Irish Building Magazine by Irish Building Magazine

Irish building The Business Magazine for Building Professionals

Guinness storehouse Redeveloping an Icon

Penneys/Primark Building Style

AUdi Terminals Dublin North and Naas In Profile

Malahide Castle Heritage Restored

Interview Mark Cunningham, Bank of Ireland

April/May 2013

Energy that means business.

For over 10 years, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been the power behind Irish businesses. Providing expert advice, innovative solutions and competitive prices. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why more than 65,000 businesses choose Energia. Visit energia.ie or phone us on 1850 719 376.

Contents Carlow VISUAL 208 Mr. Mark Cunningham BOI Page

News News round up A complete round up of recent events and industry news stories including company, in brief & Editors comment.

Experts section Legal File Arthur Cox Solicitors - Sign on the Dotted Line! A new regime for certification under the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2013.

Interview

Bank of Ireland In conversation with Director of Business Banking, Mark Cunningham, how he sees the road ahead and how the bank can help the building industry.

Cover Story

Storehouse 10 Guinness Townlink Construction - An iconic building redeveloped for a modern age.

ISS Ireland 25 Guinness Storehouse Page 10

Features

14 ENERGIA Energia is continuing to strengthen its

renewable energy portfolio, with its newest windfarm in the Republic, Caherdowney.

North Dublin 18 Audi Collen Construction - The €10m investment in the terminal-style showroom forms part of a strategic plan to see some 260 jobs created over the next 18 months.

Castle 22 Malahide Now fit for a king! Nass 28 Audi MDY Construction have successfully

completed the €5m Naas Audi Terminal Showroom.

Penneys/Primark Bennett Construction - The Mary Street Flagship Penneys store has been modernised and conserved.

41 New Products/Company SHowcase The best and the new featured.

Penneys Page 32

Showcase Product showcase All the latest new products reviewed.

Contents

Malahide Castle Page 22

Irish Building Managing Director: Colin Walsh Features Editor: Cian Molloy Administration Manager: Noelette Walsh Production: DN Design All Enquiries Tel: 01 442 9264 colinwalsh@irishbuildingmagaine.ie www.irishbuildingmagazine.ie Subscription Rate: €65.00 Rep. of Ireland Irish Building Magazine is published by

National & International Publications Ltd 1 Windsor Mews, Summerhill Parade, Sandycove, Co. Dublin. The contents of this publication are subject to copyright laws and may not be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of the publishers. The views expressed in articles do not necessarily represent those of the publishers. Printed by W&G Baird

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Lead News Public procurement system costing the State tens of millions of euro every year - CIF

he public procurement system in this country is broken and it is costing the State tens of millions of euro every year according to the Construction Industry Federation (CIF). The CIF warned that the current process is delaying the completion of schools, hospitals and many other public projects. These points were made at the “Public Procurement in Ireland” conference which took place in Dublin today. 50% of the total construction activity that took place in Ireland last year was carried out on public contracts, coming to a value of approximately €4 billion. More than 2,500 public sector contracts were placed during 2012, while about 10,000 have been used since the current system was introduced in 2007. Representatives from the State, the construction sector, architects, chartered surveyors, legal professionals and international experts were amongst those speaking at the conference which was attended by over 150 people with an interest in this area. Among the problems in the process that were highlighted at the conference were: • Lack of clarity • Incomplete information • Low quality of tender documents • A system set up to favour the lowest tender price, not the ability to undertake and complete a project • Lack of legal recourse

Speaking at the conference, CIF President Philip Crampton said, “The impact of the problems in the procurement system is being widely felt. People all around the country are running into issues caused by the way the public procurement process operates. “It’s delaying the construction of schools, hospitals and dozens of other public contracts. It’s wasting the State’s limited finances. The system is costing the State tens of millions of euro each year because of how the procurement process operates. “All this is happening because the system is flawed and broken. What’s worse is the system could never have succeeded because of the way it was set up. Construction projects should be a partnership between the various sides but the procurement system in this country now operates on an adversarial basis. This is damaging the State, construction companies, architects, chartered surveyors and others. “At a time when the construction sector is suffering from a very low level of activity, public procurement has never been more important for our sector. Yet the industry is having to operate with an extremely flawed system. “Simple steps could be taken to stop these problems. If we had greater clarity in the system it would give contractors the proper knowledge of the project they are being asked to sign up to. That would help alleviate project breakdowns as disputes arise between the various parties involved. “We also have to ask if a system that grants a project to the lowest bid but does not adequately check whether the people bidding have the ability to complete the project is in the best interest of the State. If a contractor is unable to finish a project they started it delays completion and costs the State as well as the other parties involved,” he said. His remarks were echoed by CIF Director General Tom Parlon. “The way the public procurement system is set up in this country is wreaking havoc on public construction projects all over the country. The

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impact is being felt by everyone in the country because it is costing the taxpayer a lot of money. Due to failures in the system we’ve seen countless public projects collapsing in the last couple of years. “It’s wasting the State’s limited finances, delaying resources benefitting the public and really hampering many different sections of industry. When more than 15 school projects fall apart in two years you realise that these are not individual problems – it’s because the system is flawed. “All these problems could be avoided if the process was amended. The Government has committed to undertaking a review in the coming months. They need to take this opportunity to put right the system and ensure it actually benefits the State as well as the other parties involved,” Mr. Parlon concluded. Amongst the speakers at the Public Procurement in Ireland conference were Paul Morrell OBE, UK Government Chief Construction Advisor 2009 – 2012 (the UK Construction Czar), Steve Rowsell, UK Highways Agency Head of Procurement 2000 – 2007, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte TD, David O’Brien, Chairman of the Government Construction Contracts Committee, Jonathan Bliss, Department of Education, Tim Ahern, Consultant to the National Roads Authority, Philip Crampton, CIF President, Andrew Nugent, Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland and CIF Director General Tom Parlon.

SEAI has €11m budget to spend on energy schemes

ustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) today highlighted the fact that it has €11m to spend on energy schemes. It has €7 million for Better Energy Communities, which will provide funding for pioneering partnerships to achieve energy efficiency through building retrofits within Irish communities. SEAI has a further €4 million for Better Energy Warmer Homes Area Based Programme which will provide funding for projects to deliver energy savings to vulnerable homeowners. The details were announced at the eight annual Energy Show for business energy solutions which was opened today at the RDS in Dublin by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte. Exhibitors include businesses supplying energy efficiency products, the latest sustainable building products, electric vehicles and much more. This year’s event sees many new features including an International Markets Area to build Irish enterprise and business in foreign markets such as China, Brazil, Argentina and Europe, while practical retrofit demonstrations will showcase best practice in insulation, heating and solar technologies. Workshops to assist applicants applying for funding under the Better Energy Communities schemes and the Better Energy Warmer Homes Area Based programme will also be held at the Energy Show. Speaking at the opening of SEAI’s Energy Show today, Minister Rabbitte said: “The range of energy solutions on show here today demonstrates the scale and diversity of the energy sector. Upgrading energy efficiency has multiple benefits including promoting enterprise, reducing energy bills of those most in need, maintaining jobs and, of course, addressing climate change.” SEAI Chief Executive, Dr. Brian Motherway said: “Three thousand business people will visit the Energy Show over the two days showing how vibrant this sector is for enterprise and innovation. This level of funding is a great boost for all companies, communities and homeowners involved.”

HP project to benefit Galway construction industry

he creation of 150 construction jobs for the building of anew Hewlett Packard facility in Galway will be a major benefit to constructionin that region, according to the Construction Industry Federation (CIF). Speaking following the announcement, CIF Director General Tom Parlon said, “This will provide a strong boostto construction companies operating in Galwayand the surrounding areas. Work likethis is invaluable and it is what keeps the construction industry going inplaces like Galway. There will be a lot of interest in securingcontracts for the work that is undertaken. “It will be of particular interest to our main contractingas well as the mechanical and electrical contracting members. However there will be knock on benefits forthe entire sector throughout that region. “Hopefully we will see more announcements like this broughtforward in the coming months and we hope that Hewlett Packard will put in placestrong standards to ensure that all those who work on this project comply withall the regulatory standards for the industry,” Mr. Parlon concluded.

Blackrock NTR buys Element’s windfarm projects

lackrock NTR Renewable Fund – a joint venture between US fund manager Blackrock and Irish utility firm NTR has purchased wIndfarm projects in Tipperary and Cork from Element Power. The 36MW Monaincha windfarm project in Tipperary was unveiled last year by Element Power, and was likely to cost €70m to develop. The windfarm project in Cork is a 9.2MW scheme at Garranereagh and is likely to cost about €18m to develop. This will be the second deal by the $400m fund, which is headed by former NTR boss Jim Barry. Element Power will build and operate the two projects for Blackrock. Ireland-based Element Power is owned by US private equity firm Hudson Clean Energy Partners. Element Power announced the planned development of the Monaincha windfarm last August. “We are pleased to have invested in the Irish wind energy sector, and in particular the Garranereagh and Monaincha wind projects represent an exciting investment opportunity for Blackrock’s clients,” said Mr Barry. Element, headed by Tim Cowhig, is planning to spend as much as €8bn developing up to 40 windfarms in the midlands, with the power generated by them being exported to the UK market.

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f your company is moving, shaking or you just cant keep your latest development to yourself, let us know and Irish Building Magazine will deliver your message to Ireland’s key decision makers in the building sector. With more than 21 years connecting our industry we are the number one choice for getting your message heard. To discuss how we can be of assistance please contact: Colin Walsh on 01 4429264 or email colinwalsh@irishbuildingmagazine.ie.

Kells Stainless Enters Strategic Alliance with Turkish Engineering Firm UMDE

eath based Kells Stainless Limited and Turkish Engineering Company UMDE announced today (Wednesday 10 April 2012) that they have signed a strategic alliance agreement. The agreement covers the development of a Bio Mass system to convert bio degradable waste to high grade fertiliser, and nutrients for power generation. The announcement was made during an Enterprise Ireland trade mission of 25 companies to Turkey, led by the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs & Trade Eamon Gilmore T.D. A pilot plant is now at the advanced planning stage, and will bring together technology developed by Kells and UMDE. The pilot plant will showcase the system and commercial benefits to the agricultural, dairy and bio degradable waste sectors initially in Turkey and Ireland. A number of people will be involved in the project in Ireland and in Turkey, with plans to increase employment significantly as the project is developed and gains momentum. Welcoming the agreement the Tánaiste said: “Kells Stainless has built up an enviable reputation for excellence in engineering from its base in Ireland. This agreement allows Kells to increase its reach into a fast growing region with an excellent local

partner, and is good for the growth of jobs both in Ireland and Turkey. It is hugely encouraging to see what companies like Kells Stainless have achieved in Turkey, confirming just how significant the opportunities are for ambitious Irish companies to do business in this growing and thriving market”. Speaking after the signing, Kells Stainless MD, John McKeon said: “This is a great combination of both our companies’ talents and expertise in developing this process, and will have great benefits to both our countries”.

New building regulations will reward quality building

he Construction Industry Federation (CIF) has welcomed the publication of the new building regulations saying they will help ensure the work of builders who maintain higher standards is recognised and rewarded. The CIF also praised the Government for implementing measures aimed at improving confidence in the Irish construction sector. “Our Federation is committed to maintaining and promoting high building standards for the entire industry,” said CIF Director General Tom Parlon. “Irish builders had a reputation for excellence before certain developments tarnished the name of the entire industry. These regulations will help stamp out those projects that have blighted Irish construction, stopping any builders who try to cut corners. Builders who take pride in their work and maintain high standards of quality will have their worked recognised and that will bring the reward of further employment opportunities for them. “These regulations will also help establish traceability and accountability for all the steps in the building process. The regulations will ensure that consumers are protected when they purchase a newly built property and that will help ensure stronger confidence in a sector that has struggled in recent years. Given the difficulties the sector has

been experiencing the CIF greatly appreciates the Government’s role in encouraging confidence in the industry. “There will be a cost involved for our members with the new regulations as they engage professionals to undertake specific inspection programmes associated with the regulations. However the CIF will shortly be bringing forward a range of training programmes for its members countrywide so they are all fully appraised of the new obligations pertaining to builders for certification of compliance. The new process will add to overall costs in the engagement of professionals in the construction programme. Today, the all-in construction cost of many new buildings can exceed the open market value of these buildings. It is important that all other regulatory costs are critically examined so that other unsustainable regulatory costs can be minimised. We need to be reducing costs rather than increasing them in light of the below cost selling price of buildings that currently prevails. “It is essential that Building Control Authorities have the required information technology systems in place prior to introduction of the new provisions so that a streamlined administrative process is available to manage the new obligations from the Building Control Authority, the builder and the Assigned Certifiers’ perspectives and responsibilities. “It is also worth noting the regulations impose an obligation on all persons whether they are building their own house or an individual undertaking an office or retail development that they must appoint competent builders to undertake their building projects. Many people have been using black economy builders and these regulations should help reduce that type of activity. “The CIF is currently working on proposals for a registration system to apply to builders. The system is being developed in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government so that the consumer can engage competent builders from the register once it is established,” said Mr. Parlon.

