Almost €1.3m upgrade planned for Carlow Co Council building
Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council, Tommy Kinsella, centre, Ryan + Lamb Architects and council staff at the announcement of a €2.9m refit of the county buildings on the Athy Road, Carlow
CARLOW Co Council has embarked on a €1.291 million retrofitting project, which will make it cheaper to run and heat its administrative headquarters on Athy Road, Carlow town.
It signed a contract with Ryan + Lamb Architects to design and manage the project in July with representatives from both organisations. Director of services Pádraig O'Gorman described the event as “a significant step forward”.
They expect the project, which has the objective of achieving a BER B energy rating for the building, to take approximately a year to complete, including design and construction. The project managers will consider upgrading the building’s fabric, heating and ventilation systems and lighting, using renewable energy technologies and improving energy management systems.
The council currently spends around €65,000 each year on energy for its buildings. Liam Carroll, senior executive officer at the environment department, said the council expects that the retrofit “will result in significant cost savings over time”. It is also under a legal obligation to reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by 51% across its operations.
“As a local authority, we have a responsibility to lead by example in reducing carbon emissions,” said cathaoirleach Tommy Kinsella.
Funding for the project has come through the government’s , which enables public sector bodies to improve energy efficiency and decarbonise their buildings. Half of the €1.291m funding is being provided through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and the remaining half is being provided from the council’s budget.
Mr O’Gorman described the project as “an opportunity to develop a model public sector retrofit project that can inform future energy upgrades across the local authority sector.”
