Designed in 2004-5, and constructed 2006-7, this building ticks all the right boxes, and was a finalist in the Green Awards 2008.
Based in Newmarket, County Cork, the 12,000 sq. ft. premises is the largest Health & Safety training centre in Ireland, so endeavouring to reduce its running costs and improve its comfort for the average of 40 people per day were both part of the goals. It has classrooms and a warehouse area for indoor & outdoor plant/machinery training.
The building uses no fossil fuels - no gas - no oil - but an air to water heat exchange system, which is then used to run underfloor heating, tap water and fan coils in the training rooms.
Solar panels are used to supplement the heat pump, for space and water throughout the building.
The low-e double glazed units provide maximum natural daylight and solar gain with minimum amounts of sun. All lighting is low energy/luminaries.
Along with these, insulation is provided above the minimum standard required at the time of construction. The cavity in the blockwork walls is 130mm (100mm standard), and this is filled with beaded insulation blown in to provide optimum insulation. The roof space was also insulated to 200mm as well as the insulated roof cladding.
By using cheap night-rate electricity for only 1 hour per day to run the underfloor and water heating from mid-September to May 31st (the solar panels supply all water heating needs June to mid-September), HSS Ireland is reducing not only its own costs, but also using surplus energy that would otherwise be wasted, and reducing Ireland's peak energy demand during normal working hours.
With these solutions incorporated in the building, the owners consider their 2008 electricty bill of approximately €4,500 p.a. would be only 25% of the cost if they were to use fossil fuel to provide space and water heating.
Although the thermal system installed was very expensive at the time, the company expects payback to be in the region of 4 years, dependent upon to the cost of fossil fuel and electricity.
