began in January 2007, and finished on time and within budget three years later, with a stunning inaugural performance by The Russian State Ballet. The 11,000 sq m theatre lies
at the heart of Grand Canal Square, surrounded by fourth generation offices with an eye-catching public square, designed by Martha Swartz, to the front. Acoustics were all-important for the theatre to work. Sisk was the main contractor, Arup provided acoustic design and technical systems consultancy. Errigal, a contractor in ceilings and dry-lining, was brought in to install the first ever Vogl Acoustic perforated ceilings in Ireland. Over 2,800 sq m of ceiling was installed, with a focus on maintaining the aesthetics and meeting acoustic requirements. In 2014 the Bord Gais Energy theatre was bought by Crownway Investments, a private equity firm owned by John and Bernie Gallagher.
Project value: €80m
62 CONSTRUCTION August/September 2015
Boyne Valley Bridge Described by the journalist Kevin Myers as “the most brilliant modern construction in Ireland”, the Boyne Valley Bridge on the M1 North Motorway has been lauded for its engineering genius. Located in an environmental and archaeological sensitive area, the brief was to build a cable stay bridge that would have the least impact on the area. Roughan and O’Donovan designed the masterpiece, and SIAC Construction, in conjunction with UK firm Cleveland Bridge, was tasked with the building work. Construction began in 2000, on the two-lane bridge spanning the river Boyne, 34.5 metres wide and over 350 metres long. It has a 95 metre high central tower pylon from which 56 suspension cables fan out. The pylon legs stand at a 20 degree angle, one of the steepest ever to be built, so construction was very important. The bridge is constructed from steel and concrete. It was completed in June 2003, and at the time was the longest cable stay bridge in Ireland. It is illuminated at night in an impressive, award-winning light spectacle created by UK lighting designers Phoenix Large/Lightmatters. In 2013 the bridge was renamed the Mary McAleese Boyne Valley Bridge in honour of former president, Mary McAleese. It was awarded the IEI Morgan Sheehy Medal and the Excellence Award from the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland in 2006.
Project value: €35m
Cathaleen Falls Bridge A landmark bridge across the River Erne, the Cathaleen’s Falls Bridge is a two-tiered reinforced concrete structure. The upper level carries vehicles, while the lower level accommodates pedestrians. A signature bridge, which lies 500 metres west of the Cathaleen’s Falls hydroelectric dam, it was one of 10 bridge structures completed as part of the N15 Bundoran/Ballyshannon Bypass scheme. Built in a joint venture by Siac and Wills Bros, the entire project was completed in two phases, and officially opened on 27 April 2006 - four months ahead of schedule. The engineer was
Jacobs Babtie. The bridge extends to 110 metres in length. Its construction was particularly tricky due both to the pedestrian walkway, which is suspended below the main bridge deck, and also because extensive relocation of services was needed. These included 10Kv, 38Kv, and 110Kv ESB electrical services. Ecocem’s, low CO2 cement was used in construction for both architectural and design reasons, and the bridge combines in-situ and precast concrete elements. Cathaleen’s Falls Bridge was the overall winner of the 2006 Irish Concrete Society Design Awards.
Project value: €49m
August/September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 63
Cliffs of Moher Interpretive Centre A departure for tourism in Ireland, the Cliffs of Moher Interpretative Centre is an underground feature that marries state-of-the-art construction with an environmental landmark. The first interpretative centre at the Cliffs of Moher was opened in 1978, but when visitor numbers jumped from 100,000 to 250,000 a decade later, it was clear that a larger centre was needed. It would take another 20 years for the centre to become a reality, however. In 1992, the RIAI held a national competition, with the design of Reddy O’Riordan Staehli Architects chosen for the project. The firm came up with building a visitor centre underneath the hillside that would minimise the visual impact on the landscape.
Commissioners of Irish Lights A stunning building on Dun Laoghaire’s waterfront, the headquarters of the Commissioners of Irish Lights has received plaudits for its architecture and design. The building, which was officially opened by former President Mary McAleese in February 2008, superbly moulds into the harbour landscape but is distinctive for its modern design. The Commissioners of Irish Lights, which is responsible for operating and maintaining
navigational aids in Ireland’s coastal waters, wanted something that would evoke maritime beacons. Some 5,500 sq m (over 61,000 sq ft) of accommodation is housed in two buildings, a highly glazed circular office that links to a rectangular functional workshop building. In the office, a double-skin façade maximises daylight, with a central lantern allowing natural daylight to seep into the building’s core. A spiral staircase winds through the centre of the three-storey building. Sustainable and renewable technologies were used in its construction, with
Planning was finally approved in 2002, and the construction contract was awarded to Rohcon (now BAM Building). Arup Consulting Engineers and Nolan Ryan Partnership were appointed as consultants. BAM began working on the centre, which lay close to the 700 ft high cliffs, in May 2005. The existing stone building was demolished, and new pathway steps, a car park and viewing towers were opened less than a year later. Grassland habitats were reconstructed on the cliff tops. Despite a stormy winter, the centre opened to schedule in February 2007. It went on to win awards for best commercial interior and best access for all at the 2007 Institute of Designer of Ireland Awards, and for best public interior at the International Federation of Interior Architects Awards.
Project value: €21m
photovoltaic cells combined with external solar shading. The mechanical and electrical services within both buildings dependent upon the Irish sea for their heating and cooling needs. Embedded coils within the pre-cast concrete coffer slabs pump seawater in. The headquarters were designed by Scott Tallon Walker, and built by Bowen Construction. FKM carried out the mechanical services installation. The building was highly commended at the RIAI awards in 2008.
Value: Stg£10m
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Convention Centre Dublin On 25 April 2008, Ireland’s largest ever pour of concrete took place during the construction of The Convention Centre Dublin (CCD). Some 6,000 tonnes of low-carbon cement were supplied by Ecocem for the job, a task that took 16 hours and 360 trucks to complete. The CCD was the world’s first carbon-neutral constructed convention centre. Construction of the landmark building had started in November 2007. Construction Management Partnership, a joint venture between Sisk Group and Treasury Holdings, was chosen as design and build contractor. The master architect was Kevin Roche, an internationally renowned, Irish-born architect, whose other works include the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art and the UN Plaza. This was his first project in Ireland. They set about designing a structure with a 100-year design life, with replaceable features such as cladding designed for a 40-year design span. The most outstanding feature of the building is the magnificent 55 metre high, 37 metre wide Werner tubular steel glass drum, which provides stunning views across Dublin. It comprises 10 tubular steel ring beams and 475 panels of curved glass, each with an average weight of 600kg. It took 2.4m man hours to build the convention centre, which includes a 2,000 seat auditorium occupying the top three floors, 4,500 sq metres of exhibition space, banqueting facilities for up to 3,000 people and a number of meeting and boardrooms. Construction work was completed in May 2010.
Project value: €380m
Corrib Gas project Ireland’s largest ever energy infrastructure project – and perhaps the most controversial – the Corrib Gas project has been almost 15 years in development. Exploration off the northwest coast in Ireland began in 1993, and the Corrib natural gas field was discovered 83km off the northwest coast in Mayo in 1996. Planning applications for the Corrib project were submitted in 2001. The entire project has been made up of four parts: offshore operations including wells and subsea facilities, an offshore section of pipeline, an onshore section of pipeline and a gas processing plant at Bellanaboy Bridge, County Mayo. The project is being developed by Shell Exploration & Production Ireland Limited (Sepil), which has appointed a selection of contractors and up to 1400 employees at peak construction. Local contractors have benefitted from the project over the years, and include Shevlin Engineering, Lennon’s Quarries, Barrett’s Quarries, Carey Plant Hire, Belcross Limited, Hegarty Electrical, Artec Construction and Rossglen.
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PM Group was appointed as construction manager for the development of the on-shore terminal at Ballinaboy, while Kilcawley Construction was awarded the contract for all the building works on the terminal site. Mercury Engineering carried out the complete mechanical, electrical and instrumentation services. The onshore pipeline was completed by Roadbridge and Murphys in 2013. The project has included the construction of the longest tunnel ever built in Ireland. At 4.9km Corrib tunnel runs under Sruwaddacon Bay and houses an important onshore section of the pipeline. Some 300m longer than Dublin’s Port Tunnel, it weighs 500 tonnes. It was a joint venture between BAM Civil and Wayss and Freytag, both of which are operating companies of Royal BAM Group. The first gas is expected to be produced in 2015. When it is completed, Corrib will provide up to 60% of Ireland’s gas at peak supply. .
Project value: Estimated to cost €3.6bn by end of 2015
Criminal Courts of Justice The largest courts project undertaken in the history of the Irish Republic, the Criminal Courts of Justice was the result of a public-private partnership that saw PJ Hegarty & Sons take on the main design and build contractor role. The building was the largest courts project in Ireland since the James Gandon-designed Four Courts were built in the late 1700s. Construction on the Criminal Courts complex began in 2007. On a 2.3 acre site, it comprises 279,000 sq ft of accommodation, 630 rooms, in a circular building. The clever design creates a glazed façade with just five storeys, while 11 storeys sit behind. The building, designed by Henry J Lyons Architects, is laid out in such a way that it is the first courthouse in the world where suspects, victims, jury members
T2 dublin airport With construction kicking off in October 2007, Terminal 2 was Dublin Airport’s first big expansion since the 1980s. The project was a massive undertaking involving more than 10,000 workers over three years. Extending to 75,000 sq. m in size, the terminal was designed by London-based Pascall+Watson, renowned architects of airport terminals around the globe. The designated area for Dublin’s new terminal was limited in size and the architects chose to use curving walls with fluid forms to
compensate. Terminal 2 was also built to make the best use of natural light, with a glass and steel façade on the building’s three storeys. Notwithstanding this, 95,000 cubic metres of concrete were used. The construction team was a who’s who of the Irish construction industry, and included SIAC for enabling works and services, Mota-Engil, Coffey and Martifer for cladding, PJ Hegarty for fit-out and Pier E, and Mercury Engineering for mechanical and engineering. Arup was the lead consultant and design engineer, and Mace was
and judges don’t meet until they enter the courtroom. Some 120 subcontractor companies were involved in the build, which threw up excavation and general logistical challenges at the foot of Ireland’s most historic park and the middle of a city centre junction. Army bomb disposal experts were called in when old sea mines were discovered. The quantity surveyors were Boyd Creed Sweet, structural engineer was DBFL Engineers and services engineer was JV Tierney & Co. The project took just 31 months to complete, and was delivered three months ahead of schedule, with the courts opening for business in November 2009. It received an Opus Architectural and Construction award in 2010, the best accessible project and public choice award at the RIAI 2010 Irish Architecture Awards.
