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Metro North
Feature Inside
Interview With Fingal County Manager
David O’Connor
Build Your Home Your Step By Step Guide
Sustainable Energy
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Dear Readers, My name is Anne Devitt and I’m a councillor with Fingal County Council. I’ve always considered myself a lucky person: within a ten-year period, the political decisions made by the people in power changed the course of my life. The introduction of free education at both second and third level perfectly coincided with my progression through the Irish educational system and gave me the financial help I needed to get a third-level qualification. Then when I left college and started in the workforce as a teacher and young mother, equal pay for equal work was introduced. I went from the prospect of having a basic second-level education to coming out with a third-level qualification and the right to demand equal pay. I’ve been lucky when it came to politics changing my life for the better, and as a result I’ve always wanted to give something back and inspire change where change was needed. When my husband and I first moved to Swords with our young family I could see that there was a lot of community development needed in this growing town. I felt that the only way to make this happen was to get involved in local politics and I was elected to Dublin County Council in 1985 and later to Fingal County Council. I firmly believe that the job of local councillors is to create an environment that encourages and facilitates job creation and results in a pleasant place for communities to live and work. With a view to creating this sense of community I worked towards developing the Fingal Schools Policy. The Council got involved in the provision of land to the Department of Education and the schools we now build together are fully integrated community schools. The Council and the Department now share the cost of some of the buildings and the local schools have gone from being sole-purpose buildings that open for five or six hours a day, five days a week, to buildings at the heart of the community that are open for the use of clubs and groups from the local area. I was also heavily involved in having Metro North extended to Swords. It will be an economic corridor from Swords, through the Airport, past Dublin City University and Dublin hospitals and into the city. It will be an important stimulus package for the next government. We often underestimate the powers of local government and the huge potential it has to effect change in the lives of communities. Unfortunately such a vital network of leadership can sometimes suffer a disconnection when it comes to communication between councils and often it is only when you meet with councillors from other local authorities that you learn about some of the exceptional projects they have initiated in their own areas. I believe that councillors need a vehicle for communication; a platform where innovative projects and best practice can be shared and changes in legislation can be highlighted. Policy-change documents can often sit unopened on a shelf or in an inbox. A magazine like COUNCIL will be an excellent way to disseminate information throughout local authorities around the country and present these changes to both councillors and local government officials in a user-friendly, accessible format backed up by a searchable online resource.
Anne Devitt
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Best wishes,
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With that I wish COUNCIL the best, I hope that its services are much-used by those it is intended to aid and I welcome it as a partner in the delivery of effective local government.
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Contents
Editor editor@councilpublications.com Design design@councilpublications.com Sales sales@councilpublications.com Enquiries enquiries@councilpublications.com Circulation circulation@councilpublications.com Accounts accounts@councilpublications.com Contributors: Deirdre McCurry Sally Harding O’Neill John Byrne Michelle O’Brien Stephen Blair Directors: J. O’Neill B. O’Connell R. Collins Accounts: Joe O’Neill Printers: Walsh Colour Print Graphic Design: Laura Lukauskaite
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COUNCIL Publications Ltd 01 840 8821 www.councilpublications.com Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this publication is correct, the publisher cannot be held responsible for errors, omissions or discrepancies. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of COUNCIL Publications Ltd.
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1 Anne Devitt Councillor Anne Devitt talks about inspiring change through local governing
3 David O’Connor Interview with Fingal County Manager David O’Connor 6 Metro North The planned metro system for North County Dublin is awaiting a green light from the new Government 8 News News from around the country 11 City of Sport Limerick appointed a European City of Sport for 2011 12 Roads Programme Regional and local roads programme to invest €375m in the country’s roads 14 STEM Project Kildare County Council and NUI Maynooth encouraging study of science, technology, engineering and mathematics 15 Ghost Estates Five million euro made available to local authorities for problematic unfinished housing estates 16 European Territorial Cooperation Programmes A guide to INTEREG funding still available to local and regional authorities in Ireland Supplement - Build Your Own Home Step-by-step guide to negotiating site selection, planning applications and more
19 Green Generation Dublin based renewable energy company Polcorp to develop biogas plant and composting facility in Perugia, Italy Supplement - Sustainable Energy in Ireland 2011 Extensive guide to sustainable and renewable policies, practice and potential Supplement - OFTEC 2011 Guide to oil fired heating and cooking in Ireland 20 Investing in Your Future Long-term investment in a heating system ensures peace of mind 21 New Era for Limerick Official online guide to Limerick launched 23 Underfloor Heating Moving Forward Design and installation are key to getting an efficient and comfortable underfloor heating system 24 External Insulation External wall insulation offers substantial savings in domestic heating bills 26 Full Service Competent and thorough servicing of boilers is vital to ensure the job is done properly 27 Dublin Bike Scheme City centre bike scheme a resounding success
David O’Connor, Fingal County Manager Since its inception in 1994, Fingal County Council has proved itself in presiding over the fourth largest region in the State. Deirdre McCurry interviews County Manager David O’Connor to find out the secret to the Council’s success. A driver of local industry and a focal point in the community, Fingal County Council seems to be leading the way in terms of innovation in local government. The Council has more than competently served the people of Fingal—an area which has experienced the most significant population expansion in Ireland in the last ten years—since its inception in 1994, and recently received recognition of its many contributions to the area, when it won four awards at the Chambers Ireland, Excellence in Local Government Awards last year. Picking up the top accolade of ‘Local Authority of the Year’, the Council also won the ‘Partnership with Business’ award for www. fingalworks.ie, the ‘Innovation in Technology’ award for the Fingal Works Viewer, and the ‘Joint Local Authority Initiative’ award for the Development Plan Submissions Online along with Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown. David O’Connor is Fingal County Manager and has worked alongside the Council in the delivery of local government to the people of Fingal almost from the beginning. He started out as an architect working in private practice but was made redundant in the 80s and joined Dublin Corporation. “When I joined the public service I found it much more amenable to influence than I had expected; there were never any barriers to the exercising of initiative, which is exactly the opposite of what you hear about the public service. I suppose I would always have been pushing the boundaries a bit. Sometimes I put it this way: nobody ever told me to stop and I ended up as county manager,” he laughs.
“When I joined the public service I found it much more amenable to influence than I had expected; there were never any barriers to the exercising of initiative. I suppose I would always have been pushing the boundaries a bit. Sometimes I put it this way: nobody ever told me to stop and I ended up as county manager.”
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Having had a hand at the wheel of the public sector for so long, David has witnessed many changes over the years: “When I first joined the public sector it was rigidly structured in that there were two streams: administrative and technical. Prior to the late 90s it would have been
“Throughout my career I’ve worked almost exclusively in the administrative side of things and it has given me a huge respect for the talents of good administrative people. Everyone talks about frontline staff, but the frontline wouldn’t be there if their day-to-day needs weren’t looked after. The simplistic stuff about frontline and non-frontline is just not relevant: it’s too simplistic to make any sense.”
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Originally working in the area of city housing and urban renewal in the Corporation, David got the opportunity to move across to development and ended up running the second phase of the civic offices on Woodquay. In 1995 he was appointed County Architect in the newly-minted Fingal County Council. He filled the position until 2003 when the job opened up for Head of Planning and then three years later in 2006 when then-County Manager John Tierney left, David assumed the role.
impossible for someone like me with a technical background in architecture to move across to the administrative stream. Local government was reformed in the late 90s and I was able to apply for the administrative job of planning. Since then I’ve worked almost exclusively in the administrative side of things and it has given me a huge respect for the talents of good administrative people. Everyone talks about frontline staff, but the frontline wouldn’t be there without a strategy for employment, without a strategy for training; if their day-to-day needs weren’t looked after. Frontline people can treat frontline issues, but that doesn’t allow for planning for the future, for making sure that you have all the resources, for making sure that things are managed properly. The simplistic stuff about frontline and non-frontline is just not relevant: it’s too simplistic to make any sense.”
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Fingal Schools Project Fingal has a rapidly growing population and the youngest profile in the State, and the challenge of providing adequate schools for the community was identified early on in the Council. “The Fingal schools model came from the work of our own councillors who said ‘If we don’t plan for this and put in these schools or organise to have them put in we’ll end up with a large population of young people with nowhere to go to school’,” says David. “Providing buildings for communities is not the function of the local authority under public administration in Ireland, it’s the function of the Department of Education. What we did in Fingal was involve ourselves in the process. We brought to the attention of the Department of Education that, due to the rapidly expanding population, we’d need schools much more quickly than would usually be the case.” The Council got involved in the provision of land to the Department and the two organisations worked together to remedy the situation. “We had a very good and open partnership with the Department and the ministers we dealt with. In one case we got nine schools built in 12 months: from one September to the next they were built and provided, which was way outside any precedent previously set.”
jointly presented this plan with a framework of a new route for this metro connecting Swords to the city centre to the minister at the time and were delighted when Transport 21 was announced and it included a plan for Metro North. We’re very confident that the Metro will be fantastic for the country, the region and for Swords itself.”
“We’re very confident that Metro North will be fantastic for the country, the region and for Swords itself.”
Metro North In 2002 the Government put out a call for expressions of interest in relation to the National Transport Plan. “We knew there was a general discussion about linking the airport to the city so we decided to look at the feasibility of doing this. We got some advice and joined with Dublin Airport Authority, Dublin City Council and the Railway Procurement Agency about the idea of developing a rail route to Fingal. We discovered that it wasn’t economically justifiable to develop a rail line to the airport alone, as the use patterns there wouldn’t give the optimum passenger numbers. We instead developed a coherent plan that focused on Swords and its capacity to become a really strong development centre for the future of the Dublin region as a whole. We Fingal County Hall Swords
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Excellence and Innovation
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“I have to say that I couldn’t make a lot of things happen here without the fantastic staff I have. We’ve gone through some difficult times recently but their loyalty and dedication to the job has never faltered. Quite a few of the local government awards we received last year were associated with IT. We have very good people in the IT Department and they work with people within the organisation who see better ways to do things. It’s a combination of ‘can do’ and ‘we want to do’ attitudes. While the State may be facing into an uncertain future, Fingal Council is determined to face the coming times head on. “The most immediate challenge is to keep ahead on reducing
cost and so far we’ve had significant reductions through cooperation of staff. I’d say there isn’t a local authority in the country that hasn’t reduced costs significantly in the last two years particularly.”
Driver of Industry Fingal has been a driver of economic stimulation in the local area and is continuing to take the initiative in encouraging local enterprise. The BEaT Enterprise Centre in Balbriggan, the BASE Enterprise Centre in Mulhuddart and the Drinan Enterprise centre are part of a determined approach to the fostering of entrepreneurship in the community. “The enterprise centres are aimed at people with start-up businesses. They can move in with a lot of other people in the same boat, they’re offered rent at an extremely reasonable rate and the license operates by the month. They get their own office space and pay a reasonable fee for communal aspects like secretarial services, and use of conference rooms. Overall it makes for very low start-up costs. We recently opened the new centre in Drinan and had anticipated that it would take us 18 months to fill the centre, but in fact it took us just over four months.” Moving ahead, the Council has recently put together a Parks and Heritage Property Section that is responsible for the redevelopment of Malahide Castle, Newbridge House and Demesne, Ardgillan Castle and various other heritage sites with a view to developing their capacity. “Fingal was only started—was only invented, if you like—in 1994 and I came in just a year after that. I think, and I hope,
“We recently opened the new enterprise centre in Drinan and had anticipated that it would take us 18 months to fill the centre but in fact it took us just over four months.” that I have helped shape it to what it is today. What I say to my own staff is that we have to make sure that we’re as relevant, and even more relevant, to the people we serve than we have been in the past. As a young local authority you do have some advantages in that you’re fresh, and don’t come with any baggage. You can shape how it is people receive you and this is significant for us in shaping our identity as Fingal Council.”
David O’Connor receiving the Chambers Ireland ‘Local Authority of the Year Award’. (l-r) John Gormley, former Minister for Environment, Heritage & Local Government, Peter Coyle, Deputy Mayor, Fingal County Council; David O’ Connor; and Ian Talbot, Chief Executive, Chambers Ireland.
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Metro North
Ticket to Ride The backbone to an expansive, integrated system of transport that will convey Dublin into the future, Metro North is vital to the development of the City and the Greater Dublin Area, writes Deirdre McCurry.
With 14 stops covering 16.5km of rail and a capacity for carrying 20,000 people in each direction per hour, the construction of Metro North has the potential to change the future of Dublin. Conceived under the capital investment framework of Transport 21, the delivery of the railway line will be a huge boon to North County Dublin and will serve residential, educational and business needs through linking the area with Dublin Airport and the city centre as well as hospitals; universities; and business and retail districts. “Dublin is quite a low-density city,” says Fingal County Manager David O’Connor, “between the four Dublin councils—Fingal, Dublin City, South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown—we’ve done something similar to what the Dutch did with Amsterdam. Instead of developing the city out into the countryside, we’re developing distinct cities around Dublin and linking them together with good quality transport links.”
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Envisioned as the spine of this Greater Dublin transport system that will stretch from Swords in the north to Bray in the south and Lucan in the west, Metro North went through a gestational period before being approved for development. “In 2002 the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) presented the first business case for a metro system to the Government,” says Rory O’Connor, Project Manager of Metro North. “The
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plan looked at various options, one of which suggested a network running through Blanchardstown and Swords to the airport. Though we recommended that they keep the route to Swords open, the Government opted for the direct airport to city route. It wasn’t until Fingal County Council—along with Dublin City Council, the Dublin Airport Authority and the RPA undertook an economic study that demonstrated the economic viability of extending the line to Swords that the Government was sold on the idea. In fact the name ‘Metro North’ was coined by Fingal Council.”
Jobs “The greatest benefit that the Metro will bring to the Greater Dublin region and to Ireland as a whole will be economic stimulation,” says Rory. “At the moment Dublin is unattractive to investors as it is difficult to travel around. One of the key ways to make the region more attractive is to reduce traffic congestion; the frequency of service and the network effect that metro generates will get people out of their cars by offering them attractive alternatives. If we make Dublin more attractive to live in and easier to get around this will stimulate investment in Dublin, which will benefit the country as a whole.” “We reckon we have the capacity to take 36,000 extra jobs in the metro corridor itself and it will be a really strong economic driver not only for Fingal, but for the whole Dublin region,” says David. In the shorter term, the actual construction of Metro North will deliver a significant stimulus to the economy in creating a huge boost to the domestic construction industry. With 4,000 direct construction jobs in the pipeline—great news for a struggling domestic construction industry—and thousands more indirect jobs in the construction supply sector once the project gets off the ground, results will be immediately felt.
Metro North
Build Now, Pay Later A vital aspect of the implementation of the Metro North project is that it is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) Initiative to be funded through a mixture of private finance, exchequer funding and planning levies on new developments. This means the initial cost will be taken by the private operator, creating a ‘buy now, pay later’ situation for the State that is particularly suited to our straitened economic times. “The PPP method is more efficient for purchasing infrastructure, particularly now when the Government can’t afford to build with its own money,” says Rory. “The Government only start paying back the money when the metro begins operation and this method incentivises the creation of a high quality system, as for any day that the metro doesn’t run, the Government doesn’t pay the contractor.” An upside of the current state of economic affairs is that construction costs have seen a drastic reduction, with the tender price of the construction project down 32 percent since peak and a variation in the overall estimated cost from €5bn at the height of the boom to €3bn now.
Permission to Plan An Bord Pleanála approved the development of Metro North from St Stephen’s Green to the Estuary Stop north of Swords in October last. The granting of this railway order represented a significant milestone in the bringing of the project one step closer to fruition. Due to some changes made in the railway order—a shortening of the railway line and the moving of a depot—by An Bord Pleanála, the RPA has to go back to the Bord to get permission for the new plan which has slightly prolonged the final go-ahead. “We should get the amended application in to the Bord by the end of April,” says Rory, “and we would expect to have the
new railway order by October. In the meantime, the railway order we’ve received from the Bord permits the carrying out of enabling works—the diversion of utilities in the city centre and movement of monuments and heritage works, etc. These will take 12-18 months to complete and must take place before we can start on the main construction. Once the main construction begins we should have passengers on seats within five years.” The rail link now faces final approval from the new Government on a cost benefit analysis. Once approval to start is obtained, works can commence within three months. While Metro North may have been planned in more prosperous times, the economic necessity of building the railway line remains. If even modest population and employment growth occurs, as predicted by the Central Statistics Office, then Metro North will carry over 36 million passengers each year. Its projected status as an economic stimulus was also cemented by findings, verified by independent auditors, that the development will deliver a net benefit to the Irish economy of over €1 billion and that the project benefits exceed costs by a ratio of 2:1. “The RPA are absolutely confident about Metro North, they were very conservative about their planning for it; they based the economic case for it on 2006 and it didn’t include any exaggerated economic projections,” says David. “The plan for the Metro is very advanced and can be actioned immediately. It’s pleasing to see how all the political parties have expressed a positive view about it in their campaigns.” Metro North is ready to go: once final approval from the Government is obtained, contracts can be signed in weeks and the project proper can commence. Transporting people efficiently and in the most sustainable manner is vital for the economic, social and environmental well being of any city. It would seem that its construction is essential to the longterm viability of Dublin. It looks like Metro North could be just the ticket for opening up Dublin for business.
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Putting Limerick on the Map Thousands of visitors to Limerick are set to benefit from a new promotional city map and guide launched recently showing some of the city’s best places to eat, drink, stay and visit. The ‘Experience Limerick’ publications are colourful booklets called ‘z cards’ which open to reveal a city map showing visitors where to eat, drink, dance, stay and what to see and do when visiting the city. The printing of 100,000 z cards was funded by Limerick City Council and they are to be aimed primarily at the rugby and concert going visitor and will be distributed through the Shannon Development Tourist Office network including Limerick, Adare and Shannon, and all hotels as well as electronically to all visiting rugby supporters set to visit Thomond Park this season. The z cards can be downloaded from www.limerickcoordination.ie, www.shortbreaksireland.ie/ limerick and www.limerick.ie
West Cork Islands The West Cork Islands Integrated Development Strategy was launched recently under the care of the Cork County Development Board. The Strategy was developed by a local interagency group through the auspices of the Board to provide a framework for the physical, economic, social and cultural development of the islands for the next ten years and beyond. Islanders and the Local Island Development Groups worked in partnership with the West Cork interagency group to guide and formulate this collective strategy. The strategy appreciates the unique circumstances of the islands and their importance in a local and national context. For this reason the focus is on local measures to address the development of the West Cork Islands through recognition of these differences and innate assets. The islands make a strong contribution to the quality of life, economy and vibrancy of mainland West Cork and Ireland as a whole. Accordingly, the strategy seeks to raise the profile of the islands, examine how services are best delivered to the islands and encourage agencies to islandproof their policies and work programmes. Copies of the strategy can be downloaded from www.corkcoco.ie or are available directly from the Office of Community & Enterprise, Cork County Council.
Operation Conservation
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Wexford County Council is currently working on a draft for a biodiversity plan that will aim to provide a framework for the conservation, management and enhancement of the rich natural heritage and biodiversity of the county. The main functions of the plan will be to translate international, European and national policies and obligations into effective action on the ground; to assist sustainable planning and development; to raise public awareness of the conservation of biodiversity; and to collect and collate information on the biodiversity of the area. The first stage of the plan called on members of the community in Wexford to give their opinions on the most important issues concerning biodiversity and nature conservation in Wexford. When all submissions to the Wexford Biodiversity Plan have been received and reviewed, a draft plan will be compiled. Following on from this a public meeting will be held to discuss the Draft Biodiversity Plan and to seek further comments.
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Travel Smart The Smarter Travel Workplaces Programme targets 100 of the largest employers across Ireland with the intention of reducing car use and promoting the uptake of travel to work by bus, walking, cycling and carpooling. On foot of a recent seminar held by the National Transport Authority (NTA) in association with the Galway Transportation Unit a number of Galway’s largest employers agreed to participate in this programme and develop workplace travel plans. The development and implementation of workplace travel plans can yield significant benefits at both city and organisational level including the alleviation of traffic congestion, reduced demand for car parking, improved site access and an overall reduction in transport costs. Participation in this programme attracts a number of benefits for workplaces including assistance with the development of a travel survey, specialist travel planning support and proven initiatives designed to promote sustainable travel such as effective car park management. Among those who signed up to the programme were Galway City Council, Galway County Council, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, Hewlett Packard and Galway University Hospitals.
Going Green
Now in their third year, the Green Awards will return on 14 April to honour excellence in sustainability and best green practice. There has been a massive level of interest since last year so standards are set to be even higher this time around. This year also sees the introduction of a new category—the Waste to Business Resource Award sponsored by rx3—which recognises companies that turn the waste created by one process into a resource that can be used in the creation of new business opportunities. Entries are now closed for the awards but you can check www.greenawards.ie or watch this space for details of the 2011 winners.
Employment and Enterprise Iniciative With recent research identifying the fact that only 25 percent of people in the Travelling Community are in mainstream employment, the Traveller Interagency Group of South Tipperary has been stepping up its efforts in supporting Travellers in accessing employment opportunities and in the creation and development of enterprise.
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Finding new and innovative ways to work together has been an exciting and successful aspect to the Traveller Interagency Plans of Local Government where all agencies have the opportunity to collaborate and deliver
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The Tipperary Rural Traveller Project was established in 2009 and supports a number of Traveller men and women in South Tipperary to participate in training programmes that build their skills and confidence. This focus on employment and enterprise has had extremely positive impacts since its inception and includes ‘An Siopa’ in Tipperary Town. ‘An Siopa’ is run as a second-hand shop and doubles as a training centre where women from the Travelling Community can receive on-the-job retail training as well as engaging with members of the public from all communities.
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Limerick City Council
Limerick City Of Sport A status as European City of Sport is set to boost Limerick’s economy with new sports events worth €5 million already secured for the city.
Representatives from sports clubs and organisations in the Limerick area turned out in force to attend the official launch of Limerick’s reign as a European City of Sport for 2011. Limerick is the first city in Ireland to be designated a European City of Sport, and the year kicked off with a showcase event in Thomond Park Stadium on 25 January last. Limerick’s securing of the title is the result of a pitch last year by Shannon Development and Limerick City Council to the European Capitals of Sport Association (ACES). The aim of the ACES is to promote sport for everyone regardless of their age, physical ability and skill level. This coveted award is only given to cities that have a proven track record of achievement in sports and Limerick now joins a select number of European Cities of Sport for 2011. At the launch, Dr Vincent Cunnane, Chief Executive of Shannon Development said: “Limerick is already a hub of sporting activity and has a strong calendar of sports events throughout the year. Many of these events are being expanded as a result of Limerick’s European City of Sport status. In addition, Shannon Development has already been actively marketing Limerick as a location for new sports related events and conferences. As a result Shannon Development has secured four new high-profile events that will generate €5 million in revenue spend for the City and County in 2011.”
A preliminary calendar of events is now available to view at www.limerick.ie and a new iPhone application to support the year of sport will also be available to download shortly.
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Speaking about the significance of the year-long event, Councillor Michael Sheahan, Leas Cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council said: “Today is not only a landmark day for sport in Limerick, but is just reward for the wonderful
The economic benefits of sport to Limerick are significant: it is estimated that sports events in the Shannon Region last year generated in excess of €60 million. It is hoped that the prestigious title of European City of Sport will enhance Limerick’s growing international reputation as a leading centre for sports activities. It is a significant opportunity to use this important accolade to encourage more business and economic development through sports related business events and conferences.
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Calling on all Limerick sports organisations to get involved with the year, Councillor Maria Byrne, Mayor of Limerick said: “Limerick has a rich and proud sporting heritage and it is incumbent on everyone involved in sport to row in and help populate the calendar of events to make it a truly memorable year for the City and greater Limerick area. We are looking forward to welcoming the thousands of athletes that will arrive in Limerick during 2011 to participate in the huge number of sporting events that are being announced.”
work being undertaken by the people of Limerick, with the assistance of regional development agencies, in portraying this city as the vibrant, thriving centre of culture and sport it is.”
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Road to Success The Government pledges significant investment in the country’s roads with the announcement of a €375 million Regional and Local Roads Programme for 2011. A network of roads in top condition is vital to economic expansion and it is clear that the Government recognises this importance having allocated an average investment of €31.25m per month on Ireland’s regional and local roads for the coming year. Pat Carey, former Minister for Transport, announced details of the substantial investment programme in the regional and local roads network for 2011 last month. Speaking about the programme, he said: “This year’s allocation of €375 million will bring the total Exchequer investment since 1997 for the restoration and upgrading of regional and local roads by way of grants to almost €6.4 billion. This year I am reintroducing the Restoration Improvement Programme to refocus priority investment under this programme to areas that most need it. A total of €150 million is being provided to local authorities under this grant category. Local authorities will also be provided with flexibility to change their programmes if necessary, given the recent period of severe weather.” Mr Carey also added that he has introduced a Winter Maintenance Grant category that local authorities can use for treating roads during cold weather.
The former Minister added “These grants, which supplement expenditure by local authorities from their own resources, represent a very significant investment at a time when public finances are under severe pressure. These roads serve an important economic role and have valuable social and community functions. 94 percent of all our roads are regional or local and they carry about 54 percent of all traffic. It is, therefore, imperative that we maintain and, where necessary, improve the network.” Local authorities will also receive €115 million in maintenance grants in the coming year under the Restoration Maintenance Programme and Discretionary Grants. Councils will enjoy increased flexibility in addressing maintenance needs on regional and local roads, with a rebalancing of the division of monies between surface dressing, general maintenance and strengthening works. The programme will include a proviso for 166 specific schemes that will be covered under the €52 million investment. “These grants are paid for projects, which aid local economic development and employment creation and benefit the Fisheries, Forestry, Industry, Rural Development and Tourism Sectors, or that make a significant contribution towards the aims of the National Spatial Strategy,” said Mr Carey. Urban Authorities will be allocated €27.2 million for Block Grants and will have greater flexibility and full discretion in the selection of roads where work is to be undertaken. In a bid to increase road safety, locations that show possible contributory factors or accident patterns and that may respond to low cost road improvements, will benefit under the Low Cost Safety Improvement works programme. This will involve €6 million provided to local authorities for the completion of 198 projects.
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€5 million has also been set aside for the Local Improvements Scheme under which grants are made available to councils for the carrying out of roadworks on private roads. Works carried out provide improved access for people in isolated and depopulated areas.
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A pilot scheme involving the inspection and assessment of bridges was initiated in 2010 in two counties. This scheme is being extended this year to a further 13 counties at a cost of €2.45 million. The scheme involves the engagement of consultants from a framework panel to carry out detailed
inspections on regional road bridges. Some monies will also
The overall grants structure has been simplified and the main features are as follows: · €210m for Pavement Restoration Programme rehabilitation and maintenance of road pavements · €55m for maintenance and strengthening works for which local authorities have complete discretion in the selection of roads be available for carrying out urgent repairs that are identified as being necessary but in the main the rehabilitation of defective bridges will be carried out under the Specific Grant Programme. The other main elements of the investment programme include improvements to signposting on regional roads and grants for road worker training programmes.
· €27.2m for urban authorities for rehabilitation and maintenance of road and footpath pavements; urban authorities have complete discretion in the selection of projects · €10m for Winter Maintenance which may be used for treating roads in cold weather · €31.9m for Specific Projects (including bridges) · €20.1m for Strategic Regional and Local Roads Projects · €6m for Low Cost Safety Improvement Works · €5m for Local Improvements Scheme
· €2.45m for bridge inspections of regional road bridges
· Priority is to protect investment and target resources to urgently required repairs due to severe weather
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IN IRELAND 2011
· €4.9m for Regional road signposting programme
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Kildare County Council
Educational Initiative Kildare County Council and NUI Maynooth are taking the initiative when it comes to encouraging the study of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Kildare County Council, in association with NUI Maynooth supported by a number of leading firms in the county, has developed a new initiative to promote the study of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The package of measures includes a promotional DVD for all second-level school students in the county and a scholarship scheme at NUI Maynooth. This STEM initiative follows a range of other recent developments in the University designed to enhance the study of Science and Engineering in schools. Other related initiatives include a new undergraduate Science teacher training degree and an MSc in Mathematics for Education in conjunction with the University of Cambridge. Students who achieve over 500 points in their Leaving Cert, with an honours grade A in Mathematics and another STEM subject, will be eligible to apply for an award under the scheme which is tenable for the four years of their undergraduate programme. The initiative, formed after detailed consultation with industry and education, is open to students of all second-level schools in the county, as well as Kildare residents attending second level schools outside the county and it will come into effect for the 2011-12 college year. Four scholarships will be awarded to first-year students in 2011, and each scholarship will last for the duration of the chosen undergraduate degree programme. Accommodation on campus will be reserved for the scholarship students (normal charges apply).
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IN IRELAND 2011
Speaking at the initiative’s launch, the chairman of NUI Maynooth’s governing body and of the Kildare County Council’s Economic Strategy Committee, Dan Flinter, said:
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“The STEM initiative is a very real and pragmatic approach to enhancing the interest of students in careers in the engineering, science and technology spheres. It will make a practical contribution to the development of key industries of the future. In our county a growing supply of engineering and science graduates is vital to our long-term economic success. “The availability of such graduates was critical to the attraction of major international companies as well as indigenous start-up companies in the past and will underpin the regeneration of the Irish economy going forward.” Prof Tom Collins, Vice-President for External Affairs at NUI Maynooth welcomed the initiative stating “it is important that the University continues to build relationships with the second level sector in making it possible for gifted students of mathematics and the sciences to progress seamlessly into STEM subjects in their third level course choice and indeed continue with careers in this area.” Mayor of Kildare, Councillor Brendan Weld, highlighted the importance of working with industry and NUI Maynooth to promote study in STEM subjects.“This initiative is about being competitive” he said. “It is about creating an educational resource that will attract investors and employers.” A number of companies are already involved in the initative namely Bord Na Móna, Hewlett Packard, Intel and Pfizer Ireland, each of whom are committed to developing an awareness of the exciting, challenging and rewarding careers in the STEM area. For more details see http://admissions.nuim.ie.
Ghost Estates Five million euro is to be made available to local authorities in dealing with problematic unfinished housing estates. Former Minister for Housing and Local Services, Mr Michael Finneran, recently welcomed the interim analysis and findings of the Advisory Group on Unfinished Housing Developments. The two most critical matters the Group considered were public safety and the living conditions of residents in these unfinished developments. There are approximately 400 particularly problematic housing developments and these will be the focus for initial action. An allocation of €5 million is being made available to local authorities to deal with immediate safety issues and works to improve the living conditions for existing residents. While the Advisory Group is still finalising its analysis and recommendations, the Chair of the Group, Mr John O’Connor reported to Mr Finneran on emerging findings across a range of areas.
The Chairman of the County and City Managers Association, Mr Eddie Breen also welcomed the announcement of the interim findings of the Advisory Group on Unfinished Housing Developments. In particular, Mr Breen welcomed the provision of the initial tranche of capital funding towards addressing the problem. Mr Breen stated that “local authorities are only too aware of the impacts on residents in unfinished housing estates and will play their part in what they hope will be a unique partnership, with the Department for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Health and Safety Authority, the Construction Industry Federation, Financial Institutions, NAMA and local residents, to resolve this national issue”.
In welcoming the findings, Mr Finneran reiterated the need for immediate action to address serious public safety issues in the most problematic estates: “Local authorities may, as a last resort, have to take steps on a small number of sites to address critical issues to secure the safety of local residents. I am therefore making a capital provision in 2011 of an initial €5m which will be available to those authorities to support such work. Any public monies used should ultimately be recouped from the owners of these sites either now or in the future. Details of this ring-fenced fund will be communicated to all local authorities in the coming days, including the circumstances in which applications for such support will be considered.” Mr Finneran stated that progress in the resolution of the 400 most problematic developments will be coordinated at a national level and added that “the law is clear that the developers and owners of such housing developments (or receivers, where appointed) have the primary obligation in addressing outstanding problems.”
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“I am confident that I have initiated a national response to this pressing issue and I wish to thank the chair and members of the Advisory Group who gave so freely of their time and expertise”
IN IRELAND 2011
Mr Finneran wished to reassure those living in these unfinished housing developments that the Government is committed to securing the resolution of critical public safety issues on these housing developments and to coordinating the efforts of all stakeholders to deliver solutions. He added that, though there were 2,846 unfinished developments surveyed last year by his department, it is the 400 developments with the highest levels of vacant and partly completed housing—and the associated difficulties these cause for the residents—that will be prioritised in this initial action.
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Southern & Eastern Regional Assembly
A Helping Hand The various European Territorial Cooperation Programmes provide a valuable source of funding to local and regional authorities in Ireland. Open calls have been issued for the various programs and interested parties should act swiftly if they wish to avail of the remaining funds.
Over the last two decades, Ireland has participated in and greatly benefited from various forms of inter-regional cooperational programmes co-funded by the European Union. These programmes, originally known as INTERREG, have been operating since 1990. Since then, three rounds of the INTERREG Community Initiative have followed. Over these successive periods, the programmes have grown in scale and content and have taken in all forms of cooperation, from immediate cross-border cooperation to larger scale trans-national cooperation, to European-wide inter-regional cooperation.
2007-2013 Programming Period Following the success of the INTERREG Community Initiative, European cooperation was elevated to the status of a fully-fledged ‘Objective’ of European Cohesion (Regional) Policy for the new programming period. Given a new title of European Territorial Cooperation and with an enhanced budget of €7.8 billion for the Union, it now represents one of the three pillars of European Regional Policy along with Convergence Programmes and Competitiveness and Employment Programmes. The Territorial Cooperation Objective is split into three strands: Strand A – Cross-Border; Strand B – Trans-National; and Strand C – Inter-Regional.
Strand A: Cross-Border Cooperation SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
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Cross-border cooperation is aimed at transforming regions located on either side of internal or external borders of the European Union into strong economic and social development zones. In particular, cross-border actions are encouraged in the fields of entrepreneurship, improving joint management of natural resources, supporting links between urban and rural areas, improving access to transport and communication networks, developing joint use of infrastructure, administrative cooperation and capacity building, employment, community interaction, culture and social affairs. Borders can either be land borders or sea borders where distance between regions does not exceed 150km.
