ISEA for a sustainable future
Conall Bolger
Why move to residential retrofit?
Justine Barrett
BER experts more than assessors
Stephen McGovern
Decarbonisation: ‘long-term pull’ the answer Henrik Juhl Hansen
Mitsubishi Electric’s wide range of energy-saving, and innovative Commercial Heat Pumps and Chillers have a new addition with the MECH-iF. This new range paves the way for the development and integration of proprietary core technologies, to deliver best-in-class seasonal efficiencies. Ideal for all applications from comfort to process and IT Cooling.
Through harmonising and integrating solutions across heating, cooling, ventilating and automation we strive to build better customer solutions and a more environmentally conscious future.
Mitsubishi Electric Ireland. Find out more at les.mitsubishielectric.ie/harmony
The obvious answer is a massive difference, provided it is significant and accurate. Integrating data analytics into building services design should improve everything across the board, from cost efficiencies through to energy saving, system performance, waste reduction and better logistics.
However, much of the current emphasis on data is on data collection, like it is an end-goal in itself. That is a pointless exercise. It is critical that the data collected is of significance, that it is accurate and subsequently validated. Only then will it deliver learning outcomes that are of benefit.
In the early days of BIM, many expected the software to make all the decisions without ever learning to use it properly and get a “BIM licence”. Let’s not make the same mistake with data.
The onslaught of “war on carbon” rhetoric is pervasive. Yet, without the continuous complex reactions, interactions and transformations of carbon between organisms and their environment that perpetuate the carbon cycle, life on earth would cease to exist. Is carbon really the enemy?
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Joe Warren
In an interview with Editor Pat Lehane, Henrik Juhl Hansen, Chairman of the Heating & Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC), says that in dealing with the decarbonisation challenge we need strategies that will deliver a gradual and sustainable long-term solution, not short-term fixes.
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IGBC ANNUAL CONFERENCE REPORT Only “green revolution” can deliver “Nothing needs to be invented but everything needs to be done” – this quote from one of the speakers at the recent IGBC annual conference perhaps best summed up the many speaker contributions. We have the tools and resources to make sustainability happen, we now just need to get on with it.
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Several long-standing and valued stalwarts within the Lawler Group have recently been promoted to director level positions.
Firstly, Brian O’Hanrahan, Denis Phelan, James Long and Raymond Breen have been appointed directors within Lawler Consulting. Their shared 90 years of service with the company has been a significant contribution towards its success to date. The appointments mark a major milestone in the strengthening of the company’s management team going forward.
As part of this reorganisation, Jonathan Culleton has been promoted to Managing Director of Lawler Consulting. He will now lead the team to continued success under the new management structure into the future.
In addition, Laura McMahon has been appointed Director of Sustainability Consulting within Lawler Sustainability. Laura has been instrumental in the growth of this division and also actively engages with the industry at large. She has been a judge on the Architecture + Building Expo Archhitects’ Choice Awards and is the current Vice-Chair of CIBSE Ireland.
The restructured management team now embarks on a new chapter in the company’s affairs with a view to building on the strong foundation established by founder, Noel Lawler, almost 50 years ago.
Photograph shows James Long pictured with Laura McMahon, Raymond Breen, Brian O’Hanrahan, Daniel Ring, Jonathan Culleton and Denis Phelan.
The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) has published a revised Irish standard on gas distribution mains, called IS 329:2024 – Gas distribution mains
This standard, which supersedes the previous version, now provides updated guidance in the design, construction, commissioning, operation, maintenance and alteration and decommissioning of gas distribution mains, at pressures up to, and including, 16 bar.
See www.standards.ie
Henrik Juhl Hansen, Managing Director of the Vaillant Group UK and Ireland, has been appointed as the new chair of The Heating & Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC). He takes over the role from previous Chair, Karen Boswell of Baxi.
Henrik has more than 30 years leadership experience in crosscultural business in the USA, Nordics, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He joined Vaillant in 2016 and has been Managing Director at Vaillant Group UK & Ireland since January 2022. See also www.hhic.org.uk
Camfil offers a wide range of premium clean air solutions for commercial and industrial air filtration, air pollution control and turbomachinery applications. Clean air improves worker and equipment productivity, minimises energy use, and benefits human health and the environment.
Through a fresh approach to problemsolving, innovative design, precise process control and a strong customer focus, Camfil helps clients conserve more, use less and find better ways to deliver healthy, regulation-compliant, indoor environments. Critical to that process is the knowledge-base and experience of the Camfil team, which includes Dave Long, Brendan McAnallen, Devon Fynn and Evgeniia Borisova (pictured above).
Contact: Camfil APC. T: 01 848 4977; E: info@camfil.ie; W: www.camfil.com/apc
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The Association for Electrical and Mechanical Trades (AEMT) has revised its internationally-acclaimed Ex Repair course for individuals involved in repairing electromechanical equipment used in potentially-explosive atmospheres.
The revised course builds on the success of the Association’s Ex Theory, Ex Hands-On and Ex Refresher courses, consolidating the learning into one new course designed for both those new to Ex equipment repair and those looking to refresh their knowledge. It can be delivered either online or in person.
The Ex repair training is in line with the IEC standard for Repair Overhaul and Reclamation of Hazardous Area Equipment – IEC BS EN 60079-19:2019.
See also https://bit.ly/43FJdb7
The Chief Executive of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE), Kate Jennings, recently joined Shane Dempsey, Secretary General of the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland (ACEI) in Dublin to mark the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two associations.
The MOU sets out a clear intent to share best practice, policy and advocacy intelligence, as well as supporting mutual goals to promote recruitment and continuous professional development for built environment professionals.
Shane Dempsey, Secretary General of ACEI, said: “Both Ireland and the UK have ambitious housing, infrastructure and climate change strategies that will provide hundreds of thousands with digitised and globalised careers. If we can get that message across to parents, teachers and young people collectively, we will help to build a sustainable consulting engineering sector for the future.”
Left: Shane Dempsey, Secretary General, ACEI with Kate Jennings, Chief Executive, ACE; James Kavanagh, then ACEI President and new ACEI President, Anne-Marie Conibear.
Ireland’s largest offshore wind project, Codling Wind Park, which will be located off the County Wicklow coast, has confirmed a further 25% reduction in the number of turbines which will be required to deliver the project.
It was previously thought that around 100 turbines would be needed but the project’s final design confirmed that a maximum of 75 and a minimum of 60 turbines would now be required. The minimum proposed turbine tip height has also been set at 288 metres or a maximum of 314 metres.
With this significant reduction in turbines, the development will still generate 1,300 megawatts (MW) of clean electricity, enough to power over one million homes. According to the CSO, this amounts to almost half (48%) of all permanent dwellings in Ireland.
The project, which will be located approximately 13 to 22 kilometres off the Co Wicklow coast between Greystones and Wicklow Town, is a 50/50 joint venture between Fred Olsen Seawind and EDF Renewables. See also www.codlingwindpark.ie
Gas Networks Ireland is searching for a new cohort to join its apprenticeship programme commencing this October. The four-year programme provides mentor-led apprenticeships working on Ireland’s €2.8bn, 14,725km national gas network.
Apprentices will learn all about renewable gases, and also study installation, inspection and testing on a wide range of systems, including pipework, gas meters and pressure regulators.
On completion of the apprenticeship programme, successful trainees will be awarded a QQI Level 6 Advanced Certificate Craft, the national and international requirement for craftsperson status.
See also www.gasnetworks.ie/careers
Our complete integrated heating packages provide everything needed to build a highly efficient, warm and comfortable home.
Tailored to suit the homeowners’requirements, each Grant heating package is correctly sized and specified, free of charge, to achieve compliance, maximise efficiencies and provide long-term savings.
Packages feature the Grant Aerona3 air to water, air source heat pump, Grant hot water cylinders, Grant Afinia aluminium radiators and the Grant Uflex underfloor heating system. Smart controls are also available.
Trust Grant on the journey to warmth and comfort by sending house plans to: heatpump@grant.ie
Six people have been appointed to director and associate director roles at Kirby Group Engineering which also marks its 60th anniversary this year.
Kirby has its headquarters in Limerick and has established bases across Ireland, the UK, mainland Europe and South Africa. The familyfounded firm reported a turnover of €636 million for 2023 and directly employs over 1,500 people.
Four people have been appointed to the role of Director – Pearse Dolan, Operations Director; Taidgh Dooley, Operations Director; Giedre Visockaite, QEHS & Sustainability Director; and Martin Kelly, Commercial Director, Operations.
Two others have been appointed Associate Director – Mark Gannon, Associate Director, Performance; and Stephen Kavanagh, Associate Director, Power and Renewables.
Kerrigan Mechanical has appointed Adam Dent to the position of Senior Contracts Manager. Throughout his time with the company Adam has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership and expertise in managing projects.
Now, as the Senior Contracts Manager, he will continue to play a pivotal role in overseeing all contract operations, and will lead the Site Management team for the prestigious Glass Bottle project (Phases 1A and 1B). Contact: Adam Dent, Senior Contracts Manager. T: 087 259 4066; E: adam@kerriganmechanical.ie
Entries are now being sought for the all-island Octabuild Builders Merchant Excellence Awards with the closing date for receipt of submissions being 1 July 2024. Declan Conlon, Chairperson, Octabuild, said: “Witnessing excellence and innovation daily in builders merchants across the country, we are delighted to host another all-island competition for 2024. As an added bonus for merchants this year, they have the chance to win €4,000 or £3,500 to use specifically for the benefit of their staff.”
Categories include the overall Octabuild Award for Excellence, which is open to the winners of the Leinster, Munster, Northern Ireland and Connacht/Donegal/Monaghan/Cavan Awards for Excellence. There are also Awards for Excellence in the areas of Business Management, Customer Service, Sales and Marketing, Sustainable Business and Community Outreach, plus an opportunity to recognise up-and-coming talent in the industry with the Rising Star Award.
Entries can be made online, by email or by post. Shortlisted merchants will receive a 90-minute visit from the judges during August/September and the winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony in Dublin on Thursday, 17 October 2024.
See www.octabuild.ie/awards for more information.
Architecture + Building Expo, the construction industry show held in tandem with the RIAI Annual Conference, will take place in the Main Hall, RDS, on Wednesday and Thursday, 9 and 10 October 2024.
Apart from exhibitors showcasing multiple sustainable and renewable products and systems, there will also be the Architects’ Choice Product Awards, Breakfast Briefings, and related industry seminars and presentations. See https://archiexpo.ie/
WC, Bathroom and Kitchen Extractor Fan for New Build and Existing Homes
The filterless fanhas been specifically designed and future-proofed to meetthe requirements for social housing new build and retrofit homes as whole-dwelling ventilation ratesincrease.
The filterless fanis designedand manufactured for the rigours of Social Housing where there isa need to remove moisture and improve indoor air quality for all inthe dwelling over the long term with minimal maintenance.
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No need for user intervention, the Infinity NB reacts quietly to reduce high humidity before condensation can start to occur.
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Built into the central cartridge as standard to enable landlords to monitor operational life.
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High quality for peace of mind, saving time, money and hassle. Reducing the impact on landfill sites too.
Anne-Marie Conibear has been elected President of the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland (ACEI). She is the first woman to hold the position since the association was established in 1938.
Anne-Marie is a Director of JB Barry and Partners, an engineering company which was acquired by Egis Ireland in 2023. She leads major water, wastewater and flooding projects, including dam building.
Fingal County Council has appointed an architect-led multi-disciplinary Integrated Design Team (IDT) for the transformation of 6a-14 Bridge Street. Work on redeveloping Quay Street and the harbour area will begin shortly.
Schneider Electric has appointed Rhonda Doyle as the new Vice President of Customer Operations in the UK and Ireland. This follows the appointment of Kristin Hanley, who previously held the post, to Vice President of Sales Excellence and Marketing for the UK and Ireland businesses. Based out of Dublin, Rhonda will take the lead on customer care, satisfaction and quality, business systems, business tendering and project management, alongside developing new strategies to transform end-to-end customer digital experiences.
Prior to this, Rhonda held the post of Senior Director of Field Service Operations since joining Schneider Electric in 2021. During that time, she has played an integral role in growing the services side of the business to support customers’ digitalisation and sustainability strategies.
The long-awaited below-cost loan scheme for home energy upgrades has recently been announced by the Government. The €500 million scheme enables homeowners who receive home energy upgrade grants to cover the rest of the costs with lowinterest loans.
Homeowners can now borrow up to €75,000 at significantly lower interest rates to retrofit their homes. PTSB is the first financial institution to offer loans under the scheme with rates from 3.55%. This is possible because of the combination of an EIB Group loan guarantee and a Government-funded interest rate subsidy. Other major lenders, including AIB, Bank of Ireland, Avant Money and seven credit unions from the Irish League of Credit Unions (Clonmel, Connect, First South, Listowel, Naomh Breandan, North Midlands and Progressive) are expected to announce their involvement shortly.
Homeowners can avail of the scheme subject to certain conditions and the work must be carried out by an SEAI registered One-StopShop, energy partner or communities project coordinator.
Over 100 people from all sectors of the industry participated in the ASHRAE young engineers YEA quiz night at Roddy Bolands in Dublin recently. There were prizes galore sponsored by various manufacturers. These included Lidacel, Crystal Air, EHVACS, Panasonic, ISOPARTNER and EICL.
A significant sum was also raised for the ALONE charity through the raffle for a signed Dublin jersey presented by Colm Basquel and his teammates.
Quiz team winners were as follows. First: JV Tierney; Second: Ethos Engineering; Third: TODD Architects.
Congratulations to Mona Duff on being elected a Fellow of CIBSE. This is a significant honour and is very well deserved given Mona’s contribution to CIBSE Ireland over the years. It included various roles, culminating in that of Chair. She is still very active within the Institution, most notably with WiBSE.
While the notice in a recent issue of the CIBSE Journal indicated she is based in New York, she is very much one of our own and works out of Dublin in her capacity as Senior Manager at the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI).
To mark World Refrigeration Day 2024 on 26 June, Declan Fitzmaurice of the Institute of Refrigeration Ireland will present a talk on the Lord Kelvin, William Thomson of Belfast. The talk will take place in the newly-developed Kelvin building on the site at College Square East in Belfast where William Thompson was born, 200 years ago on that date.
Declan will present an overview of the extraordinary life and legacy of the man who became known as Lord Kelvin, and whose name is forever associated with refrigeration and the temperature scale used to pinpoint Absolute Zero, the lowest possible temperature in the universe.
William Thomson (1824-1907) was a mathematician and engineer born in Belfast. Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of Glasgow for 53 years, he was world-renowned for his extraordinary research and practical problem-solving in the areas of mathematics, electricity, telegraphy, hydrodynamics and heat transfer.