Project value: €140m
the construction manager. New innovations were used to make the terminal as environmentally friendly as possible and the terminal boasts low rates of C02 emissions. Its award cabinet includes the Corus Structural Steel Design Award 2010 and the CMG Building Design Awards Public Building of the Year, also in 2010.
Project value: €609m
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Dublin Port Tunnel The largest ever civil engineering project in Ireland, the Dublin Port Tunnel opened to traffic on 20 December 2006. It followed 10 years of planning and extensive public consultation on its route, environmental impact issues and construction method. At 4.5km in length, the tunnel is the third longest road urban tunnel in Europe. The construction supervisor was US-firm Kellogg Brown, while the main contractor was Nishimatsu, Molwem and Irishenco, a Japanese-British-Irish consortium. Nishimatsu was responsible for the bored tunnelling and railway underpass, while Mowlem and Irishenco were responsible for surface carriageways, cut and cover tunnels and tunnel fit-out. A twin bore tunnel, Dublin Port Tunnel lies between 21 and 23 metres below ground level, under hard limestone rock and clay. Some two million tonnes of rock and clay had to be moved during its construction. The project involved the building of three new bridges – Shantalla bridge over the motorway, a new bridge over the Tolka River and an interchange and entrance into Dublin Port. Alfie Byrne Road was raised by nearly 2 metres to provide a new entrance to East Point Business Park. The Dublin Port Tunnel faced some controversies during its construction, chief among them the tunnel’s much-debated height of 4.9m. In 2003, the project won an award for excellence in geotechnical design and construction from the British Geotechnical Association.
Project value: €752m (official cost in 2006)
Dundrum Town Centre The largest ever commercial development in Ireland, Dundrum Town Centre also involved the most wide-ranging regeneration scheme ever in this country. The site extended to 17 acres, and a 281,747 sq. m structure was built to comprise retail units, office space, a 12 screen cinema, restaurants and even a residential element with 27 apartments. Today, Dundrum is home to 169 retail tenants, including big names such as House of Fraser, Harvey Nichols, Penneys and Marks & Spencer. The sheer size of the Dundrum project, cutting through a village steeped in history, meant the developer Crossridge Investments, a subsidiary of Castlethorn Construction at the time, architects BKD and Sisk, the contractors, had to overcome a number of challenges. The centrepiece, a town plaza, features an 18th century mill house and mill pond, both of which were restored. Extensive enabling works also had to be carried out, including construction of a section of the Dundrum Bypass and the diversion of the River Slang, More than 1600 people worked on the project at its peak. The finish comprises a mix of stone façade, elaborate glazing, trespa cladding, and traditional render. G&T Crampton completed shell and core work. Lafferty managed the fit-out. Dundrum Town Centre has won a mountain of awards, including the 2005 British Council of Shopping Centres gold medal, the 2007 title of European Shopping Centre of the Year and the global merit award from the International Council of Shopping Centres.
Project value: €650m
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The Elysian, cork As well as being Ireland’s tallest building one could argue it is also one of our more iconic modern landmarks. Built by Michael O’Flynn and completed in 2008 just as the housing market was cooling, the Elysian became synonymous with the end the Celtic Tiger era. Having said that, it remains a magnificent building. According to its website the brief was to “create a landmark building for Cork, which shows the positive energy of its inhabitants, make it a showpiece for the way city centre development should go and most importantly create spectacular homes.”
Facebook In October 2008, Facebook, the social media company, decided to choose Ireland for its international headquarters. The decision kicked off the establishment of Dublin’s Silicon Docks with Twitter and LinkedIn moving into the area shortly afterwards, and Google already well-established on Barrow Street. Facebook’s initial location was in the 65,000 sq ft offices at Hanover Reach, which overlook Grand Canal Harbour. In 2014, the company decided to almost double its space when it moved into No 4 Grand Canal Square, one of the highest profile construction projects of the boom. The office is in a top-of-the-range block of 380,000 sq ft of accommodation across numbers 2, 4 and 5, and beside Bord Gais Energy Theatre. Across eight storeys over basement, number 4 extends to 120,000 sq ft, and has a large feature atrium. Grand Canal Square was designed by the renowned Daniel Libeskind with a focus on sustainability. The office building set a new benchmark in sustainability in Ireland when it was awarded the BREEAM excellent rating. Sisk was the main contractor; Lafferty the project manager; and McCauley Daye O’Connell the architect. Arup Consulting Engineers carried out structural and services engineering. Davis PK was the quantity surveyor. Facebook is to embark on its own construction project shortly with the construction of a €200m data centre in Clonee.
Value: (Grand Canal Dock): €180m
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Gasometer Apartments While the commercial development of Barrow Street in Dublin is worth a mention in the context of Google, The Alliance apartment scheme in the same vicinity is equally noteworthy. The architects and developer, Liam Carroll’s Danninger, took an abandoned – and listed - gas storage facility, and turned it into an authentic residential landmark in the city. Built within the original frame of Dublin’s 1885 gasometer, which had been redundant for a number of years, the scheme was completed in 2006. Architects O’Mahony Pike retained the circular shape of the original structure, gave it a glazed finish and ensured that all apartments have twosided views. The nine-storey scheme has a large open atrium and circular landing with own-door apartments, creating an airy feel. Larsen Contracts was hired to provide a decorative floor with slip resistant finish, and managed to propose a solution that would meet the requirements while complimenting the modern finish. The scheme, which consists of mostly twobedroom apartments with eight one-beds on the ground floor, was sold to Kennedy Wilson, the US property investor, for €40m in 2012.
Glucksman Gallery Described as an architectural masterpiece, the Lewis Glucksman Gallery at University College Cork was an innovation in environmental building design. Indeed, it has broken new ground in minimising the environmental impact of the building. Its innovative design allows for a saving of up to 75% conventional energy consumption. This cultural and educational institution, opened in 2004, extends to more than 25,000 sq ft over seven floors, and includes three exhibition galleries, a restaurant and dining facilities. The architect was O’Donnell & Tuomey, and the construction work was carried out by PJ Hegarty and Sons. Horgan Lynch & Partners were appointed as quantity surveyors and structural engineers. Arup carried out electrical and mechanical engineering works on the gallery. The building frame comprises reinforced concrete and structural steelwork, with the envelope clad in limestone and timber. In 2005 it was named the Best Modern Building in an Irish city. It received the RIAI Best Public Building in Ireland award, and was shortlisted for the prestigious Stirling Prize.
Project value: €9m
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Google The regeneration of the Barrow Street area in Dublin over the past 15 years has been nothing short of transformational as a construction boom in the early 2000s kicked off the development of Dublin’s digital quarter. In 2004, internet giant Google identified Barrow Street as the location for its first office outside the US, joining lawfirm Mason Hayes + Curran in Liam Carroll’s Gasworks building. The most high profile of the office buildings to be built on Barrow Street is Montevetro, a 16-storey, 210,000 sq ft structure across the road from Gasworks. It is the tallest storeyed building in Dublin, designed with sustainability in mind. Construction started in 2008, and was completed in 2011 when Google took advantage of a flailing Irish property market, and snapped up Montevetro for €99.9m. It purchased Gasworks and Gordon House, also on the street, a month later for €100m. In 2014, it followed this up with the purchase of Bernard McNamara’s Grand Canal Quay, a 96,500 sq ft development, for €65m, and this year bought a refurbished warehouse for €13m. To accommodate the influx of workers and residents into the area a new railway station was opened in the early 2000s. A large number of contractors and architects have worked on the various sites over the years, including Henry J Lyons, O’Mahony Pike Architects and Anthony Reddy. On the construction and fit-out side, they have included John Sisk & Son, Gyproc and PJ Walls.
Value: Montevetro: €148m
New Guinness brewhouse Keeping Guinness in the heart of Dublin just feels right and after investing €153m in a new ‘brew house’ in 2013, Diageo certainly plan to stay at James’s Gate for many years to come. It was a challenging project for the Irish construction sector and ultimately Diageo were delighted with how main contractor, Sisk, and a range of sub contractors, including Designer Group and Jones Engineering, performed. This is only the fourth brew house to be built at St James’s Gate in over 250 years, which underscores the importance of the project to Diageo. Dubbed Project Phoenix the construction phase of the new brewing facility involved installing 27 enormous vats used during the brewing process. At ten stories high - 85.5 feet tall - and weighing 30 tonnes while empty and over 500 tonnes when filled, the vats are capable of holding just under 1,000,000 pints of Guinness. This is only the fourth brewhouse to be built at St James’s Gate in over 250 years, which underscores the importance of the project to Diageo. The company says once the work is completed it will operate the most efficient brewing plant in the country.
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IKEA IKEA, the Swedish chain store, broke a new record when it opened Ireland’s first superstore in 2009. The 342,000 plus sq ft store is the largest of its kind in the Republic of Ireland. It took five years to get the store up and running after a rigorous planning process that saw it subjected to 29 conditions, including the condition that it could not open until the M50 upgrade works were completed. The shop sits on a 31-acre site, and includes a 500-seater restaurant, a car park for 1,825 vehicles and enough space for 10,000 products. Much emphasis was given to energy efficiency in its construction. The firm invested €1.75 million in the installation of a geothermal unit, and also added a 650kW biofuel woodburner heating system, solar shading and a rainwater harvesting system. OMS, an Irish sustainable design architect firm, was the architect. The main contract was awarded to UK-based RG Group. A number of Irish firms worked on the project, however, including CIF member Multi Roofing Systems, which installed almost 237,000 sq ft of single ply TPO membrane, over 107,000 sq ft wall panel and PIR insulation, as well as a VLC an metal deck.