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In all there are 50 cross-border programmes within the EU and a further 25 programmes involving external borders. Ireland participates in two cross-border programmes: The Border Region is part of the Ireland-Northern IrelandScotland Programme with a total budget of €256m. The Managing and Certifying Authority for this programme is the Special EU Programmes Body (www.seupb.eu ). Dublin and the Mid-East and South-East regions are part of the Ireland-Wales Programme with a total budget of €70m. The Managing and Certifying Authority for this programme is the Southern & Eastern (S&E) Regional Assembly, who has established a dedicated joint secretariat in Waterford with Simon Baily as Head of Unit. To date the Ireland-Wales Programme 2007-2013 has issued four general calls for proposals and a pilot strategic call which has led to the approval of 33 joint projects worth over €41m of ERDF grant commitment. This leaves a balance of almost €8m ERDF which still remains to be allocated. The Ireland-Wales Programme is pleased to advise that the fifth call for proposals is now open. The closing date for receipt of applications is Thursday, 19 May. This call is limited to the two themes in Priority One: innovation and competitiveness; and skills for growth. Anyone interested in making an application—for what may be the last open call—should contact the Programme Development Officer, Siobhan Rudden (051 318 100, srudden@seregassembly.ie) and consult www.irelandwales.ie.
A wide range of bodies from the public, private and wider economic and social sectors are seen as potential beneficiaries. These will include such bodies as national, regional and local authorities, public and state supported agencies, higher education institutions, colleges and research institutions, private enterprises, voluntary and community sector organisations. All formal partners in approved operations must be either public bodies or public equivalent bodies.
Strand B: Trans-national Programmes Trans-national cooperation promotes cooperation among greater European regions, including the ones surrounding sea basins or mountain ranges and facilitates coordinated strategic responses to joint challenges like flood management, transport and communication corridors, international business and research linkages, urban development and others. There are 13 trans-national programmes in Europe, and Ireland participates in three of these:
1) North-West Europe Programme (NWE) With a budget of €335m, this is the largest transnational programme and covers all of north-west Europe. The central aim of this programme is for countries and regions to work together on mutually beneficial projects to tackle issues that go beyond national borders. The NWE Programme has four priorities: • Develop the NWE knowledge-based economy by capitalising on our capacity for innovation • Sustainable management of natural resources and of natural and technological risks • Improve connectivity in NWE by promoting intelligent and sustainable transport and ICT solutions • Promote strong and prosperous communities at a trans-national level.
2) Atlantic Area Programme The Atlantic Area Programme has a budget of €158m and all of Ireland is eligible. The Programme has four priorities: • Promote trans-national entrepreneurial and innovation networks • Protect, secure and enhance the marine and coastal environment sustainably • Improve accessibility and internal links • Promote trans-national synergies in sustainable urban and regional development. To date there have been two open calls for proposals to which 146 applications were received. Out of this, 48 projects have been approved with a combined grant amount of €75m. Several regional and local authorities from Ireland are part of approved projects. This leaves an amount of €23m yet to be allocated. A third call under this programme was just launched on the 14 February, and will close on 30 April. The call is targeted at the following areas: • Enhance competitiveness and innovation capacities in maritime economy niches of excellence • Improve maritime safety • Exploit the renewable energy potential of the marine and coastal environment • Promote interoperability and continuity of existing transport networks and sea/road/rail/air inter-modality • Promote short sea shipping and cooperation between ports.
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To date there have been seven open calls (normally two per year) which have generated over 220 applications. So far 63 projects have been approved with a combined grant allocation of €225m. This
The eight call, which will be an open call across all priorities, is due to open on 4 March this year and will close on 1 April. Any organisation interested in making a bid or joining a project partnership should contact the National Contact Point housed in the S&E Regional Assembly, Antoinette Jordan (051 860 700, ajordan@seregassembly.ie) or view the programme’s website www.nweurope.eu.
IN IRELAND 2011
Partners must be a minimum of two from at least two different member states and can be cross sector engaging the triple helix (Public – Private – Research). An average partnership involves nine partners from six countries. The lead partner must be public or public-similar non-profit and private sector partners must act as public non-profit. Partners from outside NWE are permitted but the project must benefit NWE.
leaves a balance of €109m to be awarded in grant assistance.
The call is open to any public or public-equivalent body to apply in partnership with other regions in at least one other member state. Any interested parties should consult the programme website, www.coopatlantico.com, and contact the National Contact Point in the Border, Midland & Western (BMW) Regional Assembly, Michael O’Brien (094 9862 970, mobrien@bmwassembly.ie) for further details.
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3) Northern Periphery Programme The Northern Periphery Programme is a much smaller programme with a budget of €45m and is limited to all counties along the Atlantic seaboard from Cork to Donegal. The Programme has two priorities: • Promote innovation and competitiveness in remote and peripheral areas • Sustainable development of natural and community resources To date there have been six open calls, from which 35 projects have been approved, of which 15 involve an Irish partner or partners, several of which are regional and local authorities. The seventh call is currently open and will close on 21 March this year. There is €6.5m of grant aid remaining in the budget. Michael O’Brien in the BMW Assembly is also the contact point for this programme.
cooperation. These vary from simple networking to the development of policy instruments or the establishment of mini programmes. In Capitalisation Projects partners build on already identified good practices. Capitalisation projects are set up to transfer these good practices into mainstream EU structural funds programmes. This is done by developing action plans and involving relevant policy makers. The European Commission offers additional expertise to some of these projects, named ‘Fast Tract’ Projects. To date there have been three open calls. This has resulted in over 800 applications being received, of which 122 projects have been approved with a combined grant assistance of just over €200m. Of these approved projects, 17 involve Irish partners with a total combined grant of €33m. There remains approximately €100m yet to be allocated. The fourth, and possibly last open call was launched on 1 December last and this call will close on 1 April this year. It is restricted to Regional Initiative projects only with partners coming from the public sector. Interested bodies should visit the programme’s website www.interreg4c.eu or consult with either of the two Regional Assemblies in Ireland.
Conclusion
Strand C: Inter-regional Cooperation Inter-regional cooperation provides a framework for the exchange of experiences between local and regional actors from across Europe in order to contribute to the EU’s strategies on growth, jobs and sustainable development. In addition, it aims at reducing disparities by matching less experienced regions with more advanced regions in the various policy fields such as innovation, demographic change, energy supply and climate change. SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
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This is a European-wide programme where all regions from every member state plus Norway and Switzerland are eligible to participate. The programme has a budget of €321m and supports two types of cooperation projects— Regional Initiative and Capitalisation: In Regional Initiative Projects partners work together to exchange experiences in a policy field of their interest. They can choose between three levels of intensity for their
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From the foregoing it is evident that the various Territorial Cooperation Programmes have been and continue to be, of great interest to Irish local and regional authorities, and provide a valuable source of additional funding to these bodies. Depending on the programme, grant rates range from 50-75 percent, and much of the match funding can be made up by in-kind costs such as staff time spent working on the projects. Most of the programmes are at a fairly advanced stage of implementation, with final calls currently open, so interested parties need to act swiftly if they wish to avail of the remaining funds. These final calls are especially relevant to local and regional authorities, and interested parties are advised to consult with the relevant contact points listed above. Good luck with your proposals, Stephen Blair Director, Southern & Eastern Regional Assembly
Build Your Home 2011
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Sponsored by:
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Build Your Home
20
Build Your Home
Steps to Success
The process of building or extending your new home begins long before the foundation is laid. To avoid expensive mistakes during the construction process, start with these important steps.
Building your new home is an exciting yet daunting experience and something that most of us will only ever do once. We provide you with this step-by-step guide that takes you through the vital stages like choosing your site, obtaining planning permission, planning your budget and hiring a team to build your dream home.
1. Choose a Site Carefully When selecting the site for the construction of your new home there are a number of things to consider:
If no public sewerage scheme is nearby for the safe disposal of household wastes, you will need a system such as a septic tank and percolation area. Your site will have to be large enough to accommodate this (usually 2000.sq.m) and not all sites or soil types are suitable. On heavy soils the ponding of effluent can lead to public health hazards, nuisance and pollution of watercourses, whereas on light soils or fissured rock, effluent may percolate to groundwater too quickly leading to pollution of wells and groundwater drinking supplies. “You will be required to submit percolation and trail hole tests with your planning application,” says John Downey of Downey Hynes Partnership, a Dublin based Chartered Town Planning Consultancy. “There have been recent changes in these standards but one can refer directly to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Guidelines (2009) in this regard.” See www.epa.ie for details. It is also in your interest to contact the ESB to find out if your proposed site can be supplied with electricity and at what cost. It may not be enough to choose your site because it is near existing electricity lines. Other safety and technical requirements could affect the feasibility. You are advised to contact your local ESB office about any overhead lines close to or crossing your site; this is a requirement where any overhead lines are within six metres of the construction works.
Location
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It’s important to consider how the surrounding environment can affect the finished product. A site exposed to lowaltitude winter sun allows for the possibility of passive solar heating, and shelter provided by nearby trees, adjacent buildings or surrounding hills can protect from heat loss.
Amenities
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Immediate Environment
Having to prepare a site for construction can also have a big impact on the cost of a build. In terms of cost, building on a flat site is the ideal as if you have to haul in lots of soil, do a lot of grading, clear trees, or blast through large rocks, site preparations can become more expensive.
When building or extending a home, the first thing on most people’s minds is the finished product: how many rooms
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there are going to be, what the overall style will look like, and so on. Generally you need planning permission for any development of land or property unless the development is specifically exempted from this need: Many types of extensions are exempt including rear extension of 40.sq.m or less, front porches and detached garages. An application may be made for permission or outline permission. The most common type applied for is permission (sometimes referred to as full permission) but there are circumstances when you may want to make an application for outline permission, for example to see whether the planning authority agrees with your proposal in principle before you go to the trouble of making detailed plans.
Other Issues “When considering the total cost of the project, always remember to factor in the addition to the construction cost of planning levies which in some councils can amount to over 150 euros per sq.m.” says John. “Design fees vary but be sure to get a written quotation prior to the planning and to the construction stage. Professional fees have come down over the last few years so make sure you get a mixture of quotes.”
“If you’ve done the desktop research and it is indicating that you can go ahead with your application, engage with
Staff at your local planning authority can clarify: • Site location and development options • Whether your proposals are likely to comply with the planning authority’s development plan and design standards • The documents (and the number of copies) required with the application and the amount of detail needed • What fee should be paid (typically €65 per unit) • Public notice requirements • Local planning policies The development policies and objectives of the planning authority are contained in the local development plan. Policies and objectives for promoting and controlling the building of houses, favoured locations for housing, comprehensive guidelines on design standards, etc are normally found in or identified by the plan. You can view this plan during office hours at the planning authority offices, online and in local libraries.
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2. Getting Planning Permission
At this stage the planner should outline what the issues might be—there might be problems with drainage, access, zoning and so on, and these will all impact on you being granted permission. If there are no issues go and lodge your application. Again John strongly advises that you get as much direction as possible from applications that have previously been lodged in the area. “If there is a problem get advice at an early stage from a planning consultant, don’t wait till there is an additional information request or a refusal,” he says.
IN IRELAND 2011
It’s incredibly important to consider the planning permission at an early stage in the process, advises John. As any work undertaken prior to receiving permission could be wasted if the application is denied it’s important to get this right from the start. “When considering your site the first thing would be to get advice in relation to planning permission,” says John. “Do a desktop study of what the zoning is, check what the planning policies (the development plan) are in relation to the proposed development you want to carry out, and what is allowed. Some good initial research is to see what applications have been made in the area by examining the Planning Register (available at the planning counter of the respective Council) and then review these applications, reading the planner’s report (officially known as the Manager’s Report).”
an architect to sketch up some preliminary plans,” advises John. “When that’s done and still in the preliminary stages, go in and talk to your local planning officer and have a pre-planning meeting—it’s a requirement under Section 247 of the Planning Act. Don’t let the architect fully design the house to your desire and then go in with the finished product to the preplanning stage. A simple block plan with a front elevation is all that will be required at this point.”
It may also be in your interest to contact your new neighbours to advise them of your plans. It may be possible to alleviate any worries they have by modifying your proposal and this can help to avoid objections being lodged to your application (up to five weeks from date of lodgement) or to avoid a planning appeal to An Bord Pleanála.
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Build Your Home Planning Refusal “If you get a refusal you have two options: appeal the refusal to An Bord Pleanála or accommodate the reasons for refusal and re-lodge it,” says John. “To re-lodge the planning application, you would have to study the manager’s report and look at why the reasons for refusal were considered in this case. Each application is assessed solely on its individual merits and those merits are the responsibility of the applicant to demonstrate. Sometimes these are taken for granted and not fully explained and this is one of the reasons that a planning consultant’s report is a worthwhile addition to an application.” Under the planning appeals process, all planning decisions made by planning authorities may be subject to independent review by An Bord Pleanála; a planning appeal checklist can be downloaded from www.pleanala.ie and should be available from your local planning authority. Generally speaking, the Board must receive an appeal within four weeks beginning on the date of the making of the decision by the planning authority (not the date on which the decision is sent or received). Every appeal must be made in writing and must be posted to An Bord Pleanála or delivered in person. The appeal must be fully complete from the start and the Board’s statutory objective is to dispose of appeals within 18 weeks. “It is advisable at this stage to get advice from a planning consultant to prepare the appeal on your behalf,” says John. “The cost of a planning appeal varies but is typically €220 for a one-off house.”
3. Planning Your Budget Begin now to think about how much you can afford to spend and how much the construction of your new home is likely to cost. Chances are you will need a construction loan and a mortgage and it’s never too early to find out what size loan you qualify for.
If you are using other homes to calculate an estimate, be sure they have a similar style and features to the house you plan to build.
You’ll need a team of experts to design and construct your house. “Many homeowners begin by selecting the builder or contractor who then selects other members of the team. These are referred to as ‘subbies’ but are the responsibility of the main contractor,” says John. “Alternatively you could consider building a house by direct labour which is the process of engaging the individual contractors for each of the stages such as site works, foundations, block work, plumbing, etc.” “Always make sure that your builder or contractor is using construction drawings not planning drawings. The best method is to get your architect to prepare a tender pack and to issue it to several competent, fully insured contractors who are registered with Homebond or with the CIF. A tender will produce the best price and avoid any costly additions added on by the contractor.”
When it comes to ensuring that you get the best people for the job, John advises going to the RIAI for architects (see www.riai.ie) and to the Irish Planning Institute (see www. irishplanninginstitute.ie) for planning consultants.
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The most expensive areas in a home are usually the bathrooms and the kitchen. The number of windows and the size and quality of windows can also affect the cost.
4. Hiring your Team
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It is also important to work out all the costs associated with the build before you start. Make sure everything is covered including contracts, materials and insurance, plus a contingency sum of between 15 and 20 percent. Decide on the layout and materials to be used, agree the order with your contractor or supplier and then try to stick to this, as any changes you make at a later date will most likely incur extra charges. If you know the specification and quantity of materials required and rates for labour you should be able to produce an accurate cost estimate. Knowing the approximate costs will help you modify your building plans to meet your budget.
The cost per square foot is often higher for a small home than that of a larger home. When building a larger home, the cost of expensive items (such as a boiler) is spread over more square footage. Consequently, a larger home may have a lower square footage cost than a smaller home. Also, it usually costs less to build a two-story home when compared to a one-story home that has the same square footage. This is because a two-story home will have a smaller roof and foundation. Plumbing and ventilation are also more compact in two-story homes. Proper planning can greatly reduce cost overruns.
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Build Your Home
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5. Picking a Plan All new buildings must comply with Irish building regulations which set out basic design and construction requirements. Details of the regulations and of the need to give notice to the building control authority (normally your planning authority) regarding what you intend to carry out in terms of building works to which regulations apply, may be obtained from your planning authority. While the building regulations here require that new buildings achieve minimum standards of energy efficiency, higher levels are in many cases worthwhile pursuing as an energy-efficient design can yield considerable savings over the lifetime of a house. Although some energy saving measures can be implemented at a later stage, retrofitting is often more expensive and less effective than incorporation of these measures when the house is being built, and so many decisions affecting the energy performance of a house should be taken early in the design process. A method of calculating annual heating energy consumption should be used to compare alternatives at the preliminary stages. A compact building form of minimum surface-to-volume ratio is best for reducing heat loss, however a rectangular building with one of the longer facades facing south can allow for increased passive solar heating, day-lighting and natural ventilation. Projections such as bay or dormer
6. Negotiating a Contract A contract for construction should describe the project in detail and include a listing of all the parts to be included in the house. Remember to amend the contract if you or a member of the team makes any changes to the project at a later stage. Drawing up a comprehensive contract is a good way of ensuring that things go well with your design and build. Problems and unforeseen difficulties can be common features of any construction project and a clear contract helps to make sure that everyone agrees in advance on how to solve them. If there are any disputes you can’t resolve, it also helps you to take action. Ask the contractor to take you through the contract terms and conditions and, if possible get it checked by a solicitor. Being absolutely sure of things at the early stages will mean less unpleasant surprises at a later point.
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The Garden Centre Harbour Road, Howth, Co. Dublin T: 01 839 6754
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windows should be kept to a minimum as they increase surface-to-volume ratio and will increase heat loss. Pitched roofs should have one slope oriented south to allow for optimum performance of a roof-mounted or roof-integrated active solar heating system.
1. 27
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28
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Planning Advice from the Expert John Downey of Downey Hynes Partnership (DPH) is a planning, development and economic consultant. A chartered town planner and former Senior Executive Planner with Fingal County Council, John has a wealth of experience when it comes to planning matters in both the public and private sectors. “I think sometimes with planning the most important attribute to have is patience,” says John. “A lot of the time people make the common mistake of not seeking advice until they run into a problem or get a refusal—when you engage a planning consultant or experienced architect only after you get a refusal, it’s a lot more difficult to sort out the problems.” “People get obsessed with the small details and don’t look at the big details like the zoning or the principle of development; they go down a route of thinking about the small things like style or size before they really consider the planning. They end up investing a huge amount of money and time and they mightn’t even get planning permission in the end. Once you know you’re going to get planning permission you can properly engage the professionals. Talk to the planner from your local council first, then you can engage with your architect because you know there’s going to be a good chance of getting planning permission.” “The majority of first time planning applications for one-off rural houses in and around the Dublin area are refused— I’d estimate about 70- 80 percent of them. The refused applicants might not have demonstrated sight lines or how the building accords with the planning policy; they might have put in a good design but they’re missing the point: the principle of development acceptance. The high refusal rate is generally due to a fault in the planning application by the applicant and the success rate for the second application is a lot higher. Again it’s importance to stress that the merit of each application is up to the client: the onus is on them to demonstrate that their proposal is in accordance with the
proper planning and sustainable development of the area.” “At the height of the boom services like those offered by our company were relatively expensive but now—as with most things—professional fees have dropped by about 50 percent. There is also a lot of room for flexibility when it comes to consultation for a domestic project like an extension or a build, a company like ours could either give a short consultation or get involved in the entire process and put the whole package together for the client.” “What is really important to understand though is that a two-hour session with a planning consultant could save you literarily thousands in costs.” John Downey, Downey Hynes Partnership, 11 Merrion Square, Dublin 2 John.downey@dhp.ie 01 6394 836, www.dhp.ie
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IN IRELAND 2011
1. 29
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1. 31
Green Generation A Dublin based renewable energy company has raised nearly €4 million through private investors and a local bank for the development of a biogas plant and composting facility in Perugia, Italy. Dublin based Polcorp Energy Ltd has raised over €3.8 million through private investors and a local Italian bank for the development of a 620kW biogas plant and composting facility in Perugia, Italy. Construction of Polcorp’s initial Italian facility has now been completed with grid connection and commissioning due to be finalised in April under the 15 year power-purchaseagreement that is in place at the very attractive tariff of 28cent per kW hour underwritten by Italian legislation. “The fact that we have raised this investment in a difficult environment shows that there is still considerable interest from both private investors and banks in good investments, especially in the renewable energy sector,” says Niall O’Hanlon, a Director of Polcorp Energy. “Italy is a particularly attractive area for biogas plant development due to the relatively fast-tracked permitting process and high incentive tariffs that are in place, and Polcorp Energy is currently working on a substantial pipeline of projects with a view to completing a minimum of 10 biogas plant projects by the end of 2011.”
Polcorp has been working in the renewable energy sector since the beginning of 2008 and has forged strong links with a number of technology and manufacturing partners in Italy, Germany, Poland and Belgium, with whom Polcorp intends to develop up to 30 megawatts of biogas plants over the next three years. “Our goal is to establish ourselves as a major player in the European Biogas Market by building upon the strong foundations we have developed and the large pipeline of projects that we are working on,” says Gerard Bone, a Director of Polcorp. “We feel that from a cash-flow point of view, biogas plant projects are very attractive due to the consistency of supply of fuel under the substrate-supplyagreements that we have in place, effectively guaranteeing a higher output yield as well as more secure revenues and higher cash-flows on our projects. This removes some of the risks that can be seen in more unpredictable forms of energy production such as wind and solar, and also opens the possibility to work closely with local authorities to utilise their organic collected waste ensuring that it does not go to landfill, as well as sewerage and waste-water-treatment projects that all produce much needed electricity and heat for their facilities and the local communities.” As such, Polcorp is confident that there will be interest in these projects when they begin a larger fundraising round shortly for a specific number of their pipeline projects. Polcorp is also currently engaged in studies and discussions with several local authorities in Northern Italy in relation to combining biogas production with existing composting facilities, as well as looking at the potential to install biogas plants alongside sewerage treatment works whereby the methane produced through the treatment process is used to generate power to run the facility.
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IN IRELAND 2011
For more information call 01 4731 315.
32
Part 1
Available To View All Year At www.sustainableenergy2011.com
Ireland Limited
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A typical home loses 40% of its heat through the external walls. Learn more about External Wall Insulation.
Ireland’s Ireland’s Number Number 11 External External Insulations Insulations
External Insulation PAREX Ireland Limited External External Insulation Insulation ®
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PA REX PA1800 REX655 655 Freephone Ireland Limited Ireland Limited With over 20 years experience using External Wall Insulation (EWI) ®® 831 63 68 TELEPHONE 281 12 51 OR
arming to the task of keeping the heat in your hom systems in Ireland, the US and Germany External Insulation have Avail Availofofa a€4,000 €4,000grant grant totore-insulate re-insulateyour your home. home. Contact ContactususororSEI SEIfor for more moreinformation. information.
AAtypical typicalhome homeloses loses 40% 40%ofofitsitsheat heatthrough through the theexternal externalwalls. walls. Learn Learnmore moreabout about External ExternalWall Wall Insulation. Insulation.
ation PAREX Ireland1 Limited tions Ireland’s Number External Insulation In 2002, the Government set up SEI as Ireland’s national energy agency. Its mission is to promote and assist the development of sustainable energy. There are a number of grants available for homes and business including a Home Energy Saving scheme (Insulation Grants).
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jobs since Christmas. This very big construction company boasts 30 different registered contractors who have the knowledge and expertise to meet the challenge of any building project put before them. The company follows up leads straight away, and 14 working days from the date of order, they are on site and ready to work their magic. So the next time you are unnecessarily shivering in your home and feeling the extremities of a winter similar to 2009/2010, remember the dramatic impact that External Wall Insulation could have on your home. Visit www.externalinsulation.ie for more information on this excellent product, which results in a win-win situation for you, your family and the environment.
® the knowledge and expertise to complete any project requiring an upgrade of thermal performance of existing or new buildings.
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Avail of a €4,000 grant to re-insulate your home. Contact us or SEI for more information
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Of course everyone would like to have a much warmer home but what about the cost involved. The good news is that Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) provides grants to offset the cost. Grants of €4,000 are available for an External Wall Insulation. Also, don’t forget that you are saving as much as 40 per cent on your heating bills annually which has to be factored in to any outlay.
Due to the stagnant property market, householders who are finding it difficult to move house may find that this is an ideal time to upgrade their existing home. External Wall Insulation will certainly enhance any property and save you money in the long run. External Insulation Ireland provides an excellent all round service, which is borne out by the fact that they have priced around 200
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Supplying and installing Parex LaHabra EWI systems in ®®We have encountered and solved the Ireland since 1998, “Longest establis ELEPHONE 281 12 51 OR 831 63 68 ® problems that might arise when retrofitting EWI to houses external wall in the Irish market. Case Study... work? Gail Sinclair, estate agent at Remax Partners, Fairview, was asked to value a house in Kilbarrack before and after insulation work was insulations sinc carried out to bring the property from an F energy rating to a B3, which is the highest rating available to a second hand house. Parex LaHabra/External Insulation were the firstusing EWI system With over experience External With over20 20years years experience using ExternalWall WallInsulation Insulation(EWI) (EWI) 1998.” to receive a retrofit specific IAB/NSAI certification for the systems in Ireland, the US and Germany External Insulation have systems in Ireland, the US and Germany External Insulation have Irish market. TELEPHONE 281 12 51 OR 831 63 68 jobs since Christmas. In 2002, the Government set up SEI as This very big construction company boasts all Ireland’s national and energy agency. mission is SEI Grants As Available an NSAI certified SEIItsapproved system we supply 30 different registered contractors who have the knowledge and expertise to complete any to promote and assist the development of susthe knowledge and expertise to complete anyproject projectrequiring requiringan an Avail of a €4,000 grant to the knowledge and expertise to meet the tainable energy. necessary components to complete even the most challenge of any building project put before re-insulate your home. Contact There are a number of grants available for them. homes and business including Energy us or SEI for more information upgrade of thermal performance of upgrade of thermal performance ofexisting existingor ornew newbuildings. buildings. complicated of projects. Alla Home our Listed Applicators have The company follows up leads straight Saving scheme (Insulation Grants). F away, and 14 working days from the date of attended A Parex LaHabra training course As required by F order, they are on site and ready to work their Grants Excellent service magic. jobs since Christmas. D1In 2002, the Government set up SEI as WE’VEeveryone just come through Supplying and installing Parex LaHabra EWI systems inin follow Supplying and installing Parex LaHabra EWI systems NSAI/IAB to Due comply with certification. We also give Of course would like to one haveofa the much to the stagnant property market, houseSo the next time you are unnecessarily shivThis very big construction company boasts Ireland’s national energy agency. Its mission is SEI Grants Available coldest in about manythe years. warmer homewinters but what cost involved. holders who are finding it difficult to move C2 ering in your home and feeling the extremities 30 different registered contractors who have to promote and assist the development of susIreland since 1998, We have encountered and solved the Ireland since 1998, Wethat have encountered and solved the Temperatures to technical minus 10 in places up support, on site training and project The good news isplummeted that Sustainable Energy house may find this is an ideal time to Avail of a €4,000 grant to the knowledge and expertise to meet the of a winter similar to 2009/2010, remember tainable energy. C1 just after Christmas and we had our most proIreland (SEI) provides grants to offset the cost. upgrade their existing home. External Wall challenge of any building project put before re-insulate your home. Contact There are a number of grants available for the dramatic impact thathouses External Wall longed cold snap since the 1960s. problems that might arise when EWI toto problems thatto might arise when retrofitting EWI houses C1 inspections ensure that all retrofitting External insulation/Parex them. Grants As of well €4,000 are available forwith an icy External homes and business including a Home Energy Insulation could have on your home. us or SEI for more information as having to contend roads and Insulation will certainly enhance any property The company follows up leads straight Saving scheme (Insulation Grants). and save you money in the long run. Wall water Insulation. Also,there don’t forget thatproblem you are shortages was that old of Visit www.externalinsulation.ie for more B3 in the Irish market. in the Irish market. away, and 14 working days from the date of are fitted according toan Specification heating systems breaking down, houseExternal Insulation Ireland provides saving as much as 40 persystems cent on leaving your heating information on thisand excellent product, which order, they are on site and ready to work their holders to shiver while waiting anxiously for Grants Excellent service excellent all round service, which is borne out bills annually which has to be factored in to any results in a win-win situation for you, your magic. repairs to be carried out. Parex LaHabra/External Insulation first EWI certification. Parex LaHabra/External Insulation werethe theand first EWIsystem system Of course everyone would like to have a much Due to the stagnant property market, housefamily the environment. by the fact that they have priced aroundwere 200 outlay. So the next time you are unnecessarily shivNow that the worst is over, it gives us a chance warmer home but what about the cost involved. holders who are finding it difficult to move on yearly ering in your home and feeling the extremities to take stock and prepare for the next cold spell, The good news is that Sustainable Energy to receive a retrofit specific IAB/NSAI certification for the to receive a retrofit specific IAB/NSAI certification for the house may find that this is an ideal time to of a winter similar to 2009/2010, remember which could strike at anytime with our unprests Ireland (SEI) provides grants to offset the cost. upgrade their existing home. External Wall the dramatic impact that External Wall climate. loses 40% dictable of Grants of €4,000 are Wicklow available forand an External Insulation will certainly enhance any property External Insulation Ireland is based in Kilcoole, County has an office in Fairview. Irish Irishmarket. market. Insulation could have on your home. Case Study... the exteral However, did you know that there’s a company and save you money in the long run. Wall Insulation.(Wicklow) Also, don’t forget that you are(Fairview). Visit www.externalinsulation.ie for more that could have kept us much warmer, saved us For more information, phone 2811251 or 8316368 ore aboutGail Sinclair, estate agent at paying RemaxforPartners, External Insulation Ireland provides an saving as much as 40 per cent on your heating information on this excellent product, which bills and repairs, Fairview, was asked to value a house in Kilbarrack before and after insulation work was Insulationlarge sums on heating Also, you can email As NSAI supply all As an NSAIcertified certifiedand andSEI SEIapproved approvedsystem systemwe we supply allinfo@externalinsulation.ie excellent all round service, which is borne out bills annually whichor hasvisit to bewww.externalinsulation.ie factored in to any results in a win-win situation for you, your carried out to thean property and helped thebring environment to boot?from an F energy rating to a B3, which is the highest rating available to a second hand house. family and the environment. by the fact that they have priced around 200 outlay. External Insulation the country’s longest The original houseIreland, had kgCO2/M2/Yr emissions of 76.55, which dropped to 25.73 after remedial work, saving the householder 67 necessary components totocomplete necessary components completeeven eventhe themost most established External Wall (EWI)omissions compaper cent in energy billsInsulation and carbon in addition to helping the environment. ny, has been insulating houses all over Ireland ® The house in Kilbarrack is a three-bed semi-detached family home with a garage to the rear. since 1998. complicated complicatedofofprojects. projects.All Allour ourListed ListedApplicators Applicatorshave have Case Study... In the good old days of the property boom, such a property would have commanded a price of around €500,000 with or without a favourable BER rating. How does itattended work? attended AAParex ParexLaHabra LaHabratraining trainingcourse courseAs Asrequired requiredby by Gail Sinclair, estate agent at Remax Partners, Fairview, was asked to value a house in Kilbarrack before and after insulation work was In these straightened times, the purchaser is King and is becoming more and more discerning about this, one of the most important carried out to bring the property from an F energy rating to a B3, which is the highest rating available to a second hand house. External Wall Insulation (EWI) is a composite buys in their life.comprised IfNSAI/IAB the property into walk-in condition, with a goodcertification. energy rating, it has a much better chance of being sold, number cladding system of suitableisinsulation NSAI/IAB with We also give follow The original house had kgCO2/M2/Yr emissions of 76.55, which dropped to 25.73 after remedial work, saving the householder 67 tocomply comply with certification. We also give follow andand, waterproof coating is applied to all the per cent in energy bills and carbon omissions in addition to helping the environment. one number two,which achieving a good price for the vendor. external walls of aup building. The The house in Kilbarrack is a three-bed semi-detached family home with a garage to the rear. technical support, site training and project up technical support, on training and project The contractor carrying outapplication the workofonEWI this house spent on a total ofsite €26,000 broken down as follows: reduces heating bills, and consequently, carbon In the good old days of the property boom, such a property would have commanded a price of around €500,000 with or without a emissions also. favourable BER rating. inspections to ensure that all External insulation/Parex inspections to ensure that all External insulation/Parex External Wall Insulation (EWI) is the most effiBER CO2 Cost Grant Net Details of upgrade In these straightened times, the purchaser is King and is becoming more and more discerning about this, one of the most important cient way to insulate an existing building. FACT. Achieved Emmissions Obtained Cost and buys in their life. If the property is in walk-in condition, with a good energy rating, it has a much better chance of being sold, number systems fitted systems fittedaccording accordingtotoSpecification Specification and It uses the fabric of the building likeare aare storage kgCO2/M2/Yr one and, number two, achieving a good price for the vendor. radiator.house Because the heat can no longer escape Original The contractor carrying out the work on this house spent a total of €26,000 broken down as follows: through the outer certification. layer of insulation, it isreport reflected. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€350 . . . . . . .€200 . . . . . .€150 . . . . . . . .F . . . . . 76.55 certification. BER Before/after survey & advisory back into the living areas, creating a constant
w that there’s a company much warmer, saved us ills and paying for repairs, ment to boot? and, the country’s longest l Insulation (EWI) compahouses all over Ireland
PA PAREX REX We work with Architects, PAREX Irelan Designers, Developers, Builders Ireland’s Longest Established EWI Company Est.1998 and Home Owners
External Insulation
k of keeping the heat in your home
(EWI) is a composite ed of suitable insulation which is applied to all the ng. The application of EWI d consequently, carbon
n (EWI) is the most effiexisting building. FACT. e building like a storage at can no longer escape of insulation, it is reflected s, creating a constant
The original house had kgCO2/M2/Yr emissions of 76.55, which dropped to 25.73 after remedial work, saving the householder 67 per cent in energy bills and carbon omissions in addition to helping the environment. The house in Kilbarrack is a three-bed semi-detached family home with a garage to the rear. In the good old days of the property boom, such a property would have commanded a price of around €500,000 with or without a favourable BER rating. In these straightened times, the purchaser is King and is becoming more and more discerning about this, one of the most important buys in their life. If the property is in walk-in condition, with a good energy rating, it has a much better chance of being sold, number one and, number two, achieving a good price for the vendor. The contractor carrying out the work on this house spent a total of €26,000 broken down as follows:
FT
BER CO2 Cost Grant Net Achieved Emmissions Obtained Cost kgCO2/M2/Yr Original house BER Before/after survey & advisory report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€350 . . . . . . .€200 . . . . . .€150 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76.55
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Details of upgrade
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t heat lost through extereduce your heating bills
Upgrade attic insulation to 300mm quilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€460 . . . . . . .€250 . . . . . .€210 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73.34
uge impact on the inside nsulation Ireland can also itive effect on its exterior. hermal performance of a nal Wall Insulation system, pportunity to create a ance façade without the ventional methods. d brick finish system ng brick finish without conventional systems.
EXTERNAL WALL INSULATION SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€10,000 . . . .€4,000 . . . .€6,000 . . . . .