He was instrumental in the design and operation of the first successful transatlantic telegraph cable from Ireland to Canada in 1865, and his work on electricity and the formulation of the first and second laws of thermodynamics did much to unify the emerging discipline of physics.
In addition to the absolute temperature scale, now known as the “Kelvin scale”, among his other inventions and discoveries were the galvanometer, a tide predicting machine, the mariner’s compass and an astronomical clock.
CJK has appointed Robert O’Dowd as Associate Director of EHS and Sustainability. Robert’s 35 years experience in the construction industry will enhance the company’s operational performance.
With summer now upon us, CIBSE Ireland has confirmed the dates for all its major social networking events. Full information, including booking details, will be published shortly. However, in the meantime, these are the dates to block off in your diary.
CIBSE Ireland Touch Rugby Tournament – Coolmine Rugby Club, Thursday, 11 July;
CIBSE Ireland Annual Golf Outing – Luttrellstown Castle Golf Resort, Friday, 30 August;
CIBSE Ireland Annual Lunch –Croke Park, Friday, 29 November.
The SEAI has announced a new round of Government funding for energy research and innovation. This will support innovative projects that could help accelerate Ireland’s ongoing transition to a clean and secure energy future.
Some 240 projects were successful under previous funding calls and these covered everything from wind energy to smart grids, community engagement and geothermal energy.
SEAI expects to invest almost €20 million in energy research and development projects. The deadline for applications for the call is Thursday, 13 June 2024.
While it has been a common practice, especially where space is at a premium, to install batteries in loft spaces or under stairs in homes, the new BSI standard, PAS 63100:2024, changes all that.
These new regulations introduce the basic premise that the best place for storage batteries is outside dwellings and away from habitable rooms. Where it is not practicable to locate batteries outdoors, some basic requirements are provided for locations containing storage batteries, based on the principles that:
• Batteries are separated from habitable rooms, and means of escape for inhabitants, by suitable fire compartmentation;
• Fire detection is provided for battery location, interlinked to a fire alarm system to warn inhabitants of a detected fire;
• Means for escape for inhabitants are not inhibited.
The new standard also covers power conversion equipment (PCE), specifically inverters and converters. Where an inverter is placed in an infrequently accessed location such as a loft space, a smoke detection or alarm system must now be installed.
The new standard (PAS 63100:2024) is available as a free download from the British Standards Institute.
Chartered Engineer Brendan Dervan will deliver the Engineers Ireland online classroom presentation on “LV Power Distribution Design” on Tuesday, 11 June next. This course aims to provide an understanding of the principal aspects of LV distribution design with particular emphasis on design and selection of the LV switchgear system. It is suitable for electrical engineers and contractors in the supply chain of electrical services for buildings.
Novair Air Handling Units
Close Control Units
Jacir/Gohl Cooling Towers
Clint Turbocor Premium Efficiency Air and Water Cooled Chillers
Vertiv/Liebert Indirect Evaporative Cooling Unit
Heating decarbonisation
‘We need long-term pull rather than a short-term push’
Following his recent appointment as Chairman of the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC), Pat Lehane, Editor, Building Services Engineering spoke with Henrik Juhl Hansen, about the challenges ahead and the key issues he wants the industry to address.
PL: Congratulations on your election as Chair of the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC). Can you briefly outline who the organisation represents, and what its objectives currently are?
HH: Thank you, I am really looking forward to chairing the board of such a well-regarded industry body. The Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC) is a member organisation that aims to bring all areas of the heating and hot water industry together. At the HHIC we represent the full supply chain in the industry, working together using our technical expertise to help lobby government and understand any new regulatory changes in the sector and communicating this down the supply chain.”
PL: As Managing Director of Vaillant in the UK and Ireland, how does being a major manufacturer of gas boilers and heat pumps affect your role. Is that a help or a hindrance?
HH: The move to decarbonisation must involve all stakeholders and Vaillant is proud to be playing its part. To achieve net zero goals and decarbonisation in the heating industry, a multi-technology approach is very essential. The HHIC has many working groups utilising all the skills that its members hold. Vaillant UK & Ireland has been a member for many years and, as a large organisation, we have
found the knowledge transfer very useful in both directions. In my new position at the HHIC, we’ll be looking to bridge any knowledge gaps and to leverage all our partnerships with other sector associations as we all share one common goal – to decarbonise heating.
PL: HHIC is “technology agnostic” when it comes to decarbonising heating and hot water – what then do you see as the way forward, in the short-term and looking to 2050?
HH: The HHIC represents a wide range of member interests and looks at many different options to help decarbonise heating and hot water. Heat pumps are the here and now technology and we are aware that governments around Europe are also now considering the strategic use of hydrogen for heat. I am sure other technologies will also play their role as we move from the medium to the longer term.
PL: The European elections will take place later this year. Do you envisage any major policy reversals when it comes to energy and decarbonisation regulations?
HH: It is hard to say whether there will be any changes in the near future but regardless, decarbonisation in the heating industry is incredibly important and that is where the HHIC will focus its efforts.
PL: While heat pump sales increased in the UK last year, sales across Europe decreased. What are the factors influencing this trend?
HH: Until now, heat pumps have been more common and popular in some European countries than they have been in the UK and Ireland. Many European markets have slowed down over the last 12 months for various reasons, including a drop in gas prices and in some countries a lack of policy certainty. In the UK we’ve seen growth in the market, which has been influenced in part by the increasing number of installers undertaking training, more generous Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) funding, and a general increase of awareness among consumers.
PL: What is the biggest threat to the general uptake of heat pumps – costs or the shortage of qualified engineers to install them?
HH: There are multiple barriers to the uptake of heat pumps. The capital cost of installing a heat pump can be a deterrent. However, when we look at the UK, we have seen a fast uptake following the increase of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme which just shows the importance of funding support. In addition, the shortage of trained and competent installers and system designers is also a huge factor. However, in the UK the £500 Heat Training Grant has helped see an increase in the numbers undertaking training. The final challenge is the cost difference between gas and electricity. This varies widely across Europe and we see a greater uptake of heat pumps in markets where the price differential is smaller.
I am looking forward to addressing all these barriers with the HHIC and working with all parties to ensure routes into the heat pump industry are clear, well-promoted and can support a successful business.
Of course, decarbonising heating with heat pumps is not the only answer to reaching net zero goals. I think there are also challenges to be overcome on the heating system as a whole, and to ensuring that current systems are designed as low-flow temperature systems.
PL: Is HHIC in favour of Government intervention in the heating sector by way of subsidies or consumer grants?
HH: Any support or grants for both consumers and the upskilling of the trade will always be gratefully received and it is imperative to the success of reaching targets. It is important that any initiative drives a long-term pull rather than a short-term push.
PL: Should Government invest in additional heat pump installation training for installers, or is that the role of the manufacturers?
HH: Today, many manufacturers are continuing to invest in all areas from production to training, but any further support is welcome from government. As part of the HHIC, it is our place to ensure that both industry and government work together in order to reach joint goals and decarbonise heating. The Heat Training Grant available in the UK, which offers £500 to installers taking recognised heat pump courses, has proved successful and we have seen a marked increase in the number of installers undertaking training.
PL: In Ireland the talk is of reducing the Heat Loss Indicator (HLI), while in the UK the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) sees the requirement for loft or cavity wall insulation being removed when installing heat pumps. Do you think this trend is correct?
HH: It is quite clear that there are
inconsistencies across the UK and Ireland. It is positive that both the Irish and UK governments recognise that this is a complex challenge and that there are many problems to be addressed. Reducing heat loss by increasing insulation will always prove successful since it will reduce the amount of energy needed and therefore save consumer’s money. We understand why the UK has acted to try and simplify the process of installing a heat pump by removing the need for cavity wall and loft insulation. However, we would urge the Irish government to look across Europe for best practise in this respect.
PL: On the question of boilers, is it realistic to expect gas boilers to be entirely phased out by 2050? Will there be a gas supply through the grid beyond that date?
HH: We need ambitious targets if we are to decarbonise home heating but equally, we need to recognise the complexity of the challenge. Setting a date for the phase-out of gas gives us the target but currently the industry does not fully understand how we can decarbonise every property just yet. We must recognise that consumers must be put at the heart of the decarbonisation journey and given a say in how we decarbonise our homes. We also need to recognise that, irrespective of the date that new fossil fuel appliances will be phased out, existing appliances will continue to operate and need to be maintained in a safe and serviceable condition.
PL: Finally, what are the specific targets for your tenure as Chair of HHIC?
HH: I’m looking forward to our first meeting to agree targets together as an association. Decarbonisation is a big task and it is going to take the whole industry working together collaboratively to achieve net zero.
The new AIC range of floor standing electric boilers from C&F Quadrant is an excellent option for use in commercial properties. With a choice of three models, outputs from 36kW to 504kW and with efficiencies up to 99.9%, the boilers can be utilised as the primary heat source or as a secondary heat source when working with heat pumps on a hybrid system. This facilitates improved system efficiencies, reduced capital investment and space requirements, plus flexible system design.
The boilers are based around a pressure vessel with top-mounted immersion heaters. Connections for water flow/ returns and drainage are easily accessible, while electrical equipment is installed behind a lockable hatch on the front of the boiler. Connecting to external equipment, such as integration/control from a heat pump, is simple and only requires a separate outdoor temperature sensor for weather compensation.
The boilers feature an easy-to-use touch-screen control, allowing simple installation and commissioning, as well as straightforward monitoring and servicing. This includes easy access to operational parameters such as power output and operating temperatures, all of which are also accessible via Modbus compatible connection.
The complete range is supplied with safety system equipment as an affordable alternative for compliance with SS-EN 12828. The parts installed comprise a safety valve (3 or 6 bar depending on model), electronic pressure switch and overheat protection thermostat. The safety circuits can also be expanded with up to two manually-resettable external guards, such as an emergency stop. In addition, the control system’s relay card features LEDs for a visual guide to what inputs and outputs are activated.
Multiple integrated stainless steel heating elements allow for variable output. Depending on the model, up to 24 steps of operation can be controlled automatically by the boiler or externally via receipt of a 0-10VDC signal. A limitation on the number of steps to be operational is also possible. Modulating control is especially important on hybrid systems where electric boilers need to work with other heat sources, such as heat pumps, on modern low temperature heat networks (LTHNs).
Though the boilers are designed for pumped operation, they are approved for “zero flow” so, if for any reason water flow through the boiler halts, then inbuilt safety guards automatically cut all incoming power. A full range of accessories including stands, GSM alarms, cable flanges, outdoor temperature sensors, current sensors and BMS/internet modules is available.
•Staged output and can limit maximum output;
•Internal or external control;
•Overheat protection as standard;
•No flue requirement;
•Zero emissions;
•Multiple boilers can be cascaded;
•Reliable and affordable;
•Silent operation;
•Circuit breaker as standard;
•Automatic restart in case of power failure.
Contact: Peter O’Brien, Sales Director, C&F Quadrant. T: 083 385 5793; E: peter@cfquadrant.ie; sales@cfquadrant.ie .
The Electric Series is made up of 13 expertly selected steel and aluminium radiators and towel radiators, which provide unbeatable quality & design to suit every room and decor.
Not just any rad. Stelrad.
Find out more at Stelrad.ie
Leading radiator manufacturer Stelrad Radiators has gone green by teaming up with Tata Steel to offer the first 90% green steel radiator range. Tata Steel is supplying 90% carbon lite steel to Stelrad so that Stelrad customers can choose a green compact radiator range that contributes directly to an immediate reduction in the atmospheric CO2, and accelerates decarbonisation in the future.
The steel comes with a certificate from DNV – Det Norske Veritas – to prove the steel has 90% lower embodied CO2 emissions. The actual process for producing the steel is called Optemis Carbon Lite. Revenues generated by the process are reinvested to fund additional projects, thereby generating further CO2 savings to be verified by DNV and speeding up decarbonisation efforts.
Chris Harvey, Stelrad’s Head of Marketing, said: “This is an exciting step for us to take towards greener manufacturing and fits in perfectly with our Group’s sustainability policy. The new Stelrad Green Series comprises 60 horizontal models from our Green Compact range.
“The concept is already being well received by many of our customers who are keen to see more sustainable products being utilised in their homes and buildings. As well as the reduction in carbon emissions, no plastic will be used for the outer packaging, further increasing the sustainability claims of the product range. It is also important to remember that a steel radiator is 100% recyclable.”
All radiators in the new range bear a “Green Series” radiator badge to distinguish them from the standard ranges, and are supplied with a green packaging label to make them stand out further. The new radiators will come with a new identity and strapline –“Stelrad Green Series – made with clean green steel”. Customers purchasing a green radiator from the Stelrad Green Series will be saving the equivalent expenditure of driving a small car over 250 miles per radiator purchased.
“Stock has been available for orders since March 2024,” says Chris Harvey. “This is an important next step for us to provide products that are guaranteed to be lower in carbon emissions at every stage of production, and that all come with certificated guarantees as to the ‘green’ element certified by our partners Tata Steel, who are also keen to be identified with the sustainability claims that go with the steel we use in these radiators.”
To find out more about the new Stelrad Green Series see www.stelrad. com/trade
• Thermal energy storage cylinder
• Strong dual-wall, high R-value containment
• All natural bio-based, high-latent PCM technology
• Peak demand immersion heat options
• 6, 10, 12, 25 and 50kW options
• Standby loss up to five days
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• Available in 110 and 220 volt (other options available)
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e.Stór is the world’s first bio phase-change-material (PCM)-based thermal energy storage system that works with low-temperature and high-temperature heat pumps. Switch to e.Stór, the sustainable solution for all hot water needs.
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Above: Coastal self-build property in Ballygalley, Co Antrim, utilising a bespoke Grant integrated heating systems. [© Image courtesy Rob McConnell]
An impressive 3,000sq ft coastal self-build property in Ballygalley, Co Antrim, utilises a bespoke Grant integrated heating system for both space heating and hot water provision. Rob and Janice McConnell, the builders of this single-storey property, made sustainability a focal point in their design approach. Situated on the grounds of an 18th-century mill, the construction embodies a commitment to eco-friendly principles.
Winner of RTE’s Home of the Year in 2023, the timber frame home was designed by 2020 Architects and features stunning high ceilings, large windows to take in the views and polished concrete floors.
Rob comments: “I really wanted one supplier for all our heating requirements and loved the idea of working with an Irish company. The heating design process was very straightforward. I sent my house plans through to the Grant team and they calculated the heat loss requirements for each room and provided a fully-integrated heating solution, including specified heating technologies, for the property.”
Due to the size of the property, a 13kW Grant Aerona³ R32 air to water heat pump
was specified as the main heat source. This unit has also been recognised for its quiet operation by the internationallyacclaimed Quiet Mark.