Project value: €32m
Kildare County Council HQ The Celtic tiger era saw local authorities around Ireland embark on construction projects to create new civic and council offices. Some veritable gems resulted, among them Kildare County Council’s Aras Chill Dara with its sloping glass walls. Designed by Irish firm Heneghan Peng, in association with Arthur Gibney & Associates, this unconventional, award-winning building was a revelation in engineering and architecture. On just under 8 acres, the offices comprise two 328 ft long, glass-clad buildings, which are connected by a glass-link structure. The buildings with their clean lines, are slanted. Natural light seeps into them through an atrium. The team involved with working on the offices included Pierse as the main contractor, Buro Happold, Michael Punch and Partners, RFR and TPE, consulting engineers. The foundation stone was laid in June 2003, and the offices officially opened in 2006. The offices won a stack of awards in 2006, including RIAI Best Public Building, the RIBA European Award, Opus Architecture & Construction Award, and the SEI Best Sustainable Building Award.
Value: €58.5m
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Limerick Tunnel With a 675m immersed tube tunnel under the River Shannon, the Limerick tunnel was a major project with significant environmental and logistical challenges. A two-bore tunnel was laid, and involved the casting of five tunnel units, which were floated out and sunk into a pre-dredged channel, 12m deep across the Shannon. The estuary is a special area of conservation and home to a range of protected species, so construction involved working with the National Parks and Wildlife Service to translocate plants, implement site specific safety precautions and replant. CIF members Roadbridge, Lagan Construction and John Sisk & Son set up the Direct Route consortium, alongside Strabag, for construction. Starting in 2006, the project involved the building of 10km of dual carriageway, 2.3km of single lane carriageway, 11 bridges, six underpasses and eight culverts, as well as two toll plazas. Traffic and transportation planning was carried out by Colin Buchannan and Partners, while Dutch firm Van Oord undertook dredging work. The tunnel was officially opened to traffic, ahead of schedule, in July 2010 It has won a number of awards, including the Fleming award in 2008 for excellence in geotechnical design and construction.
Project value: €660m
Luas The introduction of the LUAS in 2004 was one of the most significant developments in Ireland’s transport systems. Building work began in October 2000, the design and build contract going to a joint venture between Italian firm Ansaldo, MVM Rail from Australia and Dutch firm Balast Nedam. The initial tracks ran from Abbey Street in the city centre to Tallaght, and from Stephen’s Green to Sandyford. BAM (formerly Ascon) worked on the Red Cow depot and the Citywest extension. Over the past 11, extensions have been added to both lines and the Luas now extends to 36.5km, with 54 stations along the way. In the initial works a bridge had to be built across the Taney Road to accommodate the stop at Dundrum. Ecocem was drafted in to provide GGBS cement, and the contractors were UK and Irelandbased Graham. Construction was complex and called for limited
disruption to traffic. Precast concrete segments were used and held in place by prestressing bars, tendons and cable-stays, anchored to a single inverted Y-framed pylon. Today, work is under way to connect the Red and Green Lines with an interconnector between Stephen’s Green and Abbey Street. This has involved the construction of a landmark bridge at Spencer Dock, which will carry the Luas across the Royal Canal and along Mayor Street. The next milestone will be the Luas Cross City project, connecting St Stephen’s Green to Phibsborough, Cabra and Broombridge. GMC has won the utility works contract, SIAC is carrying out enabling works, and a joint venture between Sisk and Steconfer is the main infrastructure contractor. The line is due to go into operation in 2017.
Project value: Red and Green line: €775m Luas Cross City: Estimated cost of €368m
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M50 upgrade Construction works on the M50 upgrade commenced in March 2006 and the final phase opened to traffic on 1st September 2010, four months ahead of schedule. The construction works were delivered in three separate phases/contracts with CECA members Siac and Jons Civil Engineering prominent amongst the contractors involved. The works included widening 32km of motorway to three lanes, upgrading 10 interchanges and removing the West-Link toll barrier. The Junction 10 upgrade at Ballymount was part of contract one awarded to Siac-Ferrovial JV. The third contract for the Junction 6 (N3) to Junction 7 (N4) upgrade was undertaken by Jons Civil Engineering. One of the more eye-catching elelmenst of the entire M50 project is the the upgraded free-flow junction at Blancharstown N3. PJ Hegarty worked on this section, which included 25km of dual to three lane motorway from the airport to Blanchardstown. Forty years after it was first proposed the M50 was complete.
Project value: €1bn over four years
Mater Hospital The Mater Hospital Development project, completed in March 2014, has added a new modern acute hospital services building to a venerable institution founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1861 The part nine storey, part five storey extension to the Mater Hospital established a new precedent for hospital design in Ireland. Some 67,800 sq m of new accommodation was provided. Within the new 45,685sq.m Whitty Building, there is: a new accident and emergency department, an outpatients department, 12 new operating theatres, 444-space basement car park and a range of services. The project director was MCO Projects and the contractor was SISK. Jones Engineering group was brought in to complete the electrical installation works. Works commenced in September 2009 and were completed to schedule despite all the logistical challenges of a city centre location and working adjacent to a live hospital environment. The project provides the Mater with significant additional capacity to service growing patient needs and reduce waiting times, as well as improving the physical environment and experience of using the hospital with excellent use of natural light and green spaces. Having only single rooms will help prevent the spread of infection and provide greater patient privacy, dignity and comfort. An ‘intelligent’ information technology infrastructure supports the most recent and future developments in patient care provision.
Project value: €284m
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Meentycat Windfarm The largest single wind farm in Ireland to date, Airtricity’s Meentycat in Ballybofey, Co Donegal is a 38-turbine wind farm. It took 11 months to complete the project, which began commercial operation in late February 2005. It has some of the biggest turbines in the UK and Ireland, with the largest of them reaching 60m high. Wind Power AlS, the Danish wind turbine manufacturer, supplied the machines for the wind farm. Irish firm Roadbridge was hired as the civil engineering and building contractor. The wind farm is spread across five sites just northeast of Ballybofey. More than 20km of road had to be built over the five sites, as well as 38 turbine foundations. The wind farm was extended in 2009, and now generates 86MW, enough power to serve over 45,000 homes. Ireland’s first commercial wind farm was opened at Bellacorrick, Co Mayo, in 1992. Plans are underway that could see this gain the title of the largest wind farm in Ireland, as Oweninny Power, an ESB/ Bord na Mona consortium looks to build 112 turibines at a cost of €600m. A decision from An Bord Pleanala is due in November.
Project value: €86.6m
OPW Trim Opened in 2010, the national headquarters of the Office of Public Works in Trim, Co Meath, set industry standards in sustainable building techniques. Bennett Construction was tasked with the build, and produced a solution that set the bar in terms of insulation and energy consumption. The builder post tensioned the concrete frame, saving up to five weeks of construction and reducing costs around steel and concrete usage. Designed by architect Anthony Reddy & Associates, the building is of a circular form, as a nod to other iconic monuments in the area such as Newbridge and Dowth. It is partly curtain wall glazed and partly stone clad. There are further elements of timber and copper cladding. SMG Construction carried out the form work. It has a central, full-height atrium with glass roof. A suspended bridge crosses the atrium. A civic plaza lies to the front, and water features add to the design. A rooftop garden provides an outdoor space and allows for future expansion. The four-storey building extends to almost 90,000 sq ft, and compared to other modern offices conserves energy of 50%. The construction project was completed in 15 months.
Project value: €32.2m
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Ritz Carlton Powerscourt A five-star hotel in the stunning setting of the 1000-acre Powerscourt Estate, the Ritz Carlton Powerscourt (now known simply as Powerscourt) was one of the largest hotel projects of the boom. Designed by James Toomey Architects and HID Germany, the hotel extends to around 350,000 sq ft, with a 30,000 sq ft spa, 200 guest rooms, a two-storey carpark and a ballroom that can host 1,000 people. From a distance, the hotel’s façade gives the impression that it is three storeys, but it stands seven storeys high on one side. A 36-hole championship golf course adjoins it. Up to 700 construction workers were employed on the project. Roadbridge secured the contract for site developments work. JJ Campbell & Associates and Moylan’s Consulting Engineers were the design engineers. Contractor John Sisk and Son worked with steel for the main structure, adding in 22m long plate girders to support the ballroom roof. The interior is high spec and Georgian style, designed by renowned hotel interior designer Peter Silling. Many of the rooms have floor-toceiling windows and terraces, looking out onto the surrounding scenery. The project was completed within budget and ahead of schedule, and opened in October 2007.
Value: €140m
Suir Bridge With the longest single bridge span in the Republic of Ireland, the River Suir bridge is another example of engineering prowess on these shores. It was built as part of the N25 Waterford Bypass scheme, one of the largest infrastructural projects ever in the south east. The 475m cable-stayed bridge has a 230m main span. Much planning went into the project, which involved very little construction in the deep Suir river. Some 2800 tonnes of structural steel were used, with 6,700 cubic metres of concrete poured. Fifty percent Ecocem was used, extending the life of the bridge. Discrete lighting was placed on the pylons to illuminate the structure at night. Mott MacDonald Ireland was the consulting engineer, while a public-private-partnership company was formed to lead the project. This consisted of Celtic Roads Group, Royal Bam Group, Dragados, the multinational, and NTR. The contractor was Waterford Joint Venture, a partnership between BAM Civil and Dragados SA. The bridge opened on October 19, 2009, 10 full months ahead of schedule. The N25 Waterford Bypass project led to the discovery of a Viking settlement at Woodstown, and the route of the construction was change to preserve the site. The entire project was awarded the Best Civil Projects award at the 2010 ACEI Annual Excellence Awards.
