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Overview
The objective of this deep energy retrofit project was to enhance the Building Energy Rating (BER) of the existing buildings at Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Letterkenny campus, and significantly reduce energy consumption. All works were carried out on a live campus of approximately 3,000 full-time students and 285 full-time staff.
The project, supported by the Higher Education Authorities ‘Energy Efficiency and Decarbonisation Pathfinder Programme‘ (EEDPP) included:
- Deep Energy Retrofit of the teaching and learning building’s third floor: Deep retrofit of an existing 1,200sq.m extension to the main educational building, to increase the roof & wall insulation, renew the roof membrane, rain screen cladding, windows & roof lights. Lighting & heating systems were upgraded including provision of PV panels to the roof. A new Rooftop guardrail was also installed along the perimeter of the roof.
- Medium Energy retrofit of the Scientific Research and Fire Technology building: Mid-range retrofit of a 440sq.m single-storey block to the rear (north) of the main ATU Letterkenny building. The walls were standard blockwork masonry construction. It was proposed to increase the wall insulation, renew the roof membrane, and renew the windows/roof light. Lighting & heating systems were upgraded. Works involved temporary relocation of the existing teaching gas storage.
- Construction of new build Biomass Heat Centre: Works included construction of new stand-alone 195 sq.m. enclosure to house new biomass boilers and associated plant and equipment and fuel stores. The Centre located close to the western boundary of the campus was to provide heating to the ATU Letterkenny Campus. Works included construction of piled foundation, concrete floor slab with 2 no. fuel stores and pits, external envelope, and associated flues.
- Biomass District Heating and Site Services Trenches: Works included provision of new services trench (approx. 150m long) to run along the car park to the north side of the main ATU Letterkenny building. The trench contained district heating pipework to deliver hot water generated in the Biomass Heat Centre to the existing heating distribution center in the main boiler house building. The trench also contained ducted power and signal services from the main boiler house to the Biomass Heat Centre, and service ducts for the power supply to a future PPP building to be located to the South of the Biomass Heat Centre. Works included a new services trench (approx. 124m long) to the South of the main ATU Letterkenny building to provide ducts for future communications services from an existing manhole on the roundabout to the future PPP building.
- Site Works: This involved careful excavation of the existing roadways/paved areas, carefully to avoid existing services. They were reinstated to match the existing site finishes. A new Aco-type drain was installed to the South of the building, in the existing paved area, to better drain this pathway.
The Energy Efficiency and Decarbonisation Pathfinder Programme (EEDPP) is co-funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications under Project Ireland 2040, and administered through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and Higher Education Authority (HEA).