To support the system, a pre-plumbed and pre-wired Grant hot water cylinder was chosen for hot water storage within the home, and Rob selected Grant Uflex underfloor heating to be installed throughout the property to heat individual
rooms. A thermostat was also installed in each room for zoned heating throughout.
“Our previous home was heated by oil and having now moved to an air to water heat pump, I have really noticed how the heat pump provides a level, constant heat throughout the house so it always feels warm and comfortable. Having solar PV means that I can also run the heat pump using renewable electricity during the day or take advantage of using a night-time rate for electricity so it’s a win-win situation.”
Barry Gorman, National Renewables Sales Manager at Grant, commented:
“We are delighted to have provided a bespoke home heating system for the McConnell’s self-build home. Designed to work together, the Grant Aerona heat pump combined with Grant Uflex underfloor heating provides a highlyefficient, low carbon heating solution which complements the sustainability focus of this beautiful home.
Avail of Grant’s heating design service by sending house plans, contact information and preferred choice of heat emitters – underfloor heating, radiators or both, to heatpump@grant.ie
Visit www.grant.ie for more information on Grant’s range of innovative heating solutions. Follow Grant on Facebook and Twitter @GrantIRL or Instagram @ Grant_IRL.
Think Heating. Think Grant.
Vaillant has a long history of bringing innovation and visionary thinking to its products and today is no exception. The current range of heating and hot water solutions includes cutting-edge gas boilers and heat pumps – the ecoTEC and aroTHERM ranges – which can be used independently or in unison to deliver sustainable home comfort solutions.
The warm air/used exhaust air is drawn in to the ventilation system
The NIBS S735 provides the home with hot water for underfloor heating, radiators and domestic hot water
Warm exhaust air is supplied to the NIBE S735 for heat recovery
Fresh air is supplied to the house via external vents
The air overflow occurs at the inside doors, under a door or through the overflow vent holes
Proven in Ireland for over 26 years
Supply and Support NIBE systems
Sole distributors of NIBE AB for the 32 counties of Ireland
Continuous supply of spare parts CommissionServiceSupportRepairs
Full range of NIBE spare parts on hand
Dedicated Team of NIBE Service Engineers
AFTER SALES SERVICE & SUPPORT
the
When the exhaust air has passed through the heat pump, the discharged air is released outside. But, before releasing it, the heat pump extracts and converts as much energy as possible from the exhaust air to heat
•Easy Installation; Pre-wired and pre-plumbed
•Low running costs for the end-users/bill payers
•Natural refrigerant
•Consistently delivers on its claims, operating independently of immersion methods often necessitated by lower-powered alternatives.
•Overview and control using myUplink App as part of your smart home
•Easy Installation; Pre-wired and pre-plumbed
•Natural refrigerant
•Low noise level and large hot water capacity
•A+++ Rating
•Overview and control using myUplink App as part of your smart home
•Low noise level and large hot water capacity
•User-friendly touch screen and integrated wireless
•A+++ Rating
•User-friendly touch screen and integrated wireless
•High seasonal performance and low operating costs
•High seasonal performance and low operating costs
While much of the emphasis on the current drive towards electrification and the use of renewables in heating and DHW is on the heat source, there is a growing awareness that thermal energy storage is now more critical still. It is against this background that Unitherm Heating Systems, working closely with a leading American expert in the field, has developed eSTÓR eSTÓR comprises a range of modular phase change material, (PCM)-based heat batteries that store thermal energy for use in domestic hot water and space heating applications. In an industry first, eSTÓR units are powered by a smart PCM (Bio-PCM) that is precisely tuned
to work with heat pump technologies, and equipped with an intelligent integrated back-up heater system that supports direct connection with PV systems.
Conventional steel hot water tanks are produced using energy-intensive processes (mining and the processing of raw materials at high temperatures), and they suffer from high standby heat losses. This all contributes to wasteful carbon emissions.
In contrast, eSTÓR heat batteries are conscientiously designed to be produced in a manner that reduces carbon emissions in both the manufacturing process and with regard to transportation. This contributes to the circular economy, aids water conservation, yet still delivers copious amounts of instantaneous hot water.
Sustainable and renewable
Using only Bio-PCM, eSTÓR heat batteries have sustainability at their core. Bio-PCM, sourced locally from 100% renewable resources, is a high energy density, non-toxic and biodegradable smart material, providing a local source for local solutions to home energy needs.
Utilising the increased energy density of Bio-PCM, eSTÓR heat batteries store more thermal energy in a smaller overall volume. This results in a more compact system design with a greatly-reduced external surface area through which heat energy can be lost. This more compact size, coupled with the highly-insulated tank and the self-insulating properties of the Bio-PCM, results in extremely low standby losses, providing unrivalled longterm energy storage with reduced energy wastage.
In addition, eSTÓR’s exceptional energy retention performance and its high energy density provide the national grid and utility providers with a demand response/load shifting option for “time of use” planning. This in turn supports stabilisation, while also offering homeowners the ability to store heat energy during lower-cost, off-peak times for use when needed, thereby maintaining thermal comfort at all times.
“Designed today for tomorrow’s homes,” says Declan Kissane, Director, Unitherm Heating Systems, “eSTÓR is a pioneering technology that has already been lauded, having recently been highly-commended in the Innovation Category of the SEAI Energy Show Product of the Show Awards. It is also a responsible technology contribution designed to help achieve the global objective of building a cleaner, more sustainable and safer planet for future generations to come.”
Contact: Unitherm Heating Systems. Dublin – T: 01 610 9153; Cork – T: 021 441 4010; Galway – T: 091 380 038; E: info@unithermhs.ie; W: unithermhs.ie
Värmebaronen began operations in 1975 and is now one of the leading manufacturers of heating systems in Sweden. The products are known for their high quality and long service life, and the extensive portfolio is now available in Ireland from Hevac.. Värmebaronen’s development team works constantly to adapt products to market requirements and demand, while they all meet the requirements for technical reliability, eco friendliness and cost efficiency. In fact, the Värmebaronen range of EP series electric boilers received a High-Commend award in the Best Energy Efficiency category at the SEAI Energy Show product awards last year.
Värmebaronen currently has the widest range of electric heating products on the market and it includes everything from a 1.5kW immersion heater to the largest electric boiler with an output of 1500kW.
The EP series for waterborne heating systems and industrial processes is available in 31 different power sizes, from 31kW to 1500kW, with the power of the boilers divided into 7, 15 or 30 steps and controlled according to the heat demand. As fossil fuels are phased out for other heating alternatives, the need for reliable alternatives and back-up systems also increases. Not so long ago electric heating was often installed as the primary heat source in houses, commercial buildings and other properties. Then came a greater emphasis on fossil fuel sources of energy. Now, with the switch in emphasis back to electric, the tide has turned once again.
In addition to being suitable for the primary heat source, electric boilers are ideal as additional heating, for example to one or more heat pumps. The cost of installing an electric boiler is low and the job is fast and easy. When it is cold outside and the heat pump needs support to maintain the heat, the top-up heat from an electric boiler is invaluable.
This is where the EP series really comes into its own. The boilers are supplied with a thermostat to keep the flow temperature constant and, in order to increase the life of the boiler’s contactors, the boilers have a smart temperature control that adapts the power step-in.
Paul Devereux, Specification Manager, Hevac says: “Given the urgent need to reduce carbon while also reducing energy consumption, electric heating is the ideal solution. The EP series of electric boilers is tailor-made for this all-electric narrative. It also has the added advantage of being suitable as the primary heating source or as supplementary back-up.”
Contact: Paul Devereux, Specification Manager, Hevac. T: 01 419 1919; M: 086 173 8060; E: paul.devereux@hevac.ie; Quotations: tender.enquiries@hevac.ie
In today’s health-conscious world, people are increasingly concerned with the way they exercise, what they put into their bodies and, most importantly, the air they breathe. The Covid pandemic heightened this consideration, while existing and emerging air quality regulations have further reinforced the importance of indoor air quality.
Against this background, it is hard to believe that Panasonic was so far ahead of the curve back in 2003, and that is it now celebrating 20 years since it revolutionised indoor spaces with the introduction of its nanoe™ technology. From its original inception as a concept in 1997 to the present day, nanoe™ has evolved into a game-changing innovation.
Hydroxyl radicals are unstable molecules looking to react with other elements like hydrogen, and capturing them. Thanks to this reaction, hydroxyl radicals have the potential to inhibit the growth of pollutants such as bacteria, viruses, moulds and odours,
breaking them down and neutralising the unpleasant effects. This naturally-occurring process has major benefits to improve indoor environments.
Panasonic’s nanoe™ X technology takes this a step further and brings nature’s detergent – hydroxyl radicals – indoors to help create an ideal environment. By creating hydroxyl radicals contained in water, nanoe™ X technology significantly boosts their effectiveness, increasing hydroxyl radicals lifetime from less than a second in nature, to more than 600 seconds (10 minutes) so that nanoe™ X can easily spread around an indoor space. At one billionth of a metre, nanoe™ X is much smaller than steam and can deeply
penetrate cloth fabrics to deodorise. Another advantage is that no maintenance or replacement is required as nanoe™ X is a filter-free solution made with titatium.
In 2003, after six years of dedicated research, Panasonic introduced nanoe™, and thereby marked a major, innovative breakthrough in technology designed to enhance indoor air quality. The concept was simple yet ground-breaking – harness the power of water-based nanotechnology to create super-efficient ions that cleanse the air by eliminating irritating particles like odours, allergens and bacteria. This commitment to innovation and wellbeing led to the world’s first nanoe™-equipped air purifier in 2003.
Fast forward to 2016 when Panasonic unveiled nanoe™ X, a more advanced and powerful version. In 2022, Panasonic took nanoe™ a step still further with the introduction of air-e, its first stand-alone, ceiling-mounted nanoe™ X generator. With low power consumption, air-e is perfect for various settings where indoor air quality is a priority, including hotels, schools, care homes, hospitals, offices, restaurants and homes.
In 2023, Panasonic presented the nanoe™ X Mark 3 generator, integrated into many of its heating and cooling products. This third-generation technology produces hydroxyl radicals (OH radicals), nature’s own cleansers, which effectively combat indoor pollutants.
Boasting the largest amount of OH radicals in nanoe™ history – a staggering 48 trillion per second, 100 times more than the original technology – the nanoe™ X Mark 3 is nature’s detergent for indoor spaces. With enhanced performance, it significantly inhibits the growth of pollutants, consequently ensuring a healthier and more comfortable indoor environment for all.
Applications include everything from homes right through to retail outlets, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, and the refrigeration sector.
Discover the difference nanoe™ can make at https://www.aircon.panasonic. eu/IE_en/
IES and Dublin City Council won the Green Collaboration Award at the Green Awards 2024 earlier this year for their work together on a whole-life carbon digital twin project designed to optimise the renovation of social housing. It developed the digital twin of three social housing blocks in Dublin and assessed the whole-life carbon impact of four retrofit strategies over three time periods aligned with national targets for 2030, 2050 and beyond. Colin Griffioen (pictured right), Business Development Consultant, IES, explains how IES went about it and the conclusions drawn.
Using its digital twin technology, IES carried out modelling of three residential blocks located on Lower Dominick Street, Dublin. It assessed the full carbon impact and efficiency of four renovation strategies, over three different time periods, to regenerate the vacant buildings built in 1962. The strategies align with the council’s climate targets for 2030, 2050 and beyond.
The project took a whole-life carbon approach, taking into account both embodied and operational carbon. Consideration of embodied carbon, which is the emissions associated with construction and materials throughout the whole life-cycle of a building, is a critical part of sustainable building analysis that is regrettably often overlooked.
The digital twin models were used to identify which strategy, from shallow retrofit to demolition and rebuild, would result in the biggest reduction in wholelife carbon emissions. To determine the strategy that would lower emissions most significantly, the main sources of energy consumption were identified by calibrating data from existing energy bills of the social housing site.
The strategies were as follows –
• Strategy 1: Shallow Retrofit (the implementation of one or two measures which resulted in a reduction in energy consumption of between 0% and 30%);
• Strategy 2: Medium Retrofit (3-6 improvements with a reduction of 30% -60%);
“
As a result of the study, Dublin City Council can make evidence-backed decisions when developing the most optimal whole-life carbon regeneration strategy for the refurbishment of ageing social housing buildings.
• Strategy 3: Deep retrofit (a package of measures working together leading to an energy reduction of 60%-90%);
• Strategy 4: Reduce to Core and Shell and Rebuild (leaving in place structural elements and the upgrade of all other elements which have a bearing on energy use in addition to the installation of renewable technologies in order to reduce energy and CO2 levels to close to zero).
Each strategy consisted of a package of energy efficiency measures. IES’ core Virtual Environment (VE) software was used to understand the impact on energy usage and operational carbon of each measure through dynamic, physicsbased simulations. This allowed them to understand which strategy would bring the biggest reduction in operational emissions, which, as expected, was Strategy 4.
In order to understand the wholelife cycle impact of the interventions, the integration between the VE and
OneClickLCA was used to calculate the embodied carbon associated with each intervention. Once this was added to the operational emissions, and estimated at different life periods (20, 40 and 60 years), Strategy 3 outperformed Strategy 4 due to the high embodied carbon associated with a full renovation. Strategy 3 (Deep Retrofit) was hence selected as the best option to optimise the whole-life carbon of the building over all life-cycle periods assessed. The full results are included in the Dublin City Council Climate Resilient Housing Report, which highlights that over a 60year life period, each residential block can achieve around an 85% reduction in cumulative emissions by carrying out a
deep retrofit. As a result of the study, Dublin City Council can make evidencebacked decisions when developing the most optimal whole-life carbon regeneration strategy for the refurbishment of ageing social housing buildings. The project was funded by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s Public Sector Innovation Fund, with IES and DCC in partnership winning the contract to create the digital twin. The results of the project will help Dublin City Council to meet emissions reduction targets, retrofitting targets for social housing, and housing delivery targets. As more targets are imposed by the government to mitigate climate change, new systems must be developed to assess the strategies for derelict buildings.
Sabrina Dekker, Climate Change Coordinator, Dublin City Council, said: “This project has demonstrated the results that can be achieved through working collaboratively, exchanging knowledge to drive innovation and to meet targets. IES’ digital twin technology has helped us confirm the importance of retrofitting to reduce our emissions and the results will be used to inform future projects. It is also hopeg that the study can be scaled to more sites across Dublin and beyond to estimate the carbon impact of other renovation projects.”
In the ever-evolving realm of home heating, electric radiators have undergone a remarkable transformation. No longer confined to simple towel rails, electric radiators now bridge the gap between efficient performance and aesthetic elegance. Versatile’s range of electric radiators not only exude functionality, but also seamlessly integrate into any interior design, providing warmth and beauty in equal measure. At Versatile, electric radiators are more than heating devices … they are conduits of luxury that marry function with elegance and epitomise the future of home heating.