. . . . 50.26
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. . . . . 39.22
Boiler & heating controls upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€2,700 . . . . . .€700 . . . . . .€2,000 . . . . . .
. . . . . 31.1
Addition of porch/Draught lobby3,750.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€3,750 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€3,750
.....
. . . . . 30.78
Install 3m2 evacuated tube solar panel with 150L separate storage .€3,250 . . . . . .€900 . . . . . .€2,350 . . . . . .
. . . . 25.73
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Change windows & doors to Munster joinery Double glazed PVC . . . .€5,500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€5,500 . . . . . .
OVERALL COST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€26,010 . . . . . .€6.050 . . . . .€19,960
All the above prices are subject to 13.5% VAT
Gail’s valuation before the work in late 2009 was €280,000 with no guarantee of a quick sale or any sale at all. When she came back in early 2010, after the remedial work had been completed, she valued the house at €325,000 with an excellent prospect of selling quickly.
PAREX
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With up to 40 per cent heat lost through external walls, EWI can help reduce your heating bills
ER
A
warm home. Upgrade attic insulation to 300mm quilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€460 . . . . . . .€250 . . . . . .€210 . . . . . . . .F . . . . . 73.34
EXTERNAL INSULATION SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€10,000 . . . .€4,000 . . . .€6,000 . . . . .D1 . . . . 50.26 by up to 40WALL per cent.
BER CO2 Cost Grant Net Achieved Emmissions Obtained Cost kgCO2/M2/Yr Original house BER Before/after survey & advisory report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€350 . . . . . . .€200 . . . . . .€150 . . . . . . . .F . . . . . 76.55
Details of upgrade
When upgrading the Thermal performance of a building Upgrade attic insulation to 300mm quilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€460 . . . . . . .€250 . . . . . .€210 . . . . . . . .F . . . . . 73.34 using the External Insulation/Parex EWI system you also EXTERNAL WALL INSULATION SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€10,000 . . . .€4,000 . . . .€6,000 . . . . .D1 . . . . 50.26 of your home, External Insulation Ireland can also Addition of porch/Draught lobby3,750.00 . . .get . . . . . .the . . . . . .opportunity . . . . . . .€3,750 . . . . . . to . . . . create . . . . . . .€3,750 . . . . .C1. . .new . . 30.78 low maintenance have a dramatic and positive effect on its exterior. a Bright Change windows & doors to Munster joinery Double glazed PVC . . . .€5,500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€5,500 . . . . . .C2. . . . . 39.22 When upgrading the Thermal performance of a building using the External Wallsolar Insulation system, Install 3m2 evacuated tube panel with 150L separatewithout storage .€3,250 . . . . .cost .€900 . associated . . . . .€2,350 . . . . . .with B3 . . . . 25.73 façade the conventional Boiler & heating controls upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€2,700 . . . . . .€700 . . . . . .€2,000 . . . . . .C1. . . . . 31.1 you are also given the opportunity to create a bright new low maintenance façade without the Addition of porch/Draught lobby3,750.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€3,750 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€3,750 . . . . .C1. . . . . 30.78 All the above prices are OVERALL COST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€26,010 . . . . . .€6.050 . . . . .€19,960 cost associated with conventional methods. subject to 13.5% VAT It can also reduce your carbon footprint by cut-
Change windows & doors Double glazed PVC . . . .€5,500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€5,500 . . . . . .C2. . . . . 39.22 ting your CO2 emissions by uptotoMunster 2.5 tonnesjoinery per year.
Boiler heating controls . . .inside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€2,700 . . . . . .€700 . . . . . .€2,000 . . . . . .C1. . . . . 31.1 As & well as having a huge upgrade impact on the
The company’s certified brick finish system
6 Renmore Business Park, Kilcoole Ind. Estate, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow.
Gail’s before thebrick work in late 2009 was €280,000 with no guarantee of a quick sale or any sale at all. When she came back in helpsvaluation replicate any existing finish without
Install 3m2 evacuated tube solar panel with 150L separate storage .€3,250 . . . . . .€900 . . . . . .€2,350 . . . . . .B3 . . . . 25.73
manufacture supply insulated insulated cill the cost associated with conventional systems. early 2010, after the remedial work had beenWe completed, she valued the house and at €325,000 with an excellent prospect ofcills, selling quickly. All the above prices are OVERALL COST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€26,010 . . . . . .€6.050 . . . . .€19,960 s-section Tel: (01) 281 1251 Fax: (01) 281 1237 Email: info@externalinsulations.ie subject to 13.5% VAT extensions, decorative mouldings for windows, doors,plinths, Gail’s valuation before the work in late 2009 was €280,000 with no guarantee of a quick sale or any sale at all. When she came back in xternalExternal Save 40% on yearly early 2010, after the remedial work had been completed, she valued the house at €325,000 with an excellent prospect of selling quickly. Insulation Ireland is based in Kilcoole, County Wicklow and has an string office incourses Fairview. and gutter stones, parapet cappings, heatingFor costs Insulation 57 quoins Fairview Fairview, more information, phone 2811251Strand, (Wicklow) or 8316368 (Fairview).Dublin 3. Tel: (01) 831 6368 Fax: (01) 831 9866
A typical home loses 40% of corbels. External Insulation Ireland is based in Kilcoole, County Wicklow and has an office in Fairview. Also, youthe can email info@externalinsulation.ie or visit www.externalinsulation.ie is heat through exteral sting Masonry For more information, phone 2811251 (Wicklow) or 8316368 (Fairview). walls. Learn more about ulation External Wall Insulation Also available are a range of synthetic granite and natural stone Also, you can email info@externalinsulation.ie or visit www.externalinsulation.ie ngs finishes to give that touch of class to any project. ® ecoat & Mesh ® Our certified brick finish system helps replicate any existing mer & Sealer al Finish brick finish without the cost associated with conventional
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66Renmore RenmoreBusiness BusinessPark, Park,Kilcoole KilcooleInd. Ind.Estate, Estate,Kilcoole, Kilcoole,Co. Co.Wicklow. Wicklow. Tel: Tel:(01) (01)281 2811251 1251Fax: Fax:(01) (01)281 2811237 1237Email: Email:info@externalinsulations.ie info@externalinsulations.ie With our extensive range of colours that are mixed in ou 57 6368 (01) 9866 57Fairview FairviewStrand, Strand,Fairview, Fairview,Dublin Dublin3. 3.Tel: Tel:(01) (01)831 831factory 6368inFax: Fax: (01) 831 9866 Kilcoole Co,831 Wicklow ensuring the product can delivered anywhere in Ireland within 24 hours thus eliminating long lead times.
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INTRODUCTION Energy gives personal comfort and mobility to people; it is also essential for the generation of industrial, commercial and societal wealth. Aside from the major pressures that the production and consumption of traditional forms of energy places on the environment, the planet’s fossil fuel stock is a finite and depleting resource. This indisputable fact, together with increasing instability in the world’s energy markets, makes a compelling case for the development and use of renewable and sustainable sources of energy. To this end we bring you Sustainable Energy in Ireland, 2011, your guide to sustainable and renewable policies, practice and potential. Introducing the supplement is the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s five-year plan for sustainable and renewable energy here. The Sustainable Energy Awards and the levels of uptake for home energy efficiency grants suggest that energy efficiency is being prioritised in both domestic and commercial settings. A comprehensive introduction to Building Energy Ratings and a new home energy efficiency upgrade scheme from ESB are covered, alongside details on the passive house movement and simple, energy efficient tips for the home. With a growth recorded for investment in renewables, and recent commitments made to energy efficiency by public bodies, both public and private sectors seem to be leading the charge towards sustainable living. A new electric vehicle initiative on the Aran Islands and the ESB’s launch of a website promoting the national uptake of electric cars spell good news for reductions in carbon emissions due to traffic. Airtricity and its sister company, SSE Renewables, are making great strides in developing Ireland’s wind resources, while the general issue of wind development and potential in Ireland is also considered. The harvesting of rainwater and recycling of greywater are becoming more popular as sustainable living solutions, and the utilisation of domestic solar energy and bioenergy offer alternatives to traditional fuels. The developments being made in wave and tidal energy mean that Ireland’s rich marine resources could offer a wealth of energy alternatives; SEAI’s roadmap for ocean energy charts a course into this future. Shallow geothermal energy is becoming a popular method of heating buildings around the country while deep geothermal energy can be utilised for the production of energy to power industry. A community-based energy efficiency project is delivering tangible results in Dundalk and the reduction in Ireland’s National Emissions Ceiling Directive is largely on target. Ireland’s National Renewable Energy Action Plan and the European Union’s 2020 projections for the uptake of renewable and sustainable energy suggest that over the coming years we will see a sea change in the sourcing of energy. We invite you peruse this supplement and return to it as needed. The online version is available to view for the whole year at www.sustainableenergy2011.com
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Our carbon footprint at the end of 2009 was 236 tonnes CO 2 Business travel
51 per cent 26 per cent 23 per cent
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FRAN FLOOD HEATING AND PLUMBING 22 Glenhill Grove, Finglas, Dublin
Heating installations Boiler replacements Heating control upgrades Grants available REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Tel: 01 8343297 Mob: 086 2540872
Right Price Insulations LTD Kilgarvan, Adamstown, Co Wexford REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
ALL TYPES OF INSULATION WORK GRANTS AVAILABLE REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Tel: 053 9240953 Mob: 087 0640439
Email: betty0099@hotmail.com
SAVE UP TO 40% ON HEATING BILLS * GOVERNMENT GRANTS AVAILABLE REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
HOME WALLS ROOFS ATTICS DRYLINING GRANTS
CALL US 01 895 4908
With COMPLETE INSULATIONS you can choose the right insulation type that suits you. We are a Fully Bonded & Guaranteed Company Material arrives on site the day it is to be injected into walls or spray on application so no storage is necessary. We use "Graphite 27 Plus Silver Beading" and polyurethane foam.
Phone 01 890 4783 www.completeinsulations.ie info@completeinsulations.ie
Pat Collins
Plumbing & Heating LTD
REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Mich ael Co ns t r uc t i o n
Knocknagoshel, Co. Kerry
Letterkenny, Donegal
Ph: 087 2655337 / 066 7133611
Property Refurbishment/Upgrade/Renovation • New Kithens, Bathrooms supplied & Fitted • Windows, Doors, Floors, Conservatories • Landscaping & Driveways • Roof insulation, Dry lining • B.E.R. Certificate
Heating Controls Upgrade High Efficiency Oil Boiler With Controls Upgrade All Plumbing Works Carried Out
Grants Available
Mob: 087 9832985 michaelconstruction@ireland.com
REGISTERED
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CONTRACTOR
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SEAI
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Sustainable Savings Energy savings of €17 million made by companies that participated in the SEAI’s seventh annual Sustainable Energy Awards. Sustainable energy initiatives are shown as significant money-savers as participating companies demonstrate €17 million worth of energy savings at the seventh annual Sustainable Energy Awards in Dublin. Companies across all sectors of the economy were recognised for their efforts in energy management at the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s (SEAI) seventh annual Sustainable Energy Awards in Dublin in November. Award winners included Irish-owned retailer Musgraves; multinational Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa, Cork; IFSC-based international bank Citi; family-run business Matthews Coach Hire; research institute Tyndall and energy services company Crowley Carbon Ltd.
reducing utility costs by almost €350,000 over the last year alone. The Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa in Cork City was awarded the ‘Energy Management Award, Small to Medium User’ for achieving energy savings of almost 30 percent in the last three years, equivalent to €250,000, by following energy saving initiatives involving all staff. Matthews Coach Hire won the ‘Energy Efficiency Award, Small to Medium User’, for implementing a fuel efficiency project that has generated a six percent saving in fuel usage throughout its fleet of private coaches, commuter and tour party buses.
Sponsored by ESB, the Sustainable Energy Awards highlight excellence in business energy management and this year included entries from over 100 organisations. Top prize on the night, ‘Energy Manager of the Year’, went to Brian Scannell of the Musgrave Group, which launched a fiveyear sustainability strategy across its business in 2007 that has since delivered over 3GWh (Gigawatt hours) in energy savings, equivalent to 5 percent savings. Crowley Carbon Ltd received the new ‘Sustainable Energy Innovation Award’ for the adoption of an iPhone app Danú, a smart analytical tool that helps businesses carry out comprehensive energy audits. The system allows an engineer with basic training to conduct a full energy audit and deliver a comprehensive set of recommendations, prices, specifications and return on investment. The application allows clients to access the widest possible range of Demand Side Reduction solutions, fully costed with payback indications, current grants, and finance and leasing options. By significantly reducing energy audit times and improving accuracy, Danú allows partners to scale up in a more rapid and cost effective manner to address a surging market demand for Energy Reduction retrofits. The application was demonstrated in Corrib Oil and led to energy savings of 30 percent, equivalent to €120,000. Tyndall National Institute won the ‘Renewable Energy Systems Award’ for its new, state-of-the-art semiconductor research facility that is heated entirely by energy generated from its data servers, saving 12 percent on energy costs. The building, which demands stringent room and humidity requirements, is heated by the energy generated from the substantial clusters of data servers, avoiding almost 2,000 MW (megawatts) of natural gas usage per year. By implementing energy saving measurements throughout the site Tyndall has already succeeded in achieving a 40 percent reduction in its overall energy usage. Citi was awarded the ‘Energy Awareness Award’ for a sustained energy awareness programme that resulted in
The Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa, Cork was awarded the ‘Energy Management Award, Small to Medium User’ for significant energy savings in the last three years.
Crowley Carbon won the ‘Sustainable Energy Innovation Award’ for their development of the iPhone app Danú.
In total, the project entries this year demonstrated energy savings of over €17 million, with an additional €40 million in projected cost savings identified over the next three years. 2010 is the first year in which an award in the area of Sustainable Energy Innovation was offered, with significant
Ashgrove Mechanical Services *SEAI grants available *Architectural and engineering service Heating * Plumbing * Solar panels * Gas installers REGISTERED
SEAI
Mob: Mob:
CONTRACTOR
087 1343128 086 0236696 Dublin 15
LEGGETT
ROSCOMMON
CONSTRUCTION LTD
CASTLEKNOCK, DUBLIN 15 Cloondrackna, Roscommon
All Construction Work Undertaken New Houses Extensions, Renovations Civil Engineering
Tel: 086 8264637
leggettconstruction@gmail.com REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
GRANTS
AVAILABLE
路Heating & Plumbing Contractor 路Heating Controls Upgrade 路High Efficiency Gas Boiler 路Grants Available Tel: 0906 626509 Mob: 087 8125137 finnerangary@yahoo.ie REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
interest generated from a number of companies in that category.
savings of over €17 million. Individuals have made these savings happen and they should be commended.”
Congratulating the 2010 award winners, Eamon Ryan, former Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, said: “The message that genuine cost savings are achievable from increased energy efficiency is starting to resonate with companies of all sizes. We are seeing the results with the winners of this year’s Energy Awards driving genuine savings of an average of 15-20 percent across their businesses. These are very tangible and real savings, and must serve as an inspiration for other companies. Companies have very clearly taken up the challenge to reduce their energy costs, and it is very encouraging to see such a wide range of entries this year.”
Brid Horan, Executive Director, ESB Services and Energy Solutions, said: “Awards like tonight demonstrate the confidence that still exists in this country where we have strong entrepreneurs and a well educated workforce who have the resilience and determination to shape a better future and actively look for continuous improvement.”
Commenting on the Awards announcement, Professor Owen Lewis, CEO, SEAI said: “What is most encouraging from this year’s Awards is the evidence that employees and individuals in business are now really embracing the efficiency agenda and driving change throughout Irish industry. A culture change is taking place across Irish businesses. We too often think that our individual efforts are futile in the bigger picture, but all we have to do is look at the collective efforts of entrants to this year’s Awards who have achieved energy
Info on the 2011 Sustainable Energy Awards can be found on SEAI’s website www.seai.ie/energyawards.
Pictured at the 2010 SEAI awards in the Radisson Hotel in Dublin was Brid Horan, Executive Director ESB Services and Energy Solutions and Brendan Halligan, Chairman of SEAI with the winner of the Energy Manager of the Year Award, Major User - Brian Scannell, Energy Manager, and John Curren of the Musgrave Group.
Harris
Heating & Plumbing LTD Unit 11A, Santry Business Park, Dublin 9 DOMESTIC COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL Heating & Plumbing Contractor
REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Tel: Mob: Email:
1850 348348 087 2567985 info@harrisheating.ie
Z orway LTD New Ross, Wexford
路 Roof insulation 路 Timber frame insulation 路 Cavity wall insulation
ALL INSULATION WORK Tel: 051 440327 Mob: 087 7805741 Mob: 087 6724548 REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Kevin Prendergast
insulation
Dromineen, Claremorris, Co. Mayo
BUILDING ENERGY RATING CONSULTANT DRYLINING & ATTIC INSULATION SEAI REGISTERED ALUMINIUM & UPVC WINDOWS & DOORS CONSERVATORIES & PATIOS Ph: 087 254 8378 / 094 9371970 Email: kevinp.energy@gmail.com REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Incentivising Change Householders encouraged by energy saving initiatives as more than a thousand Home Energy Saving grants are approved every week. More than a thousand applications for home energy saving grants are being approved every week and 98.5 percent of the recipients say they would recommend the scheme to others. That was just one of the positive findings of a survey published recently by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), the agency charged with administering the Government’s Home Energy Saving (HES) scheme. The survey also revealed that over 68,000 grants had been awarded since the scheme began in April 2009. The SEAI is receiving 500 inquiries every day by phone, web or post from the public and contractors.
euro and, thereby, provide a much needed stimulus to the economy.”
The survey findings were unveiled at a major conference in Dublin organised by the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) with the support of the SEAI, ESB, Bord Gáis, CRH and Dalkia.
“There are now over 2,700 registered contractors actively offering upgrades within the HES scheme. All of these are subject to the clear terms of scheme participation including governance, technical expertise and financial probity. Most importantly they are subject to the rigours of SEAI’s quality assurance scheme.”
It was the first time that all sectors with a stake in the Government’s National Retrofit Programme—which aims to deliver energy efficiency upgrades to one million residential, public and commercial buildings in Ireland—had the opportunity to gather to explore ways to maximise the potential for job creation and to protect the environment. Opening the event, the Chairman of the Institute of International and European Affairs, Brendan Halligan, said that by virtue of its scale, the retrofit program will be the biggest civil engineering project ever undertaken in the history of the state. “The magnitude of this task is a direct consequence of the colossal failure on the part of Ireland to build to the highest standards,” said Mr Halligan. “The retrofit program is one of the rare events which constitutes a win-win all around. Upgrading the energy performance of our building stock will create a new building industry with significant enlargement potential, spawn a lengthy supply chain, generate more jobs, save home owners an average of 40 percent on their energy bills, improve the comfort of all buildings, reduce GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, and reduce oil and gas imports by over a billion
SEAI’s Chief Executive, Professor Owen Lewis, said that another significant finding of the Authority’s survey was that 90 percent of participants had expressed satisfaction with the contractors who carried out their upgrade. “This is evidence that the competitive market is driving good quality, well-priced and well-delivered actions, and may help explain why the scheme’s popularity continues to grow”, said Professor Lewis.
Professor Lewis pointed out that a key issue raised in the survey responses was that of financing home energy upgrades. Most participants fund their share of the upgrade costs out of their own savings, rather than through loans or mortgage top-ups. “We need to reach sections of our population who are not currently participating and that means finding ways to finance their share of the costs,” he said. “If people could raise funds more confidently through more accessible loan offerings, would we then see a rise in participation and a greater uptake of stronger measures such as external wall insulation?” he asked. “Driving the market to provide innovative financing solutions is an essential step to achieving these objectives of broadening the appeal of the programme and encouraging more significant and deeper investment.” The event was also an important opportunity for the energy and construction industries, as well as energy utility companies, to explore the potential for expansion.
Audience members at the first annual IIEA Retrofit Conference, Croke Park Conference Centre, Dublin, 24 September 2010
Howel l Davi es Heat in g, P l umbi ng & Ener gy Assessor · Heating Control Upgrades Wexford · High Efficiency Boiler Upgrades Wicklow · Service & Maintenance of Gas and Oil Fired Boilers Dublin · Complete Bathroom Fit-Outs · Solar Panels & Heat Recovery Units Installed · 22 years industry experienced, RGI, OFTEC & SEAI Registered · All Aspects of Heating & Plumbing Covered REGISTERED
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CONTRACTOR
GRANT REGISTERED
Mob: 087 2536190
howellsdavies@gmail.com
REGISTERED
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SEAN MOYNIHAN ELECTRICAL HEATING & PLUMBING Ferns, Co. Wexford
· HEATING CONTROL UPGRADE · OIL BOILER UPGRADE · ALL ELECTRICAL WORK · SOLAR PANELS · GRANTS AVAILABLE Tel: 087 2619323 Email: moysean@eircom.net
Biesty Construction Kilrooskey, Roscommon, 0863840451
General Contractor & Maintenance Specialist No Job too big or too small House Building
• Extensions & Renovations
Attic Conversions • Remodelling Roof Repair
• Insulation
Tiling
• Decking & Patios
All Carpentry work • Fix-it jobs around the home
Insurance Estimates & Negotiations REGISTERED
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CONTRACTOR
On behalf of the ESB—one of the event sponsors—its Product and Services Manager, Brian Dowd, told the conference that the HALO Free Energy Efficiency Survey had provided reliable and trusted advice to over 20,000 households on how they could reduce energy costs by improving the energy efficiency of their homes. “The ESB’s new HALO Installation Services goes further and will not only offer advice but can carry out a wide range of improvement measures for householders nationwide at a competitive price,” he added Bord Gais Energy—another sponsor of the event—was represented by its Head of Customer Operations, Tracy Kennedy, who outlined the company’s ‘Pay as You Save’ approach to retrofit. The Managing Director of Dalkia Ireland (Veolia Environment’s Energy Division), Pat Gilroy, said that Retrofit could play a significant part in enabling Ireland to position itself as an international leader in energy efficiency. Mr Gilroy, who is also Secretary of the Energy Institute and a member of the Expert Group in Future Skills Needs within the Irish Green Economy, said his company was proud to be one of the sponsors of the IIEA event.
Jim Mintern, Country Manager of CRH, said the building materials group was also pleased to be a sponsor of the IIEA conference. “It highlights the many benefits to the economy of appropriately insulating existing buildings, including job creation, carbon reduction and energy saving”, he said. “Insulated concrete products contribute significant thermal mass and give rise to optimal energy efficiency, when appropriately designed into buildings. CRH companies, Roadstone Wood and Aerobord continue to lead the way in the supply of energy and resource efficient retrofit solutions to the Irish market,” added Mr Mintern.
The second annual Retrofit Conference will take place on 23 September 2011. Details to be announced, see www.iiea.com for more.
“The value of holding such a conference is that for the first time all the stakeholders have been able to discuss in an open forum the implications of a programme like the National Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme announced by Minister Lenihan last year. The implications and potential are far-reaching and will perhaps require us to re-look at how we approach energy efficiency in Ireland, from business models and finance packages to skills development,” said Mr Gilroy. (L-R) Pat Gilroy, Managing Director, Dalkia Ireland; Brendan Halligan, Chairman, IIEA; Minister Eamon Ryan T.D; Tracy Kennedy, Head of Customer Operations, Bord Gais Energy Supply
Clonown, Athlone, Roscommon
All Insulation Work · Bonded Bead Cavity Wall & Attic insulation
ALL WORK GUARANTEED Tel: 0906 444722 Mob: 085 7188350
athloneinsul@eircom.net www.athloneinsulation.net Clonown, Athlone, Co.Roscommon
POLCORP E N E R G Y
26, Raymond st., South Circular rd., Dublin 8
Ph: 01 4731315 | Mob: 085 7031433 info@polcorp.ie
Renewable Energy Solutions Biogas, Biomass and Composting Sewage & Waste Water Treatment
REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
GRANTS AVAILABLE
John O’Sullivan Plumbing & Heating
Fahaglen, Emlaghmore, Killarney, Co. Kerry
HEATING CONTROLS UPGRADES HIGH EFFICIENCY OIL BOILER WITH CONTROLS UPGRADE UNDER-FLOOR HEATING SOLID FUEL SYSTEMS OIL SYSTEMS SOLAR PANELS •
•
•
•
•
Mob: 087 6211382 REGISTERED
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BP SOLAR LTD Glenville, Co. Cork
SOLAR PANEL SPECIALISTS HEAT PUMPS ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS UNDERFLOOR HEATING HEATING CONTROL UPGRADES GRANTS AVAILABLE TEL: 021 4880395 MOB: 087 7978977 bpsolar@live.ie REGISTERED
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A Guide to Building Energy Rating (BER)
Most Efficient
Least Efficient
WHAT IS A BER? A Building Energy Rating or BER is similar to the energy label on your fridge with a scale of A-G. A-rated homes are the most energy efficient and G the least efficient.
From 1st January 2009, a BER certificate became compulsory for all homes being sold or offered for rent. If you are buying or about to rent a house or apartment now, you are entitled to a BER – so ask the seller/landlord or their agent for it.
Along with the BER certificate, you will also receive an Advisory Report which will help you to identify how you might improve the energy performance of your home.
WHO IS ENTITLED TO A BER? A seller or landlord must provide a BER to prospective buyers or tenants when a home is constructed, sold or rented. There are exemptions for certain categories of buildings, e.g. protected structures and certain temporary building (Ref. S.I. No. 666 of 2006). There are fines of up to â‚Ź 5,000 for non-compliance with the regulations.
HOW IS A BER CALCULATED? A BER is based on the characteristics of major components of the dwelling (wall, roof and floor dimensions, window and door sizes and orientations) as well as the construction type and levels of insulation, ventilation and air tightness features, the systems for heat supply (including renewable energy), distribution and control, and the type of lighting. It covers annual energy use for space heating, water heating, ventilation, lighting and associated pumps and fans, calculated on the basis of a notional standard family with a standard pattern of occupancy. The energy performance is expressed as: (a) primary energy use per unit floor area per year (kWh/m2/yr) represented on an A to G scale (see BER certificate); and (b) associated Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions in kgCO2/m2/yr (see BER Certificate) A BER is only an indication of the energy performance of a house. Actual energy usage will depend on how the occupants operate the house. In that way it is similar to the concept of a fuel economy (miles per gallon or litres per 100 km) rating for a car. A BER does not cover electricity used for purposes other than heating, lighting, pumps and fans, i.e. does not include for cooking, refrigeration, laundry etc.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A BER? A BER makes the energy performance of a home visible to prospective buyers and tenants and enables them to take energy performance into consideration in their next house purchase or rental decision.
WHO CARRIES OUT A BER ASSESSMENT? BER assessments are carried out by registered BER assessors who have been trained under the National Framework of Qualifications and have registered with Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). All registered assessors must adhere to the BER Assessors Code of Conduct. A list of registered BER assessors is available online at www.seai.ie/ber
HOW MUCH DOES A BER COST? A person offering a home for sale or rent, or their agent, is required to employ a registered BER assessor to carry out an assessment. There is no set fee and the advice is to shop around for the best price. Make sure to confirm all fees prior to commissioning a BER assessment. Assessors are charged a fee of â‚Ź 25 to submit a BER assessment to SEAI for publication on the National BER Register.
HOW LONG IS A BER VALID FOR? A BER is valid for up to 10 years provided that there is no material change to the dwelling that could affect its energy performance. The maximum term of validity of a Provisional BER is 2 years.
WHAT IS A PROVISIONAL BER? New homes offered for sale off plans also require a BER. In these cases, a Provisional BER will be issued based upon the design drawings and building specifications. When the home is completed, a BER based on an assessment of the final drawings and building specifications, which represent the house as constructed, is required. This BER must be supplied by the builder/developer on completion of any such homes sold off plans.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BER SCHEME? The BER Scheme was established under the European Communities (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 666 of 2006). Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has been designated as the Issuing Authority with responsibility for the registration of BER assessors, logging of BER assessments and ongoing management of the BER Scheme. SEAI has put in place a comprehensive quality assurance system to audit BER assessors and BER assessments and to protect the integrity of the BER Scheme. For more information see the SEAI website or call 1890 734 237 www.seai.ie/ber
YOUR BER CERT EXPLAINED Version of software used to rate this home.
Actual Building Energy Rating for this home
Home Address
Official BER Number – this is unique to this home BER Assessor Number – This is the registration number for the assessor who carried out this assessment.
Assessor Company Number – This is the registration number for the assessor company who carried out this assessment.
BER Rating A-G A1 = Most Efficient G = Least Efficient
CO2 emissions for your home. Lower is best and it’s an indication of how green your home is.
HOW DOES MY HOME RATE? Indicative ratings for typical homes: Year of Home Heated by construction Oil/Gas Central
Heating
Home Heated by Standard Electric Heating
Home Heated by Solid Fuel Central Heating
Typical energy rating
Typical energy rating
Typical energy rating
2010+
B1
C1
B2
2008-2009
B3
D1
B3
2005-2007
C1
D2
C2
1994-2004
C3
E2
D1
1980-1993
D1
F
D2
E1
G
F
Pre 1978
D2
E2
This table presents indicative BER ratings of homes built to the prevailing Building Regulations of the time and based on various fuel types. These indicative ratings assume no remedial measures have been installed.
Indicative CO2 emissions and running costs for different rating bands: Rating
2 Bed Apartment (75m2) Tonnes CO2
A2 B1 C1 D1 E1* F* G*
0.8 1.2 2.3 3.7 5 6.8 8.5
Cost
230 340 600 1,000 1,400 1,900 2,400
3 Bed Semi-D (100m2) Tonnes CO2
1.1 1.6 3.1 4.9 6.7 9 11.3
Cost
300 460 900 1,400 1,800 2,500 3,100
4 Bed Detatched (200m2) Tonnes CO2
2.2 3.3 6.2 9.8 13.3 18.1 22.6
Cost
600 900 1,700 2,700 3,700 5,000 6,300
* Running costs are estimated on the basis of typical occupancy and heating the entire dwelling to a comfortable level throughout the year
kWh CO2 Cost
Annual kilowatt hours of primary energy. (Natural gas and electricity are purchased in terms of “units� or kWh. 1 litre of kerosene has an energy content of just over 10 kWh) Tonnes of CO2 emitted per annum Annual running cost for principal energy usage, based on an average of domestic oil and gas prices as of July 2010.
This leaflet is printed on environmentally friendly paper Version 4, (09 / 2010)
MAC’S Insulation LTD Temple Hill, Co Donegal
-All insulation work -Roof insulation work -Cavity wall insulation -Timber frame insulation Tel: 086 8368162 macsinsulationltd@gmail.com REGISTERED
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CONTRACTOR
JAMES WALSH PLASTERING + BUILDING LTD Shielbaggan, Ramsgrange, New Ross, Co. Wexford
·All Building + Plastering work ·Professional service ∙New builds ∙ Renovations ∙Extensions ∙Attic conversions ∙Conservatories Member of National Guild of Master Craftsment C2 Registered Public & Employers Liability Serving the South East.
Mob: 087 8136116 Fax: 051 562069 jameswalshplaster@eircom.net REGISTERED
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H O PLUMBING & HEATING Glasnevin, Dublin 11
• High Efficiency Oil Boiler Upgrades & Repairs • High Efficiency Gas Boiler Installation • Heating & Plumbing Specialists • Heating Control Upgrades • Installation & Servicing • Bathroom Installation • Central Heating
Tel: 01 8362407 Fax: 01 8362407 Mob: 087 2385052 fergusmatthews@hotmail.com
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WILLIE FALLON HEATING & PLUMBING LTD.
CALOR
CALOR GAS APPROVED INSTALLER & SERVICE CONTRACTOR -Industrial -Commercial -Domestic Maitenance & Repairs 24 Hr Call Out Service Tel: 094 936 4098 | Mobile: 087 256 8274 Email: williefallon@eircom.net Esker Ballindine Co. Mayo
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Patrick Grimes Quality Assured Heating & Plumbing Specialists Mob: 086 301 8219 Ph: 061 303505 • HEATING & PLUMBING UPGRADES • GAS, OIL & SOLID FUEL • SOLAR PANEL SUPPLY & INSTALLATION • ALL BOILER SERVICING CARRIED OUT • BOILER & HEATING SYSTEM ANALYSIS • EFFICIENCY TESTING • BUILDING & FACILITY MAINTENANCE REGISTERED
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4, Roundwood Estate, Rosbrien, Co. Limerick
Operation Transformation HALO, a new offering from ESB has the potential to transform the energy levels of Irish homes in a significant way. More than ever before, Irish consumers are seeking to make their homes more energy efficient, and they want to do it in a way that saves them money and enhances their lifestyle. ESB recently carried out a survey that revealed 66 percent of Irish people would consider installing insulation products in a bid to have a warmer house and reduce energy costs. Research following the 20,000 surveys carried out by the ESB HALO team also highlighted that 50 percent of homeowners would consider investing in renewable energy solutions, with solar thermal ranked as the most appealing product. Recognising the growing interest for and genuine appeal of sustainable energy solutions, ESB created the HALO Installation Service, which is a total one-stop solution to home energy needs, from the insulation of walls to installing rooftop solar panels. The new HALO Installation Service provides homeowners with the products and installation services they need to maximise savings and minimise their carbon footprint. The service is aimed at enabling householders to choose the most efficient and cost effective solutions to reduce their energy bills while ensuring that their homes are kept warm and comfortable in a more environmentally-friendly way. ESB HALO is available nationwide to all customers—not just those of ESB. HALO offers all types of energy efficiency upgrades from attic and wall insulation to solar panels. Through this service, the HALO team brings all the expertise required to the home, from the simplest to the most detailed energy improvement measures. All upgrade installations carried out by the HALO team are subject to rigorous quality assurance inspections and most of the measures are eligible for grants from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Within a quality assurance framework, ESB HALO installs a wide
range of energy efficiency upgrades including: insulation; attic insulation; wall insulation; heating; windows; Building Energy Rating (BER); heat recovery and demand-control ventilation; solar technologies and air source heat pumps. The team offers advice and free quotes on the energy-saving steps to improve efficiency in the home and can also assist homeowners with the SEAI grant scheme. RTE’s Dermot Bannon launched HALO and praised ESB for taking the initiation on such a necessary service; “As an architect by profession, you simply cannot ignore the
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McGEE INSULATION SYSTEMS Downings, Co. Donegal
All insulation work “Prevent your pipes and tanks ever freezing again through the warmroof system”
Spray foam insulation solutions mcgeeinsulation@donegal.net
Tel: 074 9155517 Mob: 087 9320155
Pumped Cavity Wall & Attic Insulation Specialists
Grants Available
Don’t get left out in the cold this winter
Roof Loss
30%-35% Loss through walls
25-30%
- INSULATE
Free Survey & Quotation
Heat Loss in YoUR Home
Floor Loss
7%-10%
Quality Work by our Fully Trained Team We Reward Our Customers NASI & SEI Registered Contractor SAVE up to 60% on Your Heating Bills c.s.r.m Ltd
Tel. 094 9545817 or 087 0997576 www.totalhomes.ie
James O’Connor Heating & Plumbing
A-Rated Retrofitting Kilkenny Clone, Ballyragget, Co. Kilkenny
Ballingarry, Co. Limerick
High Efficiency Oil Boiler With Controls Upgrades • Power Flush • Chemically Treated Heating Systems • All Plumbing Work Undertaken • Oftec Approved To Fit Service And Repair Oil Boilers •
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Tel: 085 7150678
SEAI REGISTERED ATTIC INSULATION CAVITY WALL INSULATION CERTAINFILL GRAPHITE BEAD INSULATION ALL BUILDING WORKS CARRIED OUT NEW BUILDS / EXTENSIONS / REFURBISHMENTS
Mob: 087 4189303 Tel: 056 8832521 REGISTERED
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movement there is towards sustainable energy solutions when designing homes. While energy efficiency might not have been a familiar concept to most a few years ago, it is very much the buzzword of today and the future when considering energy products for the home. HALO simplifies this process perfectly by guiding homeowners through the steps they can take towards creating a warmer home, while reducing their bills and their carbon footprint.”
