GREEN SOLUTIONS, FOR A BETTER CLIMATE.

Your ideal partner for the future of pump technology Wilo have what it takes as a manufacturer who can truly understand the many applications of our products in real-world situations. Staying abreast of Global Megatrends enables us to develop products which are ready for the challenges of tomorrow. Digitalisation to cope with the demands of globalisation and urbanisation.

Your ideal partner for the future of pump technology - Wilo have what it takes as a manufacturer who can truly understand the many applications of our products in real-world situations. Staying abreast of Global Megatrends enables us to develop products which are ready for the challenges of tomorrow. Digitalisation to cope with the demands of globalisation and urbanisation.

For further information please contact our sales team

CIF Digital Construction Summit

This year’s CIF Digital Construction Summit 2023 will discuss how different strands of the eco-system – the integrators, policy makers and clients – must align in order to maintain competitiveness in a tough market.

The summit opens at Croke Park on 15 June and features panel discussions, inspiring case studies and real-life demonstrations.

See www.digitalconstruction.ie

Holohan appointed MD of Saint-Gobain

Saint-Gobain Ireland has appointed Kieran Holohan as its new Managing Director. Kieran joined Saint-Gobain in 2007 and has spent the last nine years as Marketing Director for Saint-Gobain Ireland. Prior to this, he held the positions of Marketing Manager with Moy Isover and Strategy Manager for SaintGobain Ireland.

During his career at Saint-Gobain, Kieran has been an integral part of its leadership team having amassed vast experience of the Irish construction market and the dynamics that shape it.

In his new role he will be responsible for developing and executing business strategies for the Saint-Gobain brands Gyproc and Isover in Ireland.

He will oversee the company’s executive team and manage the company’s business operations, as well as continuing to grow and enhance Saint-Gobain’s brand profile as leaders in the Irish building materials market.

Digitalisation the key

Paul McCormack, Programme Manager for the Belfast Metropolitan led EU project ARISE (pictured), recently presented an address to a key European upskilling audience in Brussels to help mark the European Year of Skills, 2023.

The Architects Council of Europe (ACE), and the European Association for Architectural Education, co-organised the one-day conference which also included an address from the President of the European Association for Architectural Education, Oya Atalay Franck. This public conference – titled New European Bauhaus-Upskilling (Education and Practice) – was web streamed live from the ACE website. The day showed how architectural research and education can activate ecosystems that address the challenge of climate change.

The Belfast Metropolitan led EU project has nine European partners and encourages a new hybrid way of learning while creating a digital mobile curriculum that supports upskilling on energy efficient buildings and BIM.

Among other things, Paul McCormack said: “As we strive to reduce the carbon footprint of the built environment, we must use the advantages of digitalisation to accelerate the upskilling and retraining of the existing workforce, and to deliver a huge wave of digitally-informed and empowered training for the new workers entering the workforce.”

‘We must support wind energy ports’

With the publication of a new report called We can build them: Supporting Irish ports to build offshore wind farms, Wind Energy Ireland has again called on the Government to invest in Ireland’s ports to give industry the best chance of achieving the Climate Action Plan targets at the lowest cost to consumers.

The report includes an examination of how port infrastructure for offshore wind energy is funded elsewhere, both within and outside the European Union, and highlights the important role of state support in giving confidence to investors.

The report builds on the 2022 National Ports Study, which showed that Belfast is the only port on the island of Ireland that is currently fully equipped to serve as a construction base for offshore wind farms.

Several ports, like Rosslare, Cork Dockyard and Shannon-Foynes, have plans to expand their port infrastructure so they can be used to build offshore wind farms, but these improvements require significant amounts of investment. While the ports can, and will, raise much of this themselves, support from the state is crucial to de-risking initial investment.

See: https://windenergyireland.com/

Wavin introduces EPD for its product portfolio

Wavin has introduced environmental product declarations (EPD) for its suite of products sold in the Irish and UK markets. Based on third-party verified life-cycle assessments (LCAs), EPDs transparently map production processes to resource impacts.