Step into a world where design meets innovation with Versatile’s multi-column electric radiators that effortlessly blend into both modern and traditional settings. The option to choose from a range of colors, including bespoke shades, ensures they are a seamless fit for any décor. Let the space exude an air of refined luxury with a touch of modern design.
With the new Runtal Rad electric radiators functionality meets luxury. With either horizontal or vertical orientations, these radiators are crafted to transform any space into a masterpiece. Choose from a diverse palette of colors to seamlessly integrate them into existing interiors. Witness how simple heating can become a sophisticated luxury that complements every taste.
Multi-column electric – where customisation meets innovation.
Runtal Rad electric – a symphony of function and form meets innovation.
The International Energy Research Centre (IERC), based at Tyndall National Institute, is working towards the transition to cleaner energy systems, both nationally and globally. Conventional homes will have a significant role in supporting this transition. Households could be transformed into eco-friendly “super homes” by introducing distributed energy resources (DERs), such as solar panels, battery storage, heat pumps and electric vehicles.
The project, named SuHSI’ (Super Home Smart Inverter for Irish Electricity Network), is funded by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). It aims to assist in making these changes successful through an augmented integration of DERs with the existing power grid. This initiative will help homeowners to reduce their carbon footprint and energy bills and will also contribute to the overall sustainability of the electricity network.
The SuHSI project promises the smooth integration of DERs into the grid through the implementation of smart inverters and associated advanced control systems. This research project also aims to integrate advanced technologies like AI-based intelligent power energy management systems to facilitate the seamless integration and control of DERs for “super homes”.
The key objectives of the SuHSI project are to:
•Ensure alignment to future smart grid architecture to enable the “super home’s” participation in future energy trading (local energy and flexibility markets) and system services (voltage and frequency regulation);
• Reduce the cost of electricity by implementing intelligent home energy management systems, including vehicleto-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) energy management models;
• Increase the inverter efficiency > 99 % and reduce the overall energy price by (0.06-0.1€)/kWh.
Through this research, the IERC intelligent grid research team will also demonstrate the “Virtual Living Lab” concept for further research on future Irish “super homes” and beyond. The virtual living lab concept of “super
homes” will allow researchers to test and evaluate different control developments and energy management systems in a hardware-in-loop environment before implementing them on a larger scale.
This project possesses the potential to significantly advance the transition towards a more sustainable and energyefficient future, demonstrating how “super homes” can become active participants in future energy markets.
Lead researcher and principal investigator, Dr Sandipan Patra, said: “Our aim is to create a network of citizens who are committed to reducing their carbon footprint and promoting distributed energy resources. This project provides resources and tools to assist individuals in becoming energy-active citizens and network operators in managing energy resources more efficiently.”
Dr Sandipan Patra and Dr Shafi Khadem will collaborate with Dr Noor-A-Rahim from the Department of Computer Science at UCC to successfully execute the project goals.
For more information contact: Dr Sandipan Patra, Lead Researcher and Principal Investigator. E: sandipan.patra@ierc.ie
Wavin Hep2O Push-
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Camfil APC specialises in providing solutions for controlling or eliminating hazardous airborne dusts, fumes and mists, particularly in industrial manufacturing processes.
It has an expert team that deals exclusively with dust collection, all of whom have extensive experience in delivering projects related to dust control. At the helm is Brendan McAnallen, Sales Manager, Camfil’s Air Pollution Control Division in Ireland.
In a recent challenging project in the pharmaceutical sector, Brendan, supported by his technical team, provided a tailored solution focusing on design compliance. By working with the client’s User Requirement Specification (URS), Camfil selected a suitable dry dust extraction system that met all the requirements. The customer’s active involvement, especially in health and safety, design compliance and product suitability, was crucial. Indeed, the importance of stakeholder buy-in and engagement in any such project is critical to ensure the system performs as required.
Brendan’s experience and leadership in identifying product suitability, design, dust categorisation, flowrate requirements and commissioning was essential for the project’s success. Collaboration with onsite experts and installation partners also contributed significantly. Ensuring all stakeholders were working towards the same goal ensured that no element in the project got undervalued or forgotten. Reference to previous successful projects using Camfil APC products provided reassurance to the customer. It led them to trust that the concerns they had would be solved, and that the correct solution would be delivered. Guarantees of performance and testimonials further supported the decision-making process, enabling Camfil to deliver certified and fully-operational equipment to satisfy the customer’s needs.
Most industrial facilities generate harmful emissions when products are manufactured, processed and packaged. Quite often, dust is so common it is easy to forget that it can actually be quite dangerous to the health of employees and the safety of products. However, each industry has to deal with its own unique set of challenges when it comes to controlling air pollution and improving air quality inside, and around, manufacturing facilities. To determine the right extraction solution, it is essential to understand the application and the processed ingredients.
Depending on the application and the generated emissions, the challenge of safely capturing and cleaning the process air can vary significantly. While on some applications open-capture solutions close to the source are adequate, other processes generating toxic or harmful dusts require an encapsulated solution to fully protect operators from exposure. This can also include “bag-in bag-out” safe change systems for filters and dust discharge.
If the process dust is tested and considered to be combustible or explosive, the dust collection system has to be equipped with ATEX-certified explosion protection and explosion venting measures in order to control an explosion, keep employees safe and minimise damage. Testing the dust and performing a hazard analysis will help to determine which safety measurements are necessary.
Legislation typically requires that employers must ensure that adequate measures are in place for the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (CoSHH) and that Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL) are not exceeded. In addition, international standards such as the ATEX Directive is another legal requirement, covering risk assessment in order to prevent combustible dust explosions and fires. Moreover, uncontrolled industrial emissions contribute to environmental pollution, detrimentally affecting air quality and ecosystems. By implementing effective extraction systems, businesses actively engage in protecting their workforce, reducing their environmental footprint and meeting regulatory standards.
When evaluating dust collection performance, it is important to consider the entire system, not just the collector itself. A properly-designed and installed dust collection system will effectively capture, extract and separate harmful and nuisance dusts. But if capture hoods, ductwork and fans are not correctly designed and sized, the convey velocities of the dust through the ductwork can be too low. This leads to blocking of ducts and, if it is too high, the energy consumption of the system will increase.
Short filter life could be another sign that the dust collection system does not work efficiently. Reasons could be an incorrect filtration rate or that the wrong filter media is applied for the application. If the collector is undersized or the cleaning system pressure is too low, the filters cannot be cleaned properly.
Camfil is a single-source provider for industrial dust, fume and mist extraction equipment. It designs and manufactures all types of dry dust collectors, wet scrubbers and mist separators that are applicable for almost all industrial applications and required air volumes. Within the Camfil AirCair™ customer service program, the company offers replacement filters and maintenance, not only for its own units, but also for the most common extraction systems on the market. Reach out to Brendan an arrange your personal assessment to discuss your particular requirements.
Security and flexibility
The Wavin Hep2O push-fit system is suitable for most domestic and commercial plumbing and heating applications. It is packed with unique features that make push-fit plumbing easier, quicker and more secure for installers. In fact it is the only push-fit system with In4Sure joint recognition, secure demounting and a 50-year guarantee.
The system is available in metric (15mm, 22mm and 28mm) and imperial (1/2”, ¾” and 1”) sizes, and is designed to provide the highest possible flow rates. The metric and imperial systems are colour-coded for ease of identification. The fittings are distinguishable by their internal sleeve collar colours, metric in white and imperial in grey. Both the metric and imperial systems have the same “lay flat”
pipe technology, while the pipe is supplied in straight lengths and coils.
For installers, the extreme flexibility of the Wavin Hep2O pipe means it is the ideal solution for cabling through joists, underneath floors in new construction, renovation, system extensions and situations where
space is restricted. The compatibility of Hep2O fittings with copper ensures a simple, fast and reliable method of jointing to traditional materials on site.
It provides a secure fitting every time with the Wavin In4Sure security feature that tells the installer when the pipe is in – “feel the rumble”. One of the unique advantages of Hep2O is that it can be easily demounted and adjusted by the installer with the HepKey but, once fitted to the joint, is safe and secure and cannot be tampered with or accidentally demounted.
A unique characteristic of Wavin Hep2O push-fit pipe coil is its ability to remain straight once uncoiled, unlike some other plastic materials which act like a spring and make handling difficult. Wavin Hep2O push-fit pipe is therefore much easier to handle and to cable because of its inherent tendency to stay where it is put. Due to the superior flexibility and long-length coils, less fittings are required. This makes for quicker installation.
This unique characteristic is the result of the material used, which is polybutylene (PB). PB has very different properties to the material used in other products on the market which is cross-linked polyethylene (PEX). PEX pipe is relatively stiff and when taken from the coil retains a “spring-like” quality that can make it difficult to work with, particularly on long runs and when cabling through joists or floors.
For the last 40 years Wavin Hep2O push-fit has been at the forefront of push-fit plumbing technology. The industry-leading products are engineered with unique performance and installation innovations.
The Wavin Hep2O push-fit meets the requirements of Class S of BS 7291, Parts 1 and 2, and is manufactured within a quality management system that satisfies EN ISO 9002. It is also approved by WRAS – deemed safe for use in the supply of drinking water. The range is also supported by a BIM revit package for accurate system design which is available to download from the Wavin website.
See: https://wavin.com/en-ie/solutions/ hep2o or contact the Wavin Technical Design
As part of longer-term growth plans, and as a proactive solution to ever-more stringent requirements around energy efficiency, low GWP and renewable technology, Mitsubishi Electric is expanding its range of applied equipment. The Applied Solutions business within Mitsubishi Electric has seen rapid growth over the last three years with strong sales of DX CRAC units, e-Series modular chillers and commercial heat pumps.
Mitsubishi Electric’s nationwide network of approved installers recognised how the range of DX CRAC units complements their traditional ME air conditioning business, and consequently embraced them to enhance their service offering to clients.
Examples from the Applied Solutions Division include the s-Mext R32 range. Its unique features include low GWP R32 and up to 7-year warranty on outdoor units. A further bonus is that it is available from stock.
Furthermore, the range of commercial heat pumps – the high-temperature CAHV-R450, the domestic hot water QAHV-N560 and the e-Series – has been supplemented by the addition of the MEHP-iB and MEHP-iS ranges. Combining the best of Italian design and Japanese
technology and reliability, these units widen Mitsubishi Electric’s applied offering still further.
The beginning of this year marked a particularly exciting time for the Mitsubishi Electric Applied Solutions team with the introduction of the s-Airme range of packaged air handling units in DX and waterbased versions, packaged rooftop units, and more “3 Diamond” certified products.
MECH-iF milestone
A major milestone is the introduction of the MECH-iF air cooled chiller. Harnessing over 35 years of experience in developing single-screw compressors, this has paved the way for the development and integration of proprietary core technologies. MECH-iF features one or two MS single screw compressors with external inverter,
both fully designed and developed by Mitsubishi Electric. The optimised design and patented oil management system grants long-lasting quality and high seasonal efficiencies. The Variable Vi technology allows the automatic internal volume ratio adaption by integrated Vi slide valve to make the MS compressor efficient in any working condition.
This high-efficiency air cooled chiller is the first screw compressor chiller that uses the new MS compressor developed specifically by Mitsubishi Electric. Available in capacities from 345kW to 921kW, with R1234ze (G04) or R513A (G05) refrigerant, there are also several noise-performance models. Both ranges were designed to provide unprecedented seasonal efficiencies, with SEER values up to 5,9 and SEPR HT up to 6,8. These performance values makes MECH-iF a flagship product that is very competitive in the top-performing air source chiller market.
Furthermore, the units come with the in-house developed Red Cooler, a patented technological solution that improves the efficiency of the unit and reduces the energy loss of the expansion phase. EC fans with high-efficiency housing are provided as standard to perfectly achieve varying air flow requirements, reduce the energy consumption and improve efficiency of the unit.
MECH-iF can operate with outdoor temperature down to -20°C and up to 50°C, and chilled water temperature from 20°C down to -10°C. The operating map of MECH-iF-G04 makes it suitable for all applications, including comfort, process and IT cooling.
An extensive range of accessories is available for a tailor-made set-up, making MECH-iF also suitable for mission-critical and harsh condition installations.
Contact: Andrew McEvitt, Applied Solutions Manager, Living Environmental Systems, Mitsubishi Electric.
T: 01 419 8800; M:087 7037042; E: andrew.mcevitt@meir.mee.com
An example from the Mitsubishi Electric MECH-iF air cooled chiller range.
European Engineering Consultancies
Earlier this year at a time when a plethora of requests were being published for an initiative to solve the imminent water emergency, the European Commission abandoned the Water Resilience Initiative. EFCA was only one of the Federations that was dismayed by this move, which was purely political. Sensitive to the timing in the run up to the European elections and, significantly, the selection of European Commissioners, it seemed that the highest-ranking EU officials had rather lost their bottle.
Although a number of factors were probably at play –including some that are almost certainly related to growing pressure on the EU budget as a result of several military conflicts – one in particular is too close to the EU border to ignore. The sight of tractors blockading the EU quarter in Brussels along with the knowledge that farmers are railing against regulation that has an impact on them (and they are voters too), must have made even the most experienced EU leaders’ determination falter.
Still, the decision was a step in the wrong direction. The call for solutions, under the umbrella of an EU “Blue Deal”, is almost unanimous from interested federations and NGOS, albeit with the slightly different priorities according to the community that these organisations represent.
EFCA has been assured that the Water Resilience Initiative will come back. The draft text of the eventual communication is almost ready. The wranglings over which elected MEPs will get which leadership positions in the European Parliament Committees and the hearings (auditions) for the various candidate European Commissioners will all have to be settled first, so we expect that we might have to wait
until 2025. But it will come back and it must … the water emergency is already here.
In this article Sue Arundale, Director, General EFCA, looks at what EFCA’s priorities are and how the Federation has been highlighting the work of consulting engineers who have the solutions to some of the biggest challenges being faced. Why have we got to this point?
will is at best lukewarm.
Years of neglected water infrastructure by those responsible authorities, both for the basic delivery of fresh water and for the treatment of wastewater, have led to leaking supply pipes, depleting the already stretched clean water supply at alarming rates. The average loss in the EU is now a whopping 25%. Add to that the growing number of sewers blocked by fatbergs and other domestic and industrial waste, which can stop a district from functioning and create health hazards on top, and the conclusion is obvious. National goverments and public and private authorities responsible for water have not allocated sufficient budgets to maintenance and repair. The cost of responding to an emergency and the associated collateral damage is surely far higher than that of scheduled, preventative maintenance. However, maintenance is not a headline grabber. So the political
As if the neglect of man-made infrastructure was not enough, policy makers have been slow to react to the stress on nature’s own infrastructure caused by the escalating climate emergency. The shocking climate disasters in Europe over the previous decade have caught us out, even though scientists have been predicting such violent events for decades.