Project value: €80m
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Samuel Beckett Bridge On 11 May 2009, a barge from Rotterdam pulled into Dublin Port, travelled past the East Link Bridge and up the River Liffey during high tide. It was carrying a very special cargo – the main structure of the Samuel Beckett Bridge. Designed by the internationally acclaimed architect Dr Santiago Calatrava Valls, the Samuel Beckett Bridge was to become a landmark structure in Dublin. With its curved pylon and dramatic form, it resembles a harp lying on its side in the heart of the city. The steel bridge was fabricated by Hollandia in the Netherlands, and transported by barge to Ireland. Hollandia worked alongside Graham, the UK and Irish construction firm, to build this architectural masterpiece. The structure is a cable-stayed, steel box girder bridge, with a 124m span. It has four lanes for vehicular traffic and cycle tracks and footpaths on either side. It is particularly unique in Ireland because it can open at a 90 degree angle, which allows ships to pass through. A control room was built on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay to operate it. The Samuel Beckett bridge opened to traffic on 11 December 2009, after 30 months of construction, which included building reinforced concrete abutments on each quay wall and a support pier in the river. They lie on piles bored 20 metres into the river bed. This bridge was awarded the inaugural Engineers Ireland Engineering Project of the Year title in 2010.
Project value: €59.95m (includes a major upgrade of the approach roads)
Sillogue Water Storage Facility A national and European award winner, this John Cradock water tower stands 42m high and is a prominent landmark on the 45kmlong M50 motorway. A vital part of Dublin’s water infrastructure the tower holds five million litres, has a ground level reservoir with a 30 million-litre capacity and a 100 kilowatt pumping station. The challenge for the water tower, which is a prominent structure immediately adjacent to the M50 and close to Dublin Airport, was to achieve a design that was both structurally efficient and elegant in appearance. The consultants to the project ably rose to the challenge with the use of a double parabolic curve profile accentuated by vertical recessed fluting. Floodlit at night to enhance its overall effect, the impressive piece of urban sculpture is an exceptional achievement.
Project value: €12.65m August/September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 79
St Mel’s Cathedral Longford In the early hours of Christmas Day in 2009, the 19th century St Mel’s Cathedral in Longford was gutted by a fire. The reconstruction and refurbishment, which began in 2012, has been the largest restoration project of its kind in Europe this decade. The task of restoring the church fell to two CIF members, Athlone-based GEM Construction and Galway-headquartered Purcell Construction. The architect was FKP. The neoclassical stone building, considered one of Ireland’s finest churches, was built between 1840 and 1856. It needed to be restored to its former glory. In the blaze, the cathedral roof collapsed, Harry Clarke Studio stained-glass windows were destroyed, along with the baptismal font, the altar and the diocesan museum. The 28 limestone columns that supported the roof had to be replaced and the cathedral was provided with: a new Carrara marble altar sculpted by Tom Glendon; a silver tabernacle created by Imogen Stuart and Vicki Donovan; a pipe organ, consisting of 2,307 pipes, built by the Ruffatti brothers of Padua, and stained glass windows designed Fr Kim en Joong, a Dominican. The cathedral re-opened on Christmas Eve 2014 and was re-dedicated in May 2015.
Project value: €30m
The Spire A replacement for Nelson’s Pillar, which was blown up in 1966, the Millennium Spire is an iconic art feature on Dublin’s landscape. Despite being the proposed millennium project for Dublin, the erection of the spire was delayed by a planning appeal and High Court case. It finally got the go ahead in 2002, and was erected by SIAC construction between December 2002 and January 2003. Designed by Ian Ritchie Architects, the cone-shaped structure stands at 120m (383ft) tall, is 3m wide at the base, and just 15cm at the top. That top section is perforated and lit by small LEDs. In the day time, the stainless steel surface reflects a blue colour, while at night time it looks like black satin. The structure was manufactured by Dungarvan-based Radley Engineering, who made eight hollow tubes of stainless steel. Siac held the bottom down using a concrete annular plinth in a ring of holding down bolts. Just over 2m high, the plinth sits on a 2m deep pile cap, which has six reinforced concrete piles supporting it. They form a small underground chamber, through which the Spire can be accessed. A tuned mass damping system, designed by Arup engineers, was used to prevent too much sway. In 2004 it was shortlisted for the Stirling prize.
Value: approx €5m
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Thomond Park It took just 20 months for PJ Hegarty & Sons to complete the construction of the new Thomond Park stadium, creating a veritable Limerick city landmark in the process. Munster Rugby’s ground more than doubled capacity from 11,100 to 25,600. The design, carried out by Murray O Laoire architects, called for the retention of the existing pitches and terraces on three sides. Two new stands were constructed; a new terrace was added to the west side of the pitch, while the east terrace was modified and part covered. During construction, the ground accommodated three home games for the 2007/08 Heineken Cup season (Munster ultimately won the championship in 2008), and both stands were built without access onto the pitch. Standing symmetrically they are supported by 146 tonne, 150m long rainbow trusses, and a number of Limerick residents turned out to see them being fitted. The top of the arches sits 40m above pitch level, the equivalent of 14 storeys, yet the stadium retains an intimate atmosphere. Some 840 tonnes of steelwork, the equivalent of 10 miles, were used, with 20,000 cubic metres of concrete poured in for the construction of stands. Building started in March 2007, and Thomond Stadium reopened in October 2008. In November, the All Blacks returned to the stadium, playing to a sold out crowd and a television audience of one million.
Project value: €40m
Trinity Biosciences building The largest single project undertaken by Trinity College Dublin since its foundation in 1592, Trinity’s Biosciences building is a fantastic example of structural engineering. Completed in 2011, the 35,000 sq m development has eight storeys over a three-storey basement, including carpark. It was designed and built to ensure it could withstand high levels of ground water and future construction of the Metro underneath the site. Some 24,000 sq. m was allocated for of high spec laboratories, research and academic facilities, with accommodation for over 700 researchers.The commercial element of the scheme, covering 11,000 sq. m, was purpose built for retail and office space. In the design, provision was made for a new entrance to Pearse Train Station, which adjoined the site. Irish Rail carried out preparatory work before construction of Trinity Biosciences began. Trinity Biosciences was part financed and built by Walls. The architect was RKD, while Arup worked on geotechnics and structural engineering. Designer Group was the electircal contractor on the project. Some 8,500 cubic metres of concrete and 2,500 tonnes of steel were used during construction. The main entrances of the building open into two full-height atria, with the central public concourse opening into Pearse station.
Project value: €131m August/September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 81
Wexford Opera House Opened in 2008, on time and within budget, the Wexford Opera House was a much welcome boost to Ireland’s arts sector. The new theatre was built on a site that housed the Theatre Royal, as well as some neighbouring properties including People’s Newspaper. Office of Public Works architects carried out the design, alongside London-based firm Keith Williams Architects, and came up with a nod to the old Victorian theatre. The demanding brief called for a state-of-the-art, large theatre on a sloping site that would stay in tune with the streetscape and historic setting of Wexford. Cleary Doyle was appointed contractor, and because Wexford streets are narrow had to use short trucks to deliver materials. At just under 78,000 sq ft, the opera house has two auditoria with a capacity of just under 1,000 between them. Almost 38,000 sq ft of walnut flooring and panelling lines the auditoria, supplied and fitted by Westmeath firm Woodfit. The quantity surveyor was Nolan Ryan, who had worked on projects from the Cliffs of Mohere Interpretive Caslte to the Kilkenny Castle refurbishment. In 2009, the Wexford Opera House won the award for Best Cultural Building at the RIAI Irish Architecture Awards, while Keith Williams won an award from the Royal Institute of British Architects.
Project value: €33m (Source: Irish Times)
Wyeth Medica When Wyeth Medica decided to build a biotech campus in Dublin in 2000, it set about making the largest investment in the history of the company and the second largest single investment in Ireland at that time – behind Intel. The €1.6bn investment was to be located at a new Wyeth biopharma campus in Grange Castle, south-west Dublin. It was billed as the world’s largest integrated biotech campus, located on a 90 acre site, with facilities extending to over one million square feet. The plant was Wyeth’s fifth operation in Ireland, after setting up here in 1974, and it brought its Irish headcount to 3,000. A number of alliance contractors and service providers were hired to work on the build. They included Sisk, Mercury, Siac, PJ Hegarty & Sons, Jacobs Engineering, Cronin Buckley and Fisher Engineering. The campus opened in 2005. Since the initial construction there have been a number of additions to the site, including a CHP plant, generating over 60% of Wyeth’s electricity demand, more laboratories and suites. When Pfizer and Wyeth joined operations in 2009 it became the Pfizer campus. Pfizer announced a €145m expansion to the facility in September 2011, and another €90m investment in 2013.
Value: €1.6bn
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pensions update
Planning for your retirement? We mean two things when we talk about planning for retirement, writes Susan O’Mara.