When the questionnaire is completed, customers receive a personalised Energy Saving Report that contains recommendations on what measures can be taken to improve on a house’s energy saving capacity. Making a home more energy efficient not only pays off in terms of saving money in the long run but it also improves a house’s Building Energy Rating (BER), something that is becoming more and more important when it comes to selling or renting a house.
Brian Dowd, Manager of New Products and Services, ESB Energy Solutions said “HALO is a further example of ESB’s long-term commitment to sustainability and leadership in energy conservation. I don’t believe anyone could forget the severe cold snap of last winter, so now more than ever, reducing the cost of keeping our homes warm is a huge priority. Through ESB’s trustworthy HALO service homeowners can seek the expertise and guidance required to make the smartest energy choices for their home.”
All round it looks like ESB is tackling the model of inefficient energy usage so long ingrained in Irish houses and offering Irish homeowners realistic and attainable ways of maximising their savings while minimising their carbon footprint.
In conjunction with HALO, the ESB has also created a new easy to use online tool for householders to understand where and how to make their homes more energy efficient. The ESB Energy Saving Wizard offers simple and practical ways of making energy efficient improvements around the home. Intended to encourage people to consider the way that energy is currently utilised in their home, the online tool guides customers through a short series of straightforward questions about their house including what kind of heating system they have, or whether their attic space is insulated.
For more information go to www.esb.ie/ energywizard and www.esb.ie/halo.
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James Heneghan Electrical Plumbing & Heating
Oughty, Liscarney, Westport, Co. Mayo
Dry lining / insulation • High efficiency oil boiler with heating controls upgrade • Roof insulation Tel: 098 21597 Mob: 087 2283630
MEENAMARA DEVELOPMENTS LTD Dungloe, Co. Donegal
• Renovations / Extensions • New Houses • Civil Engineering
ALL BUILDING WORK UNDERTAKEN
Tel: 074 9521242 Mob: 086 8280588 meenamaradeveloment@eircom.net REGISTERED
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· General Building Contractor · Dry Lining · Attic Insulation · Extensions/ renovations · Boiler Upgrades GRANTS REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
AVAILABLE
GRANTS AVAILABLE
HEATING AND PLUMBING • SOLAR PANELS • HEATING CONTROL UPGRADES • OIL BOILER UPGRADES “PROFESSIONAL WORK GUARANTEED” Tel: 074 9548809 Mob: 087 6808041 REGISTERED
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GRANTS
AVAILABLE
Building the Future Combining a meticulous design and building process which delivers buildings that require substantially lower amounts of fuel to heat, the passive house concept is gaining traction within the construction industry. Could this rigorous standard of construction be the norm for buildings of the future, asks Deirdre McCurry? Passive house is a design concept that applies the properties of physics to a meticulous design and construction process that delivers ultra low-energy buildings for domestic and commercial purposes. Though not a protected term, the passive house standard usually refers to the specific German term Passivhaus from the Passive House Institute in Darmstadt and this is the international standard that those within the construction industry are focusing on. It is worth noting here that ‘passive house’ does not only refer to domestic builds (the German word Haus translates as ‘building’) but can equally be applied to commercial constructions. The benefits of building to the rigorous standards promoted by passive house are clear: passive house construction can deliver a building with a heating energy requirement of 15kwh/m2/a (15 kilowatt hours per sq. m. per year) of energy to heat the entire building to 20°C all year round. In contrast, a typical semi-detached house built today and satisfying the 2005 Building Regulations would have a heating energy requirement of 155 kwh/m2/a to maintain the same temperature. The passive house method of construction offers a reduction of up to 90 percent on the heating requirements of current standard buildings and more than 75 percent compared with the average new building. To achieve such impressive results passive house factors in: insulation; thermal bridging; heat recovery; airtightness and site-specific design (e.g. local climate and site environment) to the building process. As things stand, the buildings sector is a major consumer, accounting for about 40 percent of energy consumption and 36 percent of EU CO2 emissions; efficient energy performance of buildings will be central to achieving EU climate and energy targets. Globally the construction industry is preparing itself to deliver energy efficient buildings both in the domestic and commercial spheres and it is thought that the European standard for energy usage will be 15kwh/m2/a for all new buildings by 2020—a standard already met by passive house. Though we are still at a point where the concept of passive house is not well known or widely understood within the Irish construction industry, it is likely that it will be taken up more and more in this industry in the future as it moves towards more stringent energy regulations. Passive house is at the forefront of sustainable, smart construction and gaining momentum as a result of this. The first UK Passive House Conference was held in October of last year and in his keynote address the UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate change, Chris Huhne, called for the passive house standard to be implemented in the UK. One major step forward for passive house in Ireland was the
launch of the Passive House Association of Ireland (PHAI) at last September’s ‘See the Light’ conference organised by the Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI). Charged with acting as a catalyst for promoting the opportunities and benefits offered by low-energy design based on the passive house principles, the PHAI is on a mission to educate the Irish construction industry. “There would be a concern that the expression ‘passive’ is being used very loosely within the industry without there being a clear understanding of what is required to implement passive house design successfully,” says architect and Chairman of the Passive House Association of Ireland, Martin Murray. “The PHAI is a non-profit organisation and its sole purpose is to promote the principles of true passive house design based on the PHPP Passive House Planning Package software [supplied by the Passive House Institute in Darmstadt].
“Unfortunately there is obviously a strong public perception—particularly after last winter—that our Irish housing stock lacks thermal comfort, however getting from that perception to a practical implementation of low energy design on-site is quite a gap to bridge as there is both a knowledge and an educational deficit that needs to be addressed and the PHAI is playing a strong role in this.” So is the Irish construction industry ready to adopt the
principles of passive house? “The construction culture here needs to evolve in order to embrace passive house,” Micheál Byrne, Managing Director of Passive Development Ltd, a Spiddal-based company that promotes the passive house standard as per the Passive House Institute. “The current delivery of a building is limited when it comes to energy conservation. There is a lack of appreciation across the board in the industry that it can construct buildings that are excellent at conserving energy, and a lack of a cohesive approach by construction teams to deliver a passive house building. “To deliver a passive house all trades involved must appreciate that each of them will have an effect on the outcome of a passive house designed building, they must work together. When constructing a passive house it is no longer possible for one trade to make executive decisions. For example a plumber or electrician boring holes for ducting would greatly interfere with the airtightness of a building.”
Passive house foundation during construction, courtesy of Passive Development Ltd.
“Due to this integrated approach to design and construction, all the professionals working on a passive house building need to be versed in it,” maintains Byrne. “For it to gain a firm foothold within the Irish construction industry all construction professionals including architects and engineers would need a practical understanding of the theory, formulae, calculations and practical knowledge of passive house.” “While there is this lack of knowledge and understanding, the industry is certainly showing that it is receptive to the passive house concept,” says Byrne. “We were originally a passive house construction company but we shifted our focus to consultancy and then to offering introductory courses to passive house as a result of the interest shown in
Passive house designed using the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP), Rathangan, Co Kildare. Courtesy of Passive Development Ltd.
Launch of Passive House Association at the SEAI ‘See the Light’ Conference in Croke Park.Founding Directors of Passive House Association left to right: Gavin Sullivan, Mark Shirley, Tomas O Leary, Martin Murray, Hugh Flynn and David McHugh. (Deborah Byrne missing from photo). Courtesy of PHAI.
the concept. Architects, builders, environmental engineers, self-builders, quantity surveyors and third-level students have all shown a keen interest in learning about passive house and PHPP. It is important to emphasise that passive house defines an energy standard and a set of principles; the construction method and the design methodology are not predetermined, it simply factors in the physics of the building. The passive house concept can be built anywhere in the world and can fit around national construction regulations.” What is being done to encourage low-energy builds here? “Unfortunately the Government has missed the boat when it comes to promoting low-energy design with new builds, but it is not too late for it to both spend and encourage significant spending on upgrading our building stock,” says Murray. “This needs significant attention now so as to achieve our future carbon reduction targets and to keep the construction industry in business. There are many experienced and skilled builders and professionals who are currently leaving the industry due to its downturn, and this is a knowledge and skill base that we simply cannot afford to lose. It seems to me that the downturn is the opportunity to turn things around in regard to the quality of what is built and the attitude pertaining to construction generally. We can do some of this by taking on board the rigour of the passive house principles.”
consultancy services within the construction/ low-energy business VAT free as this would encourage homeowners in particular to use professional advisors so that what is done reflects the best value criteria. We would encourage all members of the construction community to join the PHAI and help us in the sharing of knowledge and information so that what we are building in Ireland is of a quality on a par with anywhere else in the world. We need to build now for our children, and our children’s children, and passive house is the way forward.”
For more information see www.passivedevelopment.ie and www.phai.ie.
“The construction culture here needs to evolve in order to embrace passive house.”
“We hope that in the relative short term, passive house principles will permeate all strands of construction activity. Undoubtedly it is more easily applied to one-off houses but the recent SEAI guide to passive homes addresses passive house at all levels of construction. We have for example in Tramore in Co Waterford the first certified passive house supermarket in the world completed by Tesco about two years ago. In Deansgrange in Dublin there is a mixed-use passive house design that includes a surgery, offices and residential units.” “The emphasis of passive house is getting the construction right first and then applying technology,” says Murray, “sometimes grants and tax incentives are mistakenly biased towards actual ‘things’ (i.e. heat pumps, boilers, solar collectors etc) which might in themselves mask poor construction. A really good start would be to make
The five principles of passive house construction. Courtesy of Passive Development Ltd.
KIERAN CASEY PLUMBING & HEATING
CLIFF ROAD, BALLYHEIGUE, CO. KERRY
Ph: 087 2654300 / 066 7133611
Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
HEATING CONTROLS UPGRADE HIGH EFFICIENCY OIL BOILER WITH CONTROLS UPGRADE ROOF INSULATION SOLAR PANELS
GRANTS AVAILABLE
Contact Peadar Maguire Mobile: 087 8531248 info@ecoenergysystems.ie
REGISTERED
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CONTRACTOR
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SEAI
SEAI
Colm Faughey Gas, Oil & Solar Armagh
• Heating Controls Upgrade • Solar Panels • Gas & Oil boilers • Domestic & Commercial
ALL WORK GUARANTEED Tel: 048 3088337 Mob: 086 8242113 colm@cgas.eu REGISTERED
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CONTRACTOR
GRANTS AVAILABLE
Dean Egan
Heating & Plumbing Finglas, Dublin 11
Heating & Plumbing Contractors • Heating Control Upgrades • Oil Boiler Control Upgrades • Insulation Work
Tel: 087 0607727
“Professional Service Guaranteed” egandean@gmail.com REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Top Tips for household electricity saving
Electricity costs are a large component of your household bills. In fact, the use of electricity in the home accounts for approximately one third of the total electricity use in Ireland. However, reducing your electricity use is actually very simple. Try the top tips provided here over the next few weeks and months and use your display monitor to see how much electricity you are saving.
Home entertainment and electronic equipment
Lighting Switch off lights when you leave a room. Only switch on the lights you need. Use compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) instead of traditional bulbs - they use only 20% of the energy and last up to 10 times as long.
Heating and hot water
Switch appliances off rather than leaving them on standby. This will save up to 20% of your appliance’s energy use. Configure your computer to ‘Energy Saving’ mode. Unplug your mobile phone and digital camera chargers when equipment has been charged.
Kitchen
You should avoid using your immersion heater to heat water. If possible, use your central heating boiler instead. Wash full loads as it is more efficient. Fit a lagging jacket on your hot water cylinder to keep water hot for longer. If using electric heaters, fit with thermostatic controls.
Washing at lower temperatures is more energy efficient. Don’t overfill your kettle - only boil as much water as you need. When buying new kitchen appliances, choose ‘A’ energy rated appliances as they cost less to run. When using your washing machine or dishwasher, wash full loads as it is more efficient than washing two half loads.
For more energy efficiency tips visit www.sei.ie/yourhome
Save Electricity and Save The Environment As everyone knows, getting caught in “rush hour” road traffic means your car is not operating efficiently – fuel is wasted and emissions rise. The same applies to the “rush hour” in electricity use. Between 5pm and 7pm demand rises very sharply. To meet this peak demand, less efficient power stations must be brought into operation. Being as energy efficient as possible, particularly during these hours will help reduce unnecessary CO2 emissions and therefore help combat climate change.
Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland | T. 042 939 1518 | info@sei.ie | www.sei.ie/yourhome Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) promotes and assists the development of sustainable energy. SEI is funded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan with programmes part financed by the European Union.
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PETER CREAN
BUILDING & ROOFING Tralee, Co. Kerry
DRY LINING INSULATION CAVITY INSULATION ROOF INSULATION
ALL BUILDING WORKS CARRIED OUT
GRANTS AVAILABLE Ph: 087 7936849 / 066 7139000
ALL TIME COSY HOMES INSULATION Millstreet, Co. Cork HEATING & INSULATION CONTRACTOR CAVITY WALL INSULATION ATTIC / ROOF SPACE INSULATION DRY LINING INSULATION BER ASSESSMENT CONDENSING BOILERS
Tel: 029 70633 Mob: 087 2641309
johnbuckley6@eircom.net REGISTERED
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First-Class Insulation
NSAI agrement Reg. Num. IAB/293
Energy Improvement Solutions Ltd. 4 Chestnut Grove, Castlepark, Mallow, Co. Cork
Insulation specialists Roof insulation Cavity wall Attic insulations
EXTERNAL WALL INSULATION INTERNAL WALL INSULATION (DRY-LINING) ROOF INSULATION HEAT RECOVERY VENTILATION SOLAR PANELS HEAT PUMPS
The Mill. The Maudlins. New Ross. Co. Wexford.
Mob: 086 3329415
Mob: Tel: Email:
087 652 0026 051 448282 posifo@live.com
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eisltd@hotmail.com | info@eisltd.ie www.energyimprovementsolutions.ie www.eisltd.ie REGISTERED
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James Sheehan Castletown, Kilflynn, Tralee, Co. Kerry
• All Insulation Work Carried Out • Roof Insulation
PAT KAVANAGH CONSTRUCTION Cork
ALL BUILDING WORK UNDERTAKEN RENOVATIONS / EXTENSIONS NEW BUILDS INSULATION WORK
• External Insulation
“ALL WORK GUARANTEED”
• Dry Lining
Tel: 066 7135510 Mob: 087 2842470
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Tel: 021 4966390 Mob: 087 2556988 REGISTERED
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CORK CITY
INTERNAL & EXTERNAL INSULATION ROOF INSULATION ATTIC CONVERSION RAISED ATTIC FLOOR ATTIC STIRA STAIRS TIMBER FRAME INSULATION “All Work Carried Out By A Professional Team” retrofitinsulations@gmail.com
P.A. O’CONNOR PLASTERING LTD Balloor, Castlebar, Co. Mayo
DRY LINING PLASTERING INSULATION ROOF INSULATION
Tel: 086 3118141 REGISTERED
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Ph: 087 6168886 Ph: 094 9035974
Toward a Sustainable Future SEAI Energy in Ireland report reveals an encouraging growth of renewable energy by 15 percent per annum for five years up to 2009. According to the annual Energy in Ireland report from The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), renewable energy in Ireland grew by an average of 15 percent per annum from 2005 to 2009, driven largely by a significant growth in wind energy of 28 percent per annum in that period. In parallel, 2009 witnessed a steady trend towards lower energy prices in Ireland for both domestic and business energy users. Launched in December, the report shows that in addition to the decline in economic activity, increased energy efficiency and the consistent growth of renewables on the national grid contributed to a significant decline in energy-related CO2 emissions in 2009 of 11 percent. A key finding of the report in relation to transport and car purchase shows that Government changes to vehicle registration tax and motor tax are positively influencing consumer purchase choice to more efficient vehicles. 80 percent of new cars purchased in 2010 (January to November) were in the most energy efficient A and B label bands, up from 25 percent in July 2008, prior to the new tax band introduction. The report also shows that overall energy use declined by 9 percent in 2009, with sectors such as industry at 13 percent, services at 12 percent and transport at 10 percent witnessing the greatest fall.
Launching the report, former Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan said: “I am encouraged by the findings of the latest Energy in Ireland report, particularly to see renewable energy grow at a time when energy prices are falling for both business and domestic consumers. Contrary to some perceptions, Ireland’s position in terms of energy prices relative to the rest of Europe continues to improve, with prices for many consumers now below the EU average.” Minister Ryan concluded: “By continuing to reduce wasteful use of energy in our homes and businesses, and by making much fuller use of our natural energy resources, we can dramatically improve our competitiveness, our energy security and reduce our exposure to volatile fuel prices.” Commenting on the report, SEAI Chief Executive Professor Owen Lewis said: “Energy in Ireland 1990-2009 reflects important trends in our approach to, and management of energy demand and supply in Ireland. We are seeing some positive results shine through as renewable energy continues to grow and energy efficiency continues to improve across all sections of society. As energy becomes more central to enterprise and our economy, it is increasingly important for us to keep a close eye on the emerging trends.”
The full report can be accessed on the SEAI website, www.seai.ie.
Committed to the Cause Ireland’s public bodies are fully committed to leading the way when it comes to meeting targets of energy savings and efficiency. With 2020 and its European energy targets—20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions; 20 percent energy efficiency and 20 percent of energy consumption from renewable sources—fast approaching, it’s never been more important that the Government and state appointed bodies here are wholeheartedly adopting strategies of energy efficiency and sustainability. Ireland’s individual target within the EU 2020 Directive is to achieve 16 percent of energy from renewable sources by 2020; the Government here has shown its commitment to pursuing renewable and sustainable strategies by setting our own national 2020 targets of a 20 percent reduction in energy. In showing their commitment to the improvement in energy efficiency here and the development of renewable and sustainable energy, a group of 14 leading public bodies have joined ranks with the Government in leading the way towards a sustainable future for Ireland.
Launching the initiative, former Minister Eamon Ryan said: “The public sector must lead the way on energy saving. We simply cannot afford the wasted costs, energy or CO2 emissions that come with inefficient practices. Today’s agreements show us that smart state companies and Departments are making smart decisions. Every single Government Department and public body should sign similar agreements with SEAI. “The public sector energy bill is approximately €500 million per year. If all our public bodies took early energy
The group has committed to an Energy Partnership initiative with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), to deliver total cumulative energy savings of €330 million by 2020. Eamon Ryan, former Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, recently hosted an event where the public bodies signed up to the Partnership and highlighted their successes to date and their plans to achieve energy efficiency savings of 33 percent by 2020. Although the target is focused solely on energy efficiency and is not calculated as an emissions or a renewables target, in encouraging energy efficiency it will deliver significant CO2 savings and should stimulate the switching of fuel to more sustainable energy sources including renewables. Leading by example with their energy initiatives and signing up to the Partnership were: An Garda Síochána; Bus Éireann; Courts Service of Ireland; the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; the Department of Justice and Law Reform; the Department of Education and Skills; Health Service Executive; Irish Defence Forces; Irish Prison Service; Kerry County Council; Louth County Council; North Tipperary County Council; and the Office of Public Works and Railway Procurement Agency. In achieving the 33 percent energy efficiency target by 2020, when annual energy savings of all 14 organisations are added year on year, combined savings of €330 million will be realised. The initial group of leading organisations is expected to be joined by other public bodies across the sector who will commit to similar energy savings in a bid to bring Ireland in line with projected European energy saving measures.
efficiency actions to achieve the 33 percent target by 2020, then cumulative savings of over €800 million would be collectively realised.” Professor Owen Lewis, Chief Executive Officer of SEAI, commended organisations on the good work already achieved but noted that there was still a long way to go. “Organisations signing up to this agreement are highlighting tangible examples of the gains to be made by taking efficiency measures across the public sector. The good
Significant commitments to energy efficiency already undertaken by public organisations have seen on average 20 percent reductions in consumption:
thing is that most of this work is replicable and significant opportunities exist for further savings in the public sector. All that is now required is for more public sector organisations to join the exemplary efforts of those who have already taken the first vital steps on the road to success.”
Bus Éireann is committed to effective energy management and has developed an ECOdriving training programme for its drivers, which could achieve potential savings of over €1.5 million per annum. Energy efficient lighting installed at their garages in Waterford and Broadstone is also delivering a reduction in lighting consumption of up to 60 percent. Kerry County Council implemented an efficiency project at its Dingle wastewater treatment plant which will yield an estimated €22,000 per year in savings. The Council introduced a fine bubble diffused aeration system at the treatment facilities; the system has achieved a phenomenal 37 percent saving in electrical energy consumption at the facility with no loss in plant performance. Early indications are that the investment will be recovered within the originally projected payback period of 5.4 years. Making full use of energy efficiency retrofitting, An Garda Síochána has installed sensor-lighting systems, heating controls and upgraded insulation at a selection of stations across the country and are experiencing significant energy savings as a result.
Further information on the programme is available at www.seai.ie/publicsector.
CARLOW INSULATION Wexford / General Builders / Homebond Member / Current C2
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ALL CONSTRUCTION WORK UNDERTAKEN NEW HOUSES EXTENSIONS / RENOVATIONS CIVIL ENGINEERING ALL WORK GUARANTEED
Cloonerane, Taghmon, Co. Wexford. t: (053) 9134267 m: (087) 2386677 e: domsheil@hunterconstructionltd.com w: www.hunterconstructionltd.com
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CONTRACTOR
*Attic insulation *Building energy rating *Attic & Cavity wall insulation *Timber frame insulation
Tel: 059 9179932 Mob: 085 720 2885 St. Anthony's, Farrell's Mountain, Clogrennane, Bilboa, Carlow
Unit 4B Santry Business Park, Santry Dublin 9
RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS EXTENSIONS / RENOVATIONS NEW BUILDS
COMMERCIAL PROJECTS COMPLETE OFFICE FITS
After Before To View More Of Our Work Please Visit Our Website At
www.qualitybuild.ie
Tel: 01 816 2120 info@qualitybuild.ie REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
GRANTS AVAILABLE
St. Anthony’s, Arklow Road, Gorey, Co. Wexford.
∙ All insulation work undertaken ∙ Grants available Dry lining ∙ Cavity wall ∙Timber frame ∙ Attic REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Tel: 086 8182646 Email: robl@imagine.ie
Kozy Home Insulations Services •Cavity Wall Insulation •Attic Insulation •Dry Lining •SEAI / Ber Registered •C2 Registered
•Fully Insured •10 Years Guarantee With All Cavity Wall Insulation 071 9658435 086 8482884 Niall Dockery
REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
CALL FOR QUOTATIONS
North West Insulations Specialists in Cavity Wall and Loft Insulation
Insulating the homes of Donegal for over 25 years
HARRINGTON INSULATION & DRYLINING Castlegregory, Tralee, Co. Kerry
Ph: 087 9063737 / 066 7139163
Cavity Insulation Dry Lining Insulation Roof Insulation GRANTS AVAILABLE Northland Road Industrial Estate, Derry Phone NI (0044)(028)71363000 Mobile RoI (00353) 0877608600 REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
J. Moran
Plastering And Dry Lining
•Heating control upgrades •High efficiency oil boilers •All heating & plumbing work •Solar panels
Fauleens, Newport, Co. Mayo
EXTERNAL INSULATION • PLASTERING • DRY LINING / GENERAL INSULATION • ROOF INSULATION Tel: 098 42422 Mob: 087 9147277
For all your heating and plumbing needs Tel: 053 9235040 Mob: 087 1225394
GRANTS
REGISTERED
SEAI
AVAILABLE
CONTRACTOR
Pat Curran
REGISTERED
SEAI
Plumbing & Heating Glencolmcille, Co. Donegal
Heating & Plumbing • Heating Controls Upgrade • High Efficiency Oil Boiler Upgrade • Solar Panels
“ALL WORK GUARANTEED” Tel: 074 9730857 Mob: 087 2899986 REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
GRANTS
AVAILABLE
CONTRACTOR
•
Cavity Wall & Roof Space Insulation SEI Registered & IAB Approved
•
The “Cold Snap” is not leaving anytime soon and prevention is better than cure;
• •
•
• Holmes Insulation are Specialists in Attic & Cavity Wall Insulation and • Provide Lagging of Pipes Tanks which prevents bursting of pipes and leaks • Losing Heat = Losing Money … • Holmes Insulation “Adding Value to your home and comfort to your life” • Contact Holmes Insulation for a FREE Quote & Professional Advice today!
Switched On In an innovative project assessing the effectiveness of wind energy and electric vehicles, the Aran Islands are set to become a hub of electric motoring. 24 households on the Aran Islands are participating in a pilot project to demonstrate the smart grid technologies needed to transfer and store wind energy in electric vehicles. Eight electric vehicles were delivered to homes in January as part of a project coordinated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs. The vehicles will be rolled out to an initial eight households for one year, with a further eight selected for participation next year and again in 2013, under a three year programme looking at the potential for wind energy to power electric cars and to reduce reliance on imported fuels on the islands. Each household has been fitted with an innovative smart charger unit that can be accessed remotely to allow matching of available wind power with vehicle charging requirements. The project aims to show a significant potential for electric vehicles charged by wind energy to meet the transport requirements under the difficult access conditions of an island environment. It will assess the efficiency, reliability and maintainability of the vehicles, and the potential for locally generated wind power to supply the electricity requirements for the vehicles. Former Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs Mr Pat Carey said that he welcomes this development that has come about through the Pilot Study on Renewable Energy for the Aran Islands. “I am confident that the lessons to be learned from the use of electric vehicles on the Aran
Islands over the next three years will benefit many other communities throughout the country.” Speaking at the launch Former Minister Éamon Ó Cuív, TD, said: “Island communities may often feel that they are among the last to benefit from new technologies, but in this instance the people of Aran are to the forefront in pioneering an innovative and novel concept that offers tangible benefits in terms of reduced energy costs and a decreased reliance on imported fuel. Participating households will benefit from a transport fuel cost saving of up to 80%. “This is only one step in a larger project to show how wind and ocean energy might be used to provide the electricity, heat and transport requirements for the Aran Islands. By demonstrating the benefits of reduced energy import reliance and costs, the islands could also serve as a learning model for the future energy system for the whole of Ireland”, Mr Ó Cuív concluded. According to Professor Owen Lewis, CEO of SEAI: “Ireland has the twin goals of replacing 10% of its passenger vehicles with electric vehicles by 2020 and of exploiting our availability of renewable energy resources, in particular wind. Under Government plans to put 6,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2012, a grant of €5,000 is now available for the purchase of electric vehicles. This project on the Aran Islands is a significant step, and is among the first initiatives worldwide to demonstrate the potential for electric vehicles fuelled by wind energy.”
O’Donnell Insulation
Unit E4, Centre Point, Rosemount Business Park, Ballycoolin D11
Help reduce 25%-35% of your heat loss which escapes through your attic or cavity walls that are not insulated.
Specialising in Building Renovating & Pre Medical Installations Works Tel/Fax: 01 8855580 Mob: 087 257 8457 Email: upfrontconstruction@eircom.net
Call: 085 7543184
Email: odonnellinsulation@gmail.com We Provide: ∙Super Nova Silver Bonded Bead ∙Dry Lining ∙C2 Registered ∙Fully Insured REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
∙VAT Registered ∙NSAI Approved ∙SEI Grant Approved ∙Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed
Cashleenan, Termon, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
STOP LOSING HEAT AND LOSING MONEY
REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
BRENDAN O'HARA DEVELOPMENTS Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal
ALL BUILDING WORK • EXTENSIONS / RENOVATIONS • CIVIL ENGINEERING Tel: 071 9852509 Mob: 087 2396898 REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Glencorrib, Shrule, Co. Mayo JMK Renewable Energy Systems are an established provider of environmentally friendly heating systems to Connacht and surrounding counties. We have undertaken many projects of varying sizes for both domestic and commercial clients and have built up a solid reputation for the quality of our work.
SOLAR • BIOMASS (Thermodual TDA) • GEOTHERMAL Tel: 093 31395 Mob: 087 9104642
GRANTS
AVAILABLE
www.jmk.ie REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
GRANTS
AVAILABLE
Vehicle for Change www.esb.ie/ecars, the new website from ESB promoting electric cars in Ireland, works both as a tool for educating consumers on the benefits of ecars and highlights the supporting infrastructure being rolled out across the nation. The launch of www.esb.ie/ecars – the new website from ESB ecars – will act as a vital communication tool for the public and help position Ireland as a world leader in electric vehicle development. Supporting the Government’s 2020 targets of a 40% reliance on renewably generated electricity and with it’s own goal of being a carbon neutral organisation by 2035, ESB is at the driving wheel when it comes to the encouragement of ecar uptake. As ecars don’t operate independent of their surroundings but require a network of charging infrastructure, consumers need to be made aware of progress made in the planned comprehensive network of open system charge points that will be accessible to all supply companies and all types of ecars. The site aims to encourage the introduction and demand for ecars in Ireland by creating general awareness about electric cars and educating people about their benefits.
as part of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Irish Government and ESB. Speaking at the signing agreement former Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan said, “We have all the elements in place to be a true world leader in the electrification of private transport. 2011 will be the year electric cars become a common sight on Irish roads”, with the launch of www. esb.ie/ecars it looks like we could be one step closer to that vision.
Dervla O’Flaherty, Marketing Manager of ESB ecars, said “The concept behind the ecars website originated with a desire to bring to life the key benefits and the essential nature of this technologically progressive and environmentally friendly innovation in road transport.” One of the aims of the website is to create a platform with informative, engaging content that outlines developments in Ireland’s e-driving story and it does this with instructional pieces, video testimonials from ecar drivers, downloadable PDFs and a comparative cost calculator for electric vehicles. Applications on the site include online registration for ecar charging and a countrywide Google map that informs motorists where public charge points are located. An ESB ecars facebook site; www.facebook.com/esbecars has also been launched, providing ecar users with a platform for creating an online ecar community in Ireland. The team at ESB ecars is working hard at realising the ambitious targets set by the Government for 10% of the Irish motoring fleet to be electric by 2020. PSA Peugeot Citroën introduced two new electric cars to Ireland last year With Ireland’s natural advantages in terms of wind and other renewables, the successful uptake of ecars by a substantial number of consumers would mean a significant demand for fuel from renewable sources as a large proportion of the power used by ecars will be carbon free in the future – a major step towards meeting Ireland’s ambitious targets for reduced reliance on fossil fuels.
Harry Ryan Salville, Wexford
•HEATING CONTROL UPGRADES •HIGH EFFICIENCY OIL BOILER UPGRADES Tel: 053 9238625 Mob: 087 2360982 harryryan08@gmail.com REGISTERED
SEAI
GRANTS AVAILABLE
CONTRACTOR
CONNACHT ROOFING & INSULATION LTD Kilkelly, Co. Mayo
Donal McLouglain
Heating & Plumbing Letterkenny, Donegal
Heating & Plumbing • Heating Controls • High Efficiency Oil Boiler Upgrades Tel: 086 6849147 Grants SEAI Available
REGISTERED
CONTRACTOR
Paul Mc. Brearty Heating & Plumbing
Heating & Plumbing contractor
CAVITY INSULATION
Heating control upgrades
ROOFING INSULATION
High efficiency oil boiler upgrades
TIMBER FRAME INSULATION
“Professional service”
Tel: 094 9367428 Mob: 087 2365472 REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Mob: 087 9076700 Tel: 074 9126758 mcbreartyplumbing@gmail.com REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
The Economy of Wind With a huge stake invested in Irish renewables and more to come, it seems that Airtricity is at the forefront when it comes to developing our natural resources at home, writes Deirdre McCurry. From picturesque windmills to the sails on merchant ships, wind energy has a long history of being harnessed and put to work for the advancement of civilization. This elemental energy aided us with the grinding of grain, the pumping of water and the transport of people and goods around the globe. Since the advent of steam and then electricity as a means of generating power however, wind was largely retired as a form of energy generation. Thanks to its environmental benefits over fossil fuels and the increased security it can deliver to Ireland’s fuel supply wind energy is now firmly back in favour as the sustainable energy generator of choice. According to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, at the end of 2009 nearly 75,000MW (megawatts) of wind energy was installed in Europe. In recent years more wind energy capacity has been installed than any other form of generation including gas, nuclear or hydro. Indeed, 39 percent of all new generation added during 2009 was wind.
across Ireland, the UK and continental Europe. SSE is the leading generator of renewable energy in Ireland and the UK, with over 2,200MW of renewable electricity generation capacity (wind, hydro and biomass) and a portfolio of over 15,000MW of renewable energy projects in construction, with consent, or in development. In association with SSE, by the end of 2010 Airtricity had invested nearly €1 billion in the development of wind farms in Ireland. SSE operates 19 onshore wind farms in the ROI and NI generating over 400MW of electricity to power Airtricity.