The fact is though that solutions have been available for years. Working with nature, engineers are able to shore up natural defences, reinforce flood plains, re-direct water flow and design systems that can be activated when the water levels are low.
Investment as a matter of urgency in such measures could prevent another summer of disruption to the transport of goods on the Rhine and for industrial production. It could also prevent another shutdown of nuclear power plants in France because of the unsustainablylow level of the same natural water source, which is essential for the cooling of the reactors.
Asking who is to blame will not move us forward. Having said that, water has historically been handled at national, regional and local level but it is very clearly a Europe-wide problem, with water courses crossing
borders. The solutions must now be co-ordinated at EU level under the umbrella of an EU Blue Deal.
Co-ordinate policy, mobilise expertise
EFCA’s recent position on an EU Blue Deal urges the EU institutions to co-ordinate their combined actions under the new EU Environment Commissioner, with the eventual Vice-President of the European Commission with relevant coordination responsibilities for the Green Deal taking ultimate responsibility. Such co-ordination should bring in existing policy and regulation under this umbrella, without reinventing the wheel.
While acknowledging the wide scope of problems at economic, environmental and societal level, EFCA’s position focuses on the engineering priorities and solutions. These are entirely compatible with the broad EU policy emphasis on renewable energy and the circular economy, the latter now needing to incorporate a circular water economy. Every drop of clean and wastewater must be saved, recycled and made available for human and industrial consumption.
The engineering expertise is available and ready to go. In a recent visit to the European Parliament, during which our Green Deal Committee Chair and EFCA VicePresident and I met a senior MEP, we were told not to ask for money. By this, we understood that we should not ask for a funding stream at EU level. However, EFCA is not asking for handouts for consulting engineers – we are asking for responsible public authorities to get their priorities right.
The private sector water companies must also act responsibly in this regard. This is no time for huge bonuses for senior management. This money must be used to pay
The shocking climate disasters in Europe over the previous decade have caught us out, even though scientists have been predicting such violent events for decades. “
European Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee, the latter having ignited the debate around the Blue Deal last year, attendees participated in a programme focused on the nexus between water and energy, climate mitigation measures and how to address investment via effective public procurement. The focus was on innovation and quality in water infra-structure, and not simply the lowest price.
Engineers can solve emergency
for available solutions. The kind of measures that are needed are not cheap, but they will save water, save lives, keep the economy running and keep society functioning. Can we really put a price on that?
EFCA Blue Deal conference
Appropriately located in one of the countries struggling the most with the climate emergency and the dangerous impact on water supply (alternately too much and too little), EFCA, with the host Tecniberia, welcomed its members and the consulting engineering community in Madrid during May of this year for a conference that was dedicated to water resilience.
With keynote speakers from the
Water desalination plants? … these are energy intensive; Ocean turbines? … these are quite expensive, hostile to the host environment, and not yet ready for wide application. However, they do offer huge potential. We now need to really think about harnessing hydropower, natural aquifers and using wastewater for energy production. Think nature-based solutions such as the shoring up of our flood plains, re-meandering rivers, and crossborder solutions to target local emergencies with co-ordinated technical systems. Nor should we ever forget the expertise long used in the low countries to protect their coastlines and inland zones that are below sea level. Finally, we need to think about technical solutions needed to restore the effectiveness of water supply and sewerage systems. The common thread? … engineering. Without wishing to make readers depressed, the consequences of not taking action are unthinkable and the time is now – as soon as the post-election shuffling of people and positions has finished. EFCA will continue to talk about the Blue Deal and is nurturing its partnerships with other federations and NGOs at EU level to ensure that any action is co-ordinated and the pressure maintained.
Actions taken over the next five years are critical to Ireland achieving its goals of halving greenhouse emissions by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050, writes Kevin Devine, Sales Director at Xylem.
With the construction and built environment sectors accounting for 37% of Ireland’s carbon emissions, decisions made now about the management of buildings will have a direct impact on net zero outcomes. The Irish Green Building Council (IGBC) roadmap, which sets out plans to decarbonise Ireland’s built environment by 2050, says: “transitioning to zero carbon construction with extreme urgency offers many environmental, social and economic benefits.”
When it comes to solutions and systems for buildings, heating and cooling, water supply, pressure boosting and wastewater management all offer significant energy-saving opportunities, with cutting-edge technology powering the shift to decarbonisation.
Xylem’s advanced systems are designed to meet the requirements of modern buildings in the most efficient way, while reducing energy demands, carbon emissions and operational spend.
Around 40% of a building’s energy consumption is used for HVAC, with many existing solutions oversized and inefficient. Modern innovations offer intelligent and sustainable HVAC technologies to significantly reduce energy consumption and CO2 footprint. Xylem’s HVAC products are designed to meet and exceed the latest standards
regarding energy efficiency and can communicate with modern building systems. Energy consumption can be reduced further by switching to variable speed technology for a range of pumped systems for both heating and cooling, as well as water supply. Upfront capital costs will be offset over time by expected savings on energy bills. In addition, maintenance costs of variable-speed pumps are generally lower, as they experience less wear and tear.
Water supply and boosting Water efficiency is directly connected to energy consumption, together contributing to a greener footprint of buildings, and supporting UN Sustainable Development Goals. Demand, pressure, temperature,
control, monitoring and regulatory compliance are all critical areas to consider when it comes to supplying a building with water. Xylem’s water supply and pressure-boosting technologies deliver reliable systems that meet these needs while maintaining the highest possible efficiencies.
Xylem’s waste and stormwater management technologies help create wastewater systems with a greener footprint, reducing CO2 emissions and energy costs by up to 70%. Advanced systems reduce the risk of blockages and maintenance visits, and ensure sites meet and exceed environmental standards and regulatory compliance.
With reuse among the central principles of sustainability, retrofitted solutions have a major role to play. The IGBC says that to halve sector emissions by 2030, the delivery of Ireland’s national retrofit programme must now be significantly accelerated. The retrofit of ageing buildings with high-efficiency pumps and drives offers one of the biggest opportunities to achieve greener buildings, and at a lower cost than a complete system overhaul.
Better quality data on energy consumption and performance is integral to decarbonisation. As such, the EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive calls for the digitalisation of energy systems for buildings.
Xylem solutions for buildings include smart tools that deliver real-time, round-the-clock monitoring and powerful data analytics for insights that remove uncertainty from building systems, so they can always run at peak efficiency with added maintenance and service savings.
For more information visit www.xylem.com/en-ie
In addition to technical skills, soft skills such as communication, teamwork and problem-solving are critical to execute projects successfully. As construction becomes more complex and collaborative, project team members need to work effectively with others so they can navigate challenging situations they face. Importantly, they must be adaptable and flexible, willing to learn new skills, take on new challenges, and embrace new technologies and processes as they emerge. Paul McCormack, Belfast Met Innovation Manager and ARISE Programme Manager, explains.
The shortage of skills in the construction industry is not solely a skills problem, but also a skills delivery problem. There are a number of mitigating factors that contribute to this sitaution, including historic low innovation, a lack of investment in people development, a shortage of qualified trainers and assessors, and a lack of coordination between industry, education providers and government.
Addressing the skills delivery problem will require a concerted effort from all stakeholders. By working together and investing in the right programs and initiatives, it is more than possible to close the skills gap and create a more sustainable industry.
This will also help resolve the differences between the predicted energy performance of a building and its
actual energy performance in use, the so-called “design-built” energy performance gap. Project teams that can work cohesively and optimise technology will reduce this gap and ensure that buildings are designed, built and operated in a way that minimises energy consumption and reduces environmental impact.
So, in addition to knowledge of, and experience in, BIM, energy modelling software, smart controls, etc, members of project teams also need to be taught communication skills so they can then best utilise these tools in the context of a productive, problem-solving team environment.
•The concluding article in this series will appear in the July/ August edition.
Wilo has introduced a new pump range called Wilo-Yonos GIGA 2.0-I. It is an electronicallycontrolled, in-line glanded pump, which is suitable for pumping large amounts of water over large delivery heads. Thanks to its IE5 EC motor technology and proven pump hydraulics (MEI ≥0.4), it provides both high energy efficiency and a high level of reliability.
It is simple to operate thanks to its user-friendly menu navigation and clear colour display. Analogue and digital interfaces provide the option of integration into building automation systems.
Characterised by its high level of efficiency, it is ideally suited to pumping high hydraulic performances in heating and cold water applications. The new pump can be started and operated with convenience thanks
to its rotary-push control (“Green Button Technology”).
Efficient operation, a high level of user-friendliness and integration capability are important target variables in HVAC applications for consultants and operators. This new in-line Wilo-Yonos GIGA2.0-I pump more than meets these targets with a significant leap forward in development compared to the previous generation VeroLine IP-E.
The Wilo-Yonos GIGA2.0-I pump generation incorporates the new efficiency concept using innovative drive technology, together with proven pump hydraulics. Motor powers of 0.55kW – 4.0 kW are currently available. The highest efficiency class IE5 for electric motors is used in the Wilo-Yonos GIGA2.0-I and, in the premium segment, in the Wilo-Stratos GIGA2.0-I series.
The operating concept of the Wilo-Yonos GIGA2.0-I has also been improved. A 50MM colour display with clear menu navigation replaces
•Easily accessible cable connections and terminals;
•Interfaces for integration in to building automation;
•IE5 EC motor technology;
•Gradual (90°) rotatable LED display;
•Differential pressure sensor 2-10V;
•Cataphoretic grey cast-iron pump housing;
•Impeller made of PPS-GF40/ grey cast-iron, depending on type.
the previous LED display of the VeroLine IP-E with the established “Green Button Technology” being used for display settings. The values are easily adjusted by button rotation. Meanwhile, the unit is simple to set up and commission and facilitates all other settings during operation.
With two analogue interfaces and one digital interface, the Wilo-Yonos GIGA2.0-I provides various options for integration into the building automation system. The optional communication interface (CIF) module supports communication with the most common bus protocols, including BACnet MS/TP, BACnet/IP, CANopen, LON TP/FT-10, Modbus RTU and Modbus TCP.
The Wilo-Yonos GIGA2.0-I boasts a high level of energy efficiency, convenient operation and different communication interfaces.
Detailed product information is available at https://wilo.com/gb/ en/Products-and-expertise/en/ products-expertise/wilo-yonosgiga2-0-i
The Wilo-Yonos GIGA2.0 is available in a single configuration (Wilo-Yonos GIGA2.0-I) and in a double version (Wilo-Yonos GIGA2.0-D).
ATC Ireland has published a new hospitality heating solutions brochure featuring the ATC range of electric heating and hand drying products. Apart from the product features and specifications, it also includes many details on how to fit out a variety of hospitality settings, including restaurants and cafes, washrooms, guest bedrooms and guest bathrooms.
Given that budgets can vary, ATC has devised a Value Fit Out and a Premium Fit Out option to suit different applications.
Products included in the ATC brochure are:
•Smart electric heaters;
•Digital electric heaters;
•High speed hand dryers;
•Outdoor heaters;
•Commercial heaters;
•Bathroom heaters;
•Thermostats and controllers.
ATC was established in 1991 and since that time has evolved into a solution oriented company, designing, developing, producing and distributing energy efficient products in response to market needs. It is focused on customer service and support, and
strives to ensure a high level of dialogue-based cooperation with customers.
ATC’s in-house technical team brings experience and knowledge to the ATC range of products, and also supports the sales team who respond quickly and flexibly to both specific and general customer requests for heating designs and quotations. ATC’s strategic vision is to create and sustain long-term relationships with its customers by providing the most up-to-date and innovative products and support in a constantly-changing environment and market.
Education and training also features prominently and, to that end, ATC has a fully-fitted-out showroom with working product examples of the
range. Complementing that is the ATC Academy where customers can avail of various training modules or customised courses designed to suit their specific needs.
Contact: ATC Ireland. T: 01 467 8301; E: sales@atc.ie; www.atc.ie
EnviroVent has been continually refining filterless extract technology since it invented it over 10 years ago and the new Infinity NB and Filterless NB models now available from S&P Ireland Ventilation Systems are the most advanced yet. Specifically designed for the rigours of social housing applications where there is often the need to remove moisture and improve indoor air quality, the filterless fan is also adaptable to meet decentralised MEV Part F guidelines for improved indoor air quality.
These Lifetime Range® products ensure minimum energy consumption and are engineered with sustainable components to substantially reduce maintenance and life-cycle costs. Guaranteed to last longer than any other fan, they come with a 7-year warranty and are virtually maintenance-free.
The Infinity NB and Filterless NB models are the only fans with patented Cyclone Separation Technology (No. 0402041.8).
This ensures that all particles, humidity and
dust in the air are drawn into the fan and extracted outside the property, without the need for filters that can become clogged. This enables the fan to deliver maximum performance to control moisture and humidity using the lowest energy consumption.
The Infinity NB is ideal for WC, bathroom, kitchen and utility room installations, delivering high-performance extract ventilation to meet and exceed building,
regulations requirements. From simple through-the-wall installations to in-line window and ceiling installations, Infinity models fit all, thanks to easy-to-install accessory kits. A low-voltage version is available for extra safety in bathrooms,
Intellitrac® vapour tracking
Running continuously on trickle, the Infinity NB ensures that condensation and high humidity levels are kept at bay. No user intervention is required as the intelligent vapour tracking controls constantly monitor the average humidity.
As this rises and falls, the motor speed rises and falls in direct correlation. This helps control condensation both quietly and efficiently, eliminating the problem of noisy extract fans and reducing the periods of time when the fan operates on maximum speed. There is nothing more frustrating than finding out that a fan does not comply with the airflow rates when installed. Consequently, and with whole building ventilation rates now required, the new Infinity NB range is designed to meet the requirements of a typical newbuild installation, capable of delivering 14l/s, 19l/s, 21l/s or 22l/s (selectable on trickle for bathroom or kitchen) to achieve the whole dwelling ventilation rate. Designed to perform and built to last, the Infinity NB range is the perfect solution for new-build social housing WC, bathroom and kitchen installations. Contact: Soler & Palau Ventilation Systems. T: 01 – 412 4020; E: sales.ie@solerpalau.com
In an era with a growing focus on climate change, decarbonisation, lowcarbon, zero-carbon and negativecarbon solutions, one could easily think that carbon is the enemy. The continual onslaught of “war on carbon” rhetoric with its narrative of how and why the world should reduce or eliminate carbon is pervasive. To suddenly pronounce that carbon is not, in fact, an existential threat – but rather a valuable resource to propel society to a sustainable future – seems outrageously provocative and blatantly inconsistent. So, is carbon the enemy or not, asks Rachel A Meidl, LP.D., CHMM, fellow in energy and sustainability at Rice University’s Baker Institut, USA.