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he first plan is to set up a pension scheme, either yourself or through your employer’s occupational pension scheme. Then you will need to regularly contribute, throughout your working life with the aim of accumulating a pot of money, which you can then use to replace your salary when you retire. The second is to actually plan for your retirement, by preparing yourself, both financially and psychologically for this new chapter in your life. In this piece, we will touch on some of the main points that should be on your retirement planning checklist. Do you know your budget? It’s a simple enough question, but in my experience, a difficult one for people to answer. What is your income versus your outgoings? What will the gap be when you retire? If you can’t answer the second part of this question easily, it should be the first part of your new plan. Are you saving enough? At this later stage in your career, you may be in a position to increase the contributions you are making to your pension fund. You may have less financial outgoings than in earlier life stages. Whether retirement is 10, seven or five years off, it would be beneficial to establish exactly how much is in your pension fund, and what it should provide you with in retirement. Your pension consultant will be able to prepare an illustration showing what you are currently on target for, and if necessary, how additional contributions will enhance the picture. Many pension providers also offer online tools that you can use to establish this for yourself: visit www. milestoneadvisory.ie/pensioncalculator. Is your investment choice appropriate? Unless you are taking regular financial advice, you may be invested in the same fund you started with all those years ago when you started your pension. You should now establish what this fund is, and is it suited to your current and future goals. Your pension scheme may offer a lifestyle investment strategy as the default investment fund. A standard lifestyle strategy will automatically and gradually reduce the investment risk in your fund in the run up to retirement. Traditionally, these funds are suitable for those who plan to purchase a pension or annuity at retirement, as they match
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assets suited to this choice. They are likely to have a high weighting in bonds and cash in the final few years. However, for those thinking about the Approved Retirement Fund (ARF) option, this might not be suitable. Some pension schemes and providers now offer an ARF lifestyle strategy. If this is an option you are considering, you should ensure your investment choice matches your goals. Pension or ARF? While it seems like a decision you can leave until your retirement date, from both a financial and investment perspective, it is definitely something you should consider in advance. Pension or annuity is where you take your pension fund at retirement and convert it to a fixed income paid to for the rest of your life. There are a number of variations within this option that you can choose; do you need a spouse’s pension to start on your death? Do you want to inflation proof your pension? These options come at a cost, and you should consider that in advance before making a decision. The pension/annuity option provides peace of mind and security, but its value is based on prevailing market rates at the time of your retirement, and subsequent market improvements cannot be taken advantage of. Meanwhile, your other choice is the ARF option, in which your money remains invested after you retire. From this, you make regular withdrawals to fund your income in retirement. The obvious advantage of this is that you keep control of your money throughout your retirement, and, with current life expectancies being over 20 years from normal retirement age (65) you can participate in future market growth. However, your money is not guaranteed and you will need to take ongoing financial advice. Gaining an understanding of how both of these options work in advance of your retirement date will enable you to make the most suitable decision for you, without any pressure. C For further information regarding saving for your retirement please contact Susan O’Mara at: susan@milestoneadvisory.ie Phone: 01-4068020 Milestone Advisory Limited t/a Milestone Advisory is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland
BAM/M11
BAM opens new section of M11 three months early
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AM Ireland has completed and officially opened the M11 motorway three months ahead of schedule. This is the final construction stage of the N11 Arklow to Rathnew motorway PPP and N7 Newlands Cross Flyover. The M11 project saw the design and construction of a new Arklow to Rathnew motorway, a 35km upgrade of the existing M11, and construction of Gorey Service Station. The route, which is a particularly busy commuter artery, was officially opened by Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe TD, together with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin TD. The €250 million project, which involved 500 construction workers at its peak, consisted of the construction of 16.5km of new motorway; the upgrade of 35km of the existing M11 road; three interchanges including the Beehive and Jack White’s Crossroads; the construction of 15km single carriageway; nine major bridges; and a motorway service area. This project is a public private partnership (PPP) between BAM Ireland and the National Roads Authority, which also includes the operation and maintenance of the 50km road for 27 years. Speaking at the official opening, Theo Cullinane, BAM Ireland Chief Executive said: “We are proud to open the M11 motorway three months ahead of schedule. This really is a positive development not just for the local community but for all Irish road users, as this important commuter and commercial gateway is now open. The local community and travelling public have been incredibly supportive and patient throughout the construction process, and we at BAM are especially pleased that the improved freeflow motorway will reduce commute time by 35 minutes and will leave a
lasting positive impact on the region. “Transport projects such as this play a significant role in the long term development of the Irish economy. Transport infrastructure is proven to foster trade and greatly enhance the attractiveness of a region for foreign and direct investment. BAM is proud of our proven track record of investing in and delivering significant PPP projects across Ireland.” In other news, BAM Ireland has been announced preferred bidder for the M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy motorway and the N25 New Ross Bypass by the NRA. BAM has a long legacy of significant building and civil engineering projects under the PPP model including the Newlands Cross Junction, M1 Dundalk Western Bypass, the M7/M8 Portlaoise Bypass and the N25 Waterford Bypass PPP Motorway schemes. Last year BAM completed eight schools under Schools Bundle 3 PPP and recently signed a contract for the design, build, finance and maintenance of four schools under Schools Bundle 4 PPP. The NTMA has also announced BAM as preferred tenderer in the development of four new courthouses and the refurbishment and extension of three existing court buildings. C
Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe TD, together with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin TD along with Minister of State Simon Harris at the official opening of the new 35km stretch of the M11. Theo Cullinane, BAM Ireland Chief Executive, with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin TD
August/September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 85
CIS STATS
Construction: the numbers game
Irish construction activity continues to ascend an upwards trend with over €6 billion worth of projects set to commence between August and the end of the year.
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n the transport sector, track laying has begun on the €370 million Luas Cross-City project in Dublin city centre and is expected to be complete in August 2017. Further south, the N11 Rathnew-Arklow PPP scheme opened last month, three weeks ahead of schedule. Looking to the residential sector, work has begun on a €13m housing scheme in Ballyboghil, Dublin which will comprise of 37 units. Work has also commenced on phase 1 of a €52m Residential Development at Hollystown, Dublin. Plans are also in the pipeline for 114 apartments on a site right beside Dundrum Town Centre. In Waterford’s industrial sector, work has commenced on the €20.2m manufacturing facility in Knockhouse for West Pharmaceutical Products. This project is expected to take in the region of 30 months to complete. In Meath, plans have been granted to build the €200m Facebook Data Centre at a site in Clonee. In the civil sector, Duggan Brothers (Contractors) Ltd. have been appointed as the main contractor for €5.2m Divisional Garda District HQ in New Ross, Co. Wexford. Work is set to start imminently. The contractor has also been selected to build the €15m Garda HQ on the Dublin Road, Co. Galway. In the commercial sector, work has commenced on the €31m Linkedin HQ Building at Wilton Place and on-site work has started on the €34m Burlington House Office Development in Dublin city centre. In the South County Business Park on the Leopardstown
Road, main works are expected to commence this month on the €134m office development for Microsoft. Down in Cork, the contract has been awarded to construct Phase 1 of the €4m Fortress Spike Island project. In Cork’s city centre, the €15m Capitol Cinema Site redevelopment project has been given the go-ahead with plans to build offices and retail units. In the social sector, work has started the €5m Crematorium in Dardistown, Dublin. In the sports sector, work has commenced on the €8m Sports Arena Extension at the University of Limerick. In the medical sector, a planning application has been lodged with An Bord Pleanála in August for the construction of the €650m National Children’s Hospital at St. James Hospital, Dublin. In Galway, the €12m 75-Ward Block project at the University Hospital Galway is now on-site. Activity remains at a high level in the education sector with the ongoing Schools Summer Works Scheme 2015. Approximately 165 of the 559 projects have gone to tender so far. Tenders are also out for the construction of the €7.3m Confucius Institute for Ireland at University College Dublin and work is starting in August on the €11m school extensions and alterations project at CBS Primary School and Colaiste Eamonn Ris in Wexford. To view these and thousands of other construction projects at various stages across Ireland, visit www.cisireland.com and sign up for a Free 7 Day Trial. C
Selection of projects starting this month Project Client Location £161m Manufacturing & Research Facility Randox Laboratories Limited Antrim, Co. Antrim €52m - Residential Development Gembira Limited Holystown, Dublin 15 €31m Linkedin HQ Building LinkedIn Dublin 2 €23m Apartment Development Cosgrave Developments Dun Laoghaire €19m - Farm Buildings Kouzalis Limited Stradbally, Co. Laois €15m Residential Development Cosgrave Developments Dun Laoghaire Energia Renewables Donegal Town €10m - Wind Farm Development €8.5m Housing Development - 68 x Units Granbrind Athlumney Limited Beaumont, Dublin 9 €5m Crematorium Dublin Cemeteries Committee Cloghran, Dublin €4.4m - Housing Development Classes Land Limited Ovens, Co. Cork €3.9m Renal Department Mid-Western Hospitals Development Trust Dooradoyle, Co. Limerick €2.3m Cusack Park Redevelopment Clare County GAA Board Ennis, Co. Clare Bio-Pharmaceutical Facility Development Bristol-Myers Squibb Ireland Mulhuddart, Dublin 15 N53 National Secondary Route Improvement Scheme - Phase 3 Roads Section Louth County Council Co. Louth €1.6m Service Station and Restaurant Corbwell Design Carrowkeel, Co. Galway €1.5m Clubhouse An Tochar GAA Club Roundwood, Co. Wicklow €1.4m Motor Showroom Redco Limited Ballymount, Dublin 22 €1.2m - Credit Union Extension Castlebar Credit Union Limited Castlebar, Co. Mayo €1m - Factory Extension Nutricia Infant Nutrition Limited Macroom, Co. Cork €1m - Hospital Extension Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital Finglas, Dublin 11
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ICF
Irish Concrete Federation launches Product Traceability Scheme
At the launch of The Irish Concrete Federation’s (ICF) Product Traceability Scheme were (L to R) David Wright, ICF President, Peter Gleeson, ICF Vice President, Martin Curran, Kilsaran, Tom Parlon, Director General of the Construction Industry Federation and Gerry Farrell, Chief Executive of the Irish Concrete Federation.