Powered by a rising demand for electricity, the reduction in cost of wind energy and global incentives to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, the global market for wind energy is expected to reach 707,570MW within the next few years. Ireland’s fastest-growing energy utility, Airtricity, and its sister company, SSE Renewables, are wholeheartedly invested in the economy of wind here and are set to keep powering ahead with ambitious plans for harnessing the power of wind. Airtricity entered the domestic market here in mid-2009 and now supplies energy to over 350,000 householders in Ireland. Winning both the Renewable Supplier of the Year from Ernst & Young and the Green Energy Award for the second consecutive year in 2010, Airtricity has been recognized as the leading greener energy supplier in Ireland. The traditional ways of generating electricity are rapidly changing the world over and it seems that Airtricity is to the forefront of this transformation within both Ireland and further a field. With 100 percent of the electricity it generates in Ireland from renewable sources Airtricity is clearly wholly invested in harnessing the power of Ireland’s greatest natural resource. The company built its first wind farm in 2000 and now has 32 operational wind farms throughout Europe, with a further 13 under construction. In January of last year Airtricity renamed its renewable energy development business SSE Renewables. SSE Renewables is responsible for the development and construction of SSE Group’s renewable energy projects
With a substantial amount of onshore wind projects under its belt, SSE Renewables is now also pioneering offshore wind farm development in Europe. Currently under construction are the 504MW Greater Gabbard development off the coast of southeast England—the largest offshore wind farm in the world—and the 350MW Clyde onshore wind farm in Scotland. When complete, these two projects alone will
Peter Connolly
Donegal Insulation Systems Donegal
Plastering Contractor
Ballyglass, Roscommon
PLASTERING DRY LINING INSULATION ROOF INSULATION
GRANTS AVAILABLE Tel: 087 2965894 peterc@live.ie
-All insulation work -Cavity wall insulation -Roof insulation -Dry lining -Timber frame insulation
Tel: 1800 211 212
donegalinsulation@gmail.com REGISTERED
SEAI
REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
CONTRACTOR
O’Sullivan Lehud, Guosist, Killarney, Co. Kerry
Michael Hanley Gas Services
Ph: 087 2911878
Parke, Castlebar, Co. Mayo
Heating /controls upgrade • High efficiency oil boiler with heating controls upgrade • All plumbing works catered for
·HEATING CONTROL UPGRADE ·HIGH EFFICIENCY GAS BOILER WITH HEATING CONTROLS UPGRADE ·OIL BOILER CONTROLS UPGRADE ·GRANTS AVAILABLE
Plumbing & Heating
REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Grants Available
REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Tel: 087 7405586 Tel: 094 9067082
be able to generate enough energy to power 800,000 households. SSE Renewables is also set to develop almost 2,500MW of consented offshore wind farm projects in Ireland (Arklow Bank), the UK, the Netherlands and Germany as well as almost 1,500MW of consented onshore wind farm capacity in Ireland, UK, Sweden, Portugal and Italy. In addition to onshore and offshore wind, the new company will be responsible for the exploration and development of other renewable technologies including hydro, marine, biomass, and solar. In line with its ambitions to be Europe’s most innovative energy and utility company by 2016, Airtricity launched the company’s ‘License to Innovate’ programme at Innovation Dublin last year. The programme—an internal staff
scheme—works to encourage members of the company in developing their initiative to pursue goals of their own choosing. A member of staff can submit an idea, it is evaluated and if it has potential, a ‘license to innovate’ is issued. This authorises the staff member to investigate the idea over two months, obtaining help and support from anyone within the business. All final reports are reviewed and are eligible for a reward. With its impressive and ambitious portfolio in the wind sector and dogged pursuit of the research and development of renewables, it seems that Airtricity and SSE Renewables are ready, willing and able to meet new challenges and evolve in line with the changing times we live in.
For more information see www.airtricity.ie
Kieran O’Grady Heating and Plumbing
29 Bromley Pk., Donnybrook, Douglas, Cork
•Registered Gas Installer •Heating & Plumbing •Heating Control / Oil Boiler Upgrades •Roof Insulation •Bathrooms Fitted
Ph: 086 2796320 heatcraft@eircom.net
·Heating & Plumbing Contractor ·Heating Controls Upgrade ·High Efficiency Gas Boiler Upgrades ·Grants Available
Tel: 094 9640750 Mob: 087 2634451 Castlerea, Roscommon REGISTERED
SEAI
REGISTERED
SEAI
kog32@eircom.net
CONTRACTOR
CONTRACTOR
REGISTERED
TOM HIGGINS CONSTRUCTION
Ballybrone, Turloughmore, Athenry, Co. Galway
Mob: 087 2704415 Tel: 091 797764 • External & Internal Insulation • Dry Lining • Roof & Attic Insulation • New Home Builds • Extensions • Renovation Works • Roofing REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
GRANTS
AVAILABLE
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Martin O’Sullivan Construction Ltd
Sugreanna, Caherciveen, Co. Kerry
Ph: 087 9371564 • Dry Lining Insulation • Roof Insulation • New Homes • Renovations • All Building Works Carried Out
GRANTS AVAILABLE
Wind Energy Wind energy represents a major chunk of Ireland’s current renewable resources and could be one of our most valuable indigenous resources. Private, state and semi-state bodies are currently investing heavily in the area and the trend looks set to continue, writes John Byrne. In January the latest data on wind power output in Ireland showed that a new record has been set. According to EirGrid, the national transmission operator, a wind output at a level of 1,228 megawatts (MW) was reached on 26 December and for the entire day, wind power output averaged at approximately 1,000MW. If operating, one megawatt of generation is enough to power the equivalent of the usage of roughly 650 homes. Therefore on St Stephen’s Day last, wind generation powered almost 800,000 homes around Ireland—or approximately one-third of national usage. The news was welcomed by former Minister for Energy Eamon Ryan who said, “This is proof that even on colder days, wind power can contribute greatly to Ireland’s electricity system. This is hugely encouraging. Government policy is to facilitate investment in wind energy, to deliver a lowcarbon, sustainable energy future for Ireland. The majority of countries worldwide are moving in this direction, but without the major resource advantage that Ireland has. We have some of the best, if not the best, wind resources in the world and it makes sense to develop them. Government and industry are on board. Last year, private sector investment in wind energy reached approximately €400 million. With ambitious policy and significant investment, I am confident that we can keep setting similar records for the years ahead.”
Bord Gais has set ambitious renewable energy targets for the future and is pursuing a dual-fuel, all-island strategy that wholly embraces wind development. In 2008 Bord Gáis Chief Executive, John Mullins said, “Over the next five years Bord Gáis will invest almost €700m in the construction of wind projects and in the process create 250 sustainable jobs.” Enjoying a current and future investment adding up to roughly €50million, the company’s 38.9MW wind farm in Sorne, Co Donegal is currently providing over 20,000 homes with green energy annually and this is due to be expanded to 100MW by 2014. In 2009 Bord Gais also purchased West Cork based SWS Natural Resources, one of the largest wind generators in Ireland, in a transaction worth over €500m.
Wind energy provides a clean, sustainable solution to our energy problems. Due to its environmental benefits, technological maturity and competitiveness, it is envisaged that wind will make the most significant contribution to the achievement of national and international targets for green energy production. Naturally suited to capturing this energy, Ireland particularly is able to draw on some of the greatest wind energy resources in Europe. The Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA) says that wind has been the world’s fastest growing renewable energy source for the last seven years, and this trend is expected to continue with falling costs of wind energy and the urgent international need to tackle CO2 emissions to prevent climate change. According to the SEAI, in 2009 wind power displaced approximately 1.28 million metric tonnes of CO2 emissions (estimated with reference to the grid average CO2) and primary energy imports of 215,000 metric tonnes of oil equivalent to a nation that is 89 percent dependent on imported energy supplies. In fact it is envisaged that wind energy will provide the largest source of renewable energy to achieve the Government’s 2020 target of having 40 percent of electricity produced by renewables.
In September of last year Coillte and ESB Wind Development received planning permission for a joint venture 27.5MW wind farm wind in Co Wicklow. It is anticipated that the wind farm will generate the equivalent of 17,000 homes’ annual electricity consumption. Commenting on the announcement, David Gunning, Chief Executive of Coillte said: “We’re delighted to get another wind farm project underway. We have a further five projects to submit for
GREEN STEP RENEWABLES H E AT I N G A N D P L U M B I N G Specialists in Renewable Energy
6 Blackglen Court, Dublin 18 Sandyford
Work in all areas of heating and plumbing, Bathrooms, Oil and Gas boiler Changeover to high efficiency condencing Boilers. Installer of Renewable energy systems, solar panels and wood pellet boilers.
Phone: 01 2135984
Mobile: 0872050126
www.greensteprenewables.ie
ECO
SEAMUS TREANOR
Insulation Specialists Doogary, Tydavnet, Co. Monaghan
ATTIC INSULATION • ROOF INSULATION • DRY LINING Mob: 086 2650507 Mob: 087 9676126
INSULATION LTD
CLONELLY, MOYNE, CO. LONGFORD
Ph: 086 8132787 / 1890929570
CONTACT : SEAN HAGAN SPECIALIST IN: SILVER BONDED BEAD INSULATION ROOF / ATTIC INSULATION DRY LINING SEAI REGISTERED
REGISTERED
REGISTERED
CONTRACTOR
CONTRACTOR
SEAI
SEAI
GRANTS AVAILABLE
planning this year and two more in 2011. As the country’s largest landowner, Coillte is in a unique position to deliver strategic projects of this nature, working with a number of significant partners, including ESB. Projects like these are also helping Ireland meet national policy and renewable energy objectives.� Bord na Mona in conjunction with Renewable Energy Ireland Ltd. continues to operate a 6.45MW wind farm in Co Mayo. The farm was the first commercial development of wind energy in Ireland. The group is also planning to develop a 320MW wind farm at Oweninny, also in Co Mayo. This facility, which has full planning permission, would be one of the biggest wind farms in Europe. The group is also evaluating the potential for similar projects on its other landholdings in parts of Counties Kilkenny, Laois and Tipperary. At the end of January last year EirGrid published its Wind Farm Connections Report, demonstrating access available on the electricity transmission grid for wind farm connections up to 2023. The data was generated by EirGrid using a methodology that enables it to determine how much wind energy the grid can sustain. The report details how over 3,900MW of additional wind generation can connect to the grid over the next 13 years. Taking into account the wind farms connected to the grid or already under construction, the publication indicates that Ireland can successfully reach its 2020 target of 40 percent of electricity demand to be met by renewable resources.
A clear indicator that Ireland is playing a leading European role in adding wind power and other renewables to our energy supplies.
Wexford
Heating Control Upgrades High Efficiency Gas Boiler Upgrades All Plumbing Work
Tel: 087 6883318 kevinmas@live.ie REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Water, Water Everywhere With the recent severe water shortages suffered by many households around the country and the probable introduction of domestic water charges in the next year or so, water issues are at the forefront of many people’s minds. Irish water consumption per capita per day is one of the highest in Europe. With higher standards of living, population growth and a system of distribution that is under pressure, water in Ireland is becoming more and more precious. Ireland has an abundance of water resources due to high rainfall but the distribution of treated water, especially in urban areas, the quality of water in many Irish reservoirs and high levels of leakage all conspire against the efficient use of water. When it comes to water for consumption, high levels of filtration and treatment are necessary but for most other uses of water—toilet flushing, laundry, dishwasher etc —this high level of filtration and treatment simply isn’t necessary. Only a tiny percentage of the domestic water supply is used for drinking and cooking purposes; high-quality treated water is often wastefully used for purposes that would be suited to a much lower level of treatment, this is neither an economical state of affairs or a necessary one. The harvesting of sustainable, free rainwater and the recycling of greywater may be the answer could play a vital part in water management and sustainable living in the Ireland of the future. Harvested rainwater is a renewable, clean source of water that is ideal for domestic uses like toilet flushing, laundry or gardening or agricultural purposes. There are a number of types of systems to harvest rainwater ranging from simple and inexpensive water butts used to collect and store rainwater runoff—typically from rooftops via rain gutters— to complex industrial systems that can store and filter rainwater and pump it into the house for ease of domestic use.
RainHarvesting Ireland (RHI) is one such company that designs and supplies sustainable water solutions systems. The company’s products are geared towards reducing and reusing water where possible, philosophies of design that will become more and more vital as we move towards sustainable living. The portfolio includes rainwater harvesting systems that are designed to provide clean rainwater with the minimum of maintenance along with greywater recycling systems that collect and utilise waste water from showers and sinks. The system of rainwater filtration involves a multi-stage cleaning process. The harvested rainwater is filtered by a collecting unit that excludes leaf debris and other large particles. At the second stage of the process the heavy particles sink to the bottom and lighter organic matter floats on top. The heavier particles accumulate at around one to two mm per year to form a beneficial biological layer. The overflow unit is designed to skim floating particles from the surface when the tank overflows. Water is extracted from the cleanest part of the tank, just below the surface, using a floating filter. Water quality is maintained by the removal of organic matter and by the action of incoming water, which introduces oxygen. Water that is kept aerobic in this way does not become malodorous even when stored for long periods. Rainwater is very soft and thus excellent for use in mechanical processes, and being chlorine-free it is ideal for irrigation. When used in conjunction with a control panel the filter senses when it is dirty and cleans itself to minimise maintenance and optimise filter efficiency at all times. Thus ensuring that as much rainwater as possible is diverted into
S.O.S Plumbing & Heating
Michael Connor Construction
Buncrana, Co. Donegal
French Park, Co. Roscommonn
-Heating & Plumbing contractor -Heating controls upgrade -High efficiency oil boiler upgrade -Solar panel supply and installation
“Professional work guaranteed” Tel: 074 9361865 Mob: 086 8293595 ainedurkin@eircom.net REGISTERED
SEAI
·All building work undertaken ·Extentions & Renovations ·New Houses ·Civil engineering ·Council work Tel: 094 9870217 Tel: 087 9973219 REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
CONTRACTOR
Michael Reynolds Heating & Plumbing
Old French Road, Belleek, Co. Mayo Ph: 096 21317 / 086 859 6261 Heating Controls Upgrade ● High Efficiency Gas Boiler With Heating Controls Upgrade ● High Efficiency Oil Boiler With Heating Controls Upgrades ● Installation of Heat Pumps , Solar Panels , Bio Mass , Wood Pellet
Grants Available REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
INSULATIONS CORK
•All Insulation & Carpentery •Roof Insulation •Timber Frame
“Professional Work Guaranteed” Tel: 026 44954 Mob: 087 6590801
GRANTS
AVAILABLE
The Wisy Direct Harvesting System
Domestic
Rainwater
How does it work? Rainwater is collected from the roof drainage system by the underground Wisy WFF vortex filter (1). The filters out the debris and diverts about 90 percent of the water into the storage tank. The remaining water goes to soakaway or storm drain in the usual manner, as does the excess water from the tank. As water enters the tank it passes through a calmed inlet (2) which calms the flow of water and prevents disturbance of the float switch and any sediments. Water is then supplied on demand by the submersible pump (3) through a floating suction filter (4) to specific outlets, usually WCs, washing machine and garden tap. The pump is connected to a special controller (5), which turns the pump on and off when required and also gives dry-running protection to the pump if it should become necessary. Mains water (11) top-up is provided directly to the tank by a solenoid valve (6a) controlled by a float switch (6b). Water is discharged to the tank via a type AA air gap tundish (6c) compliant with current water regulations. This gravity-feeds to the tank through 50mm pipe that then connects to the outlet pipe from the filter. Water is pumped through 32mm MDPE pipe (7) up to the flow controller. Delivery pipe and cables are ducted to the house through a 110mm drainage pipe (8). An overflow trap (9) provides a water seal against any foul odours from drains. N.B. – an anti-backflow version is available is available when connecting to sewer. A level gauge (10) gives a visual indication of tank water level.
the storage tank for distribution throughout the building. At the heart of a commercial rainwater harvesting system are the controls. RHI offers advanced control and monitoring systems that ensure optimum performance from water recycling systems. By constantly monitoring and controlling all pumps, valves, level gauges and disinfection equipment the system can operate intelligently with minimal human interaction. Alarms and status can be relayed to the building management system or indeed to a remote operator. Greywater Recycling Greywater is wastewater generated from baths, showers, hand basins and washing machines. It is called greywater due to its cloudy appearance and from its status as being between fresh potable water (known as ‘white water’) and sewage water (‘black water’). In commercial premises such as hotels and leisure centres greywater can make up as much as 80 percent of wastewater. RHI offers a sophisticated greywater recycling that reuses water from showers and baths so that it can be used for toilet flushing, washing machines and outdoor taps. The system guarantees safe and hygienic water that is treated to a constantly high quality. It works with environmentally friendly technology that offers a four-phase-water treatment with UVlight sterilisation, which renders germs and bacteria harmless. The utilisation of rainwater and the recycling of greywater may be the only answer for effective water management solutions in Ireland.
For more information see www.rainharvesting.ie.
PW INSULATION
Ballinskelligs, Killarney
Ph: 087 2514413 / 0669479210
CAVITY WALL INSULATION ROOF INSULATION
HEATING & PLUMBING Cork
SOLAR PANELS
ATTIC INSULATION
ROOF/ATTIC INSULATION
DRY LINING
HEATING CONTROL UPGRADES OIL BOILER UPGRADES Mob: 087 6687796 walshpat66@yahoo.co.uk
REGISTERED
GRANTS AVAILABLE
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Ultimate Insulation Services
GRANTS
REGISTERED
SEAI
AVAILABLE
CONTRACTOR
DAVID DEANE
BUILDERS / CONTRACTORS
Termon Rd, Boyle, Co. Roscommon
Rossport, Ballina, Co. Mayo
·ALL INSULATION WORK ·TIMBER FRAMES INSULATION ·CAVITY WALL INSULATION ·ROOF INSULATION ·SPRAY FOAM INSULATION
· All building work undertaken
Tel: 086 8037462 Tel: 086 3108703 alansimon1@hotmail.com REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
· Dry lining / Roof insulation · Refurbishment · Insulation boards · Stud partitioning · Grants available for internal dry lining Ph 086 2381075 / 097 88932 REGISTERED
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Clear Skies Although behind our sunnier European counterparts in terms of solar resources, even in Ireland’s mild, variable climate, solar panels can provide a substantial amount of free, clean energy. Offering a fast payback period and a reduction in carbon emissions, solar panels are a popular and affordable form of alternative energy within the domestic and commercial spheres. The panels work throughout daylight hours absorbing radiation (rather than heat) from the sun, so even during colder months or when the sky is overcast, properly installed solar panels will capture, convert and distribute solar energy. A correctly sized solar water heating system can provide 50-60 percent of a building’s water heating requirements while a thermal system providing space and water heating will generally cover 30 to 40 percent of the annual heating requirement of a house in Northern Europe. Because they produce energy without the need for costly fossil fuels and, once installed, are free of running costs, solar panels are becoming more and more popular with householders here. Another attractive feature is that the addition of a domestic solar panel will immediately raise the Building Energy Rating (BER) of a house—indeed it’s impossible to achieve an ‘A’ rating on the BER without the use of a solar panel. As part of the SEAI Greener Homes Scheme, domestic grants are available for the installation of solar panels that are purchased and installed by companies approved by and registered with the SEAI. Grant approval must be applied for before installation and grants are worth €300 per m² (aperture area) of solar panel installed and €250 for flat plates. The SEAI also provides a Solar Thermal Benefits Calculator on it’s website, the calculator acts as a guide in assessing the economic and environmental benefits of installing a solar thermal system in a home and it also provides guidelines with regard to system sizing and costs. There are two types of solar collectors available in Ireland. Evacuated tube panels and flat plate panels. Irish solar installers Alternative Energy Ireland (AEI) recommends evacuated tube solar panels for taking full advantage of
the mild Irish weather. “Evacuated tubes have benefits over flat plate panels that are desirable for the Irish climate,” says Steven Bray, sales manager with AEI. “Simply put, evacuated tube panels out-perform flat panels in cloudy or cooler climates. Flat plate panels have high thermal losses whereas evacuated tubes act like thermos flasks and don’t loose any heat. Also, because the tube is round, it is always facing the sun and always has the maximum face area directly exposed.” Though there is less sun available in the autumn and winter months, a properly installed system can still produce water hot enough to bathe in. Evacuated tube solar panels allow take full advantage of the mild Irish weather
“The evacuated tube solar panel has been around for over ten years and has proved to be reliable and dependable. Our twin-wall vacuum tubes consist of a double wall glass tube (made from a strong borosilicate glass often known aspyrex). There is a narrow gap between the two layers of glass that is under a vacuum and this provides very effective
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Gerry Flanagan Construction LTD Castlerea, Roscommon ALL CONSTRUCTION WORK CIVIL ENGINEERING BUILDING/RENOVATIONS EXTENSIONS Tel: 094 9880580 Tel: 087 2548963
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insulation against heat loss. The centre of the tube contains a copper heat-pipe. The sun’s radiation is absorbed by the selective coating on the inner glass surface, but prevented from re-radiating by the silver internal lining. This is in effect like a one-way mirror that has been optimised for infra-red radiation. In fact it is very efficient, 93 percent of the sun’s radiation hitting the panel is absorbed, and only seven percent is lost through heat loss. The presence of the vacuum wall prevents any losses by conduction or convection.” With energy bills showing an immediate reduction on the installation of a solar panel, the domestic payback period of solar depends on many variables but may be as quick as five years, according to Bray. Their benefit to the environment also cannot be overstated: “Households create almost 30 percent of all CO2 emitted in Ireland. A good quality solar collector will save approx ¾ of a tonne of CO² from being emitted to the Earth’s atmosphere. After the initial investment for installation all the energy savings are free. Solar water heating prices are not affected by external factors such as oil and gas prices, VAT or any other taxes. The solar collectors we install can provide up to 70 percent of a households’ annual domestic hot water requirement and
are also extremely cost effective in commercial situations or swimming pools. Our panels have a designed operational life of over 25 years and over this time the consumer will have made significant savings in both fuel costs and CO2 emissions.”
For further information see www.aei.ie or www.seai.ie
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Bioenergy ESB Novusmodus puts its money on the future of bioenergy in Ireland with an investment of £4.5 million in biomass company Bioflame. Bioenergy is a source of renewable energy derived from biomass, the biodegradable fraction of products, waste and residues from agriculture, forestry and related industries, as well as the biodegradable fraction of industrial and municipal waste. In essence, bioenergy is the utilisation of solar energy that has been bound up in biomass during the process of photosynthesis. The photosynthesis process uses solar energy to combine carbon dioxide from the atmosphere with water and various nutrients from the soil to produce plant matter—biomass. In a huge boost for the future of biomass in Ireland, ESB Novusmodus LP, the cleantech and renewable energy fund, has agreed an investment of up to £4.5 million in Bioflame Limited, the developer of small-scale 2.5MW electrical generation plants. Bioflame’s patented advanced combustion technology allows for a wide range of biomass waste fuel stocks to be converted into energy. Materials such as waste wood that would previously have been sent to landfill can instead be used to generate green electricity and heat. Bioflame’s generators are also small enough to be situated next to existing fuel sources such as recycling facilities, thereby removing the requirement for expensive, carbon-intensive transportation and handling logistics. For waste managers, Bioflame’s business model mitigates the cost and environmental damage of landfill, and replaces it with revenue from the generation of renewable electricity and heat. Currently, it is estimated that over 6 million tonnes of waste wood are landfilled each year in the UK and Ireland.
Bioflame is rolling out its technology in partnership with commercial Material Recycling Facilities (MRFs) and has already secured full planning consent for 17 such partnerships. Two of the sites have already been built and two more are in the late stages of construction. The investment from ESB Novusmodus will be used to complete the commercialisation of the Company’s technology, attract project funding, and accelerate the rollout of projects. Bioflame’s ability to process a variety of recovered fuels makes the technology suitable for a wide range of recycling facilities across the UK, Ireland, and abroad. Legislative momentum is also helping the Company with the Government predicting that Biomass could contribute up to 15 percent of its renewable generation targets, whilst at the same time tightening the restrictions and raising the cost of landfill. In Ireland, the government has recently introduced a REFIT tariff that should make Bioflame’s technology attractive to waste managers. Victor Buchanan of Bioflame said: “We are delighted that ESB Novusmodus is investing in Bioflame. The combination of the project finance expertise of Novusmodus and the engineering experience of ESB makes ESB Novusmodus a unique partner. We have created a business model that is both profitable and environmentally positive, and are committed to making Bioflame the market leader over the coming years.”
Riding the Crest With Ireland in a prime location for harnessing the mighty power of the Atlantic, all that remains is for the potential of generating energy from waves to be fully realised, writes Deirdre McCurry. According to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), an early study of European wave energy resources indicated that the average power of waves in Europe is highest near the west of Ireland. An impressive average wave power of 76kW was recorded as occurring off the Irish coast (compared with 46kW off Portugal and 60kW off Norway) showing it as one of the world’s most favourable climates for harnessing the power of the wave. A later, more detailed assessment in 2005 of our wave energy resources that looked at the theoretical and accessible levels of wave energy indicated that a theoretical wave energy resource of up to 525TWh exists within the total limit of Irish waters. For comparison, in 2006 the total electricity requirement for the Republic of Ireland was 27.8TWh.
Over the past seven years the Cork-based company has developed and tested its OE Buoy technology to the stage where it is now the most commercially viable technology for harnessing the power of the oceans. The OE Buoy is a wave power generation platform designed around the oscillating water column principle – a technique that uses large volumes of moving water as a piston in a cylindrical chamber. Air is forced out of the chamber and into a duct as the wave rises and fresh air is drawn in as the wave falls. This movement of air turns a turbine at the top of the chamber and this in turn generates electricity. With its robust, practical design the buoy has demonstrated it’s capability in efficiently extracting energy from the waves and surviving the worst of ocean storms in over two years of live Atlantic sea trials. It is the only device of its type to have undergone and survived such rigorous testing including coping with a one in 40 year wave during the sea trials. Thanks to the support from CORES the buoy is now to be used as a platform for European universities and companies to test their components on in a bid to accelerate wave energy development. The project is being co-ordinated by the Hydraulics and Maritime Research Centre (HMRC) in UCC and its aim is to further develop components required by the evolving wave energy sector such as power generators, power control systems, telemetry and grid interface technology. The total amount of EU funding for the four Irish participants (UCC, UL, OceanEnergy Ltd., MCS Kenny Ltd) is €1.4m.
It’s been demonstrated that we have the natural resource, it seems that it’s just a matter of tapping into the energy potential off our coastline. Wave energy is poised to become a central part of Ireland’s embrace of renewable energy but is still in the nascent stages of development. Funded by the office of Maire Geoghan-Quinn, the EU Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, CORES, the €4.5m European collaborative research project focusing on new components and concepts for ocean energy convertors has been working steadily over the past few years in a bid to drive the technology of wave power towards full commercial realization. The impacts of the project are focused on reducing technical and non-technical risk in the marine environment as well as reducing the cost per kWh of generated energy. In November of last year CORES backed an impressive wave technology product created by OceanEnergy Ltd.
The other countries represented in the project are Portugal, the UK, Spain, Germany, Denmark and Italy. John McCarthy, Chief Executive of OceanEnergy said the project would make a significant contribution to the realisation of the wave energy sector in Ireland as a commercial reality. He said “the potential of the industry is tremendous not alone in terms of clean energy generated but also for job creation.
The value of the wave energy resource could be worth as much as €295 billion to the economy by 2050. Ultimately we will be connected to a European super-grid selling Irish electricity to Europe.” It looks like we’re well on our way to realising the true potential of the sea.
“The technology of the OE Buoy is now at the stage where it is the most commercially viable technology for harnessing the power of the oceans.”
For more information go to www.oceanenergy.ie
Tides of Change Eternally predictable, powerful and unstoppable, tides represent an immense amount of inherent energy. Now Irish technology company OpenHydro – with backing from ESB - is developing the power of tide, writes John Byrne. Covering 71 percent of the Earth’s surface and containing 97 percent of its water, the world’s oceans are it’s largest natural resource. Beneath their surface lies a vast, predictable resource of non-polluting, endlessly renewable energy – the power of tides. Tidal streams are created by the Earth’s rotation in combination with the constantly changing gravitational pull of the moon and the sun on the world’s oceans. Tides are in constant motion the world over and since the relative positions of the sun and the moon can be predicted with complete accuracy, so too can the resultant tide. It is this predictability coupled with the global presence of major tidal streams that makes tidal energy such a valuable resource. In developing technologies that harness this potentially enormous supply of sustainable, renewable energy at no cost to the environment, OpenHydro is leading the way.
and deployment capability. We very much look forward to working with Bord Gáis Energy as a key partner in the development of our business and in delivering tidal energy to Irish homes.” John Mullins, chief executive officer at Bord Gáis said: “This investment - and the formation of the joint venture to develop utility scale tidal generating capacity off the coast of Ireland - will support our ambition to achieve early mover advantage in tidal energy development in this country. We are delighted at the opportunity to work with OpenHydro, which is an industry leader in this technology, and to be at the forefront of the development of marine renewables.”
Working with unique open-centre marine turbines stationed directly on the seabed in areas of strong tidal velocity, the company’s MO is an example of a simple idea proving to be the most effective solution with simple, robust technology. Slow-moving rotors and lubricant-free operation mean that the risk to marine life is minimal and the company’s vision is to deploy arrays of these turbines in tidal farms under the world’s oceans, silently and invisibly generating electricity at no cost to the environment. OpenHydro has achieved a number of industry firsts including being the first to connect to and generate electricity from tidal streams onto the UK National Grid and the first to successfully demonstrate a method of safely and economically deploying and recovering turbines directly on the seabed. The deployment and recovery method delivers a step change in the economics of tidal energy. In a major boost for OpenHydro, an agreement was concluded in January of this year for Bord Gáis Energy to become a shareholder. In addition to an investment of €1million, the two companies have formed a joint venture focused on the development of a utility scale tidal farm off the coast of Ireland, with a further €1million pledged from Bord Gáis Energy on achievement of certain milestones relating to the tidal farm development. James Ives, chief executive at OpenHydro said, “We are delighted to have secured this investment from Bord Gáis Energy and to have established this exciting new joint venture focused on the development of Ireland’s first utility scale tidal farm. The additional funds will be used to support OpenHydro’s continued expansion in turbine production
Last year OpenHydro, in conjunction with SSE Renewables, was awarded licence rights by The Crown Estate in the UK to develop a major tidal farm off the northern coast of Scotland. The company was further bolstered by a second investment in January - subject to approval from the French government and OpenHydro shareholders - of €14 million by French company DCNS, a leader in naval defence and an innovative player in energy. The two companies have signed a strategic agreement that will enable them to combine their marine engineering strengths in the tidal energy market. During the past year the two companies have forged a strong working relationship, which includes DCNS providing support to OpenHydro for the delivery of its next major project of the supply and installation of four large turbines off the coast of Brittany to create the world’s first grid-connected tidal farm.
The open-centre turbine’s low cost of production, installation and maintenance combine to create a powerful case for investment. Currently, the cost of generating electricity using such a turbine is comparable to that of offshore wind. Longer term, economics of large-scale deployment will trend costs toward those for onshore wind. As fossil fuel prices continue to increase, the case for tidal energy strengthens further. OpenHydro estimates that the value of energy produced from the world’s identified tidal resources should exceed €16 billion per year. Given the predictable nature of the energy, the size of the resource, and the invisibility of the technology, tidal energy is one to watch. Communities that benefit from power supplied by Open-Centre Turbine technology will never be conscious of the turbines’ existence.
Tidal energy can be harnessed wherever there is moving water in significant volumes. The choice of location for an Open-Centre Turbine farm is made upon assessment of a number of criteria: • Tidal velocity: The speed and volume of water passing through the site. • Bathymetry: Water Depth and the geology of the seabed will determine the position and number of turbines deployed. • Electrical Grid Connection: The distance from the proposed site to a grid access point will help determine the viability of an installation.
For further information see www.openhydro.com.
Ronan Glynn
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OCEAN ENERGY Roadmap
1.
Introduction to the ocean energy roadmap to 2050
Ireland, like every other country, has commenced a transition to a low carbon future. It has already begun, but it is a long term project.
And this presents a challenge: we must envisage our ambition for many years in the future, and we must now take the preparatory steps to achieve this ambition. The challenge is clear in ocean energy, where I have no doubt Ireland has a tremendous opportunity to develop not only a huge source of clean energy, but also deliver a sizeable enterprise sector in the process. But it will take time. Ocean energy is a nascent industry in Ireland, yet, we anticipate that investment in ocean energy, today, will enable an industry to develop along a pathway that can eventually produce a vibrant maritime energy sector. Why ocean energy? It is Ireland’s greatest energy resource. Our ocean territory extends to an area ten times our land area, and includes seas with some of the strongest wave energy
content in the world. It is inevitable that this resource will be exploited – it is a clean, carbon free renewable indigenous energy resource that could not only meet Ireland’s energy needs but could also be exported across Europe. But realizing this future vision depends on many technological developments that are today far from ready.
I would like to thank all those that have already contributed to this process.
knowledge of the sector improves. We were able to draw on a number of recent studies undertaken by SEAI and others as our examination of the potential for ocean energy in Ireland continues. We were also able to learn from the deliberations of the many stakeholders actively engaged in Ireland’s ocean energy strategy. We remain committed to further engagement with all actors involved in this sector as we try to build a sector that meets expectations and ambitions. We welcome all comments and insights from interested parties, and I would ask you to submit your views to us at roadmaps@seai.ie.
Prof. J Owen Lewis
Ireland has already been acting to develop an ocean energy sector. A number of Irish companies are trialling devices and a number of international companies are looking to work in Ireland – where the resource is. But other countries are pursuing the same ambition. If we are to establish map out how the ocean energy sector ourselves we need to continue to act in Ireland could look in 2050. Since so and invest, even when the returns much is uncertain at this early stage, we have mapped two scenarios that core societal challenge for ocean show a range of outcomes that are energy. I believe we should take up the possible. But they also clearly show challenge. that huge success is indeed possible. The Roadmap is based on a number of economic and technical assumptions that can of course be debated. The main purpose of the Roadmap is to stimulate such debate.
