Cut your energy use by 30%
Ahead of the SEAI Energy Show (RDS, March 27 and 28), the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) shows how one hotel is saving money and energy through excellence in energy efficient design.
The Monasterboice Inn is located north of Drogheda on the main Dublin Belfast route. They constructed a new conference centre extension and dramatically upgraded the energy efficiency of their premises using SEAI EXEED (Excellence in Energy Efficient Design).
SEAI EXEED encourages innovation in designing and managing projects and is driving the adoption of longer-term solutions to the energy challenges we face. The benefit of SEAI EXEED is that energy performance is considered at the very beginning of the design of a new build or major upgrade project, reducing energy consumption and operational costs for the lifetime of the building. In addition, SEAI supports up to €500,000 per year to businesses or public bodies applying in the design stage of projects.
The motivation for the Monasterboice Inn was to do business responsibly using less fossil fuels and to lower costs. They benefitted greatly from the SEAI EXEED process and now use this approach in everything they do.
They designed the new conference centre to maximise natural daylight and provide an attractive bright space. There is now high grade insulation throughout the building, and it has been made as airtight as possible and includes triple-A glazed windows. Although initially this resulted in a higher build cost, they now have a more comfortable building that is cheaper to run.
They installed smart lighting in their conference rooms and car parks. The lighting is lux level and light sensor controlled. This gives perfect lighting, and uses far less energy.
The old gas boilers were replaced with heat pumps. The heat pumps provide heating and cooling to the building. They also capture the hot air from the extractor fans and use it to heat water. This heat was previously being wasted. Both systems work in tandem, using their own intelligence to choose the most efficient source on the day, depending on the climate and the building’s demand. They have smart controls that manage the various sources of heat and cooling. This system is responsive and provides much better control.
The payback on this project is expected to be three and a half years.
Supporting Over 70 Businesses
SEAI is already in achieving SEAI EXEED certification and significantly reducing their energy consumption. Last year, SEAI invested in projects ranging from educational facilities, to pharmaceutical companies to public buildings. Projects that consider energy performance and energy management at the design stage can save up to 30% in energy use and typically save on capital expenditure for new investments.
You can learn more about how SEAI EXEED can save you energy and money at the SEAI Energy Show on the March 27 and 28. To find out more visit www.seai.ie/energyshow.
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