News

Comment Watch this Space

The publication of new building regulations at the start of April will be welcomed by all in the industry who strive to maintain good standards and quality. Since Roman times, when Juvenal asked Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?, we have known that it is necessary for the public good that we watch the watchmen. Sadly, during the building boom, there was little regulation of the certification authorities. Buildings were certified without on-site inspections and, in too many cases, what was supposed to be compliant and safe was in fact faulty and dangerous. Reputable businesses have suffered as a result, through no fault of their own, because of the loss of public confidence that has followed the Pyrite Scandal, the Priory Hall debacle and the disgrace of the many other cases of shoddy construction that were rubber stamped by the authorities. The Building Control Amendment Regulations 2013 now put a new onus on assigned certifiers, be they registered architects, engineers or building surveyors: anyone who signs a statutory certificate for a building that subsequently proves to be non-compliant may be held legally liable for the consequences. This is significantly different to the situation heretofore, when compliance certifications were often not worth the paper they were written on. Better regulation is good for the industry, in the words of CIF director Tom Parlon: “Builders who take pride in their work and maintain high standards of quality will have their worked recognised and that will bring the reward of further employment opportunities.“ Builders, and certifiers, that do not take pride in their work and who cut corners should now find they can no longer operate with impunity in this country. 3

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News

IKEA to build second store in Dublin?

he international home furnishings chain has identified a site at Cherrywood in south Dublin, and has asked the local authority to rezone land allowing it to go ahead. Town planner Tom Phillips, who is representing IKEA, said the company could

seek permission for a store in any of the five ‘gateway’ towns of Dublin, Cork, Limerick/ Shannon, Galway and Waterford, but not in south Dublin, despite its booming population, good road network and access to public transport “The SDZ has lots of zonings, but says there should be no retail warehousing at all which kills it off,” he said. “In the rest of the country there’s a fighting chance, but not here. “IKEA has been in consultation with the council for the past three years. There was supposed to be a study done on the proposal, but it hasn’t happened. “We would like An Bord Pleanala not to exclude retail warehousing,” he added.

Road’s announcement emphasises need for stimulus over austerity - CIF

he CIF has said the announcement that 1,000 construction jobs are to be created over the next two years emphasises the need for stimulus over austerity in the Irish economy. The CIF believes the principle of investing in major infrastructure and creating jobs offers the best way to encourage economic activity in Ireland. The CIF were speaking after the Government announced upgrades to the N11 and N7 roads which will create 1,000 construction jobs over the next two years. Speaking in reaction to the news, CIF Director General Tom Parlon said, “This is very welcome news for the economy and for the construction industry. Projects that create large scale employment opportunities will only benefit the economy. They take out of work construction workers off the dole and give them work. The Exchequer not only benefits by receiving extra income tax, it will

also reduce the social welfare bill. “Stimulating construction activity is the quickest way for the Government to generate more jobs. It’s as simple as that. One in four of the people on the dole are former construction workers so there is a large supply of labour looking for work. “The CIF congratulates the Government for bringing forward a positive example of how investment in infrastructure will benefit the economy. This type of announcement has far more widespread, beneficial impact than further austerity measures. It creates tangible job opportunities, improves the country’s infrastructure, cuts current spending by the Exchequer and brings in more current revenue. This approach works and begets work opportunities. We hope the Government will bring forward further positive measures like this in the near future,” Mr. Parlon concluded.

Contracts signed for first Roads PPP since 2007

he Government has signed a contract with a consortium to construct the €282 million project to remove the bottleneck at Newlands Cross on the N7 Limerick/Cork/Waterford Road in Dublin, and upgrade the N11 between Arklow and Rathnew to a four lane dual carriageway. This is the first transport PPP to be signed since the economy ran into trouble in 2007 and shows that Irish transport agencies can once again raise private finance to invest in crucial transport infrastructure. The two projects have been bundled together into a single contract. The Newlands Cross Fly-over will remove the last traffic light between Cork, Limerick, Waterford and the border with Northern Ireland. Some 80,000 vehicles pass through Newlands Cross every day and the project will provide welcome relief to commuters, as well as those on longer journeys. The entire project is due to be completed within two years and on-site works are expected to begin within weeks. “It’s great to be able to confirm that all systems are go for the upgrading of Newlands Cross, and of the N11 between Rathnew and Arklow. These projects

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will make a huge difference to road users and will finally remove two bottlenecks which were not addressed during the boom. The N11 will improve safety standards the minute it’s opened, while the Newlands Cross fly-over will remove the last traffic light between Cork, Limerick and Waterford and the border,” Minister Varadkar said. Funding of more than €150 million has been provided under a Public Private Partnership including a major funding provision from the European Investment Bank and Bank of Ireland, and a stand-by credit facility from the National Pension Reserve Fund. The EIB also signalled this week that it has agreed in principle to fund the N17-18 Gort-Tuam link road. President Hoyer confirmed it will now be considering applications for funding the N25 New Ross bypass and the M11 Gorey-Enniscorthy roads. These three projects are part of the Government’s stimulus package announced last year.The contract has been signed with BAM PPP PGGM Infrastructure Cooperatie, BAM’s investment joint venture with Dutch pension fund service provider PGGM, together with BAM Contractors.

Waste Used to Energise the Irish Economy with Renewable Power, Jobs and Growth

larke Energy has signed a contract with Bord na Móna to deliver a landfill gas power plant at the Drehid Landfill site in the Republic of Ireland. This power plant will help to stimulate the economy utilising landfill gas that originates from household waste to produce renewable power and create jobs. Jobs creation: Up to 25 jobs will be supported during the plant’s construction and 3-4 permanent positions for the site’s ongoing operations Waste to energy: The project will utilise landfill gas produced from the decomposition of waste in the landfill site to produce 5.6 megawatts of renewable electricity, enough to power 14,000 homes. Growth of the bioenergy sector: The project highlights the bioenergy sector’s ability to support growth through jobs and power in Ireland. The project will utilise four of GE Power & Water’s containerised Jenbacher 420 gas engines each rated at 1.4MW electrical output to deliver 5.6 megawatts of renewable power. Jenbacher gas engines are renowned for their high efficiency and robust performance on difficult gases such as landfill gas. Landfill gas is a by-product of microbial activity and is formed from the anaerobic decomposition of organic waste materials. It is comprised primarily of methane and carbon dioxide. The methane which contains the chemical energy for power is typically at 40-60% concentration. This biogas, if released to atmosphere, is a potent greenhouse gas. However if it is utilised in a gas engine, emissions are reduced and renewable electricity is produced, with the added benefit of converting a waste material into a useful fuel. Using landfill gas for power provides base-load electricity; unlike wind power and solar, landfill gas can be used to deliver continuous, stable supplies of electricity to the power grid. Bord na Móna is an Irish company that has a track record of delivering sustainability and innovation in Ireland. The Drehid Landfill site is located near Allenwood, County Kildare. John Daly from Bord na Móna expressed his intentions for the project: ‘We are delighted to enter into this project with Clarke Energy for the building of a landfill gas utilisation project at the Drehid landfill site. This project expands Bord na Mona’s portfolio of power generation assets as well as demonstrating resource recovery through waste to energy John Daly, Head of Bord na Mona Resource Recovery John Curley, General Manager of Clarke Energy in Ireland commented: ‘This significant contract is evidence of Clarke Energy’s ongoing commitment to and growth in the Island of Ireland. This significant project will create up to 25 jobs during construction, in addition to sustained employment for operations’ The engines are scheduled to be delivered to site in the third quarter of 2013. Clarke Energy is a multinational company that has been operating in Ireland since 2005. During this time the company has delivered a number of highly innovative projects on the Island of Ireland including a quadgeneration plant for ContourGlobal at Knockmore, and combined heat and power plants at AIB in Ballsbridge, Dublin and for Baxter Healthcare.

News ESB International Announces €30m Contract in Turkey & Milestone in Tanzania Project

SB International, the global engineering consultancy, announced two major achievements for its international business. The company has won its first contract in Turkey and has also completed a major stage in the Energy Project it is managing in Tanzania, with the official switching in of a new 132kV submarine interconnector from Tanzania to Zanzibar Island. Both events highlight the growth and strength of ESB International’s business and capabilities globally. To celebrate its first deal in Turkey, ESBI hosted the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore TD at a ceremony in Istanbul as part of an Enterprise Ireland trade mission. The €30 million, sixyear contract is being undertaken in partnership with investment company UNIT and will see ESB International operate and maintain the Yeni Elektrik Power Station, located South West of Istanbul, Turkey. ESB International will also provide technical and engineering support to the plant. ESB International and UNIT have formed a 50/50 joint venture company known as UNES to manage the contract for the plant, which will generate electricity as a merchant plant into the Turkish market. ESB International operates in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia, establishing its first office in Turkey in 2012. Commenting on today’s achievements John McSweeney, Head of Innovation at ESB International said: “We are delighted to be able to announce these projects, which we believe will impact positively on people’s lives in both Tanzania and Turkey. He added: “The Turkish power plant is capable of generating up to 3% of electricity consumption in Turkey and the expansion of the electricity infrastructure in Tanzania will transform people’s lives and offer new generations a bright future as it did in Ireland in the 1950’s. We reached a major milestone today with the official switching in of the new 132kV interconnector from Tanzania to Zanzibar Island, which will more than double the transmission capacity currently available.” In 2008, ESB International won an international competitive tender worth $25 million to provide energy sector consultancy services to the Millennium Challenge Account Tanzania (MCA-T) Energy Project. The $200 million Project, which is wholly funded by the US Government through MCA-T, aims to ensure the long-term development of power transmission and distribution networks in Tanzania for future generations. One of Tanzania’s biggest challenges is its under-developed energy infrastructure. Its electricity power supply is unreliable and only 15% of the population is connected to the national grid.

PM officially opens office in Turkey

M Group has today expanded its operation in Turkey with the official opening of a new regional office in Ankara. The announcement was made during the Enterprise Ireland trade mission to Turkey, led by Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore. Opening the new office, the Tanaiste said, “Turkey is a key target market for Irish companies. As the Turkish economy continues to grow, so too do the opportunities for Irish companies to deepen their involvement in this market and win new business. This new office is a symbol of the increasing success that PM Group is having in the Turkish market and it is a credit to PM Group’s staff here in Turkey as well

as back in Ireland that so much progress has been made in the Turkish market in such a relatively short time frame”. Commenting on the ongoing development of PM Group’s international footprint, Dave Murphy, CEO of PM Group said: “This year PM Group celebrates 40 years in business and we now have multi-disciplinary teams of over 1,800 people across Europe, Asia, the USA and the Middle East. We have been operating in Turkey for a number of years and it is a very dynamic economy with lots of opportunities in the private and public sector. Our new office in Ankara will improve the working environment for our team in Turkey and allow us to better serve our growing client base”.

80% of Irish people support wind power in Ireland – poll finds

he Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA), the national body representing the wind energy sector in Ireland has today (27 March) strongly welcomed an opinion poll conducted on its behalf by Ipsos MRBI which revealed that 80% of the Irish public support wind power. This opinion poll was taken from 916 respondents. Reacting to this opinion poll, Kenneth Matthews, CEO of IWEA said, “This is a clear indication that there is widespread support for wind energy in Ireland. The support shown for the installation of wind farms emphasises that many Irish people see wind energy as a real alternative which will help stabilise their energy bills and also benefit Ireland in terms of jobs and investment to the local economy. “The strong support for wind, as illustrated through this poll, should serve as a positive marker for policy-makers to continue the transition to a green economy and embrace all of the benefits that can be accrued”. IWEA’s Annual Conference, “Irish Wind Power

– Our Competitive Advantage”, also saw the publication of its “Best Practice Principles in Community Engagement & Community Commitment” policy document which sets out a number of clear of guidelines that IWEA members involved in wind development are encouraged to follow. The aim of these guidelines is to ensure that the views of local communities are taken into account at all stages of a development and that local communities can share in the benefits. Speaking at the Conference, Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte said, “I very much welcome the initiative of the IWEA to develop these voluntary community engagement and community commitment guidelines for their members. The imperatives of climate change and energy security necessitate the switch to renewable energy. Ireland has abundant and excellent wind resources which will play a central part in our new electricity mix.”

National Housing Construction index by Link2plans signals signs of improvement

lanning applications fell by 3% in the first two months of 2013 compared to the same two months last year, according to the latest National Housing Construction Index (NHCI) But 11 counties saw an increase in applications, with a rise of 15% noted in Dublin. Offaly, Limerick and Wexford showed the biggest percentage application drop, while Monaghan, Leitrim and Roscommon saw the biggest rise in applications. Link2plans, which puts the index together, shows that while planning applications were down 3%, there was a 14% fall in commencements, or work actually getting off the ground. It said the ongoing bad weather may be a factor for the drop. Westmeath, Waterford and Cavan reported

the largest percentage drop in work started, while commencements in Dublin rose by 17%. Roscommon, Mayo and Monaghan posted the biggest gain in commencements. The research examines every housing construction planning application and planning commencement on a bi-monthly basis. The NHCI indicates current and future housing construction activity on a national, regional and local level. The MD of Link2Plans, Danny O’Shea, said that while the last index reporting a growing number of planning applications in just one county – Donegal – the latest figures show a market increase in 11 counties. ”With increases in 11 counties, the outlook for the coming months is potentially positive,” Mr O’Shea concluded.

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Legal file

Sign on the Dotted Line!

A new regime for certification under the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2013

n March 8th 2013, Phil Hogan, Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government signed the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2013 (the “Regulations”) into law, which will be effective from 1 March 2014. The enactment of the Regulations followed a wide-ranging and often heated public consultation process which had begun in April 2012 with the publication of draft regulations. Even in draft form, it was clear that the Regulations would radically alter the manner in which compliance with the Building Regulations 1997 -2013 is demonstrated. The subsequent public consultation identified the concern that responsibility and, ultimately, liability, for compliance with Building Regulations and the certification of same, had shifted too far in the direction of construction professionals. As no further drafts had been formally published, the enactment of the Regulations has been awaited with baited breath, the key question being, whether the most controversial aspects of the proposed regime, would be enacted into law. Brief Overview of the Regulations 1 Focus of the Regulations The Regulations introduce a substantial number of changes to the current system of certification of compliance with Building Regulations. Most significant is the revision of the commencement notice together with the introduction of three new types of mandatory certificates, in prescribed form; (i) The Certificate of Compliance (Design) (the “Design Certificate”) (ii) Certificate of Compliance (Undertaking by Assigned Certifier) / Certificate of Compliance (Undertaking by Builder) (together, the “Undertakings”) and (iii) Certificate of Compliance on Completion (the “Completion Certification”). The Regulations require a continued focus on compliance with Building Regulations, from design stage to completion. Prior to the works commencing, the design of the works must be certified as complying with Building Regulations by the execution of the Design Certificate. The building owner will also nominate at commencement stage (through notices in prescribed form) an “Assigned Certifier” and a “Builder”. The “Assigned Certifier” and “Builder” will be tasked with confirming that the completed works comply with Building Regulations by executing the Completion Certificate and must also formally undertake to carry out this task at commencement stage. The Regulations are intended to work in tandem with a “Code of Practice for Inspection and Certification” which will inform the “Assigned Certifier” and “Builder” how to manage their respective roles including the preparation of an inspection plan. The Regulations specifically state that where works are “inspected and certified in accordance with the guidance contained in the Code of Practice…this shall, prima facie, indicate compliance with the relevant requirements of these regulations”. The Code, however, has not yet been made publicly available, even in draft form. A recent indication from the Department is that the Code will be published by the end of April 2013. 2 The Commencement Notice While the requirement to submit a Commencement Notice is not

‘The Regulations require a continued focus on compliance with Building Regulations, from design stage to completion ’ 6

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new, the regulations have significantly altered the scope and effect of this notice. Article 9 now requires that a Commencement Notice in prescribed form be submitted with the following documentation: (a) such plans, calculations, specifications and particulars as are necessary to demonstrate how the proposed works or building will comply with the requirements of the Second Schedule of the Building Regulations (b) the Design Certificate (c) the Notice of Assignment of Person to Inspect and Certify Works (Assigned Certifier) and Notice of Assignment of Builder (d) The Undertakings (both of the Assigned Certifier and Builder) 3 The Design Certificate This Certificate, to be completed by the building designer (a registered architect, builder surveyor or chartered engineer) must be submitted with the Commencement Notice, and requires confirmation that the plans etc., included with the notice have been prepared to demonstrate compliance with the applicable requirements of the Building Regulations and “have been prepared exercising reasonable skill, care and diligence by me, and prepared by other members of the owner’s design team and specialist designers whose design activities I have coordinated”. 4 Inspection and Certification of the Works – Assigned Certifier and Builder The Assigned Certifier must also be a registered architect, building surveyor or chartered engineer and will be required to provide an undertaking, submitted with the Commencement Notice, to inter alia, “use reasonable skill, care and diligence, to inspect the works and to coordinate the inspection works of others and to certify following the implementation of the inspection plan by myself

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and others, for compliance with the requirements of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations”. The same person must also execute Part B of the Completion Certificate certifying that “the inspection plan drawn up in accordance with the Code of Practice…has been fulfilled by the under-signed and other individuals nominated therein having exercised reasonable skill, care and diligence and that the building or works is in compliance with the requirements of the Second Schedule of the Building Regulations…” The Builder will also be required to provide an undertaking, submitted with the Commencement Notice identifying the works which he has been commissioned to undertake and confirming his own competence and those employed and engaged by him, to undertake such works. Further the Builder must also undertake the construct the works in accordance with the plans etc., submitted (or subsequently submitted) and to cooperate with the inspections set out in the inspection plan prepared by the Assigned Certifier. The Builder must also execute Part A of the Completion Certificate certifying that the works as completed have been constructed in accordance with plans and reliant on this, the works are in compliance with Building Regulations. Both the undertaking and the Completion Certificate are specifically required to be signed by a “Principal or Director of a building company only”. 5 Completion A Completion Certificate, executed by both the Assigned Certifier and the Builder, must be submitted to Building Control Authority. The Completion Certificate must be accompanied by (i) such plans

etc., as are required to outline how the completed works differ from the plans submitted at commencement, (ii) such plans as are required to outline how the completed works comply with the Building Regulations and (iii) the Inspection Plan implemented by the Assigned Certifier. Works or buildings cannot be “opened, occupied or used” until the relevant particulars of the Certificate of Compliance on Completion are entered on a statutory register to be kept by the building control authority, however, the Regulations provide that the Completion Certificate may refer to “works, buildings, including areas within a building, or developments, including phases thereof…”, indicating that works can be completed in stages if necessary. Conclusion With recent media focus on the inadequacy of the current building control regime, it was always expected that any new regulations would be radical and game-changing. Public sentiment has demanded as much. The public consultation in 2012, however, highlighted that a knee jerk reaction would cause more problems than it would solve. It is noteworthy that the most controversial elements of the draft regulations have been removed including confirmations relating to insurance which had been included in the draft form of the Commencement Notice. In addition, a role (and responsibility) for the builder is now carved out, with the builder required to provide an undertaking and to sign Part A of the Completion Certificate. The wording of each of the certificates has changed with the Design Certificate including a standard of reasonable skill and care, together with a reference to other designers involved in the works. Notwithstanding these important changes, the new Regulations, which will be effective from 1 March 2014, still present a formidable challenge to the construction industry and in particular construction professionals. It is hoped that the publication of the Code of Practice will provide the guidance that will surely be required to ease the transition to the new regime. For more details, please contact Mary Liz on Maryliz.mahony@arthurcox.com r

‘The Builder will also be required to provide an undertaking, submitted with the Commencement Notice identifying the works which he has been commissioned to undertake and confirming his own competence and those employed and engaged by him, to undertake such works’ Arthur Cox can be contacted at: Earlsfort Centre Earlsfort Terrace Dublin 2 Ireland t: +353 (0)1 618 0000

Irish Building Magazine

Interview

Bank of Ireland - Better Banking As Ireland and the Irish construction industry start to come out of recession, finance will play a key role in the recovery. Irish Building talked to Bank of Ireland’s Director of Business Banking, Mark Cunningham, about how he sees the road ahead and how the bank can help the industry.

rish Building (IB): What activity are you seeing in the property market and in the construction industry? Mark Cunningham (MC): I think that the property market is showing signs of coming back to life. There is considerable international interest in finding quality office space and that is helping the industry. That international interest is also joined by a renewed Irish appetite for property with a number of examples recently of both domestic and international Bank of Ireland’s bidders competing at auction. Director of Business Banking, I would expect property activity Mark Cunningham ‘I would expect levels to continue to increase in the first six months of 2013 and property activity the IBRC liquidation will also accelerate deals that were in the levels to continue pipeline. There is a shortage of the type of building that new companies – the Symantecs, to increase in the eBays and Googles – require today. Looking at projected IDA first six months of demand, over the next few years there is unlikely to be sufficient 2013 and the IBRC accommodation to meet their needs leading to a requirement for liquidation will also refurbishment to bring existing buildings up to the standard required today. Considerable accelerate deals that equity will be required for these refurbishments. were in the pipeline’ On the residential side, the early indications are that we are starting to see a pickup in activity in Dublin and in the other cities. There is an overhang issue in the residential market and we aren’t going to see a major increase in construction activity in the short term, but there is

Irish Building Magazine

a shortage in urban areas of the types of properties that people want to own, particularly as people now seek homes to meet their needs for the medium to long term. IB: What is Bank of Ireland’s level of appetite for lending at present? MC: We have a considerable appetite to lend and have completed a number of large deals recently: we were involved in the purchase of the Burlington hotel, the purchase of the Alliance Building complex at the former Gasworks in Ringsend and the Marker Hotel at Grand Canal Dock in Dublin. We are also very interested in public private partnership (PPP) projects, such as the third schools’ PPP bundle and the N11 upgrade. We have an appetite for future PPP deals and we also have a number of projects in the pipeline for private health care centres and for nursing home construction. On the residential side, we are beginning to see people coming in for finance for small fill-in schemes in the cities, but we are talking about schemes involving 8 or 10 units. I think we will see more of that in 2013, as there is no doubt that the residential market in Dublin and some other cities is turning a corner. IB: The Construction Industry Federation criticised the banking sector last year and called on it to be more proactive in stimulating construction activity. How well connected are you with the industry and its needs? MC: We meet the Construction Industry Federation regularly to discuss matters of mutual interest and, similarly, we meet the Irish Hotel Federation and representatives from the nursing home and healthcare sectors. We have good contact with these

Interview groups – they know we have money to lend to their members and if they want to come in and talk to us they will and are more than welcome to do so. IB: How has the lending market changed in recent years? MC: While there are no hardand-fast rules, generally we are looking at a 60% loan-tovalue (LTV) ratio, where the bank provides 60% of the finance for a project and the individual lender provides a deposit of 40%. Many investors or developers weren’t prepared to put up 40% in recent years, but that is changing. We will not be funding speculative housing schemes in places where there is already a marked over-supply of housing: we are interested in financing sensible projects with sensible cash-flows. IB: How do you see the construction industry progressing in coming years? MC: Recently, the Minister for Finance said we won’t have an economic recovery without a recovery in construction activity and we have to agree with that. In most developed economies, construction accounts for about 10% of GDP, but in Ireland it is currently at about 3%. We need to get construction levels back up to where they should be, but that requires confidence on all sides. By the time we get to the end of 2014, the outlook should be much better. Our role is to support people who are prepared to take risks, but to do that sensibly and prudently. Bank of Ireland provided over €1billion in new mortgage lending to customers last year and two out of every five mortgages granted in 2012 were granted by BoI. Almost 90% of that €1 billion in new mortgage drawdowns was to customers buying their first home or moving to a new home. To further build on this, the bank launched a new €2bn fund last October to support first time buyers and movers in 2013.

Bank of Ireland, Mespil Road. Interesting facts about first-time buyers obtaining new Bank of Ireland mortgages in 2012 * The average first-time buyer mortgage was €153,000. * The average loan-to-value (LTV) ratio on a first time buyer mortgage in 2012 was 77%, meaning the average first time buyer contributed a deposit of 23%. * The majority of first-time buyers bought the property with someone else. * The average age of our first time buyers was 32. * The majority bought in Dublin and the commuter counties Bank of Ireland Business Banking exceeded its €3.5bn SME lending target for 2012 and are committed to achieving their €4bn target in 2013. Particular increases in demand came from customers in the healthcare, manufacturing and hospitality sectors, while Agri lending has also remained strong. Increased demand for Asset and Commercial loan finance has also been a feature. Lending to Dublin businesses was up by 27% compared to last year. With over 40% of businesses located in the capital this indicates that confidence is slowly returning, as evidenced by the growth in credit demand from viable businesses in the second half of this year. Last November, Bank of Ireland held its seventh National Enterprise Programme which saw more than 5,000 entrepreneurs attend 80 events and networking meetings. Some 1,500 businesses also took the opportunity to showcase their products and services in Bank of Ireland branches nationwide. In 2013, the Bank will be rolling out a series of free Credit Clinics that aim to explain the lending application process primarily to start up and micro-sized businesses. r

‘Bank of Ireland Business Banking exceeded its €3.5bn SME lending target for 2012 and are committed to achieving their €4bn target in 2013’

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Guinness Storehouse

Guinness Storehouse - Redeveloping an Icon My goodness! My Guinness! A whole floor of Ireland’s busiest tourist attraction was refurbished and remodelled without construction activity impacting visitors’ enjoyment. CIAN MOLLOY looks at the team that installed the Guinness Connoisseur Bar and other fourth-floor attractions in the seven-storey Guinness Storehouse.

reland’s premier tourist attraction, the Guinness Storehouse pulls in about 1.1 million visitors a year, making it the third most popular fee-paying brand attraction in the world (after the VW Autostadt in Germany and the Coca-Cola Experience in Atlanta). One in every two people holidaying in Dublin make the pilgrimage to the St James’s Gate Brewery. Surprisingly perhaps, one in five visitors taste Guinness for the first time while visiting the Storehouse, so managing the visitor experience is key to visitors returning to that taste. The €2.5m fourth floor renovation, which includes the installation of one of the largest HD interactivescreens, is part of a €10m investment in the attraction. As Irish Building goes to press, work is underway installing a new-look Guinness Retail Store on the ground-floor along with a ‘ground-breaking’ digital installation that will tell the Arthur Guinness story. On top of these logistical challenges, the Storehouse is a listed building that dates back to 1905. Architecturally, it is notable as the first multi-storey steel-framed building to be constructed in Europe. Patrick Carney of RKD has been involved with the Storehouse since before 2000 when the building formerly used for the fermentation and storage of stout porter was converted into the tourist attraction

that it is today. “It is a fabulous place to keep going back to,” he says. “There are very few weeks in the year when I am not up there with the Guinness people looking at how we continue to develop it. Every year, we have had some further improvements to it.

“What is happening on the fourth floor now is an evolution of what was already there. More and more people were taking part in the ‘pour your own pint’ experience and, particularly on very busy days, it was getting very crowded. There wasn’t an easy flow, the Guinness Academy now gives visitors a place to sit and enjoy the ambience of being in an Irish bar. It is also a flexible space: for example, all the tables can be taken out, there is a division wall so that you can

close off a private area that can be used for corporate events. “Being a listed building means that as little as possible is done to the original fabric. Whatever is listed remains with all its integrity and if you add something new, it must stand out as new and it has to be removable without causing damage to the original building. That places a restriction on how you bring construction materials into the building, with the exception of concrete that was pumped into the building, everything has to be carried in manually.” The project managers, MKF Property Services, have a major advantage when working on this project the company has four who are based permanently at the venue. Eoghan Leahy of MKF said “Our team knows every square inch of the building and are fully conversant with its systems, its day-today operations and what are the people movements around the building.” MKF is a sister company of Front-End Strategic Planning (FESP). Neither company has a website and advertise rarely, relying on word-of-mouth recommendations for new business from blue chip companies. While Townlink has enjoyed repeat business at the Storehouse, MD TJ Walsh points out that every contract won is won as the result of a tendering

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Guinness Storehouse procedure. “Winning contracts doesn’t get any easier, but it is good to have an ongoing relationship with the client, the architect and the project manager,” says Walsh. We’ve also worked with RKD at Tallaght Hospital, where we’ve also been successful in winning a series of contracts.” In addition to hosting thousands of tourists every day, the Storehouse has many other key functions within Guinness Ireland. It is a testing centre and a training facility and for Guinness employees; it is home to the company’s 250-year-old archives and to the Guinness Global Brand team and it is a meeting and conference venue. In 2011, it played host to HRH Queen Elizabeth II and, last November, it was the venue for a 1,200-seater banquet for OECD dignitaries that included foreign ministers from 40

different countries. In short, this is a venue that is busy throughout the year. The only slack period is between the New Year celebrations and the St Patrick’s Day festivities, so there is a strict twomonth window for all construction work activity. Added to the tight deadline, construction activity had to be scheduled to avoid any disturbance to the operations here or in nearby offices. “Given the tight deadline, it was all go from day one,” said TJ Walsh, Townlink’s MD. “Noise abatement was a major challenge. Visitors weren’t to know we were there and there was to be no disturbance to operations in the surrounding offices. There was a lot of working outside normal office hours and working with the Storehouse’s schedules and procedures. “The Storehouse has very good health and safety policies and procedures in place: all activities are preplanned with agreed method statements prepared in advance of work taking place; all site deliveries had to be pre-booked with advance notice of driver names and van registration numbers.” The Connoisseur Experience Bar’s interior design is by O’Donnell O’Neill Design Associates (OODA) and it is intended to be ‘an evocative and emotive environment’ to help visitors discover and taste the four main Guinness variants -- Draught, Original,

Foreign Extra Stout, and Black Lager. The wall finishes are predominantly painted-panels, typical of early 20th century pub venacular, with the exception of the original exposed storehouse brickwork walls that ‘bookend’ the back bar. The mood of this room is enhanced with gilt-framed portrait canvases of Guinness family members and softly illuminated bookshelves. The bar acts as a ‘secret snug bar located in the inner sanctum of the Storehouse’, says Graham O’Donnell: “It is experiential and sublime and is designed to enhance the visitors experience when tasting of Guinness variants and becoming a Guinness Connoisseur.” According to Guinness Storehouse Marketing & Sales manager Lisa Fitzsimons the response to the new bar and the interactive screen has been brilliant. “The number of people who pour their own pint while visiting the Guinness Storehouse has increased from 10% to 35% and we expect the proportion to grow further. The feedback has been very positive – visitors are really loving this.” r

‘Noise abatement was a major challenge. Visitors weren’t to know we were there and there was to be no disturbance to operations in the surrounding offices’ TJ Walsh, Townlink Construction, MD.

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Energia

Energia - The business of energy Energia/Viridian Group nearly doubled its own ‘in-house’ windpower generation capacity with the addition to its portfolio of two new wind-farms, Crighshane and Church Hill in Co. Tyrone. CIAN MOLLOY reports.

ince the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, the green energy market has become increasingly important to supply companies like Energia, which is the second biggest player in the all-island Irish energy market. The Irish and UK governments have committed to reduce green house gases progressively and are also committed to having renewable energy account for 40% of the electricity supplied in the all-island market that comprises the Republic and Northern Ireland. There are increasingly severe financial incentives for businesses to purchase green energy from suppliers like Energia, which has 28% of the green-energy business market. In Energia’s case, the bulk of its 550MW wind-power capacity comes from the 450MW it has contracted with ‘third-party’ wind-farms with whom it has long-term off-take agreements. Additionally, Energia has 10 wind-farms that it manages and operates: Crighshane and Church Hill and eight wind farms in the Republic. Its current ‘in-house’ wind generation portfolio has a total capacity of 104MW, nearly half of which, 50.6MW, comes from the two new Co Tyrone wind-farms. Energia recently sold a majority share in these windfarrms to the Irish Infrastructure Fund, but retains a long term shareholding in the wind farms and provides all operational and administrative services. With a commitment to hold 25% market share of the green energy market, Energia is continuing to invest in building new wind-farms and is aiming to add another 290MW currently in development. In the last two years, it has spent €200m directly on wind-farm development, with Crighshane and Church Hill costing £60m (c€74m). Additionally, Energia says that the 450MW of capacity available to it from third-party contractors represents an investment of c€600m in wind-power across Ireland. “We currently have a 25% market share in the off-take of windfarms throughout Ireland and we aim to continue at this level,” said Energia Renewables MD Peter Baillie. “Between now and 2020 up to an additional 3,000MW of renewable energy capacity needs to be built to meet the Irish and UK governments’ very challenging 2020 targets. Looking to the near future, Energia has 100MW in four construction-ready projects scheduled to commence in 2013 and we have a significant project pipeline beyond that.” Within Northern Ireland, the Crighshane and Church Hill windfarms are significant – they have increase wind-generation capacity in Co Tyrone by more than a third to 201.7MW, so that it is now

the fourth most important wind-generation county on the island after Cork (283.46MW), Donegal (278.35MW) and Kerry (224.34MW). Within Northern Ireland as a whole, the two farms are responsible for increasing wind-power capacity by more than 12% to 443.4MW. Ireland’s total all-island onshore wind-power generation capacity at the end of 2012 was 2,134.71MW. With wind-farms located in 26 counties, there is now a new ‘six counties’ where there are no wind-farms connected to the electricity transmission or distribution systems are: Armagh, Down, Longford, Meath, Offaly and Westmeath. Like most wind projects, this Crighshane and Church Hill project had a relatively long gestation period. The sites were chosen in 2001 and 2002, leases were signed with landowners in 2004 and planning consent applied for and

‘In the last two years, Energia has spent €200m directly on windfarm development, with Crighshane and Church Hill costing £60m (c€74m)’ 15

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granted in 2005 and 2007. Onsite civil engineering started in January 2011, with turbine delivery commencing a year later at the start of 2012. The project was delayed by around four months as a result of grid connection delays arising from a shortage of long lead time items,, so commercial operations commenced slightly later than hoped on 1st July 2012. In addition to the onsite works, in 2010 work commenced on a 37km of 110kV overhead line linking the wind-farms’ new substation with the Mesh Substation in Omagh. Notably the connection at Killeter is the first wind-farm ‘cluster connection’ in Northern Ireland. One of the biggest challenges of the project was getting the turbine components to the site. Crighshane has 14 Enercon E-70 turbines, each with a capacity of 2.3MW, and Church Hill has eight Enercon E-70s. The delivery route chosen saw Enercon ship the 22 turbines and their tower components from northern Germany to Killybegs from where they were transported more than 60km overland to Killeter via the N56, the N15 then via Pettigo. “This required the construction of 42 lay-bys/passing-bays, 10.5km of road-strengthening works, 2.5km of road widening and, overall, 17km of road-finishing works – this was vital not just for the delivery of turbine components but also the delivery of concrete for the turbine bases,” said Seamus Hegarty, Development Manager with Energia Renewables. “We had a good working relationship with the Roads Service unit of the Department of Rural Development in Northern Ireland and we are very grateful to the greater Killeter community for their patience and understanding during the construction phase.” Enercon is the world’s fifth largest wind-turbine manufacturer and has more than 20,000 turbines installed worldwide. Head of Sales for Northern Europe Robert Borgert said: “We have 61 turbines installed in Ireland, mostly E-70s, but also some E-82s. Energia was our biggest Irish customer in 2012 and we look forward to doing more business with them in 2013. We installed our first turbine in Ireland in 1998 and we opened an office to serve Ireland in Tralee in 2011. Last year was our best year yet, but we are predicting that 2013 will be better again, both in Ireland and worldwide.” The German turbine manufacturer aside, there was a deliberate policy by Energia to ensure that this was as local a project as possible, with significant benefits going to the local Northern Ireland community. with 95% of workers living within 50 miles of the site (80% within 30 miles) and with materials such as concrete, stone fill, sand, fencing, diesel, etc, sourced within

20 miles of the two wind-farms. The on-site civil engineering contractor was Adman with the road works civil engineering carried out by PT McWilliams and Northstone. Baillie said: “All of our wind farm developments bring substantial benefits to the local economies, including jobs, increased rates for the local authorities and improvements to local infrastructure such as roads. “We are also pleased to announce that the local community will benefit from the Irish Infrastructure and Energia community fund, which will shortly open for applications. The first year of the fund will welcome applications up to £50,600 from within the local area, and is expected to contribute around £800,000 to the local community over the lifetime of the wind farms.” Looking to the long-term benefits of renewable-energy and whether or not the energy industry will reach the governments’ 2020 renewable energy target, Peter Baillie said: “It’s a huge challenge to reach 40% energy from renewable sources, but it currently remains achievable. One big issue is curtailment – where some or all turbines on a wind-farm are shutdown to maintain system stability. Unless curtailments can be contained and managed so they stay at low levels, they will have an impact on investors. In times of high wind, it should be possible to export surplus output across interconnectors. “Wind energy will always need to be part of a portfolio of power generation so that there is always an adequate supply when the wind is not blowing! However, its great advantages are that wind energy is not dependent on imported fuels, it has zero carbon-emissions and, when the wind is blowing, it reduces the marginal cost of electricity.” r

‘All of our wind farm developments bring substantial benefits to the local economies, including jobs, increased rates for the local authorities and improvements to local infrastructure’

Peter Baillie, Energia Renewables MD

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Audi North Dublin

Audi North Dublin Powering ahead

Audi North Dublin has opened a new €10m state-of-the-art showroom just off Exit 5 of the M50. The opening of the new Audi Terminal Showroom at Exit 5 M50, North Park, North Road, Dublin 11, is described by Audi North Dublin CEO Gavin Hydes as a ‘statement of intent’, CIAN MOLLOY reports.

he €10m investment in the terminal-style showroom will lead to the creation of up to 30 new jobs over the next two years and forms part of a strategic plan that is set to see some 260 jobs created over the next 18 months. “The new showroom will superbly showcase the exciting 2013 Audi model range and provide an unparalleled customer experience together with premium parts and after-sales services,” said Hydes. “This investment demonstrates our confidence in the Audi brand and reaffirms our commitment to our manufacturer partner.” Audi Ireland Director Andrew Doyle added: “This facility is now the largest Audi dealership in Ireland, with a showroom for 18 new cars, 16 service bays and 80 used-car spaces. The terminal-style showroom will bring the very best new car, used car and aftersales premium motoring experience to the capital. I can assure Audi customers it will offer world-class and personal customer care experience.” Audi Dublin North is part of the Joe Duffy Motor Group, Ireland’s leading automotive retail group, which in addition to Audi also has franchises for BMW, Land Rover, Volvo, SEAT, Mazda, MINI, Opel, Porsche and Volkswagen. Within the new Audi terminal showroom, which is on two levels, there is an extensive display area for Audi Genuine Accessories, an exclusive first-floor Audi Quattro showroom for the individualization of cars, as well as a customer coffee lounge, a children’s entertainment area and an onsite Audi Training Academy that is equipped with the latest in audio-visual e-learning technology. For a taste of the individualization options, visit the audinorthdublin.ie website and check out the configurator in the bottom right hand corner of the home page. Audi North Dublin’s Head of Business Vincent Murphy said: “Our state-of-the-art terminal facility is the first of its kind in the Republic and offers the ultimate in comfort and Audi brand experience to our customers. The quality of service we provide to individual customers continues to be key to our success and

is fundamental in our commitment to Audi Ireland and Audi Customers. Our team shares the same passion for the Audi brand they represent and pride themselves on delivering complete customer satisfaction. I believe that it’s our people that make the difference and my team will strive to make the customer experience as pleasurable as possible.” The Audi Terminal was designed by Phil Taylor of the Cheshire-based practice Taylor Design, which specialises in car showrooms. Notably, the Audi North Dublin building uses a bespoke anodized aluminum honeycomb cladding that is unique to Audi Terminals worldwide. The cladding, and other bespoke features such as ceiling panels, lighting and car-handover bays, had to be sourced from pre- ‘The procurement approved German suppliers and required specialist sub- and pre-approval contractors. Dillinger Fabrik manufactured the perforated process was sheets used for the cladding, which was installed using a system developed by AWF Vertriebs. Similarly, specialist extremely tight components and specialist sub-contractors were also and necessitated required in the fitting out the workshop’s service bays, the fast tracking pre-inspection bays and the brake and wheel-alignment on many of the test facilities. The main contractor was Collen Construction, a family- subcontracted owned firm that was founded in 1810. In the last century, elements’ the firm has been responsible for some of Ireland’s landmark buildings and civil engineering projects, including the RDS, Kylemore Abbey, large parts of Dublin Port and much of the Great Northern Railway. Last year Collen Construction was

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Proud to have been associated with the Audi Dublin Terminal, Continued Success to Collen Construction. For more information on our company and range of services please contact; Gary: 087 675 3660, Stuart: 086 024 3019 or Michael: 085 7745633. Greenogue Business Park Rathcoole, Co. Dublin. E. admorestuctures@gmail.com

As a long term contractor with collen construction we are proud to be associated with the new Audi Dublin Terminal.

D.J. Kelly & Co. Ltd., 211 Cabra Road Dublin 7 T. 01 8389860 F. 01 8389859 e. kellytiles@eircom.net

Did you like our Audi North Dublin feature? If so why not see what we can do for you! To discuss having your company or project featured in one of our forthcoming issues. Please contact: colinwalsh@irishbuildingmagazine.ie We would be delighted to chat about your marketing plans and how Irish Building Magazine can be part of your team. T. 01 4429264 M. 087 9838946

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Audi North Dublin listed among Ireland’s Top Ten Contractors in the Bruce Shaw Handbook and the company expects to be listed as a Top Five Contractor later this year, with Managing Director Leo Crehan attributing the company’s continuing success to its ability to satisfy the requirements of new and long-standing clients. At present, the company employs about 80 people, but it expects to recruit additional staff this year as its workload increases. Collen built its first Audi showroom in 1998 and the North Park showroom is its third Audi project since then, the other two being in Deansgrange and on the Navan Road. Additionally, the firm has built seven other state-of-the-art branded showrooms in Deansgrange, Navan Road and Airside Retail Park, as well as three bespoke motor servicing facilities and the iconic Ballsbridge Motors facility. The Audi North Dublin project was delivered by Collen within budget and on time, with work on site starting in October 2011 and the new showroom being handed over to the client, Joe Duffy Motor Group, in July 2012. Completing the work within nine months was the result of good project management, says Donal Hennessy, Collen Construction’s Senior Quantity Surveyor. “The procurement and preapproval process was extremely tight and necessitated fast tracking on many of the subcontracted elements. Collen also submitted a number of value-engineering options for the project for consideration by Joe Duffy Motor Group and the Audi Ireland Design Consultants. We managed to offer cost-savings at the pre-tender stage to the client on floor and wall-tiling and the external cladding. Because the works were carried out on a fast-tracked programme, the clients gained possession of the building faster than would normally have been possible. “At the peak of construction activity, when the building was nearing completion, there were about 100 personnel on the site. Extensive coordination of all the integrated external envelope elements was required due to the complexity of the different trades

involved. The AWF perforated cladding could not be installed until after the final car-park surfacing and that was an added obstacle that had to be overcome. “Internally, the building uses a stone carpet as a floor surface that also interfaces with curved walls, which in turn interface with the ceilings, the entrance lobby and the bespoke lighting systems – all this necessitated micro-management of the various subcontractors by our site supervisory staff, working in conjunction with the design team.” Several mobile elevated working platforms (MEWPs) were in use at the same time within the building to allow various contractors to do high-level work at the same time and Collen put safety procedures, with designated work areas and barriers ,in place to ensure that there were no lost time incidents. One immediately identifiable hazard on the site was the high-voltage cables that traverse the north west corner of the site and Collen liaised with the ESB to ensure that the safety plan included this element and that it was brought to the attention of all sub-

contractors. Hennessy said: “We had a site traffic plan that involved directional rotation of machinery and one-way access and egress for deliveries, especially when undertaking groundworks. The rotation of machinery was developed during the installation of the water attenuation measures and the drainage runs on the different parts of the site.” Collen enjoys Safe-T Certification with an A-rating and it also holds ISO 14001 environmental management and ISO 9001 quality management certification. Certainly, Audi head office is delighted with the quality of the showroom and with the team that is running it. Audi AG’s Europe Regional Manager Wayne-Anthony Griffith described Audi North Dublin’s management and staff as ‘exceptional’. He said: “I would like to thank them for their commitment to the Audi brand and wish them every success in their new premises. Audi AG is firmly committed to Ireland and our continued investment clearly illustrates this.” r

‘Collen enjoys Safe-T Certification with an A-rating and it also holds ISO 14001 environmental management and ISO 9001 quality management certification.’ 21

Irish Building Magazine

Malahide Castle Refurbishment Malahide Courtyard & Gardens Development For Fingal County Council

Conservation & Restoration Specialists Historical Buildings, Monuments Period Houses Listed Buildings New Builds Churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

T: 048-37531391 M: 087-6695200 E: info@francishaughey.com www.francishaughey.com

Malahide Castle

Fit for a king One of Ireland’s most renowned tourist attractions, Malahide Castle, has re-opened to visitors following €10m redevelopment funded by Fingal County Council and Fáilte Ireland. CIAN MOLLOY reports.

alahide Castle has been a major tourist attraction for more than 30 years but, with facilities becoming dated, wheelchair access limited and the fabric of the castle requiring some repair, Fingal County Council initiated a project for the redevelopment of the castle last year to reassert its position as one of Ireland’s top tourist destinations. Originally a Norman tower house built by Sir Richard Talbot after the lands of Malahide and its harbour were presented to him for his loyal service to King Henry II in the late 12th century, the building was extended in the 15th century during the reign of Edward IV and then in the 19th century it was castellated and had its fourth south east tower added (Although there is no evidence that the castle was ever fortified). For eight centuries, this Castle and private home remained in the ownership of the Talbot family until the death of Milo Talbot in the 1970s when it was sold to Dublin County Council. It became the property of Fingal County Council when that body superseded Dublin County Council in 1994. In addition to conservation works, there has been a major upgrade and improvement to the castle and its ancillary facilities, making it both more universally accessible and vastly more engaging for

visitors. There is now a new interpretive and educational centre that focuses on the history of the castle and its occupants. The Talbot Botanic Gardens, which is home to more than 5,000 botanical specimens, has been revamped with improved access and longer opening hours. The courtyard area to the north of the castle has been substantially improved. Not only does it give access to the castle’s interpretive centre and to its walled garden, but 20th century farm buildings in the courtyard have been demolished and replaced with new buildings that house a Garden Museum and an Avoca Food Hall and Shop.

Irish Building Magazine

Toilet Cubicles Ireland

Proud to be associated with Francis Haughey Construction & Fingal Co Co at Malahide Castle. At Toilet Cubicles Ireland we specialise in the supply and installation of WC cubicles, Shower Cubicles, Vanity Units, Bench Seating, Lockers and IPS Panelling Systems for a range of sectors from leisure to education and office environments. Toilet cubicles Ireland are confident that our range of washroom products will provide you with a stylish and durable solution at an affordable price. We can supply only or carry out a complete site survey, costing with drawing and installation service for piece of mind.

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Joseph Mulhern & Sons Ltd

Stone Mason Contractors

oseph Mulhern & Sons Ltd. is a family run business with over 50 years experience in the specialised construction and restoration of natural stone. Members of the National Guild of Master Craftsmen.

The Company has completed projects with a number of City and County Councils, many of the main Property Developers and Architects and private clients over the last 50 years including the prestigious restoration of Malahide Castle. The project involved restoring some of the old masonry work and building new stonework to complement the existing masonry work. Other resent projects include the restoration of the impressive Roman Bath at Lexlip Spa for Kildare County Council, the renovation of The Yacht Pub in Clontarf, Dublin and the reconstruction of the limestone perimeter wall at St. Anne’s Park in Raheny, Dublin. Over the last 50 years we have built up an extensive portfolio of projects completed to the highest standard.

Tel: 087 2360992 • 087 2395960 • 01 8131924 email: jmulhernandsons@gmail.com

We used two great surfacing products for Malahide Castle: Proud suppliers to Malahide Castle. Specialists in the design and manufacture of Commercial and Residential custom made spiral and standard staircases, fire escapes, gates, railings, balconies, sandblasting and powder coating. We are a family run business committed to excellence with over 35 years experience. Contact us today for a free consultation & quotation on 042 9746641, 087 2930874 or jmorriseng@yahoo.ie Drumleek South, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan.

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Malahide Castle

Looking at consumer websites like Tripadvisor.com, the addition of the Avoca Restaurant is seen by many as a real boon and is a major factor in encouraging repeat visits to the facility. Beyond the castle, but within its demesne, footpaths and signage have been improved to give greater ease of access between the castle and Malahide village and DART station. Indeed the new direct, and more picturesque, path through the demesne to the village was the original route that connected the castle to the village in medieval times. The demesne also has a new children’s playground only a short stroll from the castle site. The demesne comprises 250 acres of parkland and woodland and within it you will find picnic areas, football pitches, tennis courts, an 18hole pitch-and-putt course and a cricket club (which was recently redeveloped so that it can now host international fixtures with up to 11,000 spectators). Fingal County Council Architects Department designed and project managed the redevelopment of the castle and its gardens. County Architect Fionnuala May said: “We are experienced at working with old buildings, as there are quite a few historic buildings within the council’s portfolio, notably Ardgillan Castle, Newbridge House, Bremore Castle in Balbriggan and Swords Castle as well as our Carnegie Libraries. “At Malahide, the biggest challenge in the design stage was getting the levels right to allow for wheelchair access through more of the castle than before and throughout all of the visitor centre. This was achieved with a new zinc-clad lift that was added to the exterior of the Castle in the rear courtyard. We also installed a new zinc-clad spiral fire escape, which was incorporated into an existing unseen interior shaft. When work began on the building, the biggest challenge was the reuse of the Fry Building, which housed the Fry Model Railway Collection. This was a steel-framed building built in the 1980s. The original frame was reused in its entirety. “The main contractor was Francis Haughey and their input and expertise to the project was highly valued As well as working on the castle and the interpretive centre, they also completed extensive works in the secret garden and the Cambridge greenhouse.” The Talbot Botanic Gardens are also known as the ‘Secret Gardens’ because, although the grounds became the property of the state in the 1970s, for

decades they remained largely unseen by the public. The gardens feature a beautiful Victorian glass. The gardens have also been made more accessible, with paving instead of gravel on the footpaths and with a total of seven different glasshouses now part of the garden tour.

The opening of the gardens is very important to the future viability of Malahide Castle as a profitable tourist attraction says Noeleen McHugh, the Fingal County Council’s senior executive who project managed the redevelopment. “It would be rare for people to revisit the castle, but people will revisit the gardens regularly. That is the great thing about gardens: as the seasons change, there is always something new to see.”

The courtyard to the rear of the castle has been redeveloped to provide access to the visitor centre, the castle’s walled garden and a newly constructed building that is home to an Avoca Food Hall and Shop. “Now that the interpretive centre is complete, we don’t plan any new buildings being built in the demesne in the foreseeable future,” said Fionnuala May. “But there will be ongoing conservation work on the castle – some of the upper floors have not had any work done on them recently, there are windows that need repairs and ceilings that need inspection.” The main contractor on the project, Francis Haughey, is a company that specialises in restoration and conservation projects and has more than 35 years experience in the area. “We have completed conservation and restorations works on places like the Red Stables in Raheny, 3 & 4 Capel Street, Georgian houses in Upper Mount Street, numerous Churches including St Marys on Haddington Road, various courthouses , Church of Ireland Cathedral in Armagh amongst many new builds and extensions of schools throughout the country.,” said Francis Haughey. “Malahide Castle and Courtyards was a very interesting project with its high conservation area and national monuments. A lot of care and attention was required as archaeologists were onsite all the time examining parts of the ground and buildings during construction. There was no question of knocking down a wall and building it up again! “Completing the renovating works at the castle in the tight confines of vaults as well as within the rest of the castle involved a lot of manual input and working very closely with sub-contractors and architects as decisions had to be made promptly and with due consideration due to the fabric of the building. One highlight of these works was the installation of the spiral stair case, manufactured by Morris Engineering of Castleblaney, in that the stairs were made off-site and lowered in by crane in just four sections. With margins of 10mm it was a testament to all involved that it was installed within 12 working hours. “There were quite a few challenges along the way, but we worked well with the Fingal Architects’ Office to resolve any issues quickly. Often we could see a problem coming and, as we brought an issue to the

Shannon Heritage, Malahide Castle & Gardens, Malahide, Co Dublin. Telephone: 01 8169538 www.malahidecastleandgardens.ie

Visit other Shannon Heritage Attractions: Co. Clare: 1. Bunratty Castle Medieval Banquet 2. Bunratty Castle & Folk Park 3. Craggaunowen - The Living Past Experience Limerick City : 4. King Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Castle Tel: 061 360788 www.shannonheritage.com

Did you like our Malahide Castle feature? If so why not see what we can do for you! To discuss having your company or project featured in one of our forthcoming issues. Please contact: colinwalsh@irishbuildingmagazine.ie We would be delighted to chat about your marketing plans and how Irish Building Magazine can be part of your team. T. 01 4429264 M. 087 9838946

www.irishbuildingmagazine.ie

Malahide Castle

‘We have a core team who have been with us for many years and their expertise and pride in their work ensures that projects such as this are completed within tight schedules whilst allowing us the flexibility to adapt clients’ attention we would also be proposing possible solutions. I have to say it worked very well. “We have a core team who have been with us for many years and their expertise and pride in their work ensures that projects such as this are completed within tight schedules whilst allowing us the flexibility to adapt according to conditions and architect instructions.”

The new paths leading from the castle’s entrance to the Avoca store and within the walled garden were laid by Turley Brothers, a Newry-based firm that has been in business for more than 50 years and is Ireland’s leading flooring and resin-bond paving contractors. The paths have the appearance of being formed from loose gravel – but the gravel isn’t loose. In fact the paths within the walled garden are formed from 950m2 of resin bond paving, while the path leading to the Avoca and castle is formed from 970m2 of

resin bound paving. The resin bound paving is hand applied and trowelled to provide a smooth seamless finish which is highly suitable for being traversed by vehicles.Aside from construction activity, as part of the redevelopment, a new ticketing system has been installed that allows for visits to individual attractions within the demesne or visits to a combination of attractions. Tickets can be bought from a central kiosk or online via a dedicated website, www.malahidecastleandgardens.ie. A key part of Fingal County Council’s strategy is to maximise the value of tourists as widely as possible within the county, so in line with hopes that the castle redevelopment will have wider spin off benefits for the wider community in the locality, the website highlights the attractions of Malahide Demesne and Village, as well as the castle, its courtyard and gardens. Also the castle has a new operator, Shannon Heritage, who is involved in managing seven other historic visitor attractions, most famously Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. The company is employing 20 people to operate and market Malahide Castle, with employment further boosted by up to 80 people working in the Avoca restaurant and store. Shannon Heritage Chief Executive John Ruddle said: “We see Malahide Castle and Gardens as a natural fit with our existing portfolio of day visitor attractions and evening entertainment venues in the Shannon Region. Fingal County Council has done a superb job in the redevelopment of the castle and we look forward to building on this work to grow visitor numbers.” r

according to conditions and architect instructions’, Francis Haughey MD, Francis Haughey Construction.

Irish Building Magazine

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Public & Private Sector Projects

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Schools & Educational Facilities

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Healthcare

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Commercial Buildings & Offices

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Residential & Housing developments

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Food Production facilities

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Restaurants & Retail Outlets

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Hotel & Conference Facilities

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Large scale Warehousing & Distribution Facilities

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Demolition & Refurbishment

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Waste Facilities - MRF & Composting

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Civil Works including Wastewater Treatment

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Repairs & Maintenance

Main Contractors for the new Audi Terminal Naas

Recently Completed Projects include: •

Audi Garage for Sheehy Motors, Naas - The project consists of the conversion of an existing car showrooms into a new Audi Terminal Showroom, with a workshop extension and relocated valeting area.

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Ballyroan Library – Demolition of the existing and construction of new 1400m2 library. New building is finished to high quality standard with ‘A’ BER Rating.

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McDonalds’s Airsde, Swords – Stone clad, drive-through outlet in busy retail park.

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NUIM Phoenix Restaurant – Student facility catering for 650 students in restaurant, café and private dining area in landscaped setting.

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Respond! Cookstown Way, Tallaght – 161 Residential Units, care facilities, independent living, crèche, community building and treatment rooms.

•

Glenashling Nursing Home – 23 bedroom extension built to passive house standard.

MDY CONSTRUCTION | STAPLESTOWN, NAAS, CO. KILDARE T: (045) 909 800 | E: POST@MDY.IE | WWW.MDY.IE

Audi Naas

The new Audi Naas Terminal - another great MDY finish

The opening of the €5m Naas Audi Terminal Showroom in January marked the passing of the half way point in Audi Ireland’s €80m strategic investment programme. And it also marked the completion of another successful project by contractors MDY Construction. CIAN MOLLOY reports.

he new €5m, two-storey Naas Audi Terminal facility offers a 12-car showroom, a six-bay service area and 40 used-car spaces. Initially, the showroom, which is part of the Sheehy Motor Group, will employ 14 people but employment numbers are expected to grow to more than 40 over the next two years. Audi Naas principal Frank Kelly described the showroom as a ‘fantastic new facility to motorists in the Kildare area’, adding: “The Audi brand has gone from strength-to-strength in this region with last year giving us a record 5% market share. To continue this success in 2013, €5 million has been invested in this showroom to provide Audi customers with an efficient, innovative showroom and an unrivalled customer-service experience.” Audi Ireland Managing Director Andrew Doyle added: “Customers in Kildare and surrounding areas will benefit from the unparalleled customer care that will be on offer. Audi Ireland will continue to invest to ensure we remain the clear number one premium car brand in Ireland well into the future.” The state-of-the-art showroom is owned by the Sheehy Motor Group and was designed by EMD Architects, a Dublin-based practice with an extensive portfolio of car showroom projects across Ireland, including the Audi Centre and Park Motors Audi in Dublin and Connolly Audi in Sligo. The main contractor was MDY Construction, a local firm with a nationwide reputation for quality building. With offices in Staplestown, Co Kildare, MDY was founded in 1985 and has since grown to become a recognised player in all sectors of the building industry with projects ranging in value from €1m to €50m. MDY’s portfolio of projects includes: Healthcare and nursing homes, schools and educational facilities, retail

and commercial buildings, leisure and sports facilities, food production facilities, public & private residential developments, large-scale warehousing and distribution facilities, waste-water treatment plants and a wide range of civil engineering work. Construction of the Audi Terminal Showroom took just under six months, said MDY Contracts Director Mel O’Reilly. “We broke ground in late June and handed over the site to the client on December 22nd. One of the first ‘The finishes were challenges was the partial demolition of the existing quite specialised – facility with temporary works to maintain the roof there is stone-carpet and structural elements and reconfigure electrical and flooring, bespoke mechanical services to the overall complex. There was considerable additional works with specialist elements ceilings and curved in marrying the new structure and building envelope internal walls and to the existing. It would have been much easier, from meeting specialised the point of view of both design and execution, if we glazing elements. The had been dealing with a greenfield site. As a result, the exterior cladding uses finishing work had to be truncated into quite a short an specialised anodised period and - towards the end we had some 60 people aluminium honeycomb on the site. system that is unique “The finishes were quite specialised – there is stoneto Audi’ carpet flooring, bespoke ceilings and curved internal walls and meeting specialised glazing elements. The exterior cladding uses an specialised anodised aluminium honeycomb system that is unique to Audi.” Last November, MDY completed Ballyroan Library for South Dublin County Council, another interesting project that has attracted considerable interest from an architectural and concrete finishes perspective. The €4m project for South Dublin County Council was the largest library build in recent years. Designed by Box Architects, the 1,400m2 facility offers almost double the

Irish Building Magazine

B S S Bray Scaffolding Services Hire

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Labour

Construction Safety Matters!

In today’s highly regulated and legislated environment, it’s never been more important for business owners to make health and safety an integral part of the business strategy. Bray Scaffolding Services in conjunction with Olive Safety, Ireland‘s leading online health and safety solutions provider, are offering a series of Construction Training Courses on a Digital Media Platform in areas such as Scaffolding Awareness, Manual Handling, MEWP, Electrical Safety, Ladder Safety, Harness & Working at Heights, Fire & Electrical Safety plus many more. This interactive system of training is offering businesses in the construction sector the opportunity to increase the awareness of all their staff in the area of Health & Safety with further value being brought about with the elimination of downtime as this training can be completed remotely with practical elements being done on-site where required. Visit www.olivesafety.ie for more information on the range of courses available. Proud long-term provider of Scaffolding Solutions to MDY Construction.

Bray Scaffolding Services, 33 Cois Sleibhe, Southern Cross Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow. 1 22/03/2013 a E: gcurrums@hotmail.com T: 01 10:36 276 4640 / 087 906 4198

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Audi Naas

floorspace that was available in its predecessor. The old library was demolished by MDY before work on the new library began. The Library features the use of high-quality precast concrete in its construction, with Concast providing wall panels, beams, columns, stairs landings and wideslabs all produced to a quality higher that that specified in the Precast Code. There were 16m beams used to create the large open space that forms the reading room at the centre of the building. There is an internal street, with a very high ceiling, almost like that of an atrium. Where the pre-cast concrete forms part of the building’s exterior, a render has been applied to their external surface to provide a high-level of insulation. “The building has been completed to a very high level of air-tightness so that it could achieve a BER A-grade standard,” said O’Reilly. “There is quite a complex BMS managing heating, ventilation, and heat recovery. It’s quite a complex building levels with occupancy levels that vary from two or three people in quiet periods to large crowds during events.”

we are proud that we completed a nursing home extension last year that achieved PASSIVHAUS rating O’Reilly says that MDY is now seeing an increase in private sector construction activity, but notes that his company has been fortunate in regularly winning public sector contracts. MDY is a very broad practice, says the contracts manager. “Anything to do with building, we do it,” he says. “But we are developing a number of niches. “We are developing a very good record for energy efficiency. For example, we are proud that we completed a nursing home extension last year that achieved PASSIVHAUS rating. The 23-bedroom extension to the Glenashling Nursing Home in Celbridge was the first such rating for an Irish health care facility and the first such rating for an extension. “The two-storey building is constructed with 9-inch

concrete block with 200mm external insulation, plus 275mm insulation in the roof and 200mm insulation under the floor. Heating is provided with

a heat-recovery ventilation system and to receive PASSIVHAUS certification it had an air tightness requirement of 0.6m³ per hour per m³ at 50Pa. Furthermore, the extension was built while the nursing home maintained full operations. The building has recently won third prize in the Isover 2013 Energy Efficient Buildings Awards. “Another area of specialisation is foodprocessing facilities. The Company has more than 25 years experience in delivery of complex facilities, dealing with stages from slaughtering and initial preparation through to finished products, cold storage and large scale central distribution units. We have dealt with every product from beef, fish,

chicken, lamb, baked foods, and fruit and vegetables -so far the only thing we haven’t built is a chocolate factory. It’s a speciality that may offer us opportunities in the UK in the future. Increasingly, clients in the food sector and in other industries are looking for a one-stop-shop when commissioning new facilities. They want a turn-key solution. An example of this would be the waste processing plant that we are developing for Bord na Mona, which turns brown bin waste into valuable garden compost. We have already designed and built the facility and at the moment we are proving it – we are running it and showing that it can process significant volumes of waste safely and efficiently, before Bord na Mona take it over.” So far, the most valuable construction projects that MDY has been involved in are residential developments, notably with the Respond Housing Association. In a project worth €50m, MDY built 272 housing units, in 43 separate buildings, in Mulhuddart. The buildings varied from three and four-bedroom traditional twostorey buildings to four-storey apartment blocks with KalZip roofing. The project was complicated by the late removal of ESB underground and over-ground cabling, which meant out-of-sequence working. O’Reilly says management of such complications is almost matter-of-course, because good logistics management is key to cost control and to winning contracts. “To continually win public sector tenders as we have done requires you to be very efficient at what you do on, and off, site. We have ensured the satisfaction of our clients, and their design teams, in both the public and private sectors through competitive tendering, professional management, quality construction, an excellent safety record, a proven ability to meet exacting programmes, and through our co-operative and proactive approach.” r

Irish Building Magazine

A Legacy of Construction Excellence Penneys Mary Street

Bennett Construction has a strong reputation for our competitive edge and reliable execution of all projects undertaken. This is achieved through our relentless attention to detail and an experienced team with the drive and customer focus to ensure client satisfaction is a given on all Bennett projects. We continue to invest in modern business practices and management techniques in order to ensure that we remain at the cutting edge of our industry. Bennett Construction were the first Construction Company to be awarded the “Gold Standard Award in Occupational Health and Safety” by the National Irish Safety Organisation and were the first Irish Construction Company to achieve ISO 14001 accreditation for our environmental policies. We continue to build on our reputation with our focus firmly on growing the ability of the business to deliver in new and innovative ways. Our ambition and goals for almost a century have always been to deliver quality projects and value for money to our clients; our success and reputation today have been testament to this wisdom.

Primark Frankfurt

Our people, our focus and our track record for delivery present a very strong case for choosing Bennett Construction as the preferred construction partner. With offices in Ireland, the United Kingdom and Germany, Bennett Construction has successfully delivered over 1,000 projects including Penneys Store, Mary St ~ Westmeath County Council Offices ~ Travelodge & Premier Inn Hotels, London ~ Kia Oval Cricket Ground, Surrey , and Primark Store Zeil, Frankfurt.

Bennett (Construction) Ltd

Forest Park Central | Forest Park | Mullingar Co.Westmeath. www.bennettconstruction.ie T: 044 93 46000 F: 044 93 46040 E: info@bennettconstruction.ie

Penneys Mary Street

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Excellence in Engineering Solutions Corporate Head Oﬃce: Mercury House, Ravens Rock Road, Sandyford, Dublin 18 t + 353 (1) 216 3000 f + 353 (1) 216 3005 e info@mercuryeng.com w www.mercuryeng.com Locations Dublin/Abu Dhabi/Benghazi/Doha/Glasgow/London/Manama/Moscow/Muscat/Poznan/ Warsaw

Penneys

Penneys Mary Street -

Modernisation meets Conservation with Bennett Construction The recent redevelopment of the Penneys store in Mary Street, Dublin, has added more shop floor space to the building while also enhancing its conservation status. CIAN MOLLOY reports.

he revamp of the Penneys Store in Mary Street, Dublin, is a triumph of both modernisation and conservation. While original features such as cornices, windows, roof-dome and roof lights have been preserved, the revamp has given the interior a more chic and modern image with greater use of natural light and bright, new, sleek contemporary fittings. The company’s chief execturive Paul Marchant says: “This refurbishment of Penneys Mary Street will set the stage for the next chapter in our original store’s history. We were delighted to have met our deadline to have the store complete just in time for Christmas 2012. Penneys Mary Street will now ensure that our loyal customers have a great shopping experience with more space, ease of navigation and stylish surroundings without

compromising the building’s original splendour.” Work was to a tight 38 week schedule over five phases, with the programme of works made all the tighter by the requirement for the store to remain operational while building works took place. The architect was Jack Coughlan Associates (JCA), a practice with strong specialisations in both retail and conservation, and the main contractor was Bennetts Construction Limited, with both firms having worked previously with Penneys on refurbishments and new builds. The oldest part of Penneys Mary Street dates back to 1906, when it was originally constructed as the Todd Burns department store, described by a newspaper of the time as a ‘palatial Dublin warehouse’ – it’s principal frontage was more than 120ft long, facing onto Mary Street and the building ran for 300ft along

‘This refurbishment of Penneys Mary Street will set the stage for the next chapter in our original store’s history. We were delighted to have met our deadline’. 33

Irish Building Magazine

Mechanical Engineering & Services Contractors Lynskey Engineering Ltd. has earned a solid reputation for providing specialist commercial and industrial engineering services to the building industry. Over the years the company has worked on many prestigious projects involving complex steam, water, air and heating installations and has established an eminent maintenance division specialising in a full range of mechanical and electrical services. LEL have become one of the most respected and experienced providers of building services in the country. Across all aspects of the business, the company has experience in both design and installation and is able to undertake complete management of any project from initial planning and estimation through to completion. Alongside major engineering projects, our maintenance division offers a well established small works service which encompasses general maintenance and servicing of equipment such as gas and oil boilers, chillers, pumps and controls covering the full range of mechanical services and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s associated electrical works.

Lynskey Engineering Ltd is delighted to have been involved in the Mary Street project for Penneys Our scope of services covers a wide range of mechanical building engineering services including: = Commercial = Industrial = Pharmaceutical = Medical = Transport = Educational = Entertainment = Leisure = Retail = Communications = High Tech = Turn Key

Other Services include: = = = = = = =

Clean Rooms = Pharmaceutical = Full Environmental Services Process = Air Conditioning = Heating = Ventilation Water Systems = Steam & Condensate = Fire Protection Gas Services = Medical & Specialist Gas Systems = Utility Sanitaryware = Soils & Wastes = Smoke Systems Chilled Water Systems Ceiling & Beams = Heat Pump Systems Grey Water Systems = Energy Recovery Systems = C.H.P. Completed projects include:

= Penneys Mary Street = Mater Private Hospital = Xilinx = Eastpoint Business Park = Dublin Airport

Lynskey Engineering Ltd., 3 Oak Close, Western Business Park, Dublin 12. T: +353 1 460 1556 | F: +353 1 460 1557 | www.lynskeyeng.ie

Penneys

Jervis St. That project cost in excess of £70,000 at the time and the architect was William Mitchell who was also responsible for the Hotel Metropole, which stood on O’Connell Street until it was destroyed in the 1916 Rising, and the Masonic Girls’ School in Ballsbridge, which is now Bewley’s Hotel. Previously, a portion of the site contained the home of the Victorian historian JT Gilbert and a plaque on Mary Street commemorates this fact. On Jervis Street, there is another plaque commemorating the fact that part of this section was home to Ireland’s first commercial cinema, The Volta, which at the start of the 20th century was operated by the writer James Joyce. Penneys opened their first store here in June 1969 and since then the retail group has grown to more than 250 Penneys and Primark outlets in eight different countries Conservation architect Jack Coughlan, who designed the redevelopment, said: “The architecture of the Penneys building in Mary Street is well document on Archiseek, which notes that the passing eye shouldn’t miss its ‘glorious red brick with terracotta details, all capped with the beautiful bronze dome’. “The great thing about working with Penneys is that they really value the building’s heritage – other companies might fight with the planners about the preservation of listed features, but Penneys see their value and actively works to get real quality out of the original features. “The roof lanterns had been removed during previous works, which started in 2004, and they were kept in storage until they could be put back in place. “The catalyst for this refurbishment was to restore the first floor stock area to retail. This floor, lit by the previously conserved roof lanterns, was originally traded as a retail floor in addition to the ground floor. In recent years it was used as a stock room. In order to integrate this floor with the existing retail ground floor and lower ground floor, an atrium was introduced serving all three floors. This contains the new escalators and glass lifts and is located beneath one of the original lanterns. The atrium has restored the effect of daylight penetration from roof to the ground floor and returns a sense of the character of the original building. “The largely intact detailing and finishes on decorative stanchions, their capitals, the beams and the lantern framework on the first floor have been retained and repaired where needed. As part of the conservation strategy, they are exposed as a background to which contemporary retail design can cohabit while at the same time the

original building’s significance is evident. “All external street elevations are retained and the existing windows conserved with those at first floor level as ‘live’ windows.” With a total staff of 16, JCA employs seven architects, plus conservation specialists, architectural technicians and project managers. The practice has worked with Penneys on its Cork, Wilton and Tralee stores and also on Primark stores in Belgium and Germany. Main Design & Build contractor, Bennett Construction Limited has also worked with Penneys frequently in the past. The Project Manager on the job was David Smith and he described the Mary Street project as ‘relatively challenging’ “We were working in an environment where the retail store and stock areas remained live throughout all five phases of the project. This was instilled in the mind-set of all those who worked on the project. In many cases we were working in isolated pockets and behind hoarding within the store with no access for materials or plant during store trading hours. This factor necessitated a considerable amount of night shifts and logistical co-ordination between shifts. The works being carried out during the day had to

The oldest part of Penneys Mary Street dates back to 1906, when it was originally constructed as the Todd Burns department store, described by a newspaper of the time as a ‘palatial Dublin warehouse’

Irish Building Magazine

MFM Joinery Ltd were pleased to have worked with Bennet Construction, at Penneys Mary Street, where we Renovated and refurbished the existing architectural joinery including external windows, rooflights and internal lead framed windows

Integrated Civil, Structural & Transportation Engineering

MFM Joinery Ltd was established in 1999. We are a family run business and are mainly involved in the manufacturing of internal, external and specialised joinery.

DBFL Consulting Engineers provided structural engineering services to Primark on the Penneys Mary Street project

MFM Joinery’s clients include private customers, businesses, schools and pubs. We offer a complete service beginning with the design of the joinery which is based on the client’s preferences and is drawn up using CAD design. We can supply the glazing, ironmongery and paint/varnish to finish the joinery. We also offer a fitting service if required.

DBFL Consulting Engineers Dublin Office: Herbert House, Harmony Row, Dublin 2. T: +353 1 400 4000 Waterford Office: Unit 2, The Chandlery,

Visit us online to find out more about our products and services: www.mfmjoinery.ie

1-2 O’Connell Street, Waterford. T: +353 (0) 51 309500

www.dbfl.ie

MFM Joinery LTD. Keelagh, Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan. T: 049 433 8023 F: 049 433 8767 E: info@mfmjoinery.ie

CELEBRATING

YEARS

Security Personnel • Security Training • Stock Loss Prevention •

01 820 6307 / info@markwatch.ie / www.markwatch.ie

Penneys

be facilitated by setting up the area on the preceding night.” “In order to mitigate any possible disruption to the retail operations, the in-store hoarding used had to be both soundproof and fire-proof. In order to minimise the loss of valuable retail space, the partitions were constructed to allow the faces to be fitted with merchandising shelves and railings. We developed a system to facilitate this even where the partitions were to be in place only for a period of days. We would dedicate a night shift team to install the partitions allowing for fittings, signage and merchandising before the store opened for trading the following day. In essence, we were taking out the insides of a one-hundredyear-old building while maintaining its structural integrity. We were taking out walls and replacing them with columns, taking out staircases, lifts and replacing them with a new atrium and a new escalator bank allowing connection between the basement and the new first floor trading level”. “The first phase of the project – the Atrium - was the most difficult. The existing foundations were replaced and the lift and escalator pits were formed below the water table. This phase necessitated considerable temporary works, the use of a dewatering regime

and specialist concrete. This phase, and others, required mini piles to be driven at basement level. The use of the pile-drivers inside the building provided further logistical challenges, but all went as planned and we are delighted with the job.” “Getting materials in and out of the building was a major logistical operation. Deliveries to the site were via Chapel Lane, a cul-desac off Parnell Street. This street had to be kept clear for the store deliveries to Penneys and as an important fire escape for the adjacent Ilac Centre. Considerable Engineering foresight had to be put into the construction of the new scenic lift to ensure that the lift components were sufficiently small to be carried into the building. We also successfully installed the bank of escalators by lifting them in through the roof on the May Bank Holiday.” “We dedicated specific teams to areas of work and there were no major incidents of lost time thanks to excellent planning and safety management. Our team met with Penneys safety officer for 15 or 20 minutes every day to discuss any issues that needed particular attention and to plan for the next sequence of operations. Bennett Construction Limited also used tried and tested subcontractors from our approved supply chain, whom we knew could deliver

All external street elevations are retained and the existing windows conserved with those at first floor level as ‘live’ windows

Irish Building Magazine

‘AF Roofing Ltd are proud to be associated with Bennett Construction wishing them continued success in the future’

AF Roofing Ltd were contracted to provide roofing services to Bennett Construction on the Penneys Flagship, Mary Street Store.

‘Setting the Highest Standards in Contract Cleaning’ Proud to have worked at Penneys Mary Street With Bennet’s. Nugent Contract Cleaning incorporates twenty years experience in the industry. We are Irish owned company. We guarantee a first class service from our trained and supervised teams. We can provide a fully comprehensive one stop shop service for all you cleaning requirements, from daily tasks to more involved periodical or oneoff cleaning of windows, walls, carpets, tiles, surfaces and ceilings. All contracts are overseen by an operations supervisor to ensure that the customer is always fully satisfied and that the highest possible standards of cleaning are met and maintained at all times. Inspections are recorded and the results published to the customer on a regular basis. Nugent Contract Cleaning provides a dedicated account manager to each client. To further support our promise of excellent quality of service, clients are regularly visited by the our manager, who will monitor the quality of service received.

AF Roofing Ltd, Knookastooka, Grange, Youghal, Co. Waterford. Telephone: 024 94632 Mobile: 087 251 2539 E-Mail: info@afroofing.ie

Delta Scaffolding

Your Trusted Scaffolding Partner Delta Scaffolding aims is to provide our clients with the best solution to meet their scaffolding needs. We endeavor not only to supply & erect, but also offer advice, help and planning so that our clients receive a scaffold which maximises productivity, which is cost effective and above all safe. Our vast experience in both Tube & Fitting and Modular scaffold systems mean we will recommend the best solution for any given project. For more information about our company and services give us a call or visit us online. Proud to have worked with Bennett Construction on Penneys Mary Street.

Delta Scaffolding Ltd. Biscayne, Malahide, Co. Dublin. T: 01 8450007 & 087 9979056 E: info@deltascaffolding.ie www.deltascaffolding.ie

Nugent Contract Cleaning, 25 Oakview Walk, Hartstown, Dublin 15. T: 01-820 3178 F: 01-820 3178 M: 086-171 3612 E: nugentcontractcleaning@eircom.net

Building & Civil Engineering Contractors Meegan Builders (Castleblayney) Ltd provided all Specialist Concrete work, Formwork, Steel Reinforcement and Tanking services to Primark on the Pennys Mary Street project on behalf of Bennett Construction. Our scope of services covers a wide range of Building and Civil engineering services including: n n n

Commercial n Industrial n Residential n Agricultural Formwork and concrete specialists n Civils n Medical Educational n Entertainment n Leisure n Retail n Turn Key Completed projects include: Pennys Mary Street Lakeland Dairies Bailieborough Kingspan Insulation Cumiskeys VW Garage ABP Clones

Meegan Builders (Castleblayney) Ltd Bree, Castleblayney, County Monaghan. T: +353 42 9754506 M: +353 (0) 87 413 4535 www.meeganbuilders.ie

Penneys

the project safety.” As a result of the first floor conversion and internal store remodelling, Penneys Mary Street has an extra 21,500ft2 of retail space, giving the shop-floor a total area of 95,600ft2, making it the largest Penneys outlet in the country. Thanks to the championing of conservation architecture by Bennett Construction Limited, and their use of modern materials where appropriate, the Penneys Mary Street building has a depth of quality that plainly states that this is a leading international retailer’s flagship store. Premier Electrics, is one of the UK and Ireland’s leading electrical contractors, specialising in retail fit out, electrical fit out and maintenance. Premier Electrics were very pleased to have worked with Bennett Construction in the delivery of the Penneys flagship store at Mary Street working to the SDFM team. Established in 1993 Premier is a multi-award winning provider of specialist electrical contracting which this year marks its 20th year in business. Employing more than 140 people at its purpose-built premises near Bellaghy in mid-Ulster, Premier provides a comprehensive range of electrical installation and maintenance services to a formidable array of highend clients across all of the UK and Ireland. The majority of Premier’s growth since inception has been demand-led and much of that can be attributed to a determination to provide its clients with a service that is second to none. Its position as one of the UK and Ireland’s market leaders can be attributed to a combination of a can-do attitude, exemplary customer service and absolute commitment to quality. Premier’s client base includes many top brand names including retail giants, Primark / Penneys, Tesco, ASDA, M&S, Debenhams, the Virgin Group, BHS and the Arcadia Group As well as providing quality-driven electrical installations that are always on time and within budget Premier offers Planned and Reactive Maintenance programmes throughout Ireland for companies in the retail, leisure, hospitality and office sectors. It has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Primark and Penneys over the last 15 years. Premier is committed to continued investment in

staff training, infrastructure and value engineering dig extending below the water table into the gravel to ensure it stays at the forefront of this highly stratum and the fact that an underground stream competitive industry. As a trusted partner Premier is passes directly beneath the building. The solution committed to doing all it can to make sure all their adopted involved the installation of micro-piles for clients’ electrical contracting and maintenance needs new foundations and the strengthening of existing, are met both now and in the future. You can access and pressure grouting of the surrounding ground more information about Premier by visiting their to facilitate excavations below the groundwater website www.premierelectrics.com. table. Significant temporary works were required to DBFL Consulting Engineers were the Structural facilitate the structural work, which involved close Engineers on the project. The main structural items liaison between DBFL and the contractor’s engineer included forming a large central void for escalators in the design process and during site works. r and scenic lifts by removing existing beams columns and slabs at ground and 1st floor level. In addition, a significant section an existing masonry shear wall was removed at ground floor level and replaced by a steel frame The proud providers and fitters of window film structure in order to create for the impressive Penneys Mary Street a more open-plan retail Refurbishment with Bennett Construction space. Other work included strengthening of the existing 1st floor structure to accommodate increased loading requirements for a new stock room, installation of new goods lifts, and the reorientation of existing and installation of new stairwells. As there had been many unrecorded alterations carried out to the building over the years a detailed inspection of all parts of the structure was required prior to commencement of the works in order to Specialists in window film & wall graphics determine its condition including Privacy,Security,Solar and and the viability of certain Bespoke Wallpaper and many more proposals. Excavations for new lift www.magicvision.ie tel: 01 6853227 pits and foundations were 2 -4 Anglesea Lane, Dun Laoghaire,Co. Dublin complicated due to the

Irish Building Magazine

Timber Research

Timber! Timber Engineering Research in Ireland: New Product Development, Dr. Gary Raftery, Lecturer in Timber Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Auckland.

ecently completed research projects in timber engineering at the National University of Ireland, Galway have shown that the structural performance of glued laminated C16 grade Irish grown Sitka spruce can be significantly enhanced by including modest percentages of bonded-in composite rod materials strategically positioned in the section. The lead investigator and primary supervisor of the research initiative was Dr. Gary Raftery who was an instrumental figure in the development of the timber testing laboratory at NUI Galway. He recently moved to The University of Auckland and is now lecturing in timber engineering and leading forest products research in New Zealand. The University of Auckland is in the top 1% of universities worldwide. At present, with increased focus on sustainability, timber is a construction material which is receiving considerable international attention for further research and development because it is a natural renewable resource, recyclable and is relatively inexpensive. A primary motivation factor for the research that Dr. Raftery was leading was that the use of home-grown timber in the construction sector is associated with considerably lower embodied energy than imported timber and therefore, increased focus should be placed on the development of engineered wood products manufactured using Irish timber. The material also acts as a carbon store and therefore the promotion and extension of its use in the construction industry is of critical importance to withstand the effects of climate change. Two recent postgraduate research projects continued the research from the multiple award winning project undertaken by NUI Galway BE students Damien Kearns and Joe Lucid (2010); Winner of Ryan Hanley Award (Best project in the College of Engineering and Informatics, NUI Galway) and Winner National Student Wood Awards (Engineering category), where the use of bonded-in GFRP (glass fibre reinforced polymer) rod reinforcement for the strengthening of homegrown laminated spruce was examined. FRP materials are characterised by an excellent strength to weight ratio when compared to other construction materials and portray superior durability over conventional construction materials. They therefore comprise a class of attractive materials that can offer many benefits to timber as a reinforcement for both strengthening and rehabilitation applications. One postgraduate research project extended the investigation into the use of GFRP rods materials for the flexural reinforcement of the glued laminated timber beams. Experimental testing was undertaken for both single (tension) and double (tension and compression) reinforcement configurations and the geometry of the grooves in ‘At present, with increased focus on sustainability, timber is a construction material which is receiving considerable international attention for further research and development because it is a natural renewable resource, recyclable and is relatively inexpensive’.

Irish Building Magazine

which the reinforcement is positioned was optimised. A considerable number of repetitions were tested in order to assess the effects of variability in the timber stock. A nonlinear numerical model which can accurately predict the mechanical response of the hybrid elements was developed and is

Joe Lucid and Damien Kearns, multiple award winning students with the project “Testing and Design of GFRP Rod Reinforced Glued Laminated Timber” supervised by Dr. Gary Raftery (centre). a useful tool that can be used to further examine the beam response subject to variations in geometric arrangements and loading environments. The use of basalt rod reinforcement was examined in the second project. Basalt is a commonly occurring rock type and the reinforcement of structural timber elements with a product manufactured from another natural material would be strongly favoured from an environmental aspect. The use of rod reinforcement, in comparison to plate reinforcement, adhesively bonded into routed out grooves in the glued laminated timber elements has the advantage that the reinforcement is concealed which maintains the aesthetic characteristics of the timber. The use of bonded-in rods can also be easily and effectively integrated into the glued laminated timber manufacturing procedure and adds no additional depth to the member that is being reinforced. Mechanical protection is provided to the reinforcement material and the possibility of premature delamination is significantly reduced because of the greater bond area associated with the arrangement. Furthermore, strengthened beams using bonded in rods possess better fire-proofing because of the charring effect that would occur with the timber around the reinforcing material. Both projects resulted in numerous promising results. The research showed that when the reinforcement was internally positioned in higher stressed zones, considerable improvements were achieved in the flexural stiffness of the hybrid elements in comparison to unreinforced sections with substantial enhancements in the ultimate moment capacity. Furthermore, ductility was associated with the reinforced beams in comparison to the brittle tensile failure modes which were experienced by the unreinforced beams. The groove geometry in which the reinforcement is positioned was optimised which improved the mechanical performance of the hybrid system. The internally placed rod reinforcement was also seen to bridge over weak local defects inherent with timber and improve the performance of the wood adjacent to the reinforcement. Such hybrid reinforced laminated products can facilitate the use of lower grade faster home-grown wood competing with the mechanical performance of imported glued laminated timber from Scandinavia. Dr. Raftery also explains that the development of such products would result in reduced transportation costs with lower on-site installation costs during the construction phase because of the lower weight associated with the hybrid elements. r

New Products & Company Showcase

Freefoam’s Benefits to

New Trade

Website Provides O’Riordan Sheds choose Fortex® to clad range and Homeowners of Sheds, Outbuildings and Home Offices

Freefoam Plastics, the market leader in environmentally friendly, innovative roofline and rainwater products, has relaunched its corporate website www.freefoam.com. With a bright new look and a range of exciting new features, the site offers a customer focussed experience for all aspects of the building trade and homeowners. This easy-to-use website includes detailed information on all aspects of its extensive product range including dimensions, colours, installation instructions, CAD drawings, guarantees and sustainability. It also includes a broad range of useful information relating to the company such as accreditations, range of customer service, contact details and current news stories on a range of interesting topics. Freefoam offers a market leading range of innovative, low-maintenance products including fascia, soffit, rainwater systems (gutters and downpipes), exterior cladding, window boards and trims, interior decorative panelling and decking. The company has built a reputation for leadership in the industry with a number of innovative initiatives including a market-leading range of ten colours backed by its proprietary COLORMAX® technology, a market-leading lifetime guarantee, co-extruded gutters to reduce temperature increases and expansion, and a flexible approach to customer service that puts customers first. Aidan Harte, Managing Director, comments “We’re delighted to launch freefoam. com at this time as it provides our customers, the building trade and homeowners with access to a broad range of exciting new information, advice and features that makes their jobs easier. I hope that people will take the opportunity to visit our new website and discover the diverse range of innovative products and services that we now offer due to our investment in research and development over many years. We plan to continue innovating to meet the building product needs of our customers for many years to come.” For further information please contact: T: (021) 496-6311E W: www.freefoam.com

O’Riordan Sheds, a leading fabricator of sheds and related products in the South West, has chosen Fortex® textured cladding to clad a range of its sheds, outbuildings and home offices. The Fortex range of cladding products is manufactured by Freefoam, a leading manufacturer of innovative products for the building industry in Ireland, the UK and Mainland Europe. Fortex® has an attractive textured effect and comes in a range of standard and bespoke colours. The range includes exterior cladding systems available in single, weatherboard and double plank formats. The double plank product makes installation even easier and quicker than normal. Fortex requires little maintenance once installed which is a major benefit for the owners of residential and mobile homes, sheds and commercial buildings. Finally, Fortex comes with significant environmental credentials with the Building Research Establishment’s (BRE) ‘Green Guide To Specification’ giving PVC cladding an A+ rating when installed with standard components. Maurice O’Riordan, Managing Director, comments: “Fortex® is a perfect alternative to timber for a wide range of exterior cladding applications due to its textured surface and the fact that it is very low maintenance. The wide range of colours to choose from adds significantly to the attractiveness of the product. It’s also quick and easy to install which speeds up the fabrication process for us. Overall, we’re very happy with the product and plan to continue using it for many years to come.” Freefoam offers a market leading range of innovative, lowmaintenance products including fascia, soffit, rainwater systems (gutters and downpipes), exterior cladding, window boards and trims, interior decorative panelling and decking. For further information please contact: Freefoam Plastics T: (021)496-6311 E: info@ freefoam.com W: www.freefoam.com

HG COMMERCIALE: Consistently customized, right Specsavers launches varifocal range for safety down to the colour scheme eyewear - significant corporate price reductions HG COMMERCIALE, one of the Swiss construction industry’s leading trading companies, is fitting its new sales point in Cortaillod with rack systems from OHRA. A tailor-made combination of cantilever, pallet, and vertical racks accommodates a wide range of building materials. By investing in the new Cortaillod outlet, HG COMMERCIALE can offer its customers in the Neuchâtel region an even greater range of products. Customers in the construction and finishing trades, architects and builders can obtain tools, as well as wall and floor coverings here, in addition to building materials. In order to store the many different kinds of merchandise safely and efficiently, HG COMMERCIALE equipped the distribution centres and pick-up warehouses at the point of sale with a combination of different OHRA racking systems. The company, based in Kerpen, Germany, focusses on racking systems, particularly for the building materials, timber, and metal industries. OHRA is the major supplier in the field of storage technology for HG COMMERCIALE, which has over 40 retail outlets. The warehouse in Cortaillod is divided into external and internal storage facilities. In the storage hall, OHRA mounted around 60 metres of cantilever racks on six storage levels, as well as pallet racks with space for 1200 pallets. The top storage level of the pallet racks is at a height of 7.1 meters. The external pallet rack can accommodate a further 600 pallets. An additional 60 metres of cantilever racks are mounted in the external warehouse for storing long goods. Vertical racks also allow the orderly storage of bars, rods, profile sections and pipes. With their dimensions, payloads, and additional features, the OHRA racks are not only perfectly tailored to the goods offered by HG COMMERCIALE. Indeed, for the first time ever, they are now being produced in the company’s colour scheme: Columns and frames have been painted in RAL 9017, with supports and cantilevers in RAL 1018. Thus the trading company’s corporate design can be seen consistently throughout the warehouse where the customers pick up their goods. Visit www.ohra.de for more information.

Armstrong Ceilings’ portfolio of suspension systems is detailed in a new catalogue. Customers of Armstrong Ceilings have been instrumental in developing what is arguably the most comprehensive portfolio of suspension systems on the market. Their input has resulted in a range of standard and designer grids and canopies that meet, and more, all the challenges of the contemporary construction environment, and are now detailed in a new suspension systems catalogue. Systems have been designed from scratch to meet standard requirements such as the environment, quality standards, ease of use and aesthetics, as well as specific requirements such as healthcare, humid and corrosive environments, and even seismic ones. For instance, the most recent recruit to the designer range, Microline 15 XL”, a steel-based grid with an exposed aluminium sleeve to give a clean and crisp visual, was also designed with a practical fluted reveal for flexibility in partition fixing and relocation - a by-product of today’s requirement for adaptable office space. And the Axiom canopy range has evolved from the “C” perimeter trim system for use with full-size tiles, through the more aesthetic Knife Edge Canopy, to the curved and circle canopies which allow specifiers to play with different planes and levels as well as to conceal service elements. The Prelude range of exposed grids includes a main runner section that requires fewer suspension points, while all Prelude components feature a unique “stitched” construction which enhances torsional resistance. For specific applications, the Clean Room grid system is manufactured from aluminium for maximum corrosion resistance and non-magnetic environments, with a unique factory-applied gasket for a better seal between tile and grid. Prelude 24 Non Corrosive features a special paint finish and steel-based composite clip for enhanced corrosion resistance, while the Seismic RX grid is independently tested to withstand the forces associated with significant seismic activity or other severe events. Regardless of whether they are performance or designer grids, all the steel suspension systems are manufactured from double-web galvanised steel which inhibits red-rusting better and longer than electro-galvanised or painted systems and means installation can start before the building is enclosed or the HVAC system is operational. A surface finish of baked polyester paint in a wide range of colours is then added. The CE-marked portfolio contains up to 25% post-consumer recycled content and is itself part of Armstrong’s End-Of-Life recycling scheme but care for the environment is built into the range from design stage.

Now customers of Specsavers Corporate Eyecare in the Republic of Ireland will be able to choose from a range of varifocal lenses for their safety eyewear. The launch was marked with significant price reductions for corporate clients. Until now, safety eyewear customers who require varifocal lenses have typically only been provided with a choice of standard designs. This can present adaptation problems if the customer usually wears a different lens category in their everyday glasses. Specsavers Corporate Eyecare is, however, now launching across Ireland a full range of varifocal lenses for use in its safety eyewear. Customers can upgrade from standard varifocal lenses to options from the premium, elite or tailor made categories, taking advantage of the latest technologies in lens design. Corporate clients purchasing varifocal lenses through Specsavers’ voucher scheme benefit from considerable price reductions. For example, premium varifocal lenses are reduced by 44%, from an in store price of €115 to just €64. Varifocal lenses combine three different prescriptions in one clear lens. This allows the wearer to see clearly at all distances, without having to remove or change glasses. For those who use varifocal lenses in their everyday life and are required to wear safety eyewear at work, this is an important advance. Dona McLafferty, corporate account manager for Specsavers Corporate Eyecare in Ireland, says: ‘People are rightly choosey about the lenses they have in their everyday glasses . Considering the significance of safety eyewear and the tasks people may be executing while wearing them, it is crucial that they are provided with eyewear that is well fitted, comfortable to wear and provides the best possible vision. We are delighted to be able to bring these extra options to our corporate customers.’ For more information regarding varifocal safety eyewear visit: www.specsavers.ie/corporate

SAINT-GOBAIN WEBER MONOCOUCHE RENDER BRINGS NEW LIFE TO GOSFORD CASTLE Modern monocouche render by Saint-Gobain Weber, the leading manufacturer and formulator of innovative materials for the construction industry, has been specified in the exceptional restoration project of 19th century Gosford Castle, County Armagh. A+ Green Guide rated weber.pral D by Saint-Gobain Weber has been spray applied to the interior walls of the threestorey Bastion Gate which has an imposing portcullis entrance, high arched ceilings and fine, intricate detail work. This through-coloured render incorporates innovative One-Coat Technology which is recognised for its contribution to minimising programme works. By reducing the drying time associated with a traditional two coat system by as much as 50%, on-site labour and the cost of equipment is greatly reduced which has helped with the demanding completion schedule of the Bastion Gate. Saint-Gobain Weber is the first producer of monocouche renders to be awarded an A+ rating as defined in the BRE Global 2008 Green Guide to Specification. Main contractor Samuel Millar, of Randalstown, County Antrim, has undertaken the interior refurbishment of the walls and ceilings in just five months. Sam Millar, managing director, comments: “This has been a really labour intensive project but it looks magnificent and my applicators are very proud of the finish we have achieved. We normally work on new, modern buildings where dimensions are true and walls are straight so this has been a challenging project.” “Everything about this render is perfect for us – it’s quick and easy to apply, suitable for spray application, and achieves a perfect finish. Just brilliant, we can’t fault it,” says Michael Martin, render applicator, Millar Construction. “We’ve used other brands but they are unworkable by comparison and couldn’t have been used in this specialist application, especially on the ceilings.” Saint-Gobain Weber’s renders are manufactured in Bedfordshire and Shropshire providing local manufacture, while reduced transportation mileage and CO2 emissions contribute to the company’s sustainability and environmental policies. For further information please call Saint-Gobain Weber on 08703 330 070, or 028 9335 2999 in Ireland. Or visit www.netweber. co.uk Follow us on twitter @sgweberuk for the latest company news and updates.

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