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he Irish Concrete Federation (ICF), the national representative body for the quarry and concrete products industry, has launched an initiative to improve the traceability of materials used in the construction supply chain and to promote greater use of product standards in the industry. The Product Traceability Scheme will see individual suppliers certifying the origin of products supplied to individual construction projects in addition to stating product compliance with the relevant Irish and European standards. ICF members account for approximately 80% of all aggregate (crushed rock, sand & gravel) and concrete products produced in Ireland and are therefore central to the Irish construction industry’s supply chain. Comprising 75 members across almost 300 locations in Ireland and employing approximately 4,000 people, ICF members are also significant employers in their own right as well as underpinning many thousands of jobs in the construction sector and the rural economy. Speaking at the launch, Gerry Farrell, Chief Executive of the Irish Concrete Federation, stated, “It is imperative that customers and end users have full confidence in the products that create our built environment. With the Product Traceability Scheme, Irish Concrete Federation members are taking a lead role in improving traceability and compliance with quality standards to ensure the integrity of the construction supply chain.” Recent developments have seen the requirement for the vast majority of construction materials to carry the CE Mark and changes in Building Control regulations mean that builders, architects, engineers and surveyors - who must complete Certificates of Compliance with the new regulations - need the reassurance that the materials are produced to the required standards and are
traceable to their point of manufacture. This industry initiative will be of great benefit to all industry stakeholders, including suppliers, builders, construction professionals, regulatory authorities and most importantly customers.” Speaking at the launch, Minister of State at the Department of the Environment with Special Responsibility for Housing, Planning and Coordination of the Construction 2020 Strategy, Paudie Coffey TD, welcomed the industry initiative stating: “This initiative by the Irish Concrete Federation should be commended; it will bring greater certainty to builders and new homeowners as to the origins of the products used in their homes and the standards that they have been manufactured to. In recent years we have seen many homeowners having their houses destroyed because of poor products on sale in the construction sector; clearly it is not an acceptable situation where people’s homes and lives are ruined because products fail to meet the required standards. “In this regard, I am fully supportive of this initiative, as it will complement the requirements already in force by my Department under the Construction Products Regulation, improve transparency and traceability throughout the supply chain and will lead to better record management on construction sites across the State.” ICF members will produce approximately 24 million tonnes of aggregates and two million cubic metres of ready mixed concrete in 2015. The Product Traceability Scheme will come into effect on 1st July 2015 after which time a certificate will be available from the producer of the construction materials. C
August/September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 87
kingspan
Kingspan’s new technology breakthrough
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ingspan Insulated Panels has launched the IPNQuadCore, a new insulated panel core that delivers, says the company, the best thermal, fire and environmental performance of any closed-cell material. Invented with a bespoke technology process that creates a unique microcell structure, IPN-QuadCore is set to bring about a fundamental shift in building performance, resulting in lower lifetime costs and enhanced environmental credentials. Speaking to Construction Phil Smith, Managing Director UK & Ireland, Kingspan Insulated Panels, says the company’s ability to create its own bespoke solutions has led to the development of the new technology. “We have our very own team working on these solutions,’ he says, “which is a great advantage.” He says the new product is the most significant breakthrough in 10 years. “The food industry, who are already deeply interested in thermal performance, will find this product extremely useful.” Phil’s colleague, Gilbert McCarthy, Managing Director, Kingspan Insulated Panels, explains more about the IPN-Quacore. “This is our most significant insulated panel technology breakthrough in a decade,” he says. “The property market demands high performance, energy-efficient buildings that deliver low risk, high net yield and reduced environmental impact. The unprecedented performance of IPN-QuadCore helps to deliver these superior buildings, making the strongest business case yet for sustainability.” According to Kingsoan IPN-QuadCore delivers a 20% thermal improvement over Fact box standard polyurethane insulated panel core insulation. It has a • Market leader’s “most lambda value of just 0.018w/ significant insulated panel mK, the best in the industry, technology breakthrough and achieves U-values as low as in a decade” set to 0.08w/m2K. A study by energy fundamentally shift consultants AECOM found building performance. that, when used in a standard • New insulated panel 5,000m2 distribution warehouse core delivers 20% in the UK, a Kingspan IPNthermal performance QuadCore building envelope will improvement. reduce annual energy demand • First in the industry to by almost 14% compared with achieve FM4882 level of the notional Part L2A 2013 fire protection, with further specification. The same study ‘industry-first’ certification found that a Kingspan IPNimminent. QuadCore building envelope • Also offers best-in-class solution could even reduce the environmental credentials initial capital cost of constructing and unparalleled 40-year the warehouse because it reduces thermal and structural the required HVAC system size. performance guarantee. “IPN-QuadCore is the first
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closed cell insulated panel core to be certified to FM 4882 for use in smoke sensitive occupancies,” says Gilbert. “It achieves a reaction to fire of B-s1,d0 to EN 13501-1, the lowest smoke emissions possible, and offers fire resistance of up to one hour insulation and three hours integrity to EN 135012. The insulation core is also currently undergoing testing to be certified to LPS 1181 Part 2 for internal applications. This improved performance means that IPN-QuadCore products can be offered in a wider range of panel widths, up to 7m in some LPS 1208 specifications and up to 12m in certain specifications according to EN 13501-2.” IPN-QuadCore enhances the environmental credentials of buildings in two ways. Firstly, the technology helps to achieve higher ratings in building assessment methodologies such as BREEAM and LEED, with the aforementioned AECOM study showing that an IPN-QuadCore building achieves six more BREEAM Ene01 credits than a typical retail or distribution warehouse. Furthermore, the new technology behind the microcell structure creates a more resource-efficient material, improving the environmental impact of its production. Each IPN-QuadCore panel is backed by the industry’s first 40-year guarantee which covers both structural and thermal performance. This ensures that a building will perform ‘asbuilt’ over the life of the property, reducing costly envelope maintenance and repair costs as time passes. The long guarantee can be offered because IPN-QuadCore’s unique closed-cell structure resists moisture ingress, which maintains the structural integrity of the core, and cuts the risk of additional moisture weight, a leading cause of structural failure in inferior products. IPN-QuadCore has already been introduced to cold-store insulated panels , with a wider rollout commencing later this year. C For more information visit www.ipn-quadcore.co.uk.
CIF training and education programmes for September 2015
september
CIF Training & Development
Course Title/Venue Course Code
Start Date
End Date
Advanced Site Management ASMP 1st September 29th September CIF Construction House, 2617 Tuesday Tuesday Canal Road, Dublin 6 CIF IOSH Managing Safety in Construction MSIC 2nd September 30th September 2546 Wednesday Wednesday CIF Construction House, Dublin 6 Project Supervisor Construction Stage PSCS 3rd September 17th September CIF Construction House, 2547 Thursday Thursday Canal Road, Dublin 6 CIF IOSH Managing Safety in Construction MSIC 10th September 8th October Radisson Blu Galway 2578 Thursday Thursday Galway Building Control Course - Legislation 1 CSE 2 - BCC 10th September 21st May CIF Construction House, 2505 Thursday Thursday Canal Road, Dublin 6 Building Control Course - Legislation 2 CSE 2 BCC 10th September 21st May CIF Construction House, 2505 Thursday Thursday Canal Road, Dublin 6 Building Control Course -Legislation 3/ BCC 11th September 22nd May 2505 Friday Friday Code of Practice/Contractors CSE 2 CIF Construction House, Canal Road, Dublin 6 Building Control Course -Part D - BCC 11th September 22nd May Materials and Workmanship CSE 2 2505 Friday Friday CIF Construction House, Canal Road, Dublin 6 Advanced Site Management ASMP 16th September 14th October CIF Construction House, 2619 Wednesday Wednesday Canal Road, Dublin 6 IOSH Project Supervisor Design Process PSDP 17th September 18th September 2548 Thursday Friday CIF Offices, Canal Road, Dublin 6 CIF IOSH Managing Safety in Construction MSIC 23rd September 21st October CIF Offices Little Island 2549 Wednesday Wednesday Cork CIF QQI Building Control Course - Part A & BCC 24th September 4th June Part C - Subsoils + Substructures [1] CSE 2 2505 Thursday Thursday CIF Construction House, Canal Road, Dublin 6 CIF QQI Building Control Course - Part A BCC 25th September 5th June & Part C - Subsoils + Substructures [2] CSE 2 2505 Friday Friday CIF Construction House, Canal Road, Dublin 6 CIF Core Safety Management Programme Renewal/CPD CSMP 25th September 25th September CIF Construction House, 2550 Friday Friday Canal Road, Dublin 6 CIF Management & Inspection of Scaffold CIF Offices, SI 25th September 25th September CIF Construction House, 2551 Friday Friday Canal Road, Dublin 6 Advanced Site Management ASMP 29th September 27th October CIF Construction House, 2620 Tuesday Tuesday Canal Road, Dublin 6
Course times
09.30am – 16.30pm
09.30am – 16.30pm
08.30am – 17.00pm
09.30am – 16.30pm
08.30am-13.00pm
14.00pm-17.00pm
08.30am-13.00pm
14.00pm-17.00pm
09.30am – 16.30pm
08.30am – 16.30pm
09.30am – 16.30pm
08.30am-17.00pm
08.30am-17.00pm
08.30am – 13.00pm
08.30am – 17.00pm
09.30am – 16.30pm
August/September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 89
INDUSTRY NEWS AIB announces €5 million fund to invest in sustainable technology start-ups
As market research has highlighted that 41 per cent of Irish consumers are planning to tackle home improvements over the next 12 to 18 months, AIB has committed to a new €5 million equity fund to assist start-up companies in the sustainable technologies sector. Speaking at the Sustainability Gathering in Dublin Castle, the CEO said AIB is committed to further developing support plans for green technologies because “there is a gap in the eco-system here.’’ The bank will work alongside the International Sustainability Investment Centre to leverage the €5 million equity provided by AIB. Mr Byrne also announced that AIB is launching a free Building Energy Rating (BER) certificate and personalised advisory report for customers taking out new Home Improvement Personal Loans. “Climate change and impact investment
has jumped up at us as an obvious opportunity that we need to get right behind. We are in the sustainability game for the long haul and therefore we are focused on the impact AIB can have in terms of providing credit to support the social and environmental health of the country,’’ he said. “The bank’s Home Improvement Loan will help individuals and families fund renovations and energy efficiency initiatives in order to enhance the comfort of their homes, to save money on energy bills and to benefit the environment. With this scheme, we are supporting the completion of an estimated additional 10,000 BER assessments each year. The provision of free BER certs to our customers will raise awareness of the benefits of energy efficiency at a time when the world is facing the challenge of significantly reducing carbon emissions,’’ he added.
AIB Chief Executive Officer Bernard Byrne
Bill Grimson new Engineers Ireland President Bill Grimson is the new President of Engineers Ireland. Bill received the chain of office at the AGM from outgoing President Regina Moran. Bill has spent the majority of his professional career in academia. First though, early in the 1970’s, he began his career as a research and development engineer with Ferranti working on electrooptic projects before returning to Ireland to take up a position as a lecturer in what was to become DIT, Kevin Street, and where in time he became Head of the Department of Control Systems Engineering. In recent times Bill has collaborated with both engineers and non-engineers in Europe and North America reflecting on the education of engineering undergraduates and the subsequent development of the professional engineer.