While we understand that greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), including carbon dioxide (CO2), exacerbate anthropogenic climate issues, strategies on how to decarbonise and transition to a “post-carbon economy” continue to be vehemently debated. Yet carbon is one of the most abundant elements in the universe and the most abundant element in all living matter.
It is omnipresent – it makes up the plastics in the cars we drive, the solar panels that provide electricity, the DNA in our cells, and even microorganisms in the vast ocean. Large amounts of carbon are also stored in our soil. Carbon is a gregarious element without prejudice, its atoms
combining with almost any other element to form more complicated building blocks of life.
How do we change the conversation around carbon, from being perceived as a global liability to a valuable resource? The transformation of carbon is the life-blood of all things on earth. Without the continuous complex reactions, interactions and transformations of carbon between organisms and their environment that perpetuate the carbon cycle, life on earth would cease to exist. Absent the greenhouse effect, the earth’s average surface temperature would be around -18ºC. The natural cycle may be imbalanced, but all parts of the carbon cycle are still important to sustaining life.
Earth is a closed system, so the amount of carbon on the planet is
constant – it never changes. However, the amount of carbon in specific reservoirs (eg, plants, animals, microbes, soil, atmosphere) can shift over time as carbon travels from one reservoir to another through photo-synthesis, respiration, biodegradation of plants and organisms, fossil fuel production and other processes.
One way to challenge ingrained ideologies is to consider a system’s perspective on how “carbon-tovalue” functions in a circular carbon economy. A circular economy is one that reduces or even eliminates waste and pollution; keeps materials at their highest economic value; recirculates products and materials through the value chain; reduces the use of non-renewable minerals,
A Meidl, LP.D., CHMM, is the fellow in energy and sustainability at Rice University’s Baker Institute. She holds a doctorate in law and public policy; a master’s in environmental policy and management with a concentration on environmental chemistry and international law; a master’s in applied science and technology; and bachelor’s degrees in conservation biology and zoology and animal physiology.
fuels and feedstocks; and creates regenerative systems.
A circular carbon economy builds on the principles of a circular economy but centers on managing carbon at every single point throughout the life cycle. It taps into all facets of the carbon cycle where carbon is a feedstock for producing carbon-based products (eg, chemicals, fuels, materials), or is used to improve eco-system balance through sequestration and soil nutrition (see Figure 1).
Carbon feedstock can be obtained in three ways:
(1) Bio-based chemistry that captures atmospheric carbon via photosynthesis using renewable biological resources such as biomass from land use, agricultural or forestry processes
to sequester and increase the uptake of carbon in the soil, for example, biochar and other soil sequestration efforts;
(2) Chemical valorisation of methane (CH4) from associated natural gas and other sources (landfills, agricultural operations, industrial sources, etc), or emitted and captured CO2 produced from industrial sites before it enters the atmosphere;
(3) Chemical recycling of carbonbased “waste” that otherwise would be incinerated or sent to landfills.
At the end of first use, the carbon material or composite can then tap into one of the many re-X pathways – reuse, repair, remanufacture, repurpose, refurbish or recycle. Although capturing CO2 and storing emissions from industrial processes does not recycle CO2 into next-generation products, it can keep the CO2 from adding to atmospheric CO2.
A promising upgrade of carbon is the use of CH4 as a feedstock to convert it to hydrogen and advanced carbon solids through pyrolysis – without the creation of CO2. The advanced solid carbon can supplement or displace energyintensive materials such as steel, aluminium, other metals, concrete and plastics in industries ranging from construction to transport, decreasing the demand for resourceintensive primary minerals and materials.
We release nearly 37 billion tons of carbon (in the form of CO2) per year from fossil fuel reservoirs to power everyday life. We also exert influence on carbon that is stored in natural ecosystems by land use changes that alter systems through deforestation, grassland conversion
and agricultural intensification. Over the past 12,000 years, the growth of farmland has released about 110 billion metric tons of carbon from the top layer of soil. We continue to deplete terrestrial carbon reservoirs while adding to the atmospheric pool, thrusting the carbon cycle further into disequilibrium.
While climate change and carbon emissions receive the most attention, these are just two of the many relevant and pressing issues within the domain of sustainability. Other examples that attract less attention – many of which are unquantified and unrealised in sustainability discussions – include environmental justice, social equity, human rights, biodiversity, water scarcity and quality, and waste management issues.
Carbon tunnel vision
The propensity for “carbon tunnel vision” creates blind spots and leaves companies, economies and governments maladapted, vulnerable, less sustainable, and far less resilient in the long run (see Figure 2). Systems’ sustainability or resilience cannot be achieved by focusing on emissions or climate alone.
Moreover, climate policy does not directly incorporate long-standing issues such as superfund sites, lead
pipes in drinking water systems, aging and inadequate infrastructure, toxic air emissions, exposure to pesticides, energy poverty, and other matters that affect lowerincome and socially vulnerable populations. These matters can be addressed through effective adaptation and resilience programs, not through policies that center primarily on emissions reduction and carbon management.
If the desired end state is systems’ sustainability and resilience, perhaps fixation on carbon is the enemy.
Underutilised carbon in the form of CO2 or CH4 emissions and other wastes is a liability, a breakdown of the carbon cycle, a design failure, and the result of human actions such as industrial activity, uncontrolled landfills, unregulated waste-toenergy plants, and littering. The idea of the circular carbon economy is to recover carbon-based materials and capture carbon-based emissions from hydrocarbon energy sources in ways to eliminate waste, support regenerative growth, and restore natural resources through biological and technical nutrients.
Everything is a resource for something else. Carbon released into the atmosphere can be captured and transformed into durable or living carbon. Durable carbon is a resource that is locked and sequestered in stable solids such as plastics and bioplastics that are manufactured and then reused, recycled or composted. Living carbon is an organic asset, a vital ingredient flowing in biological cycles that provides fresh food, fertile soil, and healthy forests. In the right place, carbon is a resource whose materials can be harnessed and put to use through re-X opportunities.
Natural capital does not leave the biosphere – it just changes its configuration depending on how it is valued. When carbon is in the wrong form and the wrong place –and when society fails to recapture its value – only then is carbon the enemy. The continued demonisation of carbon and failure to think in systems and cycles is short-sighted and diminishes carbon’s significance as a resource in a circular carbon economy. Meanwhile, the fixation on carbon and emissions as a standalone, climate-based strategy is taking us further away from both economic, social and environmental sustainability.
Carbon needs a rebranding as the negative narrative surrounding it is misplaced, especially when the circular economy concept is taking centre stage in global sustainability planning for governments and industries. We need a metamorphosis in how carbon is properly messaged, characterised and labelled. A new language that will signal positive intentions can help rethink carbon in terms of natural capital in systems, as opposed to a global nemesis in need of subjugation.
The RACGS programme for 2024 got off to an excellent start at the K-Club recently with a large turnout enjoying the wonderful day and exceptional condition of the course.
The day was sponsored by Daikin Ireland and RSL Group with Liam Kirwan and Seamus Kerr presenting the prizes. Winners were as follows:
Overall Winner: Tom Lyons.
Class 1 – First: Mick Curran; Second: Martin Baneham.
Class 2 – First: Billy Queally; Second: James Darcy.
Nearest the Pin: Billy Queally.
Longest Drive: Mick Curran.
Front 9: Paddy Dwan.
Back 9: Robin Marks.
Visitors – First: Sean Fitzpatrick; Second: Sean Whelan.
CONFERENCE AND AWARDS NIGHT REPORT by Martin O’Brien
Now well established on the building services engineering calendar of events, the IRAC Show held in the Green Isle Hotel in Dublin featured 33 exhibitors representing commercial and domestic heating companies.
Uniquely this year, there was a mix of traditional heating companies showcasing established and new technologies side-by-side with the refrigeration companies. Indeed, this encouraging trend highlighted and reinforced the cross-over nature of plumbing and refrigeration, particularly in the area of renewables such as air to water heat pumps.
A major theme in the refrigeration area was C02 refrigeration systems with RDL, FSW, DWG and RSL all displaying the latest technologies available. The refrigeration wholesalers themselves were well supported by their suppliers with some principals travelling from as far away as Melbourne in Australia and Colorado in the USA to participate. This led to some excellent conversations on emerging trends, the challenges and possible solutions from all over the globe.
R290 refrigerant units featured heavily in both refrigeration and commercial heating products and this low GWP refrigerant is certainly going to have a big role to play as the industry moves forward. Also on hand were all the major tool and service equipment manufacturers who, in addition to explaining product features and benefits, gave expert advice on safety and best practices when handling refrigerants.
The Phase 6 refrigeration students from Technological University Dublin City Centre campus also visited in the afternoon and, in true student style, they managed to bag themselves a couple of freebie items from the exhibitors. The event left a huge impression on the young engineers’ minds with the sight of modern equipment and flashy new tools leaving them optimistic about the future ahead in such an exciting sector.
As the day drew to a close, minds turned towards the drink’s reception at 7pm to kick of the IRI Awards in the nearby Louis Fitzgerald Hotel. The stands were dismantled and stored away far quicker than they had been put up!
See also https://iri.ie/irac-2024-irelands-refrigeration-airconditioning-exhibition/
The IRI Awards dinner, while a separate event to the IRAC Show, was the perfect conclusion to the refrigeration industry’s day-long focus on this ever-more important sector. It was one of the largest to date with just on 200 people in attendance, including Graeme Fox, the IOR UK President.
Martin O’Brien, IRI President, welcomed the guests and hosted the champagne reception before giving a short address just prior to the meal, with Seamus Kerr saying grace “as Gaeilge”.
During the meal a collection was made for the charity, Pieta House, with over €3000 raised for this worthy cause. There was also a raffle with some spot prizes donated by the IRI’s corporate sponsors, and calls for a “steward’s enquiry” with the McNevin family cleaning up (both Karen and Robbie bagging a prize).
Next came the awards themselves with two awards in each Category –High Commend and Winner.
A very popular winner was Gerry McDonagh who won the IRI Contribution to Industry Award.
Gerry is a legend in the industry and recently retired. As he was in Florida on vacation, Seamus Kerr accepted the award on his behalf. The clash of dates perhaps best suited Gerry anyway as he has never sought the limelight, always preferring to stay in the background as much as possible. Another major award that came as a surprise to the recipient was the presentation of Fellow Grade of the
IRI to Declan Fitzmaurice. Declan joins a very select club of people who have been bestowed this honour. It is very well deserved and anyone who knows Declan knows that he personifies excellence and is truly deserving of the award.
After the awards there was a very entertaining quiz hosted by the MC, Seamus Kerr. This was followed by a live band to end a great night.
While the industry-leading role played by CIBSE Ireland has never been in doubt, the summary of its activities over the last 12 months, as presented at the recent AGM, are quite extraordinary. As Ireland grapples with the challenge of delivering zero emissions buildings, it is increasingly evident that the Institution’s annual programme of events sets the template for success. Moreover, in addition to technical seminars, workshops and CPDs covering energy savings, carbon emissions reduction and sustainability, there is also an extensive social programme and series of site visits that promote knowledge sharing and networking. Taken together, they are the glue that binds all sectors of the
industry into a unified, cohesive movement that represents Ireland’s best chance of making its 2030, 2040 and 2050 targets.
Stephen Weir, CIBSE Ireland Chair, detailed the extensive programme of the last 12 months in his summary address, some extracts of which are reproduced here.
“Firstly, I would like to put on record that I am truly honoured for the opportunity to take on the role of CIBSE Ireland Chair in my second year of tenure and look forward to the continued challenge of the position. I also want to thank all the committee members for their continued support and assistance, and commend them for the manner in which they gel so many diverse areas of expertise into such an effective and productive force.
“I want to emphasise our unwavering commitment to fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing among our members, something that has been a vision for my tenure since last year. Our Workshare Exchange Programme
is a testament to this dedication. Through this initiative we facilitate the exchange of ideas and best practices, the sharing of resources between consultants and contactors, and the promotion of professional growth and innovation within the industry. By leveraging the collective expertise of our community, we not only raise the bar for engineering excellence, but also drive the advancement of sustainable building practices.
“We remain dedicated to supporting our members throughout their careers. Be it through professional development opportunities, mentorship programmes or advocacy efforts, CIBSE Ireland ensures that members have the tools, resources and support they need to excel in their roles and to contribute meaningfully to the built environment.
“Furthermore, we understand the importance of continuous learning and staying abreast of the latest advancements in building services engineering. That is why we are committed to organising a diverse programme of technical events,
“Moving forward, we aim to further develop STEM activities and, in doing so, harness the full support of CIBSE Headquarters and resources such as the recent publications and guidance documents now available to specific CIBSE regions. These include guidance to promote the role and importance of building services engineers to school-going students.
seminars and workshops throughout the year. These events provide valuable insights into emerging trends and technologies, and offer unparalleled networking opportunities, allowing our members to connect with industry leaders, peers and experts.
“I am incredibly proud and grateful for the work that CIBSE Ireland is doing to promote excellence, collaboration, sustainability and innovation within the building services engineering community. The dedication of our committee and the support from all sectors of the industry are vital to the ongoing success of CIBSE Ireland as a region.
“Together, let us continue to support one another, share our knowledge and expertise, and drive positive change in the built environment, while still upholding the ethics of the Institution. The inclusion of our committee members on multiple expert steering groups and judging panels further underscores the importance of CIBSE in Ireland.
“The huge efforts of WiBSE have successfully brought together industry experts and provided a platform for collaboration and knowledge-sharing among women in engineering. The role of building services engineers and the industry at large is crucial in ensuring buildings function effectively, requiring full collaboration among consultants, contractors and suppliers alike.
“My vision is for a future of continued collaboration across all construction industry sectors with CIBSE Ireland acting as the leader and facilitator through which this takes place. Engineers play a central and pivotal role within a myriad of industry partnerships, thus bringing together consultants, sub-contractors, suppliers and main contractors. We will continue to provide this strong leadership, and to share the benefits associated with CIBSE membership at every level with inclusivity being the primary theme of the organisation.”
CIBSE Ireland principal officers – Stephen Weir, Chair with Honorary Secretary, Sarah Boylan; Laura McMahon, Vice-Chair; and James Porter, Honorary Treasurer.
The Energy Performance of Building Directive was enacted in 2002, which when transposed into Irish law, instigated the role of Building Energy Rating (BER) Assessor. Here, Stephen McGovern (right), Cork Energy Consultancy and Chair of the BER Assessors’ Association, reveals just how essential BER assessors are to the energy, carbon and sustainability goals set by the Irish Government.