Ocean Energy Introduction This roadmap outlines the growth potential of the ocean energy industry in Ireland to 2050 Potential employment opportunities of up to 70,000
This Roadmap has been formulated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. It is designed to initiate a debate about the pathway to 2050 for ocean energy in Ireland. Its analysis is based on programme experience, analysis and modelling, and a number of commissioned studies. Looking at two bounding scenarios, the Roadmap gives an indication 2
abatement. The pathways are also analysed in terms of economic competitiveness, employment opportunities and energy security.
up to
70,000 jobs
Potential cumulative up to €120 billion euro by 2050
€120 billion
Key Findings Strategic environmental assessment underway reports that potentially 29GW of ocean energy capacity can be installed
Employment opportunities of up to 70,000. Achieving high levels of employment within the industry is accomplished by Irish companies exporting key technology and services, and providing expertise to the global market to €12 billion by 2030 and up to €120 billion by 2050 from factors such as electricity generated, emissions reductions, security of supply, regional development & knowledge created addition to decarbonising our economy
Ireland has world leading ocean energy companies, marine engineering and research capabilities Estimated CO2 abatement potential of up to 94 MtCO2 to 2050 from power generation Cumulative maximum primary energy diverted from electricity generation measures up to 356 Mtoe to 2050 National energy security is Continued research & development in device technology is critical in reducing costs Developing infrastructure is critical to ensure maximum returns for the sector and Irish economy.
Ocean Energy - wave and tidal installation capacity and
Cumulative Installed OE Capacity (MW)
35000
Key Point: rates depending on device technology and infrastructure available. The industry requires continued support, policy measures and infrastructure so as to maximise its potential at an early stage.
30000 25000 20000
Phase 4 - Full scale device deployment < 100MW arrays
15000
Phase 3 - Pre commercial < 10MW mini arrays
10000 5000
Phase 2 - Full scale devices deployed
Increased Interconnection
Phase 1 - 1/4 scale technology deployment
0 2010
2015
2020
2025
Set up of SEAI Ocean Energy Development Unit in 2009 with the function of providing support, infrastructure and policy input to the Ocean Energy Industry in Ireland
POLICY FRAMEWORK AND SUPPORTS
SEAI study for 80% renewables NREAP scenario ambition of 500MW installed by 2020 delivering electricity into the national grid, which will contribute to Ireland’s binding 16% renewable energy target through directive 2009/28/EC
OREDP scenario of 1500MW of installed Ocean Energy by 2030
SEA completed for Irish waters
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND ENVIRONMENT
Public consultations ongoing with local communities & utility companies SEA for GRID 25 underway
DEVICE TECHNOLOGY
Industry funding Demonstration phase Prototype development funding of €10 million made available to developers
TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT MECHANISMS
SEAI continues investment in developers & industry research contracts Research funding to 2014 of €3.5 million HMRC supports developers with modeling & wave tank testing. Facility will be integrated within MERC3 development Continually assess and support investment in ports and marine infrastructure to ensure that ocean energy industry growth requirements are being fully considered
INDUSTRY
SEAI continuing supply chain analysis and resource requirements proliferation REFIT of 220 €/MWh guaranteed to developers for 15 years for projects developed by 2015 GRID25 to deliver additional overall power capacity of 60% by 2025 requiring a €4 billion investment GRID
ISLES project North Sea grid initiative
INFRASTRUCTURE
Evolution of regulatory, consenting and trading environment
Marine Institute, SEAI-OEDU
Planned interconnect to the UK (EWIC) by 2012
Increased interconnection to maximize renewable energy export
Galway Bay 1/4 scale test site in operation Smart Bay & Smart Ocean development programmes underway Full scale test site with10MW grid connection Marine energy research centre and commercial cluster (MERC3) in place to assist in marine industry development
Irish - European grid integration and industry expansion
d electrical generation potential to 2050 160000
Ambitious Growth Capacity
Baseline Growth Output
140000
Large scale power export
120000 100000 80000 60000 40000 20000
2030
2035
2040
2045
0 2050
d
“Ocean energy has the potential for up to 29 GW of installed capacity”
Glossary OEDU SEAI EWIC
Ocean Energy Development Unit Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland East West Interconnector
SEA NREAP ISLES HMRC MW GW O&M boe
development plan Strategic environmental assessment National renewable energy action plan Irish Scottish Link on Energy Systems Hydraulic and Marine Research Centre MegaWatt GigaWatt Operations and Maintenance barrel of oil equivalent
“Ireland can become a world leader in deployment of marine energy projects and can export this expertise”
KEY Government & governing bodies Industry Power systems & regulators
Annual Electricity Output (GWh/yr)
eline Growth BaselineCapacity Growth Capacity
Ambitious Growth Output
Next 10 years
Analysis of the potential cumulative economic
Continue to support industry infrastructure and national test sites
1000000 100000
Continue grid modelling, upgrading & interconnection that support device deployment
Million Euro
10000 1000 100
Continue to support research and development, technology innovation, smart ocean and smart bay concepts
10 1
2017
2020
2025
2030 2035 Year
2040
2045
2050
Data from Bacon 2004, and SQW Energy report, 2010.
Ambitious Growth
Baseline Growth
Evolve industry supportive policies
Key Point:
Develop expertise in manufacture, deployment, O&M and specialist support services
energy industry, both domestically and from the global market
Public consultations to continue
100
Annual CO2 Emission Savings (kt CO2/yr)
6000
90 5000
80 70
4000
60 3000
50 40
2000
30 20
1000
10 0 2010
2015
2020
2025
2030 Year
Annual CO2 Baseline Growth
Ambitious Growth
Cumulative CO2 Baseline Growth
Ambitious Growth
Key Point: our electricity production by 2050
2035
2040
2045
0 2050
Cumulative CO2 abatement from Ocean Energy (Mt CO2)
Estimated annual & cumulative CO emissions 2
Summary of Results from the Cumulative Assessment
Assessment Area
Total Development Potential (MW) without likely adverse )
Wave (MW) 10 to 100m Water Depth
Wave (MW) 100m to 200m Water Depth
Tidal (MW)
12500 to 13600
15000 to 17500
1500 to 3000
Analysis of irish wave energy market 60000
Analysis of irish tidal energy market 20000 18000 16000
Fully featured supply chain, provide the majority of to the global market, NPV of €10 billion industry by 2030
40000 30000
"Our depth of involvement in the market is essential for employment and the export market"
20000 10000
Employment lower if only active in installation & maintenance
0 0
1000
2000
Employment
Employment
50000
3000
4000
5000
6000
Installed Wave Energy Capacity (MW)
7000
8000
Fully featured supply chain, provide the majority of to the global market. €2.75billion industry by 2030
14000 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0
Employment lower if only active in installation & maintenance 0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
Installed Tidal Energy Capacity (MW)
Source: SQW Energy Report on Ocean Energy, 2010
Source: SQW Energy Report on Ocean Energy, 2010
Cumulative ocean energy resource value expressed in cost per barrel of oil equivalent to 2050 300
Billion Euro
250 200
€295B
150 100 50
€58B
€29B
0
€148B
Key Point: potential economic value of our ocean energy resource in cost of oil terms.
2050
boe - barrel of oil equivalent
Baseline Growth Model - €60 boe
Ambitious Growth Model - 60€ boe
Baseline Growth Model - €120 boe
Ambitious Growth Model - 120€ boe
Primary Energy Equivalent (Mtoe)
Cumulative primary energy equivalent resource potential from ocean energy to 2050 400 350 300 250
356
200 150
Key Point: A cumulative resource potential of up to 356 Mtoe by 2050
100
70
50 0
2050
PEE factor = 2.48
Baseline Growth
Ambitious Growth
Cumulative CO2 abated from ocean energy generation potential to 2050 when compared to natural gas electricity generation Cumulative Carbon Abatement Potential (MtCO2)
900 800 700
849
600 500 400 300 200 100 0
168 2050
Baseline Growth
Ambitious Growth
Key Point: A potential of up to 849 MtCO2 abated from ocean energy power generation
900
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Contact Nigel Coffey Phone: 087 650 4035
Ph: 085 2888142 / 069 79612 SPECIALISTS IN:
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Hub of Energy A conference on Ireland’s ocean energy future aims at investigating and unlocking the potential of our marine resources. The west coast of Ireland is acknowledged as being home to some of the world’s best wind and wave resources; resources that have the potential to play a significant and important role in meeting Ireland’s impending renewable energy targets. The last Energy Minister, Eamon Ryan, set a target of 500MW (megawatts) of ocean energy to be installed by 2020 and it is clear that there is a valuable opportunity for marine renewables to contribute to Ireland’s changing energy mix after 2020. At the European level, the target for installed ocean energy capacity by 2020 is 3.6GW (gigawatts), with a potential of 188GW by 2050. Ireland clearly has an important role to play in meeting this target and in becoming an energy exporter, and now is the time to develop the facilities and infrastructure in order to facilitate this development. A conference, titled ‘Developing Europe’s Ocean Energy Hub - Securing Ireland’s Future?’ will explore the issues facing our marine resources by way of an expert panel of local and visiting speakers. The speakers will examine the potential for the development of ocean energy in the Irish context and will look at the suitability of the Shannon Estuary and west coast region as an ocean energy hub. Also discussed will be the extent to which ocean energy can be the solution, or at least part of it, to Ireland’s security of supply concerns. There are significant economic benefits associated with the development of the ocean energy sector in Ireland, as a recent report has identified. The report, published last year,
concluded that a fully developed island of Ireland ocean energy sector could produce a total Net Present Value (NPV) of around €9 billion and many thousands of jobs. There are, however, significant challenges around exploiting this potential and action is required across a number of areas to make the sector more attractive to investors and facilitate development. It is estimated that investment of €2 billion is required over the next ten years to support deployment; planning and regulatory barriers remain, and some form of incentive is required to bridge the gap between wholesale electricity prices and the cost of ocean energy technology. The conference will be of interest to anyone involved with Irish energy and the key issues facing the future of Ireland’s energy supply. Renewable energy developers, energy companies and policy-makers should all find the conference interesting and valuable. It will also appeal to those with a role in local economic development who are interested in finding out more about the supply chain opportunities associated with the development of Ireland’s ocean energy sector and how Ireland’s west coast can be a leading region in Europe for this activity.
The conference will take place on 12 April in Thomond Park, Limerick, for more information or to register for this event please visit www.energyireland.ie/events/oceanEnergy.
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What lies beneath Geothermal energy is a sustainable energy source generated from the heat stored beneath the Earth’s surface. The small-scale use of geothermal energy here has seen a dramatic pickup within the past few years and is among the most energy efficient and cost-effective heating and cooling systems available. Measurements made in drill holes, mines, and other excavations demonstrate that temperature increases downward within the Earth. This heat energy stored in the ground is known as geothermal energy and is supplied from two directions: downwards from the sun, and upwards from the hot core of the planet. The temperature in the top tens of metres of the ground is related to the annual mean air temperature, and the rate at which the temperature increases with depth is proportional to the rate at which heat is escaping upwards to the surface through the Earth’s crust. Solar thermal radiation is absorbed by the surface of the earth each day. This energy is stored by the rock, soil and water beneath the ground surface. Daily and seasonal temperature variations are evened out, with the ground acting like a giant storage heater. In Ireland, groundwater temperatures range from around 9oC in the north, to approximately 11-12oC in the south and average annual soil temperatures are approximately 10oC.
and commercial or institutional buildings and allow savings on both primary energy demands and heating and cooling costs.
Efficiency and payback of GSHPs The measure for the efficiency of a heat pump system is the Seasonal Performance Factor (SPF), which is calculated by dividing the useful heat output by the electric power input. Typically, three to four units of heat are generated for every unit of electricity used by the heat pump to deliver it, and the payback is typically about eight to ten years with the life expectancy of the system weighing in at around 20 years.
The highest geothermal temperatures and energy fluxes are concentrated in geologically active regions or areas with young volcanoes, for example Iceland or parts of New Zealand. The majority of the Earth’s heat arrives at the surface at too low a temperature to be used for direct heating or power generation activities. This deep geothermal energy can only be accessed when it arrives at the earth’s surface through geological processes such as through fault lines on the earth’s crust (or areas of volcanic activity) or by drilling through the surface to access it.
How can geothermal energy be used? Broadly speaking, heat energy can be extracted from the rock, soil or groundwater by using a ground source heat pump, by using the elevated temperature waters directly for district heating, or by tapping the highest temperatures for steam turbine electricity generation. Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs) are a modern technology for the utilisation of geothermal energy for water and space heating for buildings. Through compression, heat pumps can ‘pump up’ heat at low temperature and release it at a higher temperature so that it may be used again. The heat stored in the earth or in groundwater is transferred to buildings in winter and GSHPs can be used in residential
The initial capital costs of installing a geothermal heat pump system are usually higher than other conventional central heating systems with a large proportion of the outlay for the purchase and installation of the ground collector. While this may be the case, the system is among the most energy efficient and cost-effective heating and cooling systems available.
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Tapping into Geothermal in Ireland While the utilisation of geothermal resources is not a new concept in Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;warm springs in the east and the southeast of the country have been developed as spas in the pastâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the small-scale exploitation of geothermal energy here for domestic purposes has expanded rapidly over the past few years due to climate change concerns, energy supply uncertainty and increases in energy costs. Our mild, damp climate gives excellent conditions for the use of GSHPs; the average ground temperatures and high soil moisture content ensures good heat transfer and performance coefficients that are higher than those in Scandinavian countries such as Sweden where GSHPs are used extensively. Recently there has been a huge increase in the number of heat pump units installed in Ireland, with an estimated 9,500 units by September 2009 and more than 400 completed or in progress since then. This is an increase of about 8,000 installations over the previous five years, brought about mainly due to the introduction by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) of the Reheat and Greener Homes Grant Schemes in 2006, which aim to increase the use of sustainable energy technologies within both public and commercial buildings and in domestic dwellings.
was a wide-ranging consultation process with geothermal stakeholders as the initial step in bringing in regulatory controls to guide the development of geothermal energy in Ireland. The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources are currently drafting the Geothermal Energy Bill, which will give a regulatory framework within which geothermal developments will operate. Information supplied by the Geothermal Association of Ireland, for more see www.geothermalassociation.ie. Much of the information in this article is derived from work by Alistair Allen (UCC), John Burgess (Arup, Cork) and EU Geotrainet.
The take-up of heat pumps has been mainly in the domestic market but the number of larger scale installations servicing public buildings and commercial premises is increasing rapidly, and a few even larger developments have been recently installed or are in progress. Current total geothermal energy usage in the form of heat pump capacity was estimated by the SEAI at 164MW at the end of 2008, with domestic dwellings accounting for 148MW, and installations in public buildings and commercial premises accounting for 16MW. The Geothermal Association of Ireland is a voluntary organisation of professionals from the commercial, academic and state sectors who aim to promote awareness and utilisation of geothermal energy in Ireland. Over the past four years, Ireland has been involved in the GTR-H project to standardise geothermal regulations throughout the EU. An important recent Irish government initiative
The Lewis Glucksman Gallery, University College Cork is provided with heating and cooling by a ground source heat pump.
A shallow array and borehole at the Galway Mayo Institute of Technology. The Instituteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Innovation in Business Centre is heated by fully monitored geothermal heatpumps and is used extensively for teaching and training internally.
Proposed Energy Plant in Jeopardy A proposed geothermal energy plant which has received planning permission from South Dublin County Council may now face an uncertain future as geothermal energy remains excluded from the Renewable Energy Feed-In Tariff, writes Michelle O’Brien. Geothermal energy—heat energy stored in the ground—is classed as either ‘deep’ or ‘shallow’ depending on the depths involved. In January planning permission was granted for Ireland’s first deep geothermal electricity generation plant, to be constructed on a site in South County Dublin. Already widely utilised in countries such as Iceland, the US, Italy, France and Germany, Ireland’s deep geothermal resources have not been actively considered for renewable development before now. GT Energy, the company behind the impressive project has already invested €2.1m on the investigation, exploration and quantification of the geothermal resource. In June GT Energy had entered into a Technology Partnership Agreement with ESB International (ESBI) in the development and provision of renewable heat and electricity. Under the agreement, GT Energy is to generate up to 50MW of electricity using geothermal energy by 2020, and ESBI will assist the company with the design of the generating equipment and grid connection design work. In December however, the South Dublin Chamber expressed serious concern over the future of the project. The Chamber called on the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to include deep geothermal technology in the Renewable Energy Feed-In Tariff, a European wide scheme designed to give price support to new and emerging renewable technologies. Deep geothermal power generation is already included in the scheme in many countries in Europe and has huge potential to become a leading renewable energy source in Ireland. Not only would GT Energy’s plant be capable of generating up to 4MW of electricity, because geothermal energy is a
constant that is unaffected by seasons or meteorological conditions, the energy it delivers to the national grid would be base load electricity—unique for electricity generated from a renewable source. It was expected that drilling of wells would commence in 2011 and the plant was scheduled to be operational and connected to the national grid in late 2012. The construction of the €30 million plant would also generate 150 construction jobs and, if successful could lead to dozens of similar projects in Dublin and throughout the country. In their statement calling for a change to the tarriff, the Chamber noted that it is a belief widely held that renewable energy is a sector that can become one of the essential drivers of economic recovery and that barriers blocking its development need to be removed immediately. They also called to attention “the fact that the project has the potential to create a blueprint for what could become a billion euro industry employing thousands of people and replacing millions of euro on unsustainable imported oil and gas every year makes it all the more urgent that it happens quickly. The fact that it will employ people from the construction sector is an added bonus to a sector that has been hard hit by the current economic downturn.” The Chamber also called on Conor Lenihan, former, junior Minister at the Department of Energy, and his colleagues from the County at the Cabinet table and in Government to do what they can to make this happen. “The Chamber acknowledged the work of both Ministers in the Department of Energy in bringing forward the Deep Geothermal Bill which will be essential in developing this Industry in the future but feels that “without the feed-in tariff this work is
l-r: Peter Byrne, South Dublin Chamber of Commerce, Cllr Derek Keating, South Dublin, Cllr Therese Ridge, South Dublin and Con McCarthy, GT Energy Chairman.
As a company our main focus is on external wall insulation. 40-50% of heat loss is lost through the external walls of your home. • • • • • •
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Gerard Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connell Builders Inch, Killeagh, Co. Cork
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MICHAEL DOYLE ELECTRICAL 12, Foxwood Drive, Garryduff, Rochestown Cork
DRY LINING INSULATIONS ALL EXTERNAL INSULATION SEAI GRANTS AVAILABLE Tel: 087 261 2292 Tel: 021 489 1114 info@peterdugganplastering.com www.peterdugganplastering.com
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Heating, Plumbing & Solar Service 23, Tinnahinch, Graignamanagh, Co. Kilkenny
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Town of the Future Dundalk 2020 is an ambitious community programme that aims to showcase the latest technologies and practices for a move towards sustainable living, writes Michelle O’Brien. Established by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, the Dundalk 2020 project aims to showcase the latest innovative technologies for energy efficiency and sustainability, as well as community policies and practices for creating green, sustainable living. The Dundalk 2020 project began in 2007 when a four kilometre square area of Dundalk was created as Ireland’s first Sustainable Energy Zone (SEZ). The zone includes residential, industrial, commercial, educational, and leisure buildings as well as a hospital. The area is also part-powered by Ireland’s first ‘urban turbine’, which was installed in the grounds of Dundalk Institute of Technology in 2005 and supplies approximately 75 percent of electricity required for the campus.
intensive on-site energy management support and save €500,000 through energy cost saving initiatives. Interns were trained, supported and mentored by SEAI in energy management with the intention of providing assistance to all businesses involved. To date, with 12 interns supporting 45 businesses, cost savings of €222,000 have already been realised in 2010 and a further €715,000 in potential savings have been identified.
The SEZ is a relatively small area yet already contains within it all the elements of a community: public and private housing; industry; a hospital; college; sports centre and retail outlets. The aim of the project is to stimulate a paradigm shift in the use of energy within communities to more sustainable patterns. The programme aims to reach a high level of sustainability by the year 2020 and targets for the town include: 40 percent improvement in energy efficiency in selected buildings within the SEZ; 20 percent of all energy used to heat homes and businesses within the SEZ to be generated from renewable sources; and 20 percent of all electricity used by businesses within the SEZ to be generated from renewable sources. The project has taken a holistic approach, aiming to touch every aspect of the community in one way or another. It takes the current best practices and pushes these standards even higher. The findings of the programme are then intended to provide guidance to decision and policy makers on the most effective ways of moving European society to a more sustainable energy economy. The project is complex and the innovation of Dundalk 2020 is its ability to integrate all sectors in the community to allow for success. As a result of all the projects completed and those currently underway, it is estimated that 5,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide have been saved. SEAI will continue to work with all local and national stakeholders to continue to build capacity within the Dundalk community, and assist other communities who may be interested in becoming sustainable energy communities. At the Dundalk 2020 annual review in December, the first draft of figures from the first phase of a pilot energy management project for Louth were announced. The Louth Economic Forum and SEAI launched the pilot in September, with the target to support 60 businesses across Louth with
Strands of the project include: Industry: Dundalk 2020 works with local leaders in business and industry to implement many of the SEAI’s Industry Programmes. Companies in Dundalk are collectively working together to improve the energy efficiency of their organizations. Installation of Renewable Street Lights: A renewable streetlight is a light that is powered by a micro wind turbine and photo-voltaic cell. Power from either/ both
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Ballinure Cottages, Blackrock, Cork. info@cathalconlon.ie Tel: (021) 435 9585 Fax: (021) 435 9497 www.cathalconlon.ie
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We are a wholly owned Irish company that manufacture Ecocel Cellulose Insulation for the Irish home market. Our product is made from Recycled newspapers to generate a non-toxic, fire retardant home insulation product. Ecocel Cellulose acts as an effective protective shield to reduce the transmission of heat or sound and is suitable for insulation of Timber Frame Homes, Attics and Lofts.
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the micro wind turbine or PV cell can be stored in a battery at the base of the streetlight. Retrofit of Residential Buildings: The Dundalk 2020 project is working with Dundalk Town Council, and its respective partners, to improve the energy efficiency of homes in the Muirhevena Mór regeneration project Secondary School: The project is working with O’Fiach Secondary School to improve the energy efficiency of the building by 60 percent. Biomass heating district: The district heating will deliver renewable heat to individual energy users within the Dundalk Sustainable Energy Zone. A district heating system works like a domestic central heating system, only on a larger scale. Water is heated at the scheme’s energy centre and circulated through an underground pipe network to customers. A heating pipe will run from the energy centre into a building or home where it is connected to the internal circulation system. Wind turbine: An Energy Service Company (ESCo) will install and then operate a 1.8MW wind turbine to supply electricity to an industrial site. This wind turbine will ensure that the set target of 20 percent renewable electricity is met.
For more information on the Dundalk 2020 project, go to www.seai.ie/Dundalk2020 or www.dundalktown.ie.
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360 Insulations, Erry, Clara, Co. Offaly | Tel: 1800 321 360 | Email: info@360insulations.com
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Clear Sailing A recent report on Ireland’s 2009 emissions of air pollutants show that, bar the production of nitrogen oxides, Ireland is largely in compliance with its national emissions ceilings for 2010. At the end of January the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the latest information on Ireland’s position in 2009 in relation to meeting the 2010 obligations under the National Emissions Ceilings (NEC) Directive. Under the Directive, Ireland is required to limit annual emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOC) and ammonia (NH3) by 2010. Collated retrospectively, the figures give the latest indication of where Ireland presently stands when it comes to an across the board reduction in air pollution. The four key air pollutants tackled in the directive are responsible for long-range transboundary air pollution— pollution that can be generated in one country and felt in others—such as acidification, eutrophication (the addition of substances to a fresh water system promoting excessive plant growth and causing a severe reduction in water quality) and ground-level ozone pollution. The European Community, through the National Emissions Ceiling Directive, limits emissions of these four pollutants by 2010 through country-specific national ceilings. The aim of the directive was to gradually improve, through a stepwise reduction of the four pollutants, the protection both of human health and the environment throughout the EU. The meeting of these targets constitutes the first step towards the achievement of the long-term objectives of not exceeding the so-called critical loads, and of effective protection of human health against risks from air pollution,
as laid down in the EU’s Fifth and Sixth Environmental Action Programmes.
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) The main sources of NOx emissions in Ireland are the transport sector and power generation. Emissions have decreased by 31 percent between 1990 and 2009 and by 16 percent in the last year alone. Despite this significant reduction, these figures show that, based on 2009 results, Ireland would exceed its 2010 NOx ceiling of 65 kilotonnes by 24 kilotonnes (37 percent). In the last decade road transport has seen a decline in emissions of 16 percent between 1999 and 2009. Emission reductions arising from the use of catalytic converters in cars and heavy-duty vehicles have been almost offset by large increases in vehicle numbers and fuel use during a time of significant economic growth. The power generation sector is the other main source of NOx emissions. The use of heavy fuel oil and coal has declined since 1990 as natural gas became the preferred fuel during latter years. The changed fuel mix and more modern technology have significantly decreased NOx emissions in electricity generation. Furthermore, the introduction of extensive NOx emission control technology in existing plants has contributed to reductions in NOx emissions from electricity generation.
Joe Lavelle Building Services 22 Balinteer Square, Dublin 16
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Michael Barry Heating & Plumbing Heating Controls Upgrade Dry Lining Insulation Gas & Oil Boiler Upgrades Grants Work
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Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) Power stations are the principal source of SO2 emissions in Ireland. These emissions have reduced considerably between 1990 and 2009 and the latest estimates indicate a decrease of 82 percent over the period 1990 to 2009. Ireland’s national emission ceiling for SO2 under the NEC Directive is 42 kilotonnes to be achieved by 2010. Emissions of SO2 in 2009 at 32.7 kilotonnes are already compliant with this 2010 ceiling. The significant reduction in SO2 since 1990 reflects the success of national and EU policy initiatives such as the incentivisation of sulphur-free transport fuels, the use of cleaner natural gas, the ban on bituminous coal which was initially introduced in Dublin in 1990 and has since been extended to a number of other urban centres, and the Solid Fuel Trade Group Voluntary Agreement which is a voluntary agreement to reduce the sulphur content of solid fuels. In addition, the introduction of SO2 abatement options in the relevant power generation plant, supported by the EPA’s Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) licensing regime, has delivered significant reductions in SO2 emissions from power generation.
determined by the cattle population, increasing cattle numbers to above 2000 population levels would push NH3 levels above the National Emission Ceiling. Commenting on the figures Dr Mary Kelly, Director General, EPA said: “EPA emission data for 2009 show that Ireland is already in compliance with the 2010 limit for three of the four transboundary air pollutants. This reflects the success of initiatives such as the incentivisation of sulphur-free transport fuels; the use of cleaner natural gas; the ban on bituminous coals and IPPC licensing controls. Despite reducing NOx emissions 31.3 percent between 1990 and 2009, these emissions—which are mainly due to increased numbers and use of road vehicles—continue to pose a problem.” If the Government’s plan for widespread electric vehicle use by 2020 comes to fruition, we will hopefully see a reduction in Ireland’s production of NOx so that we are fully in compliance when it comes to air pollutants.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) The main sources of VOC emissions in Ireland are solvent use and transport. VOC emissions decreased by 41 percent between 1990 and 2009. Ireland’s national emissions ceilings for VOC is 55 kilotonnes to be achieved by 2010. Emissions in 2009 at 52.2 kilotonnes are already compliant with the 2010 ceiling. Technological controls for VOCs in motor vehicles, introduced through improved EU standards, have led to a significant reduction in emissions from road transport. These reductions are largely responsible for the decrease in overall VOC emissions. The contribution from solvent use, the other major source of VOC, has remained relatively constant in absolute terms even though drivers such as population, paint use, dry cleaning and pharmachem industrial activity have increased. This stabilisation reflects reduction in the VOC content of paints and the impact of EPA’s Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) on solvent emitting activities.
Ammonia (NH3) The agriculture sector accounts for virtually all ammonia emissions in Ireland. NH3 emissions increased by two percent between 1990 and 2009 in comparison with an allowed maximum increase of ten percent under the National Emission Ceiling. Ireland’s national emission ceiling for NH3 is 116 kilotonnes to be achieved by 2010. Emissions since 2003 have been compliant with the 2010 ceiling, with 2009 emissions at 107.8 kilotonnes. Since the NH3 emissions trend is largely
The report, Ireland’s Transboundary Gas Emissions in 2009, is available on the EPA website, www.epa.ie.
Plan of Action Ireland’s National Renewable Energy Action Plan sets out ambitious milestones on the roadmap to sustainability. The plan calls for a complementary, integrated approach to developing sustainability over the next decade as well as the reform of all energy sectors within Ireland. The development of renewable energy is central to overall energy policy in Ireland. Renewable energy reduces dependence on fossil fuels, improves security of supply, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions creating environmental benefits while delivering green jobs to the economy, thus contributing to our national competitiveness as a whole.
of moving from 3.6 percent RES-E (electricity from renewable energy sources) to 13.2 percent RES-E by 2010. Ireland achieved 14.4 percent RES-E in 2009 and was on track to exceed the national target of 15 percent for 2010.
Climate change, energy security and competitiveness are inter-related challenges that will be addressed through the transforming of Ireland’s economy from one based on fossil fuel dependence to a low carbon economy based around energy efficiency, renewable energy and smart networks.
The significant growth in electricity from renewable sources in recent years is largely attributable to onshore wind. As Ireland moves towards achieving circa 40 percent RES-E by 2020, the Irish grid is increasingly having to cope with challenges posed by large amounts of intermittent power.
Ireland is required under the European Union Directive 2009/28/EC to meet the 20-20-20 Targets—20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions; 20% energy efficiency and 20% of energy consumption from renewable sources—by 2020 and Ireland’s National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP) is an individually binding renewable energy pledge that will contribute to the achievement of the overall EU goal. Member states are to achieve their individual targets across the heat, transport and electricity sectors and—apart from the sub-target of a minimum of ten percent reduction of energy in the transport sector that applies to all member states—there is flexibility for each country to choose how to achieve their individual target across the sectors. Ireland’s overall target within the EU 20-20-20 plan is to achieve 16 percent of energy from renewable sources by 2020. The Government has set its own national 2020 targets of a 20 percent reduction in energy but Ireland’s target to meet with European goals is a 16 percent reduction and the NREAP sets out the Government’s strategic approach and concrete measures to deliver on this target.
Electricity The Government has set a target of 40 percent electricity consumption to come from renewable sources by 2020. All key national entities including the energy regulator, the distribution and transmission system operators and the renewable energy sector are working with the Government to deliver the 2020 target through grid connection and grid development strategies. In the last five years in particular, Ireland has made big strides in accelerating renewable generation. In the 2001 European RES-E Directive, Ireland was set a target
As outlined in the plan, the Irish Transmission System Operator, EirGrid, is involved in detailed examination of the issues and is pioneering several renewable facilitation studies with a view to ensuring the appropriate management of the grid and stability of the electricity system during this transition. The all-island Single Electricity Market, overseen by the regulatory authorities North and South, is evolving continuously to take account of the growth in renewable energy.
Transport Like most countries, Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s transport sector is dependent on imported oil. The Government is working to transform this dependency. A two-pronged strategy has been put in place that combines significant increases in the use of biofuels with the accelerated development and use of electric vehicles in Ireland. The national Biofuel Obligation Scheme 2010 obliges all road transport fuel suppliers to use biofuel in the fuel mix to ensure that they represent a certain percentage of their annual fuel sales. The initial penetration rate will be 4 percent per annum, to be increased over time. This will ensure that Irish consumers have access to appropriately priced, sustainable and reliable sources of biofuel over the coming years and in doing so, will give an important incentive to domestic production. The size and geography of Ireland make it uniquely suitable for electric vehicles, and the Government is ensuring that Ireland becomes an early test bed for this technology and that it takes full advantage of the potential benefits associated with using electricity from renewable sources in transport. Having set a target of 10 percent electric vehicles by 2020, the Government is taking a broad-ranging series of initiatives around electric vehicles, including signing Memoranda of Understanding with a number of motor manufacturers, committing to a large scale national roll out of electric vehicle infrastructure and appropriate supports for the customer. Ireland is uniquely placed through the interrelationship between the national 40 percent target for electricity from renewable sources and the national target for the electrification of transport to deliver a fully holistic and mutually reinforcing system.
Heat The Government has set a target of 12 percent renewable heat by 2020. A series of related and complementary support programmes aimed at supporting both demand and supply have already been put in place to address the delivery of this target already, aimed at supporting both demand and supply sides. For historical, geographical and demographic reasons, renewable heat poses considerable challenges for Ireland, challenges that the Government is determined to address. To that end, work is nearing completion on a new framework to ensure delivery of these targets using the full range of resources available, with an initial focus on the biomass sector but also including geothermal resources in due course. The Department, in conjunction with all stakeholders, is finalising a roadmap for the development of the bioenergy sector in Ireland.
Conclusion In energy planning terms, 2020 is rapidly approaching, the Government is also looking beyond 2020 in terms of the significant opportunities to develop Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s abundant offshore renewable energy resources including offshore wind, wave and tidal energy, recognising that these offer rich potential over the coming decades. Implementing and delivering on this National Renewable Energy Action Plan will be a challenge and will require enhanced coordination and collaboration between all relevant Government departments and state bodies. A fully joined up and integrated approach, involving all appropriate public sector bodies at national, regional and local level will be critical for delivery over the next decade.
With the right economic, infrastructural and planning conditions conducive to the sustainable development of all of Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s renewable energy resources, Ireland has the potential to become a significant exporter of renewable energy over the coming decades. The Government will continue to work with the European Commission and other member states to realise Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ambitions for renewable energy, both onshore and offshore.
Taken from the National Renewable Energy Action Plan, the full plan is available to download from www.dcenr.gov.ie
Future Projection Data from the 27 National Renewable Energy Action Plans of the EU member states is now available to download from the website of the European Environment Agency (EEA). Set in 2007 as part of the EU Climate and Energy Package the “20-20-20” target is the aggregation of a series of demanding climate and energy targets that the EU has vowed to meet by 2020. These involve a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent; an improvement of energy efficiency by 20 percent; and the generation of 20 percent of energy from renewable energy. In order to support this ambitious renewable energy objective, each EU member state was requested to submit National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAPs) detailing how they will each reach their individual targets. The European Environment Agency (EEA) has now analysed the action plans of the 27 states and concluded that renewable energy output in the EU is projected to grow on average by six percent per annum, with wind power, solar electricity and biofuels foreseen to experience the highest growth rates. Good news is that if all member states follow the trajectory outlined in their plans, the EU will exceed its 20 percent renewable energy target by 0.7 percentage points. The Agency has also supported the compilation of a database that holds key data from all the National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAPs) and facilitates the comparison of figures across technologies and between member states. The Agency also produced a data report with detailed individual data for all 27 EU Member States displayed together with the aggregated EU-27 figures. Derived indicators also allow for a comparison of country projections on a per capita basis or relative to land area.