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He has authored and co-authored a number of book chapters and articles in the field. In addition, Bill contributed to a book, ‘Understanding the Global Energy Crisis’, edited and written by colleagues in DIT and Purdue University and which sets out the nature of the crisis, and examines the technical and policy options facing the
development of major conventional and renewable energy sources. Bill is a past Chair of the Membership and Qualification Board of Engineers Ireland and was also a member of the Board of Examiners. He currently chairs the CPD committee, is a member of Council and the Executive of Engineers Ireland. He served two terms as the Irish representative on the European Membership Monitoring Committee of FEANI (Fédération Européenne d’Associations Nationales d’Ingénieurs). A graduate in electronic engineering from Trinity College Dublin, Bill also holds a masters from the department of electrical & computer engineering at the University of Toronto where he studied electromagnetic theory as well as researching the behaviour of antennas in the ionosphere.
Crane Hire expands fleet An Taoiseach Enda Kenny T.D. at the official opening of the UCC Beaufort Building
JJ Rhatigan UCC Beaufot Building opens
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n Taoiseach Enda Kenny T.D. officially opened the UCC Beaufort Building in Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork. The 4,700m2 five storey building with state-of-the-art wave simulators, test tanks, workshops and offices provides Ireland with world-class infrastructure for renewable energy and maritime research to power the ‘blue
economy’. The ambitious development was led by UCC Capital Projects Officer Niall McAuliffe and employed more than 200 people on site. Designed to resemble a naturally eroded cliff face with incredible sea views, the architects on the project were McCullough Mulvin and the civil and structural engineers were ARUP. The main contractors appointed were JJ Rhatigan who won the contract by competitive tender process. Named after the Irish hydrographer and globally adopted Beaufort Wind Scale creator, Rear Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort, the Beaufort building will house the headquarters of the multi-institutional home to the SFI MaREI Centre (Marine Renewable Energy Ireland) and the LIR National Ocean Test Facility. Speaking at the official opening, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, T.D. said, “Marine research and development is a part of this Government’s plan to rebuild a sustainable enterprise based economy. Our seas will increasingly support more jobs, enterprise and research. The UCC Beaufort Building, while firmly rooted on dry land, is a vessel of scientific discovery for our seas. Its world class facilities will attract world class researchers and new entrepreneurial endeavours in the maritime and energy sectors. The spirit of collaboration between academia, private enterprise and the Irish Naval Service in Irish maritime research is a model for public – private partnerships not only in Ireland, but globally.”
Crane Hire Managing Director Jarlath O’Leary Dublin-based Crane Hire Ltd has expanded its fleet of cranes, says the company’s Managing Director Jarlath O’Leary. “The main news here is that we bought another Liebherr, this time a 300-tonne LTM1300-6.2 for €1.5M,” he explains. “The crane has a 78-metre telescopic boom and a 35 meter swing section, which can be offset to 40 degrees. Its unique feature is its ability to set up with its outriggers at varied lengths, the computer then recognises this and redefines the SWL depending upon the position of the boom and configuration. It also allows increased capacity throughout the load chart and especially with the boom extended directly over an outrigger. “It’s our third new Liebherr and brings the total investment in new cranes to €11.5m since the start of 2013.”
Beaufort Building Team The design team for the building is: Architects: McCullough Mulvin - http://www.mcculloughmulvin.com/ Civil & Structural Engineers: ARUP - http://www.arup.com/Global_ locations/Ireland/Cork.aspx Mechanical & Electrical Engineers: RPS - http://www.rpsgroup.com/ Ireland.aspx Quantity Surveyor: John J Casey & Co - http://www.jjcasey.ie/qs.htm Health & safety: Bruce Shaw Safety Management - http://www. bruceshaw.com/
A Crane Hire LTM1750 in action on the Shetland Islands
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Groundforce completes complex ground support task at Semple Stadium
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roundforce has played an important supporting role in the installation of a new display screen for a Hawk-Eye ball-tracking system at Semple Stadium, Thurles, Co Tipperary. The Hawk-Eye system has revolutionised referee decision-making in many sports, from football to tennis via cricket and even snooker. Now it’s about to make its debut in the Irish sport of hurling following successful trials last season. Main contractor JJ O’Sullivan was employed by the GAA to build a new retaining wall and floor slab in the corner of the Semple Stadium’s O’Lally’s Stand to accommodate the new Hawk-Eye screen. Excavation was carried out by specialist subcontractor ESK Plant Hire and Groundforce was drafted in to provide structural support during construction of the retaining walls. Although a relatively small excavation, the support requirement was complicated by the fact that it was two-sided and dug into the steeply sloping profile of the stand. With the longer of the two sides sloping from +4m to 0m in depth, Groundforce developed a solution combining multiple level frame, propped cantilever, and cantilever designs to maximise efficiency and make best use of the restricted space available. Two levels of the company’s Mega Brace frame were employed to support the sheet-piled retaining walls, with additional support provided by two KSK80 knee braces. The final excavation measured 15m x 7m with a maximum depth of 4m. .Using an ICE 328B excavator mounted piling hammer, supplied by Groundforce,
ESK drove a combination of 6m, 5m and 4m interlocking GFI interlocking sheets to full depth and ESK then lowered the excavation to the level of the first frame, which was installed and welded to the sheets. ESK then continued the excavation to the level of the second Mega Brace frame which was also installed and welded in place. The excavation was then lowered to formation level and the concrete base slab cast against the sheets. Once the base slab had reached sufficient strength, the lower frame was removed and formwork installed for the permanent concrete wall. O’Sullivan then poured the concrete for the wall up to the underside of the top frame which was also removed once the concrete was up to strength. With the sheet piles now acting in cantilever, O’Sullivan could then pour the wall to its final height. “The geometry of the excavation made this job unique,” says Groundforce project manager Joseph Lenihan “The use of all three support systems – multiple frame,
propped cantilever and cantilever – was quite novel. “As the depth to be retained was gradually reducing from 4m to zero on the stand side, the second level of frame from the high section ended up being the top level for the lower section,” he adds. Irish contractors are increasingly turning to Groundforce for engineered solutions to challenging projects and both ESK Plant and JJ O’Sullivan have worked with Groundforce before. “Our crews are very familiar now with this specialist equipment and combined with Groundforce’s design capability, we are successfully providing solutions to complex excavation issues such as this,” says ESK’s commercial manager Tom Holland. The Semple stadium in Thurles is expected to be the first of many to have Hawk-Eye installed permanently. Paraic Duffy, director general of the GAA, said: “Ideally, you would have it in every ground but Thurles is the next ground it should be in because Thurles stages so many of our big hurling games.”
Engineer award presented to Michael Phillips At the recent AGM of the Institution of Civil Engineers (Republic of Ireland region) Kevin Sheridan was elected as Chairman and was presented with the chain of office. ICE was founded in 1818 and is the largest Chartered Institution of Engineers in the world representing over 80,000 members. It has approximately 600 members in the republic. At the annual dinner in Dublin Kevin Sheridan presented the inaugural Engineer of the Year award for outstanding achievement and contribution to the civil engineering industry in Ireland to Michael Phillips, City Engineer Dublin
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City Council. Michael was honoured by his civil engineering peers for his outstanding contribution to Civil Engineering in Ireland and in particular his significant achievements as City Engineer. Projects such as the two iconic Santiago Calatrava bridges spanning the river Liffey (the James Joyce Bridge built in 2003 and the Samuel Beckett Bridge built in 2009) were championed by Michael and now grace Dublin City centre. “They stand as evidence to the significant improvements in the vibrancy of our capital city,” said Kevin Sheridan.
Institution of Civil Engineers Chairman Kevin Sheridan (left) presents Michael Phillips with the Engineer of the Year award
industry news
Komatsu launches WA2007 wheel loader Komatsu has unveiled its latest wheel loader – the WA200-7, first versions of which are expected to be available in Ireland from early next year. Distributed here by McHale Plant Sales of Birdhill, the WA200-7 is described by the company’s sales director, John O’Brien as “a versatile machine built for lower fuel consumption, improved operator comfort and easy maintenance”. With an operating weight of 11.5 tonnes, a net horsepower of 95 kW (128 hp) and a bucket capacity of 1.9-2.1m3, the WA200-7 is a mid-sized wheel loader likely to appeal to farmers, builder’s yards, sand and gravel suppliers and recycling companies amongst others. The WA200-7 comes fitted with a multipurpose PZ-linkage that combines the advantages of Z-bar linkage with parallel lift, allowing for fast pallet handling, impressive break-out force and easy bucket fill, coupled with high tilt forces designed to enhance control of heavy attachments. Built to provide operators with a more comfortable and quieter work environment, the new cab on the WA200-7 features a slanted engine hood to improve rear view, a redesigned seat-mounted right hand console with multifunction mono-lever, 360° visibility, increased leg space, a heated air-suspended driver seat and electronically controlled air conditioning. Like many of the other machines in the Komatsu fleet, the WA200-7 is protected by their comprehensive Komatsu CARE programme, with benefits that include factoryscheduled maintenance for the first three years or 2,000 hours of operation.
Shane Dolan (right) with Rory Kirrane, Head of Construction at Mason Hayes & Curran
New construction partner appointed at Mason Hayes & Curran Business law firm Mason Hayes & Curran has announced the appointment of Shane Dolan as a partner in its construction team. Shane practices in both contentious and non-contentious construction law and has advised a wide range of construction professionals on all aspects of construction contracts. He also advises in relation to various aspects of maritime and shipping law, including arrests, shipping disputes and enforcement of maritime security. He was previously a senior associate in Mason Hayes & Curran’s construction team. Commenting on the announcement Rory Kirrane, Head of Construction at Mason Hayes & Curran, said: “We are
delighted to announce the appointment of Shane Dolan as a partner. His appointment reflects a return to growth for the construction sector as we as our continued commitment to delivering services of the highest quality to our construction clients”. Shane’s appointment comes as Mason Hayes & Curran continues to experience strong growth in all of its key practice areas, including construction. The only major Irish law firm to release turnover figures, the firm’s revenues rose by 25% in 2014. During the year, the firm also won the prestigious “Irish Law Firm of the Year” award in the UK from independent ranking firm Chambers and Partners.