Providing details on the environmental impact across the entire life-cycle, EPDs enable building designers, planners, contractors and developers to choose more sustainable products and solutions.

By monitoring, measuring and communicating emissions and process impacts for its products based on LCAs and EPD disclosures, Wavin can initiate continuous product improvements and production measures that contribute to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

See: projects.ie@wavin.com

BPMA appoints new CEO

Wayne Rose has been appointed the Director and CEO of the British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA) following the retirement of his long-standing predecessor, Steve Schofield.

Wayne joined the BPMA in January and spent the following three months shadowing Steve, in what was a gradual handover period. Prior to joining BPMA, Wayne spent 24 years in various management roles at Armstrong Fluid Technology.

Having been founded in Switzerland in 1948, Condair is celebra ng 75 years of providing engineering excellence in humidity control around the world.

The company has been the driving force in technology development in the sector, having invented systems such as the electrode boiler steam humidi er.

At this milestone in our journey, we would like to thank all our customers, partners and suppliers for their amazing support. We look forward to con nuing to provide “ ” for many years to come.

Smyth joins Kernohan

Warren Smyth has joined Kernohan Distribution as Business Development Manager. Headquartered near Bangor, Co Down, Kernohan Distribution specialises in the distribution of electrical, heating, plumbing and ventilation products to customers in Ireland.

As part of Kernohan’s Business Development Team, Warren’s focus is on Valsir drainage solutions in Northern Ireland, together with BSP filtration systems across the entire island of Ireland.

Contact: Warren Smyth, Business Development Manager, Kernohan Distribution. T: 0044 7557 941553; E: w.smyth@iakonline.co.uk

UCC wins sustainability accreditation

University College Cork is the first third-level institute in Ireland to be accredited under Engineers Ireland’s new sustainability criteria for third-level institutions.

The Engineers Ireland accreditation is an objective evaluation and approval of engineering programmes, ensuring that they meet international standards, the needs of the engineering profession, and broader responsibilities to society and the environment.

UCC achieved the chartered engineer accreditation standard for its Bachelors and Masters programmes in Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Energy Engineering and Process and Chemical Engineering.

PM Group CEO Designate

PM Group has appointed Anthony O’Rourke, as Chief Executive Officer Designate. He will succeed current CEO Dave Murphy, when he retires from PM Group in December 2023. O’Rourke joined PM Group in 1994 and has held a number of senior management positions. He is a business leader with an excellent track record in organisational change and building high-performance teams. Since taking over responsibility as Operations Director, he established new operations in Switzerland and Germany and integrated acquisitions in Belgium and the UK. He is a champion of PM Group’s culture, values and employee ownership model.

Left: Brendan Jennings, Chair, PM Group with Anthony O’Rourke, CEO Designate and Dave Murphy, current CEO.

Construct Innovate

Construct Innovate, Ireland’s National Construction Technology and Innovation Centre, has made two key appointments – Paul Keogh (below) as Chair of the Centre’s Steering Committee and Colm McHugh as Centre Manager. Construct Innovate is Ireland’s national research centre for construction technology and innovation, and is the newest addition to Enterprise Ireland’s industry-led Technology Centres Programme.

The Centre will focus on key industry challenges and innovation in residential construction in its first three years. It will also be at the forefront of initiatives to meet the aims of Project Ireland 2040, the National Development Plan 2021-2030, Housing for All and the Climate Action Plan.

See www.constructinnovate.ie

‘Powerful’ winds

Ireland’s wind farms set a new record this year with their best ever performance for the month of April. Wind energy provided 35% of the country’s electricity last month and, for the first four months of the year, has met 38% of power demand.

However, Wind Energy Ireland says that the current planning system relating to wind project approvals is not fit for purpose and is considerably hampering further progress.