BER Assessors Association of Ireland
The role of the BER Assessor has evolved significantly over the years and can now generally be broken down into the following responsibilities:
•Production of BER/DEC certificates required for all properties advertised for lease and sale;
•Production of certification to allow grant payment under several schemes, most commonly for SEAI-funded grant programmes such as individual and one-stop-shop energy upgrades;
•Demonstration of compliance with Building Regulations Part L (Conservation of Energy);
•Providing advice on how to comply with Part L of the Building Regulations;
•Providing advice on how to upgrade buildings to maximise energy efficiency in cost-optimal ways;
•Verifying that upgrades carried out by clients achieve the benchmarks set for “green loans”.
The main qualification requirements to become a Domestic BER Assessor is an NFQ Level 6 in a relevant construction field and completion of a QQI-approved Domestic BER training course.
When insurance and tax clearance are in place, this leads to an official registration and access to NAS (National Administration System) which allows the publication of BER/DEC certificates and Part L Dwelling Reports to demonstrate compliance.
The process for becoming a NonDomestic BER Assessor is similar. An NFQ Level 7 degree is required initially, with other routes accepted if equivalence can be proven. A course is not mandatory but is recommended. There are a number of private companies providing these officiallysanctioned SEAI training courses.
The tools used by assessors are primarily the calculation methodologies DEAP and NEAP. These are the national calculation methodologies permissible in Ireland. Using these, the assessor can calculate and demonstrate the energy performance of buildings as required. There are also more advanced dynamic simulation tools such as IES-VE that can be used alongside DEAP and NEAP. These are mainly used in the modelling of large commercial buildings.
Both methodologies attempt to calculate the energy performance of buildings for space heating, water heating, lighting and ventilation. In non-domestic buildings, energy for pump, fans and lighting controls are also calculated under the term of “Auxiliary Energy”.
Energy losses are then taken account of through the calculation of building fabric and ventilation losses. The resultant calculation is presented as a measure of energy usage in kWhr per m2 per annum. In the case of a domestic BER, this is presented on a scale from A to G with A1 rating signifying an in-use energy usage of between 0 and 25 kWhrs/m2/year, A2 being 25-50 kWhrs/m2/ year and so on.
The output for non-domestic buildings is different. The calculation of the energy performance is more complex as it is necessary to use activity profiles to calculate the energy performance of, for example, an office building which has a very different usage profile than that of a warehouse storage facility. The software creates two models, one of the notional building and a second, a reference building that is set out in Part L as a building of a certain design, age and type. The ratio between these is the method which underlies how the alphabetical scale is derived. This procedure of creating two buildings
EPBD Non-Domestic BERs Dashboard (last updated September 2023)
– one that the BER assessor is modelling and one, a reference model – is also the basis used by the software to demonstrate Building Regulations’ compliance in both methodologies.
As each iteration of the Building Regulations was introduced over the past 20 years, this simple ratio between the notional and the reference buildings was updated in order to reflect the updated requirement. These ratios, which are applied to energy usage as well as the carbon intensity, are called the Energy Performance Coefficient (EPC) and the Carbon Performance Coefficient (CPC).
In the current iteration of Domestic Building Regulations Part L 2019 (updated 2021), the EPC is 0.3 and the CPC is 0.35. This states that a building today must be 70% more energy efficient than a building of similar design would have been required to be in 2005, and 65% better from a carbon efficiency perspective than a compliant one constructed in 2005.
Since the initial roll-out of the first SEAI energy upgrade grants, BER certification has had a key role in the process. The BER process has been used to demonstrate the energy saving of funded measures, as well as acting as a check that specified works were carried out to the standard required by the granting authority.
Although never intended as a design tool, that is in fact what DEAP has become, particularly in the roll-out of heat pumps. Low temperature systems, such as the very popular air source heat pumps, require that the design heat and ventilation loss of the building be kept to a minimum.
The DEAP software calculates a total HLI
figure on this loss, both by loss through the fabric and unintended air permeability (HLI = Heat Loss Indicator). A BER Assessor must demonstrate that this indicator has been achieved in the proposed or current design for the building fabric. If it is calculated that it is not achieved, then he/she will list a number of cost-optimal measures that will improve the building’s energy performance to reach this target. The assessor will again have to verify this and produce a post-completion BER certificate that demonstrates the achievement of design performance. Where designers and assessors often come into contact is with regard to the demonstration of installed fabric upgrades and the certification of systems, and the process of declaring systems and fabric build ups. The burden of proof for this certification is onerous and exacting.
All these processes are subject to strict auditing by the BER issuing authority, SEAI.
As I write, the latest iteration of the EPBD has just been signed into European law and will be translated into Irish law in the coming months. The changes which will be made by this new set of regulations will have enormous impact on the role of the assessor. The introduction of the longmooted Building Renovation Passport is likely to be closely aligned to the work of the BER Assessor. The expected increase in standards will be certified by DEAP and NEAP, and the introduction of declared embodied carbon figures in building stock is a role that will likely be taken up by the existing BER Assessor community. For further information visit https:// berassessors.com/
On 3 May last over 300 building professionals gathered in Croke Park for the IGBC Annual Conference
“Build Green Now” to discuss the future of construction and the built environment, and what is required to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
Opening the conference, Pat Barry, CEO of the Irish Green Building Council (IGBC), stressed the significant progress made in recent years in making homes greener. For instance, Ireland now has an ambitious and well-resourced national retrofit programme, providing greater certainty to the industry. Awareness of the need to tackle the global warming potential of buildings across their lifecycle has also increased significantly among building professionals.
With 2023 being the warmest year on record and Ireland experiencing an everincreasing housing crisis, there is no time for “business as usual” or incremental steps. Sustainable and affordable homes can be delivered at scale, and in doing so, greener and healthier urban spaces can be created, but this requires a revolution in how we think and act about buildings, infrastructure and transport.
Speakers focused on the importance of addressing both operational and embodied carbon emissions in the built environment, and on how new regulations can support this transition.
Unlocking Ireland’s energy renovation potential
In her closing remarks, Marie Donnelly, Chairperson of the Climate Change
Advisory Council, highlighted some of the challenges associated with Ireland’s national retrofit plan, including labour and skills shortages1, and a lack of awareness of the benefits of heat pumps. Despite a significant increase in grants for energy renovation in recent years, and an ambitious EU sustainable finance strategy, Céline Carré, Head of European Public Affairs at Saint-Gobain, explained that mobilising private funding for energy renovation remains challenging.
Jonathan Monkcom, Project Principal at Mott McDonald, stressed how basing targets and strategies on real site data is vital to address these challenges. Mott McDonald already use large-scale data sets to develop low-carbon solutions for portfolios without needing site visits.
Leading French urban planner, Sylvain Grisot, shared some examples of how high-quality renovation can be used to tackle operational emissions and offer a second life to buildings. Although demolition is often perceived as easier and cheaper, older commercial buildings (and apartment blocks) should not be
“presumed guilty” – adding one or two extra floors to an existing building while making it more energy-efficient can make a project more financially viable. Embodied carbon emissions – the elephant in the Net Zero room Although embodied carbon emissions associated with construction and the built environment account for 14% of Ireland’s national emissions2, they remain unregulated. As what is not measured cannot be managed, the IGBC, in cooperation with SEAI, is developing a national methodology to assess the global warming potential of buildings across their life-cycle as part of the Indicate Project. Under the new Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) – EU 2024/1275, the whole-life carbon of all new buildings must be measured and disclosed by 2030 at the latest. The methodology being developed and tested is based on the international standard for building level LCA (EN15978) and aligned with the EPBD and other European regulations.
Reflecting on the initial findings of the Indicate Project, Stephen Barrett, Whole-Life Carbon Lead at the IGBC, stressed that the early results from applying a consistent measurement methodology show that the embodied carbon emissions of renovation projects come in at around a third of the carbon
per m² of new-builds. Patrycja Kochaniuk, sustainability lead at Scott Tallon Walker, shared her experience of using the Indicate methodology, explaining that gathering data on the environmental impact of mechanical and electrical equipment (M&E) had been one of her main challenges throughout the process3 Several solutions to better address whole-life carbon emissions were discussed. In addition to reusing buildings through high-quality energy renovations, adaptability and flexibility are key to a better use of the existing stock. Sylvain Grisot explained how a school on the tourist island of Noirmoutier (France) was designed to be used as tourist accommodation during the summer months. Marie Donnelly stressed the importance of better building design to reduce our dependence on concrete, and to increase our use of bio-based construction materials, including timber. Patrick Moloney, Director Strategic Sustainability Consulting at Ramboll, focused on the importance of transitioning the construction industry from its linear take-make-waste model to a circular one where materials never become waste and are reused at their highest value. Ninety percent of the material inputs into the economy are virgin materials. This is the critical gap that must be closed to address the climate crisis. All parties in the built environment value chain must collaborate.
Transitioning to more bio-based and reused materials presents some specific challenges. Building regulations and Technical Guidance Documents (TGDs), including TGD D, will need to be reviewed to better support innovation. Dr Gertraud Leimueller, CEO of innovation consulting, explained how the Austrian Ministry of Climate Action use the concept of a regulatory sandbox to tackle issues around innovation in green construction. A regulatory sandbox brings innovators and regulators together and enables them to cooperate, test and learn in a controlled setting.
The newly-adopted Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) was also
extensively discussed. Speakers looked at its impact on the decarbonisation of buildings, including renovation, the introduction of whole-life carbon measurement requirements, and Zero Emission Buildings (ZEB) standards. They also discussed how regulations introduced under the EU Sustainable Finance Strategy will support and drive the transition to a more sustainable built environment. For instance, the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Activities is a classification system that establishes which economic activities are environmentally sustainable. In the coming years, the Taxonomy will guide where property investors put their money, with many already refusing to invest in projects that fail to meet sustainability criteria. In Ireland, the IGBC will pilot an EU Taxonomy verification scheme, certifying property development that complies with the Taxonomy. The IGBC will also organise workshops in the autumn to support an ambitious transposition of the EPBD.
To quote one of the conference speakers, “nothing needs to be invented, but everything remains to be done”. The technical solutions to decarbonise the built environment are already there, but they need to be implemented at scale, and to become the new norm. Greater collaboration across the supply chain is
required. For mechanical and electrical engineers this means working at the earliest possible stage in close collaboration with the other design team professionals to ensure that opportunities to reduce energy intensity are not missed. It also means consulting with building owners and, where possible, facility managers and other building users during the design stages to determine their requirements and provide them with appropriate information on how to use the building in the way it was designed to be used after handover4
While the conference highlighted the many challenges facing the sector in delivering sustainable buildings and neighbourhoods, it also detailed the many resources currently available, and being developed, to do just that. “Build green now” has to be the mantra of all professionals in the sector.
References
1. A roadmap on key sustainability skills in the construction industry was recently developed by the IGBC, in partnership with CIF, LOETB and the Technological University of the Shannon. This is available at www.igbc.ie
2. Kinnane et al. (2022). “Whole Life Carbon
In Construction and in the Built Environment in Ireland”. Available at: https://www.igbc.ie/ resources/whole-life-carbon-in-construction-andin-the-built-environment-in-ireland-v4/
3 The IGBC is about to set up a community of practice on Addressing Whole Life Carbon and M&E Equipment.
4 For key actions for Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, please see section 6.4.5.3 of the Building a Zero Carbon Ireland Roadmap at www.igbc.ie
Are you currently working in the construction sector but looking for a new challenge? An opportunity to progress your career? A career with plentiful training opportunities? More meaningful and flexible work? Then look no further than retrofit, writes Justine Barrett (right), Programme Executive for Retrofit Business Development and Supply Chain with the Sustainabke Authority of Ireland (SEAI).
Justine is responsible for driving the development of the retrofit supply chain to meet the retrofit goals under the Climate Action Plan. Her key focus is on getting more contractors into retrofit from the wider construction sector, and supporting those already in it to scale upwards. She collaborates with trade associations and contractors to identify any blockers to entry or scaling up, and then works with them to find solutions. She is currently focussed on addressing the resource shortages in the retrofit sector, in particular in the areas of heat pump and external wall insulation installers.
The Government’s Climate Action Plan sets out ambitious targets of upgrading 120,000 dwellings to BER B2 and installing heat pumps in 45,000 existing dwellings by 2025. By 2030, we need to scale this up to 500,000 homes to B2 and 400,000 heat pumps. To achieve these targets we need 22,700 more contractors working in retrofit by 2030, and we need most
of these by 2026. At the moment there are great opportunities right across the retrofit supply chain.
This is a sector that will provide tens of thousands of jobs every year across Ireland, and excellent opportunities for any new company looking to move or diversify into retrofit.
The €8 billion of National Development Plan funding to support residential upgrades will stimulate the creation of high-quality jobs throughout the country. The plan will also have a significant multiplier effect, supporting the development of associated supply chains. This funding will provide opportunities in the retrofit sector valued at over €28 billion.
The retrofit supply chain needs to double its output continuously in the next number of years with projections of over 65,000 retrofit projects per year. These targets are not just until 2030. Once we’ve delivered the first 500,000 upgrades and 400,000 heat pumps by 2030, then the rest of the housing stock will be upgraded over the following 20 years to achieve net zero
by 2050. In other words, retrofitting is not going away. This is a long-term investment by the Irish government and a multi-generational opportunity for contractors. See Figure 1.
Heat pumps are the best heating system for homes that are already well insulated. In many cases, installing a heat pump requires very little change to the existing heating system, working well with radiators.
For oil or gas boiler installers, there is a major opportunity to upskill to installing heat pumps and to futureproof your career at the same time. Over 100,000 homeowners across Ireland have already embraced the future
197,441
132,720
of heating and are experiencing the benefits of a heat pump.
Mark Lohan, the Group Managing Director of Wolseley Ireland (which includes the brands of Heat Merchants, Hevac and Bassetts (NI)), believes that the migration from fossil-fuel heating sources to more renewable sources, like heat pumps, is well underway. “The traditional boiler manufacturers are now offering a wide range of heat pumps. Additionally, the financial institutions now offer low-cost loans to support retrofits. An increasing number of our customers have become experts in heat pumps, and our technical and design teams will continue to train our customers in heat pump technology across all of our regional centres so that they can participate in the future of heating installations.”
The demand for heat pumps in home retrofits increased by 68% between 2022 and 2023. Now with the recent launch of the Home Energy Upgrade loan, which is a Governmentbacked, low-cost loan to support homeowners upgrading the energy performance of their homes, SEAI expects to see the demand for heat pumps, and retrofits in general, to continue to increase. See Figure 2.
The current requirements for heat pump installers are that they must have:
• FETAC/QQI Level 6 Advanced Craft in Plumbing, including a module on minor electrical works, or equivalent;
• FETAC/QQI Level 6 Heat Pump Systems and supplemental Domestic Heat Pump Installation or equivalent;
• Manufacturer’s training certificate of competence;
• Registered on the SEAI Renewable Installers Register (RIR).