Key aggregate data from the 27 National Action Plans: Electricity will make up 42% of total renewable energy production, with wind power supplying 41% of renewable electricity; 46% of all renewable energy production will be used for heating and cooling, with biomass accounting for 78% of renewable heating and cooling output; Transport will use the smallest proportion of the renewable energy produced (12%), but is the fastest growing element between 2005 and 2020. Total renewable energy production is projected to increase from 99 million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe) in 2005 to 245 Mtoe in 2020 corresponding to an average annual growth rate of 6%.
Both the database and data report are available to download from www.eea.europa.eu.
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ANDY Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;SULLIVAN CONSTRUCTION LTD Gort, Co. Cork
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New Homes Extensions and Renovations Healthcare Building Religious Building Commercial Building Educational Building Ballyvaloon, Grenagh, Co. Cork. Tel: 021 4886925 Mob: 087 8045604 Email info@grouvillebuilders.ie www.grouvillebuilders.ie
A Changing Climate Climate change is now firmly on Irish boardroom agenda as more and more business leaders are embracing opportunities arising from the push towards sustainability. Climate change is not a problem that exists within national boundaries; when it comes to reducing emissions and developing sustainability, a global approach as well as a more localised one is necessary. Independent not-for-profit organisation the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) launched in 2000 to accelerate solutions to climate change by putting relevant information at the heart of business, policy and investment decisions. In a bid to harmonise climate change data from organizations around the world and develop international carbon reporting standards, CDP has created the largest database of primary corporate climate change information in the world. Thousands of organizations from across the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major economies measure and disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and climate change strategies through CDP, in order that they can set reduction targets and make performance improvements. This data is then made available for use by a wide audience including institutional investors; corporations; policymakers and their advisors; public sector organisations; government bodies; academics and the public.
Launched in October by Eamon Ryan, former Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, the Ireland 2010 report from the CDP showed a significant increase in companies taking part. The report, principally sponsored by the NTR Foundation and prepared by KPMG, concluded that the number and quality of responses to the project shows climate change issues are now firmly established on Irish boardroom agendas. Yvo de Boer, KPMG Special Global Advisor on Climate Change and Sustainability, and former Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change said of the Report: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Businesses increasingly recognise that climate change, energy prices and energy security, and material scarcity need to be taken into account as part of their strategy, not so much because climate change and sustainability are a threat to them directly, but because there is actually an opportunity to improve their competitive edge and give them a better future. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coming to grips with climate change, coming to grips with issues around energy prices, energy security and sustainability, is basically a matter of self-interest, though
PAT DEMPSEY PLASTERING LTD Glentoon, Co. Cork
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Sean Leahy Heating and Plumbing Hazelwood, Waterloo, Blarney, Cork
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We are a collection of individuals who have now made a commitment to ensuring that Homeglo will remain one of Irelands leading applicators of external wall insulation. Recent projects have included the insulation of large and small detached houses, individual and combined semi dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, a wide range of bungalows and terraced houses as well as a secondary school in Dungarvan. All products and applicators are NSAI certified.
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also, of course, for Irish people, a matter for global citizens, operating in a global market.” As well as the responses of 20 out of the 40 largest companies listed on the ISEQ, the report covers responses from seven of the largest eleven Irish firms involved in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, seven other Irish companies, and 28 out of the 30 largest of Ireland’s inward investors. In addition to the support of KPMG and of its principal sponsor the NTR Foundation, the work of CDP in Ireland is supported by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and the EPA. Launching the report, Eamon Ryan said: “Thirty three Irish companies have reported to CDP this year, which is a very encouraging improvement on last year. By incorporating climate change and energy issues into their business plans, the benefits both environmentally and financially for these companies will be significant and can become an important part of Ireland’s future prosperity. “Of course Governments must lead, and here in Ireland, the upcoming Climate Legislation will set out both the responsibilities of and the opportunities for, Irish companies in the response to the climate change challenge. “I’m glad to see more and more companies involved in the Project and I look forward to seeing its membership grow in the years ahead.” Dick Budden, Ireland Director of the Carbon Disclosure Project said: “It is good to see so many more Irish businesses respond to CDP this year. The challenge of climate change is one we all must face but what is really impressive is to see so many and different businesses start turning this challenge into an opportunity to build a sustainable future
for themselves, investors and employees.” Jim Barry, Chief Executive, NTR plc said: “There is growing recognition across the global business community that green growth is not only good for the environment but makes sound business sense. This is becoming increasingly important as a recent lack of global policy cohesion and a reduction in policy support momentum creates a greater reliance on the unilateral actions of the corporate sector in addressing the global climate and energy challenge.” Terence O’Rourke, Managing Partner, KPMG said: “Increasingly we see more Irish businesses looking at sustainability issues as an opportunity rather than a cost. As a result sustainability is moving inexorably up the business agenda. It is not always easy – but for many companies it is clear that sustainability will be an important element of their future success.”
Highlights from the 2010 CDP report for Ireland include: 33 Irish companies responded this year, compared with only 14 responses in the 2009 report; Among companies listed on the ISEQ, 20 (50 percent) of the largest 40 businesses participated in the project, up from 33 percent total responses last year; Ireland’s 50 percent response rate among the largest ISEQ companies is still some way behind the >80 percent response rate of the 300 largest companies across Europe, and a similar rate among the largest 500 globally; 79 percent of respondents have a dedicated Board or Executive Body with responsibility for governance on corporate environmental responsibility;
Jim Barry with Yvo De Boer, KPMG, former Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
More than 50 percent of ISEQ-listed companies and over 80 percent of other companies that responded, including the largest participants in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, see positive opportunities for their businesses arising from climate change.
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Armagh Rd., Dundalk Co. Louth,
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Kozy Home Insulations Services •Cavity Wall Insulation •Attic Insulation •Dry Lining •SEAI / Ber Registered •C2 Registered
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Heliotherm A Heliotherm Heat Pump could potentially reduce your heating bills by 80%. A Heating System You Can Rely On! Should you compromise when it comes to making a decision on an economical, advanced, efficient and environmentally friendly energy heating system? Heliotherm Heat Pumps have proven to be price effective compared to the performance ratio. Having “Tomorrow’s Heating Technology – Today” at affordable prices is every home owner’s dream. Enjoying an advanced and proven heating system from a heat pump manufacturer with over 20.000 installations Europe wide. Heliotherm Heat Pumps brings another meaning into home comfort. Not only is comfort to be enjoyed but also promotes a noticeable well being in the home or inhabited building.
Heliother Brine Probe
Along with its numerous technology patents and the international seal of quality, you can rely on all products and a company with over 20 years of experience. Heliotherm specializes in the most efficient and safe state of the art systems. Heliotherm was the first heat pump manufacturer to apply a scroll compressor in 1987. The heat pump pioneer Heliotherm focuses exclusively on developing high efficiency heat pumps for heating, cooling and domestic hot water for new construction and renovation projects.
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A consumer should be well informed and all questions should be answered by the sales representative or energy consultant. How does a heat pump compare to other heating systems? A heat pump has many functional advantages which can be truly appreciated. For example, there are no increasing energy prices and unexpected fossil burning fuel purchasing and delivery, additional storage area, such as pellets storage room and chimney maintenance charges. Other air-conditioning units which have a lesser initial investment cost and a lesser life span can both heat and cool. However, these units are limited to perform their heating or cooling function to one area of the building, mostly through air vents. These units are referred to as “outdoor units”; which are air-conditioning units and are not categorized as heat pumps. A heat pump is intended to render high energy efficiency - high performance heating for the entire home with lowest energy input. A heat pump has a longer life expectancy, where your investment will be paid back to you. Heliotherm agents: Renewable Energy Centre Park Road Killarney Co. Kerry
Climate Control Weirs Tuam Co. Galway
Tel: 064 6622814 Web: www.recireland.ie Email: info@recireland.ie
Tel: (093) 28166 Web: www.climatecontrol.ie Email: info@climatecontrol.ie
All Heliotherm heat pump systems use the free energy from the environment providing a highly efficient heating system and achieving the desired home living comfort and environment. Additionally, Heliotherm Certified Heat Pump Specialists in Ireland provide: consulting, planning, assembly installation and service! From the floor heating to the heat pump system - from the regulating control to the refrigeration technology - from planning through to the complete installation and service – top products and a competent partner you can rely on! The Heliotherm Heat Pump offers excellent value for your invested money. Heliotherm Ground Collector
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Reasons to Insulate your Home What Factors Depend on Conserving energy
HEATING and COOLING account for 35 to 50% of the ENERGY USED in the average Irish home. Inadequate insulation and air leakage are leading causes of energy waste in most homes.
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ENVIROBEAD is one of the leading cavity wall insulation beads on offer. Envirobead has a constant density that produces a natural matrix between the beads which in turn creates a drainage passage. Envirobead resists the effect of gravity and does not settle ensuring that these qualities are maintained. Envirobead uses a durable adhesive to bind the beads together and maintains a ventilated cavity. The thermal conductivity of Envirobead is 0.033w/m k.
Climate; the size, shape, and construction of your house the living habits of your family the type and efficiency of the heating & cooling systems and the fuel you use. Once the energy savings have paid for the installation cost, energy conserved is money saved & saving energy will be even more important as utility rates go up. GRANTS AVAILABLE
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FIRST RATE ENERGY BER CERTIFICATES
BER Certificates are compulsory for all new builds since 2007 and for all homes being sold or rented since 2009. A BER is similar to the energy label for a household electrical appliance like your fridge. The label has a scale of A-G. A-rated homes are the most energy efficient and G the least efficient.
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OFTEC 2011
Available To View All Year At www.sustainableenergy2011.com
Copper Kings
ADVANCED BOILER SERVICES
Service 7 days a week & 24 hr call out
5, Ardfrail Close, Oldcastle, Co. Meath
Plumbing & Heating FREE Estimates, Fully Qualified Tradesman
• Plumbing & Heating • Oil & Gas Servicing & Installation • Bathroom Installations Contact: Jon @ 085 1469860 Gary @ 087 6135693
Evenings: 01 4518916 Email: copper.kings@live.com
Be Energy Efficient Service your Oil or Gas Boiler Every Year Fully Insured Service
Ph: 087 7528636 Gas And Oil Boiler Servicing Heating Control Upgrade Underfloor Heating Radiator Power Flushing General Plumbing Works Domestic / Commercial Oil Storage Tanks Installed
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Matthew Ledwith
McCarthy Donogue
Mullingar Co. Westmeath
31, Ravenswood Rise, Castaheney, Dublin 15
Ph: 087 971 2291
Mob: 087 272 3589 Mob: 087 274 5824
Heating and Plumbing Contractor
SOLAR PANELS • UNDERFLOOR HEATING • DOMESTIC / COMMERCIAL • HEATING CONTROL UPGRADES • ALL GENERAL PLUMBING WORKS UNDERTAKEN
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Warm at Heart A heating system is essentially the heart of the house; a good, efficient system leads to a warm, welcoming home—your own personal retreat from the world.
Oil heating and cooking: it’s the right choice! A warm home means a comfortable, welcoming environment to relax, unwind and recharge in. Oil is the dominant fuel for home heating in Ireland, with almost 40 percent of homes using kerosene (home heating oil). Over two million homes in Ireland and the UK use oil for heating; it’s one of the cheapest off-mains fuels available and is easier to use than solid fuel. It is also safe, economical and with the recent development of bio-kerosene now more friendly to the environment. With oil you have a choice of suppliers. You can either get quotes every time you need to top up your tank, or you can avail of the pre-payment or direct debit plans offered by many suppliers. Some even use modern telemetry systems to sense when your tank needs filling up so you don’t have to worry about running low on oil. As we emerge from one of the coldest winters on record it’s a good time to review how well your heating system stood up to the demands placed on it—did you have adequate warmth and hot water or did your system leave you out in the cold? With fuel costs remaining stubbornly high and consumers feeling the pinch of the current inclement economic climate it is very easy to ignore the maintenance of your heating system; if the boiler is working and the water is hot, why bother?
Firstly, the good news is that oil boilers and cookers are reliable and long lasting, but like any mechanical appliance they will perform better and save you money if looked after correctly. You rely on your car and wouldn’t think of not servicing it, so why not your heating system? Many consumers have put off that boiler service for years but the unwelcome news is that a boiler that is not serviced annually it is at a higher risk of breaking down and costing you more money. A poorly installed and maintained appliance will cost you extra for every day of its operating life—for example a 3mm layer of soot can reduce the amount of heat absorbed by more than eight percent. The Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC) represents companies in Ireland and the UK that are involved in the oil fired heating and cooking industry. We work closely with government departments, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and training providers such as FÁS and the Institutes of Technology to promote high standards in the oil heating and cooking industry. Contractors and technicians that register with OFTEC follow a strict assessment process and undergo inspections during their period of registration.
“Look for the OFTEC logo to ensure your service technician is competent and registered.”
ALL SEASONS PLUMBING Church Hill, Ballyboughal, Fingal, Co. Dublin
Oil Burner Servicing and Repairs
Call 086 3484 991 Ask about our special offer on Carbon Monoxide alarms Other services: Central heating power flushing • BER Surveys-SEAI Registered • Oil Tanks Supplied/Installed e-mail: info@superdeck.ie Web: www.superdeck.ie REGISTERED
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McGUIRKS
Plumbing & Heating
Mountpleasant, Dundalk, Co. Louth
Ph: 042 9380011 Mob: 086 2519650
INSTALLATION & REPAIR OF ALL DOMESTIC OIL & GAS
APPLIANCES QUALTEX UNDERFLOOR HEATING GAS & OIL BOILERS, DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL SUPPLIED & SERVICED ALL GENERAL PLUMBING WORKS SOLAR PANELS SUPPLIED & ISTALLED
• G1, G2, G3 Gas Qualified • Gas / Oil Installation • Gas / Oil Boiler Service & Repair • Complete Bathroom & Ensuites • Water Filters Supplied & fitted • Fully Registered and Insured Company
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Check the Register The need for the achievement of high standards of combustion efficiency is universally accepted. For environmental, safety and economic reasons, it is necessary to make sure that fuel is delivered and used without waste and in a way that minimises environmental impact. It is also vital that the working practices of personnel concerned with storage and combustion are kept up to date with the increasing demands of developing technology.
“OFTEC promotes excellence in oil fired heating and cooking.”
In order to achieve high levels of competence, it is necessary for technicians to be trained to the highest standards and have their knowledge continuously updated. OFTEC was launched in 1991 to construct a framework within which oil firing in Ireland could operate with a greater degree of technical expertise and efficiency. One of its first priorities was to set up a system of training and registration for technicians engaged in commissioning, servicing, installation and plant operation with oil firing equipment. OFTEC operates a training and registration scheme that enables ease of identification of those technicians who have proved that they have the skill to ensure safe and efficient installation and servicing.
“The OFTEC logo is a symbol of high quality workmanship so consumers can be assured that OFTEC registered technicians meet all the professional standards throughout the industry.”
The aim of the OFTEC training and registration scheme is to provide technicians with Government recognised professional status and competency. The training package offered by OFTEC via its partners is designed to provide installers and service technicians with the knowledge and competence to offer consumers impartial advice that will result in environmental protection, greater product reliability and efficiency. These courses are key to raising the status of technicians and are recognised by Government and SEAI as they play a vital role in improving the energy efficiency status of consumers’ homes.
CONNOR Plumbing & Heating (Covering Meath & Louth)
64, Moran Terrace, Drogheeda, Co. Louth
Ph: 087 9037858 • Supply, Insulation & Servicing of High Efficiency Oil Boilers • Heating Control Upgrades • Underfloor Heating • Solar Panels • Water Softeners • General Plumbing Works •Bathrooms Are Our Speciality
Rathbranmore, Lodge Collon, Co. Louth,
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Paddy Brady Heating & Plumbing Ltd. Newhaggard, Trim, Co. Meath
Phone: 046 9438545 Mobile: 086 2695604 SUPPLY & INSTALL OIL BOILERS & GAS BOILERS SOLAR PANELS GEO THERMAL HEAT PUMPS UNDERFLOOR HEATING HEATING CONTROL UPGRADES C2 REGISTERED FULLY INSURED REGISTERED
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YOUNG HEATING & PLUMBING CONTRACTOR • HEATING CONTROL UPGRADES • HIGH EFFICIENCY GAS BOILER UPGRADES St Wolstans Farm Dublin Road Celbridge Co.
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Registration Obligations Registered technicians and businesses give undertakings to work to the published rules of the Registration Scheme, and also to comply with Building Regulations and codes of practice. They are committed to achieving the highest standards of safety and efficiency for their customers.
“Work undertaken by Registered technicians and businesses may be subject to inspection by OFTEC from time to time. Registration can be lost if the work is found to be below the required standard.” As a result of our requirements and vetting procedures, we are confident that OFTEC registered technicians will carry out all works to the highest of standards and in compliance with all current building and code of practice regulations. The benefit for councils and householders in using a registered technician is that a detailed report (CD/11)
“A service must include a check with a flue gas analyser. Not only does this advise on the efficiency of an appliance but it also checks for carbon monoxide spillage. Ask your technician for a copy of the CD/11 report that is your record of the service being carried out.” is provided on completion of the service. This report indicates the boiler efficiency and denotes any defects and/ or recommendations to improve the heating system. In addition, an OFTEC registered technician will use a modern electronic flue gas analyser that will assess carbon monoxide (CO) levels and check for carbon monoxide spillage; this is an important factor given the recent press coverage on deaths from CO poisoning in both the Republic and Northern Ireland.
LARRY 0’ROURKE
James Coyle & Son Heating & Plumbing
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ALL BOILER SERVICES Broadleas, Ballymore Eustace, Naas, Co. Kildare
Mob: 087 8168897 Ph: 045 480645 ALL GENERAL PLUMBING WORKS DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL UNDERFLOOR HEATING HEATING CONTROL UPGRADES SUPPLY / INSTALL / SERVICE OF ALL GAS & OIL APPLIANCES / BURNERS & BOILERS
Earthwise Installations Ltd. School Road, Rathcoffey, Naas, Co. Kildare
Mob: 087 1510028 Ph: 045 861566
Email: ptpoman65@gmail.com
Supply / Installation & Service Of Oil Boilers / Gas Burners Heating Control Upgrades Solar Panels Underfloor Heating Oil Tanks - Supply & Installation
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Dublin Heating Installations Ltd
SULACO Heating & Plumbing
7 South Place, Greystones, Co. Wicklow
87 Boghall Cottages, Boghall Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow
Ph: 01 2876024 Mob: 086 8235139
Mob: 087 2609266 / Tel: 01 2864426
Domestic Heating & Plumbing Service New & Existing Supply / Install / Service Underfloor Heating Solar Panels Oil Tanks
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CONTRACTOR
CONTRACTOR
pappaheat Pappa, Dunraymond, Co. Monaghan
Mob: 086 6904521 Supply / Install / Commissioning Of Oil Boilers & Oil Tanks Individual Room Stats Underfloor Heating Servicing Of All Oil Boilers Energy Efficient Heating Systems Grants Available
"Heat Your House For 25% Less"
Peter Breen And Son Siefield Road, Blackrock, Co. Louth
Mob: 087 2605611 Ph: 042 9333666 SUPPLY & INSTALLATION OF OIL BOILERS & GAS TANKS HEATING CONTROL UPGRADES ALL SERVICING GENERAL PLUMBING WORKS COMMERCIAL / DOMESTIC / INDUSTRIAL UNDERFLOOR HEATING SOLAR PANELS REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Timmons Plumbing & Maintenance
J.C. Heating & Plumbing Mill Road, Bunclody, Co. Wexford
Tomriland, Roundwood, Co.Wicklow
BOILER SERVICING / SUPPLY / INSTALLATION UNDERFLOOR HEATING SYSTEMS OIL TANK INSTALLATION AND COMMISSIONING HEATING CONTROLS SYSTEM MODERNISATION & UPGRADING www.timmonsheating.ie
Mob: 087 9831883 Ph: 0404 45681
Mob: 086 1503653 Ph: 053 9377890 Gas Installations Oil Boiler Servicing & Installation Solar Panel Installation Heating Control Upgrades Underfloor Heating Oil Tanks Supplied / Installed Grants Available
REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
•Registered Gas Installer •Oil Boiler Repairs & Annual Service •We Cover All Areas Of The South & East Providing Maintenance & Repair
REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
For Tipperary, Kilkenny & Waterford Contact Mark Murphy on : 087 2112446 www.heatservicesnetwork.com
Called to Service If your oil or gas boiler hasn’t been serviced recently, then you could be wasting money. In fact, by servicing your boiler, you could improve your overall efficiency by ten percent— saving you up to €150 per year. Servicing your boiler saves you money by reducing your heating costs; reduces carbon dioxide emissions, benefiting the environment; and gives you peace of mind by improving your boiler’s reliability and safety. A service by an OFTEC Registered Technician will ensure that your boiler or cooker is efficient, safe and in top working order to face the worst that the winter months can throw at it. Appliances should be periodically cleaned and components replaced as required when the boiler is being serviced. This reduces fuel bills and saves money on costly call-out fees for unexpected breakdowns; it is recommended that oil fired appliances and equipment are serviced at least once a year or as recommended by the manufacturer.
There are many reasons why the efficiency of an oil-fired boiler could be reduced—here are a few: • The heat exchanger can get covered with soot. Excessive smoke and partially burnt fuel deposits leave soot on the heat exchanger, this restricts the amount of heat that the heat exchanger can transfer into the water. A heat exchanger carries water around the boiler, absorbs the heat from the hot flue gasses and transfers it into the water. The cleaner the heat exchanger, the more efficient the boiler will be. • Oil nozzles will wear. Nozzles regulate how much oil is used and if not regularly replaced could cause “sooting up” of the heat exchanger, and so reduce heat transfer. • Photocells can glaze over with soot. Photocells are an important safety feature that detect whether the flame is lit. If a photocell is dirty it may not be able to monitor the flame correctly and could cause the boiler to shut down randomly causing inconvenience. Boilers that are frequently switched on and off will be less efficient than those left running for longer periods. • Electrodes can wear and carbon up. Electrodes make a spark to light the fuel, if they are worn or covered with carbon it will cause poor ignition so the boiler may not light, causing inefficiency and increasing fuel cost.
“OFTEC Registered Technicians are trained to Government and recognised standards and carry the appropriate insurance to work in your home. They are also trained to make sure your oil heating system is working as efficiently as possible, keeping running costs to a minimum.”
McCarthy Maintenance Garden/Home - Boiler - Insulation - Renewables Bridgetown, Co. Wexford
Renewables • Garden maintenance • High efficient boilers • Biomass • Solar panels • Underfloor heating • Wind Turbines
Insulation • Landscaping • Large and small renovations • Plumbing • Electrical • Plastering • Carpentry
Carbon monoxide testing/alarms
REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Ph: 053-9175640 Fax: 053-9175640 Mob: 086-1043632
E-mail: mccarthymaintenance@gmail.com
BRENDAN REILLY Townspark, Trim Road, Athboy, Co. Meath
Mob: 087 2398811 Supply / Installation & Service Of Oil Boilers & Gas Burners Heating Control Upgrades Underfloor Heating Solar Panels All General Plumbing Works Domestic & Commercial
REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Keith McIvor Plumbing & Heating
2 Park Court, Grange Rath, Drogheda, Co. Meath
Mob: 087 3248119 Ph: 041 9842646
Supply / Installation & Service Of Oil Boilers & Gas Burners Underfloor Heating Heating Control Upgrades Solar Panels General Plumbing Works Domestic & Commercial
Max Maintenance Services Ltd 4 Togher Pairc, Lough Dan Road, Roundwood, Co. Wicklow.
Phone: 01 2012050 Mobile: 086 0440644
www.maxmaintenanceservices.ie
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT FACILITIES MAINTENANCE BUILDINGS MAINTENANCE COMMERCIAL / INDUSTRIAL
Controls, Condensing and Cost Savings The energy conscious consumer is well aware of the benefits of energy-saving controls. All new homes now have high efficiency condensing boilers and separate controls for heating and hot water fitted as standard, plus radiator thermostats that keep each room at the temperature required. Current Building Regulations in both the Republic and Northern Ireland mean that all new or replacement boilers must be above 86 percent efficiency; currently the only oil boilers achieving this level of efficiency—and most times surpassing it—are condensing boilers (SEDBUK or HARP A & B rated). This is good news as it means you will save money in your home as a condensing boiler costs up to 20 percent less to run annually than a standard efficiency boiler. If you have an older boiler it is well worth considering upgrading to a modern condensing oil boiler. With the addition of controls and some insulation, the payback will be quite short and as an added bonus, if you install a high efficient boiler with an efficiency level of over 90 percent there is grant assistance available from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).
“When your OFTEC service engineer calls, ask him about condensing boilers and modern controls to cut heating costs and add to your comfort.” The Home Energy Saving (HES) www.seai.ie/Grants/ Home_Energy_Saving_Scheme/ scheme is one of three grant programmes available to homeowners from the SEAI and focuses on the investment in energy efficiency improvements in roof and wall insulation, installation of high efficiency gas or oil fired boilers and heating control upgrades. Currently, a grant of €700 is available for the installation of a high efficiency boiler with heating controls upgrade and a grant of €500 is available for simple heating controls upgrade. The grant scheme runs nationwide and is available to owners of all homes built before 2006. Grants are fixed for each type of measure and approval must be in place before any purchase of materials or commencement of measures is undertaken. The grants are paid after the measures are completed and the contractor has been paid by the homeowner. In the instance where the cost of the work (VAT inclusive) is less than the fixed grant amount, the actual cost is reimbursed. A central part of the grant application is a Building Energy Rating (BER) whereby homeowners must undertake a BER on their home after grant-aided works have been completed. This gives homeowners a thorough and objective assessment of the energy performance of their home following upgrade works, including a rating on an A-G scale. The first such BER assessment will attract grant aid of €100. SEAI has also developed a smart online Home Energy Self Survey to help homeowners decide which upgrade works
might be most suitable for their home. The HES programme has proved to be extremely popular with homeowners, with over 60,000 applications processed to date. However, Ireland has ambitious energy reduction and climate change targets to be met in 2020. If achieved, our dependence on imported fossil fuels will greatly reduce along with lower energy bills for homeowners. To meet these challenging targets we need to both incentivise and inform householders about steps that can be taken to reduce energy usage, while understanding the thermal efficiency of Ireland’s housing stock. Making a BER mandatory will help deliver on both of these aims.
For more information on Building Energy Rating see http://www.seai.ie/ber www.seai. ie/ber. “SEAI currently administers the Home Energy Savings Scheme where homeowners can avail of a grant to improve the energy efficiency of their home in order to reduce energy use and costs as well as greenhouse gas emissions. One of the measures that are currently supported under the scheme is the installation of high efficiency boilers with the upgrading of heating controls. For details of the scheme, see www.seai.ie/Grants/Home_Energy_Saving_Scheme.”
You can only claim your grant payment when: All your contractors have completed the upgrade works and filled in the relevant declaration of Works form (DOW) and appropriate sections of the BER Confirmation and Request for Payment form. Your BER assessor has undertaken a site visit, completed/published the BER and returned to you the completed the BER Confirmation and Request for Payment form. You have fully paid all contractors and your BER assessor. At that stage you should ensure that you also have signed all DOWs and BER Confirmation and Request for Payment forms all of which you then submit to SEAI with a view to grant payment. All paperwork (i.e. all Declaration of Works and the BER Confirmation and Request for Payment form) must be submitted together within the six-month grant offer period.
30 Willowbank, Church Rd., Blackrock, Co. Cork
Brendan Deady Heating & Plumbing Services Tobernea, Effin, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick
Supply & Installation Of Oil Boilers & Gas Burners Heating Control Upgrades Solar Panels Underfloor Heating General Plumbing Work Domestic & Commercial REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Mob: 087 6289938 Ph: 063 71043 www.brendandeady.com
Ph: 021 4358550 Mob: 086 2578067
Install Oil & Gas Boilers / Burners Heating Control Upgrades Underfloor Heating Specialist Domestic Gas Boilers Serviced & Repaired Solar Panels REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Tim Tierney Boiler Servicing & Repairs
Kevin O'Regan
Tel: 062- 53075 | Mob: 087- 6877282
Chestnut Grove, Western Road, Clonakilty, Cork
BLUE FLAME CERTIFIED FULLY INSURED TITAN ACREDITED INSTALLER
Supply,Installation & Servicing Of Oil Boilers
Grange Road, Knocklong, Co. Limerick
SERVICING & REPAIR TO ALL MAKES OF OIL BOILERS & BURNERS OIL TANKS & GUAGES SUPPLIED & FITTED OIL TANKS MOVED OIL TANK BASES REPAIRED
Plumbing & Heating Services
Tel: 023 34018
Pressurised Plumbing Systems Heating Control Upgrades General Plumbing Works Underfloor Heating Solar Panels
Where do I find a service technician? Service your heating system now to ensure continued reliability and increased efficiency; make sure that the person you use is registered as a competent person with an official scheme such as OFTEC, as this is your guarantee that he or she is a trained professional with full insurance and back-up should anything go wrong. OFTEC Registered technicians are trained in modern techniques and can offer you heating advice and an expert service in all aspects of modern oil-firing systems.
To find a registered technician in your area, visit OFTEC’s website at www.ofteconline. com/locatecompanyIreland.asp. A thorough service should always include a tank check. Plastic tanks are tough and durable, but pipe work and fittings should be checked for signs of damage or leaks. A broken sight gauge could allow oil to leak out, pollute your garden and possibly contaminate a river or stream. For extra protection, if you live near a watercourse or drain, OFTEC would recommend the installation of an integrally bunded tank, which has an outer skin to contain any leakage. Those involved in specification and advising consumers on fittings should review the proposed amendments to the
Boiler Services Cashlan West, Lisdoonan, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan
Ph: 087 2464782 Supply, Installation & Service Of Oil Boilers Supply, Installation Of Oil Tanks Domestic, Commercial & Industrial Electrical Services
current Code of Practice for Part L of the Building Regulations. The revision will recommend that all new and replacement oil tanks installed in a domestic setting should be of the bunded type, which is good news for the environment and will assist in the reduction of oil pollution incidents. Many councils and SEAI schemes already specify a bunded tank as the preferred option to ensure environmental protection as standard.
Don’t forget about the tank: “Oil tanks and supply pipes should also be checked during the service as condensation can form within the oil tank when the oil level is low. The presence of water in an oil tank can cause equipment failure as well as reduce boiler efficiency. Filter elements will need to be cleaned and/or replaced.”
Buckley Enterprise Resolutions Ltd
West Limerick
Gillcaugh, Vicarstown, Co. Cork
Mob: 087 2508705 Ph: 021 7332315 Supply, Installation, Service & Maintenance Of Oil Boilers & Gas Burners Heating Control Upgrades Cavity Wall Insulation Attic Insulation Internal Dry Lining Solar Panels REGISTERED
Boiler Services
Ballingrane, Askeaton, Co. Limerick
Servicing / Installation & Maintenance Of All Oil Fired / Vapourising Appliances (Stoves / Agas Etc) Heating Control Upgrades Gas Appliance Servicing
087 9134016 085 1393334
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Donal Dwyer
Kelliher Plumbing & Heating Monaviddogue, Oola, Co. Limerick
Mob: 087 2036676 Ph: 062 47039 Supply, Installation, Servicing & Maintenance Of Oil Burners & Solid Fuel Systems Solar Panels Underfloor Heating General Plumbing Work Undertaken
REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
Heating & Plumbing Tig Na Coille, Coolcorran, Belgooly, Cork
Mob: 086 8074871 Ph: 021 4771697 Supply, Installation, Servicing & Maintenance Of Oil Burners & Solid Fuel Systems Solar Panels Underfloor Heating General Plumbing Work Undertaken
What about incidents of carbon monoxide? As with any fossil fuel burning appliance, poor or inadequate servicing can cause the generation of carbon monoxide. All fossil fuels produce carbon monoxide and soot deposits but flue blockages and blocked air vents can restrict the flow of exhaust gases and cause them to spill out into the surrounding room. Therefore, it is absolutely vital that your oil boiler is checked annually for these possible problems. Carbon monoxide is a highly toxic poisonous gas. It is odourless, colourless and tasteless and therefore difficult to detect without specialist equipment.
The good news is that an OFTEC service engineer will carry an electronic flue gas analyser allowing the technician to check for carbon monoxide spillage and provide you with an up-to-date efficiency reading. In addition to annual servicing you can fit an audible carbon monoxide detector.
“It is absolutely vital that your oil boiler is checked annually for the possible problems that could lead to carbon monoxide
•Registered Gas Installer •Oil Boiler Repairs & Annual Service •We Cover All Areas Of The South & East Providing Maintenance & Repair
REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
For Wexford, Wicklow & Carlow Contact Mark OʼKeere on : 087 3196463 www.heatservicesnetwork.com
23 Pearse Park, Waterford
Phone: 086 - 103 50 68 www.jodelectrical.com
All Electrical Services For New Builds / Attic - Garage Conversions, Renovations Power To Sheds, Extra Sockets, New Lights CCTV, Security Systems Oil Boiler - Service, Repair, Commission Domestic / Commercial / Industrial Maintenance & Repairs
PATRICK MANN Glascurram, Ferrybridge, Clarina, Co. Limerick
Ph: 087 9681995 Service, Installation & Repair Of Gas & Oil Burners / Boilers & Appliances Heating Control Upgrades General Plumbing Works Underfloor Heating Domestic / Commercial
Old French Road Belleek Ballina Co. Mayo
If you need Heating or Plumbing services OR someone to service your Gas/Oil Boiler, please call us today at:
029 21709 | 087 9745447 Warm Air Fired Furnaces Oil Burners All Hydronics Boilers Domestic Hot Water Boilers Wood Or Coal Fired Furnaces Or Boilers Radiant Heat Boiler Rebuilding Electrical Controls Underfloor Heating Mill Road, Kanturk, Co. Cork Hegarty Street, Millstreet, Co. Cork
email: frankkneeltd@gmail.com web: www.frankknee.com
Specialists In Renewables Building Contractors Service & Commissioning Oil Boilers / Range Cookers All Heating & Plumbing Phone: 096 70323 Mobile: 086 8596261
Email: reynoldsconstruction08@gmail.com REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
What is a boiler passport? Boiler passports have been issued with all new boilers supplied by Firebird, Grant, Turkington and Warmflow since September 2009. These manufacturers are insisting on the completion of the boiler passport by a competent technician and return of the commissioning certificate before a warranty is issued. The boiler passport has been prepared in consultation with OFTEC and is designed to provide a means by which consumers will receive a properly installed and commissioned appliance that meets current Building Regulations. The passport has been developed in direct response to the recognition that incorrect installation and failure to commission—rather than an actual fault of the product— is frequently the cause of a failure of the boiler. Any future warranty will be conditional upon the correct installation of the boilers along with the completion of a Boiler Passport and the commissioning certificate being returned to the relevant manufacturer. The passport is fixed to the appliance and must remain with the appliance to provide the consumer with evidence of proper commissioning and a detailed service record. Use of non-competent persons may invalidate the warranty. The passport has been welcomed by Building Control officers, installers and consumers alike. The requirement for commissioning before warranty is issued offers the
householder complete peace of mind, ensuring that the installation has been done correctly by a competent person and compliant to current Building Regulations.