Construction sees big CAO surge Confidence in the construction sector has filtered down to school leavers as this year’s CAO points reveal. There has been a 14% increase in the number of students applying for construction-related courses compared to this time last year. According to Rosalind Travers, Public Affairs Executive with the CIF, the figures are “a sure sign that our industry is now well into recovery mode and a major provider of employment”. “Students are acutely aware that the construction industry alone provided for 45% of all jobs created in Ireland last year,” she added.
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Our photo shows: Paul Stapleton, General Manager, Electric Ireland, Brian Motherway, Chief Executive, SEAI, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Alex White T.D., Joan Martin, Chief Executive Officer, Louth County Council and Derek Roddy, CEO, climote
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Energy upgrades hailed a success in Louth
he ‘Louth Energy Pilot Project’ has been described as the largest social housing “Energy Efficiency Improvement Scheme” of its type to take place in Europe this year. “This project saw the energy efficiency upgrade to 2,100 local authority homes throughout our county,” says Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council Cllr. Peter Savage. “We are proud that Louth has led the way in regards to the size of this energy efficiency project. These energy upgrades will facilitate the reduction of their home energy bills while also increasing comfort levels for individuals and families. “Technology is changing all our lives and this project carried out by Louth County Council is an example of the type of technology that is life changing for homeowners, who are now able with “climote” to easily control their heating timings and temperature via a smartphone, text message or online which is increasing energy efficiency and reducing wastage. “The upgrading of local authority residents heating systems, has delivered tangible results with Louth County Council reducing energy costs for homeowners as well as improving the Building Energy Ratings of the Council’s housing stock. Ultimately it is families who have really benefitted from the introduction of this scheme,” he adds. He was speaking as Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Alex White T.D. met with Louth County Council in Dundalk to review the completion of the energy upgrade of 2,100 local authority homes throughout Louth. The works were completed
as part of the Better Energy Communities 2014 programme, partfunded by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Speaking at the event Minister Alex White said: “Ireland’s commitment to 2020 energy efficiency, renewable energy and greenhouse gas reduction targets – and our longer-term goal of deep decarbonisation by 2050 – will have a positive impact in the market for sustainable energy technologies and services, like climote. “But what I am really excited to see, in this project, is the tangible connection between energy policy and real improvements in the quality of life for citizens. It also shows the potential for local authorities when it comes to achieving our National Energy Policy objectives. This will inform the Public Sector Energy Efficiency Action Plan, which I will be publishing in the autumn. I want to acknowledge the important contribution made by the Energy Efficiency Fund in providing the resources that have enabled this initiative to happen. The successful delivery of projects like this demonstrates a new approach to energy efficiency funding in the public sector.” David Hourihane, Managing Director of SDCL Ireland, the investment manager of the IEEF said: “This is a great example of why the fund was created. It demonstrates that energy efficiency investments can deliver stable returns for investors along with environmental benefits, through structuring projects that drive energy demand reduction within building infrastructure. We have a strong pipeline of opportunities that will come to fruition in the coming months across a number of key sectors, and expect the fund to be fully committed within our investment period over the next two years.”
Roadstone’s fabric first approach for compliance with Part L The Roadstone Thermal Liteblock is a robust and durable, lightweight block which can be used in conjunction with Roadstone’s standard Concrete Block range, to improve thermal conductivity by an impressive 300%. Made from a special mix which includes lightweight aggregates to achieve conductivity values of 0.33W/mK, the Thermal Liteblock is 40% lighter than a standard block - weighing just 11.5kg – and is also CE marked 2+. Manufactured in Ireland, its key purpose is to mitigate heat loss at thermal bridges. “The beauty of this innovation is that the Thermal Liteblock is required only at targeted locations in the build, which means it can
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be used in conjunction with standard concrete blocks to provide a cost effective solution to the construction of new buildings while also allowing greater design flexibility. We anticipate that up to 15% of the total concrete blocks required per build will be replaced by Thermal Liteblocks at strategic points,” says a company spokesperson. “Importantly, we have established a technical support services team, which provide a set of accredited details and fully ‘y’ value calculations where required by architects, engineers, assigned certifiers and building contractors.
“Our tests have shown that using the Thermal Liteblock System improves the Building Energy Rating (BER) – from A3 to A2 across a number of house types. In terms of practicalities on site, the Thermal Liteblock has a distinctive heather colour to facilitate traceability and requires no special handling or treatment compared to standard concrete blocks.”
for your diary
Tuesday 1st September
Tuesday 13th October
Executive Body meeting
Executive Body meeting
Construction House, Dublin, 11am Contact: Gillian Heffernan 01 406 6016
Construction House, Dublin, 11am Contact: Gillian Heffernan 01 406 6016
Monday 7th September
Monday 2nd November
Ardilaun House Hotel, Galway, 6pm Contact: Justin Molloy 091 502 680
Ardilaun House Hotel, Galway, 6pm Contact: Justin Molloy 091 502 680
Tuesday 8th September
Monday 2nd November
Bloomfield House Hotel, Mullingar, 8pm Contact: Justin Molloy 091 502 680
Construction House, Little Island, 4pm Contact: Brid Cody 021 435 410
Wednesday 16th September
Tuesday 3rd November
Mount Errigal Hotel, Letterkenny, 8pm Contact: Justin Molloy 091 502 680
Tullamore Court Hotel, Tullamore, 8pm Contact: Justin Molloy 091 502 680
Thursday 24th September
Wednesday 11th November
Sligo Park Hotel, Sligo, 8pm Contact: Justin Molloy 091 502 680
Mount Errigal Hotel, Letterkenny, 8pm Contact: Justin Molloy 091 502 680
Monday 28th September
Thursday 19th November
Construction House, Little Island, 4pm Contact: Brid Cody 021 435 410
TF Royal Hotel, Castlebar, 8pm Contact: Justin Molloy 091 502 680
Galway Branch meeting
Midland Branch meeting
Donegal Branch meeting
North West Branch meeting
Cork Branch Executive meeting
Galway Branch meeting
Tuesday 24th November
Executive Body meeting (AGM 12.45pm) Construction House, Dublin, 11am Contact: Gillian Heffernan 01 406 6016 Monday 7th December
Cork Branch Executive meeting Venue to be decided, 5pm Contact: Brid Cody 021 435 410
Cork Branch Executive meeting
Midland Branch meeting
Donegal Branch meeting
North West Branch meeting
August September 2015 CONSTRUCTION 95
Last Fix
PR image of the month goes to Green Aviation as it launched Ireland’s “largest drone offering”. The company aims to disrupt the current commercial marketplace by providing solutions up to 30% more cost efficient and 90% more energy efficient than current solutions. Pictured at the launch are Ulick McEvaddy, CEO of Omega Air, Brig. Gen. Ger Aherne, Chairman of Green Aviation, Oisin Green, CEO Green Aviation and former Commercial Airline Pilot and Emmanuel Previnaire, CEO of Flying-Cam
Paul Daly, Area Manager, Health and Safety, Coffey Group and Brenda McMahon, Health and Safety Officer, Coffey Group, talk to more than 100 children from Melview National School, St. Mary’s Newtownforbes, and Scoil Náisiúnta Naomh Treasa, Killoe, at a Health and Safety Authority ‘Keep Safe’ event at Newtownforbes Sports Centre, Co Longford. A range of state agencies and regional organisations with a safety remit came together to deliver an interactive safety programme directed at fifth and sixth class pupils. The ‘Keep Safe’ programme aims to promote safety and community awareness through involving the children in a series of fun and interactive scenarios with a strong safety theme.
Construction professionals revealed as most hygienic It appears there is a survey for everything these days, including which professions are the most hygienic! A new survey has found that the average person showers nine times a week during the hot summer weather, it also found the industries which fall above and below the average, with education and IT workers most likely to neglect their hygiene and construction workers taking 14 showers per week. When asked to reveal if they washed their hands after every trip to the bathroom, the vast majority of Britons (61%) stated that they did so with soap. A further 22% stated they typically just use water and no soap, with the remaining 17% revealing they don’t wash their hands every time they use the bathroom. When results were then broken down to reveal the most hygienic industries, the top ten answers emerged as follows: 1. Construction Industry – 14 (average numbers of showers taken per week) 2. Medical Industry – 13 3. Hospitality Industry – 11.5 4. Automotive/Mechanical Industry - 10 5. Transport Industry- 9.5 6. Financial/Banking Industry- 8 7. Retail Industry- 7 8. Real Estate Industry- 6 9. Education Industry- 6 10. I.T Industry – 5.5
PR image of the month (take two)….
J. Vaughan Electrical recently erected some new advertising signs at Fingallians G.A.A. club in Swords, Co. Dublin. The signage is a little different from the norm in that they are bilingual, in Irish and English. JVE staff member Liam Ó Culbáird commented “We are very proud to be able to help local community groups such as Fingallians and at the same time help with the promotion of the Irish language. Bilingual signs tend to make the reader do a “double-take”. JVE offer all our services through the Irish language. Another string to our bow!” Pictured with one of the new JVE signs, along with some Fingallians players, are JVE staff members Nicky Vaughan and Liam Ó Culbáird.
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Even the toughest can’t break it! National Karate Junior Champion, Darren Sheehy (pictured right) is no match for the new ‘Tegral Thrutone ENDURANCE’ - Ireland’s strongest ever slate - while Isabelle McMahon and Cillian Casey of Athy Karate Club breeze through their challenge with planks of wood. Tegral Managing Director Paddy Kelly is also pictured at the launch of Thrutone ENDURANCE, Tegral’s biggest new product development in over 10 years. Pictured from left to right [L-R] is: Isabelle McMahon and Cillian Casey of Athy Karate Club, Construction on Tegral Managing Director, Twitter Paddy Kelly and National 54% of population lives in Karate Junior Champion, Leinster says Conor Skehan from Housing Agency in @ Darren Sheehy.
sundaybusiness Puts Dublin house building numbers in context
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