The benefits of working in retrofit
One of the most appealing aspects of working in retrofit that I hear from contractors is the variety of work. No two jobs are ever the same. Every home and every homeowner is quite different. Noel Rowland of Churchfield Homes Services, speaking at the recent SEAI Energy Show seminar on Careers in Energy Retrofit, said: “Getting to meet the homeowner is seen as a real perk of the job as you get to see the real and tangible positive impact you have made on someone’s life, whether that be a family with small kids or an elderly couple struggling to keep their home warm in the winter months.”
There is a nationwide availability of work, much more so than for newbuild, as homes all across the country in both rural and urban settings need to be retrofitted. This means that, as a contractor, you can build up a successful business in your own locality, reducing the need to commute to the larger urban areas for work. A move to retrofit could mean seriously cutting
your commuting time and costs, therefore making a big impact on your work/life balance. Working locally in retrofit also means getting to take pride in the real and tangible impact you can make, both to a homeowner’s comfort levels and towards helping reduce carbon emissions in your own area.
If you are interested in moving your career into retrofit, there is a broad range of upskilling opportunities you can avail of. The Education and Training Boards have six Centres of Excellence and offer a wide variety of fully-funded NZEB courses to suit those with no prior experience, those working in the construction sector looking to move into retrofit, and those already in retrofit looking to upskill further. With the national spread of these Centres of Excellence, the courses are accessible for all. See https://www.thisisfet.ie/ nzeb/ for course details.
DASBE (www.dasbe.ie) is a Digital Hub set up to support and help upskill and reskill the construction industry in Ireland and provides a range of courses in the area of energy efficiency. TUS (www.thisisfet.ie) also offers a wide range of courses. These are 33-80% funded and include courses on renovating traditional buildings and BIM.
If you are a contractor or installer offering energy upgrade measures and you are interested in developing your business in the retrofit sector, then your first step should be to register with SEAI. Being a registered SEAI installer is a requirement of many tenders. It also means that your customers can avail of the generous grants on offer and that your business gets more visibility by being listed on SEAI’s website.
• SEAI has a number of different home energy upgrade programmes to suit the different contractor business models. See www.seai.ie for more information or contact Justine directly at justine.barrett@seai.ie
In a nation known for its rain, Ireland’s skies are now shining brighter than ever with the promise of solar energy. In just a few short years, solar power has transformed from hero to zero, becoming a significant player in Ireland’s energy landscape. In May 2023, solar energy contributed a remarkable 10% to the country’s power supply, a stark contrast to the 0% it delivered just two years prior. ESB Networks fittingly described solar as “the fastestgrowing renewable power source in Ireland,” reflecting the rapid pace of its adoption, writes Conall Bolger, Chief Executive Officer, ISEA.
ven having only recently arrived on the power generation scene, Ireland is likely to see more megawatts of solar installed than any other onshore renewable over the remainder of this decade. With ambitious targets and supportive policy frameworks in place, the country could emerge as a global leader in solar energy deployment.
The Irish Solar Energy Association (ISEA), representing the industry’s interests, has been instrumental in driving this transformation. Through collaborative efforts, the solar industry has secured policy changes that have unlocked opportunities across various sectors, including utility-scale, residential, commercial and industrial.
The potential for solar energy in Ireland is immense, and the industry is starting to deliver. Utility-scale developers have already laid the groundwork here for approximately 11GW of solar capacity, securing most of the capacity in recent Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) auctions. Notably, solar projects
secured through these auctions have contributed to a total capacity of 2.8GW to date, which represents over 35% of the government’s 8GW target.
Beginning with the inaugural RESS-1 auction in 2020, which allocated contracts to 63 solar projects totalling over 796MW, there was the subsequent RESS-2 auction securing 1,534 MW (equivalent to more than 55%) in capacity, and then the latest RESS-3 auction, which secured 498 MW (or nearly 50%) in solar capacity. This translates to approximately 73.9% of the total secured capacity in the auctions being attributed to solar energy, underscoring the increasing confidence and investment in solar power.
The microgeneration sector is also experiencing rapid growth, with rooftop solar installations becoming increasingly prevalent. At certain points last year, up to 100 homes connected per day, highlighting the enthusiasm for decentralised energy production and the potential for widespread adoption. A power generation mix that includes solar will
decarbonise far more than one without a high volume of solar. By running during the middle of the day, solar is displacing more polluting, less efficient power stations which tend to run during the day when the demand and prices are higher. This effect was found by AFRY to generate an additional 7% emission savings under certain conditions.
Rooftop panels benefit both homeowners and businesses alike. Homeowners enjoy reliable, renewable energy, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and cutting electricity costs long-term. Similarly, businesses find opportunities for cost savings, sustainability efforts and corporate social responsibility. Through generating clean energy on-site they reduce operational expenses and bolster their environmental credentials, while also contributing to the nation’s broader sustainability objectives. Rooftop solar adoption plays a pivotal role in meeting Ireland’s 2030 renewable energy targets, increasing renewable capacity, cutting emissions and advancing towards our ambitious sustainability goals.
The ISEA has been at the forefront of changing the policy and regulatory landscape so that solar could succeed.
We lobbied successfully for renewable auction changes that attempted to quantify societal benefits, enabling solar to capture most of the capacity in the second and third Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) auctions. Among the policy changes for which we advocated were:
•The increase of national 2030 solar targets from 1.5GW – 2.5GW up to 8GW;
•The inclusion of grants and an export tariff for microgeneration;
•Removal of planning restrictions for residential rooftop solar;
•A more favourable solar commercial rates regime than expected;
•Removal of VAT on the supply and installation of domestic solar.
With the industry scaling at this rate, it is essential for solar to grow sustainably. ISEA has been working on a set of guidance documents for rooftop solar, following on from its publication of industry guidance related to utility-scale planning in 2023.
The first Irish solar farm became operational in April 2022, signalling the start of a new era in Ireland’s renewable energy mix. The growth trajectory continued unabated, with the ISEA’s Scale of Solar report in June 2023 highlighting the remarkable expansion of solar energy in Ireland. This report emphasised the importance of embracing solar energy as being a key driver of the country’s sustainable future and redefining its dependency on fossil fuels.
The speed of solar deployment in Ireland has been impressive, with projects facing fewer planning hurdles and
navigating the process relatively quickly. Recent reports by organisations such as AFRY and MaREI have underscored the potential of solar energy in Ireland and the need to remove barriers to its deployment.
As we embark on this journey towards a more sustainable future, there are countless opportunities on the horizon. The ISEA’s annual conference, Solar Ireland 2024, which will be held in the RDS, Dublin on 1 October, promises to be a platform for exploring these opportunities and exchanging insights with industry leaders and stakeholders. The conference will address key topics such as project delivery, planning, industry growth, sustainable supply chains, infrastructure development, driving good practice, biodiversity benefits of solar, collaboration between agriculture and solar energy, and the role of women in driving change in the solar sector.
• This article is the first in a four-part series exploring this new Irish solar landscape. The second will review policy landscape and educational initiatives being undertaken by the industry. The third will focus on the key considerations to scale the solar industry and contributing to sustainable development. The final article will consider the trends and outlook for the solar energy market. We look forward to sharing our insights with you and hope to see you at an event in future. Solar is starting to shine brightly in Ireland’s energy ecosystem. Join us in this transformative journey so we can, together, build a cleaner, greener tomorrow with solar energy leading the way.
Rooftop solar installation is becoming increasingly prevalent.“Modern Lighting Design for Efficiency and Practicality” was the theme of the recent CIBSE Ireland competition run primarily for young engineers. It attracted considerable interest, making the task of the final adjudicators – Stephen Weir, CIBSE Ireland Chair and Michael McDonald, TU Dublin lecturer and CIBSE Ireland Committee member – very difficult. In the end the winning entry was “Open-plan Workspace, The Flour Mills Building” by Bernard McLoughlin, Ethos (right). Below is a brief synopsis of his presentation.
CIBSE Ireland: Modern lighting design
Introduction
Having been an electrical engineer with Ethos Engineering over the last few years, I have worked on various projects but the Flour Mills building project is one that is special to me. As it is a truly unique building, there were a number of challenges, especially with it also being a listed building with most of the structure being retained.
It is five stories tall and has approximately 700m² of open-plan workspace per floor. Some levels have low head heights while others have double-height space.
Basis of design
Being an office fit-out with a great deal of open-plan workspaces throughout each floor, the quality, efficiency and practicality of the lighting design was critically important. With the exception of architectural lighting, all lights are LED with colour rendering index (CRI) 90, L80 and a minimum lifetime of 50,000 hours as standard. This means the LEDs will provide highquality colour rendering for the workers and will retain 80% of their lumen output at the end of the LEDs’ lifetime hours.
The quality of artificial lighting is one of the most important influences on performance in the workplace with some 80% of our sensory input at work coming through our eyes. Therefore, compromising our vision is not an option when considering energy efficiency measures (CIBSE, 2015).
In order to facilitate the openplan workspaces, I designed the lighting utilising the XAL Track Lighting system. This gave both a modern and practical solution to the lighting design. With the flexibility of a lighting track system, the workspaces can change in future and the client can simply modify the locations of the lights to suit the change.
I used a combination of track linear and spotlights to achieve lux levels across the open-plan workspaces. On the lower floors, because of lower head heights, we suspended the XAL lighting track to match the height of the existing wooden beams, while on the upper levels, we either suspended the lighting track or mounted it to the wooden beams.
The lighting design contained a combination of track-mounted linear lights and spotlights, along with regular surface-mounted linear lights to be used in areas where a track system installation was not possible. The linear lights provide a uniform level of light throughout the open-plan office spaces while
the spotlights assist in areas where lighting levels are difficult to achieve.
The lighting control system chosen for the project was the DALI 2 system supplied and installed by CORE Electrical. We designed it using the DALI 2 multi sensors with BLE beacons for maximum lighting control efficiency. I worked with the client and CORE Electrical to have open-plan office areas linked with the relevant DALI 2 multisensors so that only the lights required for specific areas would turn on/off according to the workers location.
One of the key aspects of the design is daylight dimming control.
The Flour Mills building is rich in Irish history and I believe the project team has done a wonderful job in retaining its historic look while helping it function as a modern office.
This was achieved using the DALI 2 multi-sensor. In areas where natural lighting is sufficient or insufficient, the multi-sensor will alter the total lighting output in open-plan areas efficiently to avoid having lighting at full output when there is enough natural sunlight.
Being a listed building, this project came with many challenges, one of which was the low head heights in many areas of the building’s lower floors. We had to retain a head height of 2.1 meters as per the fire certification requirement, yet this low height was where many of the lights had to be installed.
Also, many of the lower-level office spaces had vertical steel columns in the centre, supporting a horizontal wooden beam which went the full width of the room. I designed the lighting to align with the underside of the timber beams while, in some of these office spaces, the XAL lighting track had to break and continue on the other side of the wooden beam to maintain the 2.1 meter head height.
As part of the project brief the client wanted the base-build light fittings to be retained in the core areas and to be integrated with the new lighting control system. This created a challenge because these relatively old base-build light products had to be upgraded to a DALI 2 driver to operate with the DALI 2 lighting control system.
Conclusion
Overall, the lighting design looks and functions to a high standard and creates a very unique office workspace. It is a modern solution to an historic building which was never intended to be an office
building. The Flour Mills project has been the most interesting project that I have worked on to date and it will be one that I will be proud of for the rest of my life. This building is rich in Irish history and I believe the project team has done a wonderful job in retaining its historic look while helping it function as a modern office.
References
CBRE, 2023. bolandsmills.com/history. [Online]
Available at: https://bolandsmills.com/history
CIBSE, 2015. CIBSE.ORG. [Online]
Available at: https://www.cibse.org/knowledgeresearch/knowledgeportal/ lighting-in-buildings-toptips#:~: text=The%20quality%20of%20artificial%20 lighting,when%20considering
With so much at stake with regard to energy usage, carbon reduction, sustainability and the circular economy, clarity of thought with regard to decision-making is essential.
Building Services Engineering is where you
powerful analysis from our team of knowledgeable industry experts. www.buildingservicesengineering.ie
Congratulations to Paul Nicholls who has been appointed Group Managing Director at Designer Group. Paul has been instrumental in driving growth and innovation at the company and is set to reinforce and strengthen that legacy going forward. Despite a record turnover of €310 million for the year ending March 2024, the objective is to build on that through further development and expansion.
Any incentive to promote and support the uptake of home retrofits must be welcomed. However, the recently-announced retrofit loans scheme says that “up to 25%” of the amount borrowed may be spent on works such as painting and decorating. That means “up to 25%” of the total amount NEED NOT be spent on retrofit measures. Why?
Great to see that Ruth Buggie has been appointed Head of Mobility and Smart Networks at the SEAI. Congratulations Ruth and best wishes in the role.
The UK’s largest trial using hydrogen to heat people’s homes has been shelved in a move that echoes the decision last year to stop two other, smaller-scale hydrogen projects. Reason given in all cases is local opposition and limited availability of the gas.
While noise and the visual impact of wind turbines lead to all manner of protests, the situation could get even worse if the growing height trend in turbines continues.
In the state of Brandenburg, near Berlin, tests carried out on a 300m tall tower – 365m to the top of the blade – suggest that wind blows more constantly at higher altitudes. To get an idea of the significance of this development, 156m is the typical height for modern commercial wind turbines in Ireland.
The matter will be reviewed in 2026 when a formal decision will be made. Indications are that it will still be part of the equation, but as just one element of an overall strategy that will include heat pumps and heat networks.
Simon Jones’ Air Quality Matters
podcast series is something of a revelation. It constantly features world-renowned experts delivering thought-provoking insights on ventilation and indoor air quality. Complementing that is Simon’s own presentations. These are equally inspiring and informative, cover everything from emerging trends through to standards and legislation.
Apart from that, Simon also presents day and half-day workshops on all matters relating to ventilation and air quality, and will also do tailored sessions on request.
Miss his podcast at your peril!
I see that Ian White and the team at Viridus Energy have opened their new dedicated Toshiba training centre. It features working examples of Toshiba’s VRF and split systems, and also showcases various controls platforms.
Hands-on equipment training is a vital part of an engineer’s knowledge base and the training programmes offered by Viridus ensure that better installation, commissioning and fault finding on both heating and ac systems are readily available.
Gaicon, the operator testing the new Brandenburg 300m turbine, now reportedly plans to produce renewable energy on three levels – solar panels on the ground, standard wind turbines over them, and the new super-tall turbines towering above all. Imagine trying to get that through the planning phase here in Ireland!
PAT LEHANE
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