Passport to Peace of Mind “A completed passport means the condensing boiler has been installed correctly and meets current Building Regulations.”
“OFTEC provides advice to local councils, building control officers, architects, installers and homeowners. With local representatives and a dedicated technical helpline, make sure your queries about oil installations, products and technicians are dealt with professionally.”
Aidan Murphy 22 Halldene Way, Bishopstown, Co. Cork As an experienced, reliable plumbing contracor, Aidan Murphy and his team will be at hand for all your heating & plumbing needs. All areas covered with no job too big or too small. Installations included from your bathroom to your emersion boilers with competitive prices & great service, we are worth the call.
General Plumbing Works Solar Panels Underfloor Heating Heating Control Upgrades Supply / Install / Service Oil Boilers Install Gas Burners
Anthony Molloy Heating & Plumbing Cappacur, Tynagh, Loughrea
Service & Commission Pressure Jet Appliances Boilers / Range Cookers Oil Boiler Installations All Heating & Plumbing anthonyjmolloy@gmail.com
Mob: (087)6728095 REGISTERED
SEAI
Tel: 087 7401515
CONTRACTOR
Danny O' Farrell Plumbing and Heating Brenshabeg, Tipperary Town, Co. Tipperary
Ph: 086 2569284 Supply / Install / Service Oil Boilers & Gas Burners Solar Panels Underfloor Heating Geothermal Heat Pumps General Plumbing Light Industrial / Domestic REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
PAUL GOULD PLUMBING 7 Meadowlands, Featherbed Lane, Kinsale, Co. Cork
Mob: 086 8977663 Ph: 021 4773160 Supply, Installation And Servicing Of Gas Burners & Oil Boilers Heating Control Upgrades Underfloor Heating Solar Panels Oil Tanks General Plumbing Domestic / Industrial/ Commercial
What is the future for oil heating? As well as reducing your oil requirement and saving cash by using a fully controlled condensing boiler, consumers will soon be able to request ‘bio-kerosene’ for their boiler. The recent development of bio-liquids for heating is good news for oil households. A bio-kerosene mix reduces your carbon emissions and reduces the demand for fossil fuel. A bio-liquid mix using 70 percent kerosene and 30 percent FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester—used cooking oil) has been rigorously tested and will be made available to consumers later this year. The result is a substantial reduction in carbon dioxide emissions down to a similar level of those from natural gas appliances. Minor adaptations are required to your existing system and an OFTEC registered technician will be able to advise on what modifications are needed to allow you to use this environmentally friendly fuel. Commenting on the new biofuel, Jeremy Hawksley, OFTEC Director said: “with 1.8 million households in the UK and the Republic of Ireland running on oil at the moment, it is important that we find a viable liquid fuel alternative which will have to be a biofuel. In the immediate future it is important that existing boilers and cookers can run on the fuel and hence our intention to promote a blend of biofuel with kerosene or gas oil. We estimate that by 2020 over 90 percent of households could have switched to this new fuel,
and by then we will have developed a 100 percent biofuel for heating and cooking.”
For further information on OFTEC visit www.oftec.org or contact Damien Keenan on 01 8646637. The technical helpline is available on 01 8645771.
Tierney Mechanical Services Ltd Gortnamona, Schull, West Cork
Tel: +353 (0)28 28597 Mob: +353 (0)87 252 4587
• • • •
OIL BOILER SERVICING SALES COMMISSIONING OFTEC REGISTERED
Authorized Service Engineer for Firebird, Grant and Warmflow
www.westcorkboilers.com
Reechestown, Ardfinnan, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
Mob: 087 2572986 Tel: 052 7466276 • Supply, Installation & Servicing Of Oil Boilers • Install Gas Systems • Geo Thermal Heat Pumps • Solar Panels • Underfloor Heating • Heating Control Upgrades REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
•Registered Gas Installer •Oil Boiler Repairs & Annual Service •We Cover All Areas Of The South & East Providing Maintenance & Repair
REGISTERED
SEAI
CONTRACTOR
For Kerry, Cork & Limerick Contact Brendan on : 086 3612222 www.heatservicesnetwork.com
The OFTEC Easy Guide to Domestic Oil Storage
This easy guide applies to oil storage tanks up to 3,500 litres capacity supplying single-family dwellings. For information on larger tanks, or non-domestic sites such as churches or village halls, please refer to the OFTEC Easy Guide for Non Domestic Oil Storage. Depending on where you live, regulations may vary slightly. The information here is a general guide, and you should check with your nearest OFTEC Registered Technician to see which regulations affect you.
All about tanks Modern oil storage tanks come in all shapes and sizes, and can be made from steel or plastic. The size and type that your OFTEC Registered Technician recommends will depend on your individual requirements. It’s important to choose a tank that meets minimum standards such as the OFCERT scheme, and you can find a list of tank manufacturers in the equipment directory on the OFTEC website at www.oftec. org.
Protecting the environment To minimise the risk of pollution from an oil spill, some installations must have secondary containment (a bund). This can either be an integrally bunded tank, or a separate construction around the tank. The bund must be capable of holding 110 percent of the tank’s contents.
“Your OFTEC Registered Technician will be able to advise whether you need a bunded tank using a standard risk-assessment procedure. Typically, installations near a river, well or any controlled water require bunding.” Many councils and SEAI schemes already specify a bunded tank as the preferred option to ensure environmental protection as standard.
Safe oil storage It’s very unlikely that a fire could be started by a domestic oil storage tank and its contents. However, it needs to be protected from a fire that originates nearby. For example, tanks should be sited: • 1.8m away from non-fire rated eaves of a building • 1.8m away from a non-fire building or structure (e.g. garden sheds) • 1.8m away from appliance flue terminals • 760mm away from a non-fire rated boundary such as a
wooden boundary fence • 1.8m away from openings (such as doors or windows) in a fire rated building or structure (e.g. a brick-built house or garage). If it’s impossible to comply with these requirements, then a fire rated barrier of at least 30 minutes should be provided, extending 300mm higher and wider than both ends of the tank.
Back to bases
“It’s important that oil storage tanks are inspected annually, preferably by an OFTEC Registered Technician.”
Proper support is vital for your tank, which will be very heavy once it’s full of oil. Steel tanks should be supported off the ground by purpose-built masonry piers or may be supplied with steel supports. Depending on the type of installation, plastic tanks can sit at ground level, but must be supported adequately by a proper, level base. Your OFTEC Registered Technician can advise on individual requirements.
Internal domestic oil storage In some situations, the oil storage tank can be sited inside a building such as a garage or outhouse. For those installations, the tank must be self contained within a 60 minute rated fire chamber, with a self-closing door that opens outwards, and is openable from the inside without the use of a key. In addition, the tank should be bunded. For further information on oil heating and cooking, please see www.oftec.org.
the sign you can trust • Register of competent oil-fired technicians • Energy efficiency advice • Fully insured operatives • Latest oil-fired technology • Bio-fuel and renewable link up
Info visit www.oftec.org.uk
Investing in Your Future A heating system should be a long-term investment in comfort and efficiency says Peter McCarthy of McCarthy Maintenance. Peter recommends investing in quality first and foremost when it comes to getting a heating system for your home. Ensuring that you get a competent, comprehensive and efficient service is much more important in the long run than getting the cheapest deal on offer or opting for a stopgap solution. “I have a good understanding of what it is to provide a comprehensive and efficient service that may not be the cheapest but is certainly good value for money,” he says. “Invest now and you will feel the long-term benefits in terms of energy-efficiency, value for money and comfort for your family.” With a European-wide push for reductions in emissions of carbon, evident in stricter building regulations and energy efficiency measures here, more Irish consumers are turning towards sustainable solutions. “I am seeing more and more demand for renewables and sustainable living solutions these days,” says Peter, “and I am currently pursuing a qualification in wood pellet and wood chip boilers and rainwater harvesting.”
The installation of solar panels, mechanical ventilation systems, heat recovery systems and wind turbines allow homeowners to make the most of renewable energy in the heating and power of their homes. Registered with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), the company has invested in the domestic installation of renewables through a partnership and also installs insulation—vital for effective household energy conservation—and offers upgrades on underfloor heating and heating controls. SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
IN IRELAND 2011
McCarthy Maintenance, which also carries out garden and home maintenance and is registered with OFTEC, the Oil Firing Technical Association for competent boiler installation and maintenance, started out in 2008 and since then has grown consistently, even with the current climate, this is a clear indicator that there is a market demand for efficient heating systems provided in conjunction with professional, knowledgeable services.
For more information go to www.mccarthymaintenance. com or call 053 917 5640.
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New Era for Limerick Limerick embraces the cyber sphere as www.Limerick.ie, the official, online guide to the capital of the Mid-west is launched. Limerick.ie, an all-inclusive online portal for Limerick with comprehensive information on visiting, doing business and living in the capital of the Mid-West has been launched. The Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Maria Byrne; Leas Cathaoirleach Cllr Michael Sheahan; Eoghan Prendergast of Shannon Development and special guest, comedian Pat Shortt, gathered in the new Limerick Greyhound Stadium for the launch of the site, which showcases Limerick as a great place to live, work and visit. The need for a single Limerick internet portal to establish Limerick as a destination of choice for both the national and international market has led to a number of local agencies coming together to develop this new website. It is envisaged that Limerick.ie will be the first option available when searching the Internet for information on the city. The site will give up-to-date information on all festivals and events as well as providing relevant, current content on all aspects of visiting, studying and living in Limerick.
“It is without doubt the first place where people now go to seek information,” she said. “The image of Limerick is directly affected by the availability of the right information and every effort must be made to present this information to a global audience. The new site, Limerick.ie will showcase all of Limerick’s unique selling points particularly the positive sides of living, working, doing business in and visiting Limerick.” “I’m delighted that local organisations have successfully worked together on this much needed project which has been extremely cost effective. The fact that these agencies have come together to create a strong site with up to date content means ”Limerick.ie will draw higher audiences and lead it to be number one on search engines.” Leas Cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council, Cllr Michael Sheahan described Limerick.ie as a “one stop shop for anyone wishing to find out more about visiting, working and living in Limerick”. “The current economic climate makes it incumbent on all regions to take responsibility for the promotion of their respective areas,” he pointed out. “In Limerick’s case, a significant amount of work already has been undertaken to raise the profile of the City and County as a location for investment, as well as an attractive place to visit and live.”
Speaking at the launch, Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Maria Byrne said the internet plays an essential role to promote a positive image of Limerick.
“I’m confident that this website will be a very useful resource for anyone wishing to visit or do business in Limerick and for local people to find out about organisations or events that are happening in their locality.”
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
IN IRELAND 2011
Development costs for the new site were minimal as no external consultants were used and in-house technical and editorial skills were utilised. Available existing technology for the site included content management, hosting, maintenance, infrastructure and geographical information systems, also helping to keep costs to a minimum.
21
Eoghan Prendergast, Shannon Development’s Limerick Division Development Manager, said: “Shannon Development is delighted to be jointly launching this new initiative for Limerick. As a destination, Limerick has a very competitive and attractive offering for visitors and investors, and it is a superb location in which to live, work and learn. Limerick’s growing reputation as a location for national and international events is borne out by its success in hosting events such as the Skyfest Fireworks, the 2010 Special Olympics, and the visit to Limerick this week by members of the hugely influential Irish Technology Leadership Group from Silicon Valley in the US.” “Limerick.ie complements Shannon Development’s marketing work to brand and position Limerick to secure more economic development. With the upcoming Limerick European City of Sport 2011 programme being finalised, and
the 800th anniversary of King Johns Castle in 2012, the new website will play a strategic role in getting Limerick’s news, offers and products more effectively into the international market place.” Liam McElligot, Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership said Limerick.ie will be an invaluable resource for the business community. “Cities across the world are competing in a global market place for investment in jobs, education & knowledge economy,” he said. “I believe that only the best prepared to communicate globally & properly presented can succeed on scale that matters.” “Limerick.ie and the partnership of input that it represents is a splendid platform that will place the region on a level playing pitch with the best web offerings commensurate with cities and regions of its size. It is all about setting out our stall in away that reflects on the greater limerick area as a modern vibrant location to invest, work, educate & play in,” he added. Mihai Bilauca, project manager for Limerick.ie said it makes sense to have one common, coordinated site for Limerick and plans are in the pipeline for an iPhone app, video content and live Limerick webcams. “In 2010 we mapped over 700 amenities and published over 350 events, and this is only the beginning. Limerick.ie will continue to evolve in 2011 with the support of the participating agencies and the local community. Users of the GPS navigation devices will easily find directions to the amenities listed on limerick.ie as
we have started to work with two major data suppliers for GPS navigators.” “We would strongly encourage all local businesses, event organisers, agencies and community groups to support us and work with us to bring our message to the global audience: Limerick is a great place for Visiting, Doing Business, Living, Learning and Playing in.” “The website has been built by Limerick people with hard work, commitment and passion as true representatives of the spirit of Limerick people.” Limerick.ie is supported by Limerick City Council, Limerick County Council, Shannon Development, Limerick CoOrdination Office, Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership, Limerick Chamber, Limerick Regeneration, Integrating Limerick Working Group, Limerick City Enterprise Board, PAUL Partnership and Limerick City and County Development Boards.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
IN IRELAND 2011
Underfloor Heating Moving Forward Martin Timmons warns that, when it comes to wet underfloor heating, suitable design and installation are key to getting an efficient and comfortable heating system. “Wet underfloor heating has often been unfairly branded as uncomfortable and expensive, if it is designed, installed and used correctly however, the system can provide an extremely efficient and comfortable heating systems.” “While it is true that poorly designed and installed systems of wet underfloor heating are expensive to run, the same could be said for every type of heating system that is improperly designed or installed.” “From much experience of the installation, maintenance, and design of underfloor heating I have discovered various shortfalls in general underfloor heating installation and design. In the majority of cases these shortfalls are due to an attempt to reduce initial costs but this leads to a less efficient system and results in higher running costs and lower comfort levels.” “Traditionally long pipe runs of up to 120m have been used, however the heat dissipation over the loop length leads to a very low return water temperature. In addition to this, the practice of starting at one end of a room and just looping the pipe back and forth for the full length of the room—although a common and easy-to-use layout—is the worst possible option, often resulting in cold areas of the floor at the return end of the loop. Systems with these characteristics require
high output heating appliances and high flow temperatures in order to function but will never work efficiently.” “What I have determined from experience and research is that in order to ensure maximum efficiency and compatibility with efficient heating appliances, a system must be properly designed and calculated, taking into account the building characteristics, the heat source or sources, and the possibility of future modifications to the system.” “Ensure that the loop lengths are kept as short as possible (and unquestionably well below the 120m and 80m loops traditionally used). Where multiple loops are to be used in one heating zone, each loop should be kept the same length to ensure even heating throughout that zone.” “The layout should be a designed to use low flow temperatures and even distribution of heat; this is generally achieved by closer pipe centres and a layout that loops back on itself and doesn’t allow for the flow and return to be at opposite ends of the zone.” “Low flow temperature and relative high return temperature is key to the compatibility with heat pumps and efficient running. The use of a buffer tank or thermal store is worth considering especially in systems that use various different hearing sources.” “In most homes the kitchen is used during the day and early evening, whereas sitting rooms tend to be used more in late evenings. Great benefits can be achieved by using individual room control with both time and temperature control throughout the entire house. In the past this has been considered expensive to install but recently the cost of heating controls has reduced for both new installations and in upgrading existing systems.”
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
IN IRELAND 2011
“It cannot be stressed how important insulation is: no matter how well-designed, installed or efficient any heating system is, it cannot run efficiently without proper levels of insulation. This is why no heating system can be designed or really called a heating system without taking into account the insulation and windows in a property.”
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“In considering underfloor heating in any home you need to ensure that it is designed to meet your needs and that the installer is both experienced and competent.” For more information go to Timmons Plumbing & Maintenance, www.timmonsheating.ie or call 087 9831 883.
External Insulation With up to 40 percent of domestic heat lost through exterior walls, external wall insulation could offer you serious savings in the long run. Now that we’re out the other side of one of the coldest winters that many of us remember, it’s time to take stock of our homes and their effectiveness when it comes to retaining heat. External wall insulation is a composite cladding system comprised of suitable insulation and waterproof coating that is applied to the external walls of a building. The most efficient way to insulate an existing building, the system uses the fabric of the building like a storage radiator: because the heat can no longer escape through the outer layer of insulation, it is reflected back into the living areas, creating a warm, comfortable home.
As well as having a huge impact on the inside of your home, external insulation can also have a dramatic and positive effect on the exterior. When upgrading the thermal performance of a building using the external wall insulation system a bright new low-maintenance façade can be created without the cost associated with conventional methods. Even better news is that grants from the Sustainable Energy Association of Ireland are now available to help homeowners avail of external wall insulation. Up to €4,000 can be claimed for the installation of external wall insulation in domestic buildings and the addition of effective energy-saving measures are great for upgrading your existing home. If you’re considering putting your house on the market, having demonstrably energy efficient features will only increase the appeal for those buying. In these straitened times with rising fuel prices and a nationwide swing towards reducing carbon emissions and energy wastage, the purchaser is becoming more and more discerning about energy efficiency. External wall insulation is suitable for domestic and commercial buildings, but is particularly suited to the retrofit of existing homes.
With up to 40 percent of heat lost through external walls, external wall insulation can help reduce your heating bills by up to 40 percent. It can also reduce your carbon footprint by cutting your CO2 emissions by up to 2.5 tonnes per year.
Having worked in the supply and installation of external wall insulation since 1998, External Insulation Ireland has built up a portfolio of satisfied customers. The company works with architects, designers, developers, builders and homeowners, in the deliver of energy-efficient, warm comfortable homes. For more information go to www.externalinsulation.ie or call 01 281 1251
Thermal imaging is an effective technique for detecting, visualising and recording temperature differences, heat loss and anomalies due to poor construction details and workmanship. These thermal images show the exterior of a house that was retrofitted with external wall insulation. The before image shows the thermal loss around the unevenly distributed pumped insulation within the wall cavity (the gable wall appears to have dramatic heat loss but this was due to direct sunlight hitting it). The after shows a dramatic reduction in heat loss and an evenly insulated home.
Before
After
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
IN IRELAND 2011
24
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SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
IN IRELAND 2011
Specialising in:
25
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Full Service To insure your boiler is thoroughly serviced by a competent technician, Eamonn Peate from Arnie Services advises that customers should check that the company or tradesperson is registered with OFTEC. “I received a telephone call last New Years Eve from a homeowner whose central heating was not working,” says Eamonn Peate of Arnie Services Ltd. “I asked some questions to try to determine the cause of her problem. She was using an oil fired boiler and confirmed that she had oil in the tank. She continued to tell me that she already had two technicians try to sort her problem, and that she had no central heating for over two weeks, during our coldest weather snap for decades. I asked her what the previous two tradesmen had done in their efforts to fix her heating. She told me the first person had a look at her boiler and confirmed that it was working, and then left. The second person replaced the circulating pump saying the original one was not working and left without getting the central heating working again, but told her that the boiler badly needed a service. “I called to the house to check the problem. The customer had installed a new condensing boiler two years previous; this was recommended to her as some of her radiators were failing to heat. The boiler started no problem but soon shut down. I confirmed that the circulating pump was operating so ruled this out as the cause. It became apparent that the flow through the system was extremely poor. I added some hyper-flush chemical to the system, asked the customer to turn the heating on as normal to circulate the chemical within the system and told her that I would return in a week to carry out the power flush.” “When I returned I was informed that some of the radiators had begun to work again. This confirmed my original diagnoses that the system was blocked with sludge. I carried
out the power flush and also serviced her boiler. Upon completion of the power flush and service her system was back to full operation. “There were a number of factors involved that caused this system failure. As per manufacturers instructions a proper flush should be carried out on the heating system pipework before installing a new boiler. The new boiler was recommended because some radiators were not heating, if this was investigated it should have been seen as a warning that the build-up of sludge was already beginning to restrict flow in the pipe-work.” “If the Oftec CD/10 form had been completed for this installation it would have raised the question about power flushing requirements. Unfortunately most homeowners are unaware of the need to have the commissioning paperwork completed following the installation of a new boiler in order to activate their warranty.” “In this case the customer was without heat for over three weeks during an extremely cold spell. She had paid two tradesmen to call to check the problem, even though neither of them had done a competent job. This is the sort of behaviour that reflects negatively on our industry and is one of the reasons why I decided to register with OFTEC in an effort to show that we are a professional company providing a professional service.” For more information go to www.superdeck.ie or call 086 348 4991.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
IN IRELAND 2011
26
Wheels in Motion for Dublin Bike Scheme Expansion With more than 48,000 subscribers and growing, the Dublin Bike Scheme has been one of the most successful in Europe. Bound together by low usage costs, efficiency and an environmentally friendly ethos, it’s not hard to see why the people of Dublin have taken it to heart, writes Sally Harding O’Neill. Since the introduction of the bike scheme in September 2009, the number of people availing of this service could not have been anticipated. The car has long been seen as the most efficient and comfortable option for commuters but it seems Dubliners have realised that not only will a bike journey take a fraction of the time, it will save money on fuel, abolish the frustration of looking for a parking space and can promote a healthy lifestyle into the bargain.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
IN IRELAND 2011
It all sounds like a winning formula and a multi-beneficial system for the user; however, the phenomenon surrounding the city bikes was certainly not predicted. Jason Frehill of Dublin City Council told me that initially they were just hoping for a couple of thousand subscribers at best. “We were expecting about 2,000 subscribers by the end of the first year and as it stands at the moment we have in excess of 48,000 and we’ve had more than 1.25 million trips since the launch. It is one of the most accomplished in Europe with an average of 12 trips per bike a day. The success of this scheme was totally unprecedented and it’s fantastic to see how the people of Dublin are embracing it.”
Plans for expansion It has been so wholly embraced that plans for a ten-fold expansion are underway. At present, the scheme comprises 450 bikes, 40 stations and 850 parking spaces. The first expansion will see new bike stations in the Docklands area and around Heuston Station. Fourteen phases of expansion are anticipated in a radius from the 41 current locations. The first roll out will include stations east of the current Docklands and west to Heuston Station followed by a move to include the near city suburbs of Dolphin’s Barn, East Wall, Phibsboro, Cabra and Ranelagh. “The long-term plan will see the provision of 5,000 bikes over a five-year period. We are working on the procurement aspects of that presently. The docklands and Heuston areas are the immediate priority and the environmental design team are looking into the detail of design at the moment,” commented Frehill, adding, “feedback from employers in the docklands area has been that it is allowing for a more efficient workforce. Before this, a lot of businesses had to
send employees up to the Grafton/ Henry Street areas in a car, where they had to find a car space, pay for parking and then had the obstacle of traffic, which took so much time out of the working day. Now they can cycle in five minutes and have time to have a coffee before they return to work.” The reasonable cost of hiring a bike certainly doesn’t hurt, with Dublin City Council charging just €10 a year to join. The first half an hour is rental free and the rates are very modest thereafter.
Good for the environment After walking, cycling is the least polluting way of travelling. Ten bikes can be parked in the space of one car and 2kg of carbon are saved for every short journey that is made using a bike instead of a car.
“The Dublin Bike Scheme is environmentally sustainable, reduces the number of carbon emissions and it also promotes a healthier lifestyle. 38 percent of commuters that come into the city only have to travel five kilometres, resulting no need for a car. The expansion is only going to improve the amount of people cycling in the city, how the city functions and how businesses function within the city.” Jason Frehill. Dublin City Council.” For further information go to www. dublinbikes.ie.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
The bike scheme has not only been a triumph for commuters but has been welcomed by tourists, some of which would be already familiar with the scheme in their home cities. “We have about 17 – 18,000 short term subscribers that pay two
So with obvious need for such a system in the capital, can we expect the freedom to pick up a bike in any part of the country in the future? “We would absolutely advocate this. It would be fantastic to see someone hopping on to a bike in Phibsboro and going to Heuston station then getting their train to Cork and hopping on a bike there to get around. In an ideal world the bike scheme would reach other cities nationwide in the future. It would be up to local authorities to push forward,” explained Mr Frehill.
IN IRELAND 2011
JC Decaux, the outdoor advertising company has so far funded their pick-up and drop-off stations in return for advertising space in the city. A similar ‘bike for billboard’ scheme is currently operating in Paris. The bikes, supplied by JC Decaux are well-built and sturdy, with three gears, undeflatable tyres and are said to be ‘damage-resistant’. They also come with a lock and a bell to warn pedestrians close by.
euros for three days. Tourists are using them to go to places like the Museum of Modern Art and Kilmainham Jail and the feedback is that they are very simple and easy for them to use,” says Mr Frehill.
28
The Car and Global Warming
The Car and Pollution
Motor vehicles are the single biggest source of atmospheric pollution contributing an estimated 14 percent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel burning, a proportion that is steadily rising. Add the emissions from exploration, transportation, refining and distribution of fuel, and this figure is 15 to 20 percent of world emissions.
Exhaust fumes cause acid air, pollution, cancer, lead-poisoning and a variety of bronchial and respiratory illnesses.
The average European car produces over four tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. •
•
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
IN IRELAND 2011
•
Methane (another global warming gas) is also emitted by cars. The level is quite low, only about one percent of UK emissions, for example. But they facilitate the annual build-up of methane in the atmosphere—0.9 percent increase per year—by emitting large quantities of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide interacts and uses up hydroxyl radicals in the atmosphere. Hydroxyl radical is the principle chemical for destroying methane. Emissions of carbon monoxide increase global warming by removing a defence against the build-up of methane. In all, transport is estimated to account for 2025 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions.
The average car emits a cocktail of more than 1,000 pollutants. •
•
•
Tetraethyl Lead: added to fuel to increase the output power of the engine. Effects: it is extremely toxic and can affect almost any organ of the body. Low level exposure over a long period most commonly affects the nervous system and blood. Benzene: occurs naturally in crude oil. High benzene is sometimes added to fuel to improve the properties of premium unleaded gasoline. Highest concentration levels are outdoors are in urban areas, and especially near petrol stations, petrol tanks and benzene producing/handling industries. Effects: a proven carcinogen. Studies on benzene-exposed workers show statistically significant association to acute leukaemia. Carbon Monoxide: cars are the major source of carbon monoxide, accounting for over 65 percent of emissions in OECD countries. Effects: one of the most directly toxic substances, it affects human health by impairing the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood causing impaired perception, slowing reflexes and drowsiness. It can increase occurrence of headaches and affects the central nervous system, the heart and the transference of blood around the body.
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In 2002, the Government set up SEI as Ireland’s national energy agency. Its mission is to promote and assist the development of sustainable energy. There are a number of grants available for homes and business including a Home Energy Saving scheme (Insulation Grants).
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External Wall the dramatic impact that External Wall climate. 0% dictable of Grants of €4,000 are Wicklow available forand an External Insulation will certainly enhance any property External Insulation Ireland is based in Kilcoole, County has an office in Fairview. Irish Irishmarket. market. Insulation could have on your home. Case Study... eral However, did you know that there’s a company and save you money in the long run. Wall Insulation.(Wicklow) Also, don’t forget that you are(Fairview). 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. . . . . 39.22
Boiler & heating controls upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€2,700 . . . . . .€700 . . . . . .€2,000 . . . . . .
. . . . . 31.1
Addition of porch/Draught lobby3,750.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€3,750 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€3,750
.....
. . . . . 30.78
Install 3m2 evacuated tube solar panel with 150L separate storage .€3,250 . . . . . .€900 . . . . . .€2,350 . . . . . .
. . . . 25.73
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Change windows & doors to Munster joinery Double glazed PVC . . . .€5,500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€5,500 . . . . . .
OVERALL COST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€26,010 . . . . . .€6.050 . . . . .€19,960
All the above prices are subject to 13.5% VAT
Gail’s valuation before the work in late 2009 was €280,000 with no guarantee of a quick sale or any sale at all. When she came back in early 2010, after the remedial work had been completed, she valued the house at €325,000 with an excellent prospect of selling quickly.
PAREX
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With up to 40 per cent heat lost through external walls, EWI can help reduce your heating bills
Details of upgrade
Cost
Grant Obtained
Net Cost
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A
FT
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warm home. Upgrade attic insulation to 300mm quilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€460 . . . . . . .€250 . . . . . .€210 . . . . . . . .F . . . . . 73.34
EXTERNAL INSULATION SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€10,000 . . . .€4,000 . . . .€6,000 . . . . .D1 . . . . 50.26 by up to 40WALL per cent.
Original house
BER Achieved
CO2 Emmissions kgCO2/M2/Yr
BER Before/after survey & advisory report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€350 . . . . . . .€200 . . . . . .€150 . . . . . . . .F . . . . . 76.55 When upgrading the Thermal performance of a building Upgrade attic insulation to 300mm quilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€460 . . . . . . .€250 . . . . . .€210 . . . . . . . .F . . . . . 73.34 year. Boiler heating controls . . .inside . . . . . .using . . . . . . . . .the . . . . . .External . . . .€2,700 . . . Insulation/Parex . . .€700 . . . . . .€2,000 . . . . . .EWI C1. . . . .system 31.1 you also As & well as having a huge upgrade impact on the EXTERNAL WALL INSULATION SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€10,000 . . . .€4,000 . . . .€6,000 . . . . .D1 . . . . 50.26 of your home, External Insulation Ireland can also Addition of porch/Draught lobby3,750.00 . . .get . . . . . .the . . . . . .opportunity . . . . . . .€3,750 . . . . . . to . . . . create . . . . . . .€3,750 . . . . .C1. . .new . . 30.78 low maintenance have a dramatic and positive effect on its exterior. a Bright Change windows & doors to Munster joinery Double glazed PVC . . . .€5,500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€5,500 . . . . . .C2. . . . . 39.22 When upgrading the Thermal performance of a building using the External Wallsolar Insulation system, Install 3m2 evacuated tube panel with 150L separatewithout storage .€3,250 . . . . .cost .€900 . associated . . . . .€2,350 . . . . . .with B3 . . . . 25.73 façade the conventional Boiler & heating controls upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€2,700 . . . . . .€700 . . . . . .€2,000 . . . . . .C1. . . . . 31.1 you are also given the opportunity to create a bright new low maintenance façade without the Addition of porch/Draught lobby3,750.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€3,750 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€3,750 . . . . .C1. . . . . 30.78 All the above prices are OVERALL COST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€26,010 . . . . . .€6.050 . . . . .€19,960 cost associated with conventional methods. subject to 13.5% VAT It can also reduce your carbon footprint by cut-
Change windows & doors Double glazed PVC . . . .€5,500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€5,500 . . . . . .C2. . . . . 39.22 ting your CO2 emissions by uptotoMunster 2.5 tonnesjoinery per
The company’s certified brick finish system
6 Renmore Business Park, Kilcoole Ind. Estate, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow.
Gail’s before thebrick work in late 2009 was €280,000 with no guarantee of a quick sale or any sale at all. When she came back in helpsvaluation replicate any existing finish without the cost associated with conventional systems. early 2010, after the remedial work had been completed, she valued the house at €325,000 with an excellent prospect of selling quickly.
Install 3m2 evacuated tube solar panel with 150L separate storage .€3,250 . . . . . .€900 . . . . . .€2,350 . . . . . .B3 . . . . 25.73
We manufacture and supply insulated cills, insulated cill All the above prices are OVERALL COST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .€26,010 . . . . . .€6.050 . . . . .€19,960 ction subject to 13.5% VAT Tel: (01) 281 1251 Fax: (01) 281 1237 Email: info@externalinsulations.ie extensions, decorative mouldings for windows, doors,plinths, Gail’s valuation before the work in late 2009 was €280,000 with no guarantee of a quick sale or any sale at all. When she came back in nalExternal Save 40% on yearly early 2010, after the remedial work had been completed, she valued the house at €325,000 with an excellent prospect of selling quickly. Insulation Ireland is based in Kilcoole, County Wicklow and has an string office incourses Fairview. and gutter quoins stones, parapet cappings, heatingFor costs ulation 57 Fairview Fairview, more information, phone 2811251Strand, (Wicklow) or 8316368 (Fairview).Dublin 3. Tel: (01) 831 6368 Fax: (01) 831 9866 A typical home loses 40% of
corbels.
Also, youthe can email info@externalinsulation.ie or visit www.externalinsulation.ie is heat through exteral Masonry walls. Learn more about n External Wall Insulation Also available are a range of synthetic granite
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External Insulation Ireland is based in Kilcoole, County Wicklow and has an office in Fairview. For more information, phone 2811251 (Wicklow) or 8316368 (Fairview). natural stone Also, you can email info@externalinsulation.ie or visit www.externalinsulation.ie
www.externalinsulation.ie
and finishes to give that touch of class to any project.
PAREX
Our certified brick finish system helps replicate any existing brick finish without the cost associated with conventional systems.
®
66Renmore RenmoreBusiness BusinessPark, Park,Kilcoole KilcooleInd. Ind.Estate, Estate,Kilcoole, Kilcoole,Co. Co.Wicklow. Wicklow. Tel: Tel:(01) (01)281 2811251 1251Fax: Fax:(01) (01)281 2811237 1237Email: Email:info@externalinsulations.ie info@externalinsulations.ie With our extensive range of colours that are mixed in 57 6368 (01) 9866 57Fairview FairviewStrand, Strand,Fairview, Fairview,Dublin Dublin3. 3.Tel: Tel:(01) (01)831 831factory 6368inFax: Fax: (01) 831 9866 Kilcoole Co,831 Wicklow ensuring the product delivered anywhere in Ireland within 24 hours thus eliminating long lead times.
www.externalinsulation.ie www.externalinsulation.ie All our finishes and Mouldings can be used on traditi
build without the cost and weight restrictions associa traditional methods.
Freephone 1800 655 655
Package Includes: