Energy Upgrade Homeowner Experience: SEC Southeast Webinar Series

Hear from Ithel McKenna, a homeowner in County Waterford who over the past 40 years has taken on multiple energy efficiency projects in her home.

She couldn’t be happier with the energy savings and increased comfort in her home.
Her only regret…that she isn’t starting now with support from experts like 3cea.

This extract was taken from one of the recent SEC South East webinars in the 6 part series.

Watch the full webinar and others in the series in the YouTube playlist below

 

 

To receive expert advice and start to finish project management for energy upgrade projects, get in contact with us now.
https://3cea.ie/contact/

Irelands First Community-Owned EV Charging Point / Callan Community Energy Company

 

In December 2021, Callan Community Energy with support from 3cea, opened a new solar-powered EV charging station in the Callan Supervalue carpark.  This fantastic project will provide up to 22kw of fast charging capability to support Callan resident’s transition to electric vehicles. This community-owned EV charge point is the first of its kind in Ireland. A huge congratulation to Callan Community Energy for working hard to deliver this project.

In this short video, Adrian Lyons from Callan Community Energy explains the project and the benefits it has produced for the local community in Callan.

If your community wants to take the leap into renewable energy but don’t know where to start, get in contact with 3cea now to find out how we can help.

Additionally, you can watch our 6 part webinar series aimed at helping your community understand what opportunities there are for renewable energy projects and how to avail of funding, with guest speakers from community groups who have become Sustainable Energy Communities (SEC) and experts in renewable energy. A fantastic resource for anyone starting their renewable energy journey.

 

Kehoe’s Ketripack: Solar PV & Lighting Upgrade / SEAI Better Energy Communities Grant

Kehoe’s Ketripack: Solar PV & Lighting Upgrade / SEAI Better Energy Communities Grant

“The 30% grant really made the project viable, along with substantial energy savings, it’s helping our farm to be more sustainable and helping us play our part in reducing carbon emissions” – Philip Kehoe

Meet Philip Kehoe, alongside his father Francis they own Kehoe’s Ketripack, the agri-business side to Kehoe’s Potato farm in Co. Wexford.

Kehoe’s Ketripack were spending upwards of €2,443 a month on electricity alone. This was from the processing, storage, and packaging of their animal feed products. Kehoe’s Ketripack hoped to lower this by adopting greener energy and more efficient lighting.

With the help of 3cea and the SEAI Better Energy Communities (BEC) promgramme, Kehoe Ketripack were able to benefit from 30% funding towards energy efficiency improvements. To meet the challenge, 3cea installed 40KWp Solar PV modules and upgraded 103  energy-efficient light fittings.

The results speak for themselves:

🌱28.688 Tonnes of CO2 avoided annually
💶€11,340 annual savings
86,566 kWh energy savings

The team at 3cea coordinated the entire BEC application from the initial energy audit, procurement to warranty checks, and all required paperwork. Taking the stress out of the project for Kehoe’s Ketripack to focus on what they do best.

If you own and family farm or other farm enterprise, and would like to follow in the footsteps of Kehoe’s Ketripack in becoming more sustainable under the SEAI Better Energy Communities programme, send us a brief overview of the project to: BEC@3cea.ie or call 056 779 0856

Old Leighlin lead the way to mapping a plan to be part of the climate action programme

The All of Government Climate Action Plan aims to expand the SEC Network to 1500 communities all over Ireland receiving support to plan for a sustainable energy future.

A goal without a plan is just a wish.” ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Old Leighlin have done it again. Like they always do. Securing hard fought national grant aid to become Carlow’s first community with the first completed Energy Masterplan in County Carlow.

Old Leighlin is a beautiful place, standing on raised ground overlooking rolling hills and valleys with spectacular vistas.

Following several workshops, and community consultations, the community of Old Leighlin came together and held a public information meeting which was very well attended.  The local community group knew they were on to something. The positive energy in the room was evident and with that a clear vision emerged from the meeting – to establish Old Leighlin as an energy efficient community. The local community group, brimming with drive and dedication, worked in collaboration with Carlow County Development Partnership CLG, and with assistance from us 3cea, and Planenergy Consulting, to complete an Energy Masterplan with grant aid of €10,000 received from SEAI.

Following on from initiating and progressing the Energy Master Plan for the village, Old Leighlin explored different ways in which they could enhance and preserve its beautiful landscape to continue to maintain its natural ambience in a sustainable manner.

Old Leighlin are continuously looking to improve and explore innovative ways to address climate change and make a difference to all the community. Their interest in promoting Energy Efficiency, Water Conservation and Quality, and Biodiversity, are all fundamental essentials that the community believe are the tools needed to preserve ancient Old Leighlin while embracing modern Old Leighlin.

With constant support from Carlow County Development Partnership, Old Leighlin Community Hall and Old Leighlin Tidy Towns were able to access expertise and know-how to reflect on the value of what was present in their village and learn how to protect Old Leighlin and their natural resources into the future.

The Energy Master plan surveys and documents the community’s energy consumption and will also highlight buildings and areas where alterations and improvements can be made to upgrade energy efficiency reduce carbon emissions and reduce consumption in the community. This will enable members to carry out necessary upgrades, where possible thereby, reducing their energy bills, and afford a more comfortable and sustainable living.

Representatives from Old Leighlin stated that the support received from Carlow County Development Partnership made a complicated process much easier. Alice, a committee member from Old Leighlin said ‘we are really delighted to have got this far. The support from the community and from Carlow Development, at each and every step made the difference.  They supported and enabled us to focus on the next step rather than get overwhelmed by the whole project, which still seems enormous to us. I have to say that while the detail required for the application worried people within the community at the start, bit by bit we found the confidence to keep going’. She further commented on the Water conservation and Biodiversity training programme which were also facilitated by Carlow Development through LEADER funding.

Speaking to the Nationalist, Marina DeCosta of Carlow Development extended her congratulations to the community of Old Leighlin and added ‘the journey was long and hard. Sometimes it felt we would have to take a step back, particularly in light of the complications and hurdles that were created due to COVID. However, the resilience and determination of the committee along with partners 3cea and Planenergy overcame a multitude of barriers. Old Leighlin can proudly take ownership of the very first EMP to be launched in County Carlow.

Read more

Eddie's Home

Eddie’s home transformation features in The Sunday Times

Eddie Brennan of Wexford Town upgraded his 1930s bungalow with 3cea in 2019. 

We were delighted to see Eddie’s home energy upgrade story featured in The Sunday Times over the weekend. The article was published by Arlene Harris, who met Eddie and his partner Mary, to gain their insights after achieving such a major home improvement project.

Eddie’s bungalow was in very poor condition prior to the renovation works, with a BER of G, the lowest rating on the BER scale. Eddie continues to describe the process of his project and outlines the different upgrade measures he installed in his new and improved home. You can visit The Sunday Times piece here to read the story in full.

For more information on Eddie’s upgrade project, visit our own interview here, where Eddie lists each of the measures he chose and how these installations transformed his home life.

Home Energy Upgrade Journey

Homeowner Journey

We at 3cea offer homeowners a One Stop Shop service. We will guide homeowners every step of the way, from our initial home assessment right through to the completion of the project. We are listed as a trusted, project coordinator to deliver SEAI‘s National Home Retrofit Scheme and we can apply on behalf of the homeowner for grant funding of up to 35%.

To learn more about starting your journey towards a warmer, comfortable home, visit our Home Energy Upgrade – One Stop Shop.

If you are interested in taking the first step on the journey, you can fill in this form with your home’s details and a member of our Housing Team will be in touch.

Home Retrofit

3cea partner with ERI to provide home retrofit service for homeowners in the South East

3 Counties Energy Agency have partnered with ERI Managed Energy Solutions to deliver SEAI’s National Home Retrofit Scheme.

Homeowners in the South East of Ireland who wish to improve their home’s BER rating are being advised to apply for a new retrofit scheme which offers 35% grant aid.

Stephen Harte, Managing Director of ERI, offers his expertise on the new retrofitting scheme.

Stephen, the founder of ERI, has an Engineering qualification from University of Limerick with 30 years’ experience in the building and commercial sectors.

ERI specialises in helping homeowners with deep energy retrofits. Since starting in 2007, ERI  have carried out over 1,000 building energy assessments and consulted on hundreds of low energy construction projects.” 

In the last five years Stephen has spent three years as Project Manager for the deep retrofit scheme from its inception as a pilot in 2015 through to 2018. Stephen has also been involved in the management of over 150 end to end whole house retrofits in that time.

What is the National Home Retrofit Scheme?  Read more

Kilkenny City Street Lighting shines on EPCs

We are pleased to notice that the Kilkenny City Street Lighting case study for the Streetlight-EPC Project, of which we are regional partner, has been published on the BUILD UP portal, the European portal for energy efficiency. 

Street Light EPC is an EU project aimed at promoting the use of Energy Performance Contracts or EPCs as an accessible way of refurbishing street lighting in Europe which boasts in excess of 56 million street lighting luminaires. Much of this infrastructure is old and inefficient, just as was the case with Kilkenny City street lighting recently upgraded through the project as a city partner, facilitated by regional partner CKEA. EPCs transfer some of the energy savings risk from the consumer to the supplier. A form of EPC, an Energy Performance Related Payment model which links contractor payment to energy performance, was adopted by Kilkenny County Council when upgrading the 60 to 70 year old street lighting infrastructure. Download the Kilkenny City street lighting upgrade in the case study here:[download id=”2824″]

 

Case Study: LED Lighting: Greenlane Fire Station – October 2015

Case Study: LED Lighting: Greenlane Fire Station

Background

The Greenlane Fire Station is operated by Carlow County Council Fire & Rescue Services Carlow County Council Fire & Rescue Services. The fire station availed of services through SEAI to perform an energy audit in early 2014. Through the SEAI an energy auditor was provided and a site visit was performed. The site visit generated a list of potential measures which outlined potential energy savings by adopting energy efficiency measures. Items outlined included boiler and heating controls, as well as lighting upgrades. The staff at the Fire station opted to review in greater detail the potential of lighting upgrades. Their existing lighting was T-8 lighting, which was manually controlled with wall mounted switches. Typically the hall lighting was being left on constantly, and while every effort was made by the staff at the fire station, offices were left unmanned during emergencies with the lighting left on in the absence of staff. With the assistance of Carlow Kilkenny Energy Agency, a public tender was prepared and various options for lighting improvements were tendered by varying contractors. In the end the facility had a choice of T-5 lighting or LED lighting upgrades. The pros and cons of each option were evaluated and taking into consideration operational and maintenance cost, the department opted for the LED option.  The project was installed in September 2014. The Fire & Rescue Services department through the CKEA, availed of grant aid through the Better Energy Communities 2014 program.

 

Timeframe

The initial lighting energy efficiency project was identified in January 2014. The project applied for funding under Better Energy Communities 2014 in April 2014. Approval for grant aid was received in June 2014. The project was then tendered and the removal of the existing lighting and installation of new lighting was completed in September 2014.

 

Results

The LED lighting was installed in September 2014. The LED lighting has some additional functionality with motion sensors also installed. The site opted to reduce the number of fittings in certain areas and have been pleased with the improved quality of lighting in the spaces. The expected payback, including grant aid is just over 6 years.  The following graph shows the pre and post energy consumption for the site.

GreenlaneFirestation_Trend

Greenlane Firestation Pre & Post Energy Consumption

Cost Savings

To date from January 2015-July 2015, the site has saved just over €1,100 on their energy bills as a direct result of installation of the LED lighting.

Engineer Responsible:

Elizabeth Cosgrave, Energy Engineer, Energy Efficiency

 

Key Words – Energy Efficiency, LED Lighting, Energy Savings

 

 

 

Case Study: St. Canices Hall, Kilkenny

Introduction

St. Canices Hall is locally used for such activities as boules playing, afterschools facilities, mens club and occasional functions in the community. The hall offers a valuable resource for those wishing to socialise with their community.St. Canices Hall is locally used for such activities as boules playing, afterschools facilities, mens club and occasional functions in the community. The hall offers a valuable resource for those wishing to socialise with their community.

St Canices HallEnergy Efficient Lighting

St. Canices Hall had a mixture of T-12 and T-8 flourescent lighting. It was proposed to install LED-Tubes for improved lighting in the space.

Insulation and Building Fabric upgrades

St. Canice’s opted to dry-line the main hall of the building. The rear snooker rooms were insulated used cavity wall pumped insulation. 300-mm of attic insulation was also added to the Main Hall, with roof vents. The back door was previously in bad repair and was replaced. As a result the centre now has wheelchair access which allows additional community members to use the facility.

Results

Since the upgrade the role of the centre has changed somewhat, with office space being added in one of the rear room, which has increased footfall. Based on the initial period of monitoring from December 2013-April2014, there was a 4% cost reduction and 13% usage reduction. If usage had continued as such it was expected that there would have been an overall 11% annual energy savings a result of lighting upgrades. There was a 32% reduction in oil usage at the site as a result of the insulation upgrades.

St Canices 1

Figure 1 St. Canices Hall During Upgrade

St Canices 2

Figure 2 Post Upgrade

 

St Canices 5

 

St Canices 6

 

St Canices 7

Case Study: Kilkenny City Hall, Kilkenny

Introduction

Kilkenny City Hall, KilkennyKilkenny City Hall houses Kilkenny Borough Council, part of Kilkenny Local Authorities. The building is a listed building of historical interest and is open to public viewing during normal office hours. During the 1980’s a fire destroyed the building and it was rebuilt shortly afterwards. Since then it has been predominantly cosmetic upgrades that have taken place and KBC were eager to provide some newer lighting for their staff, as well as address the comfort issue of heating. The building is also home to the Mayor of Kilkenny

Time Frame

The initial decision to proceed with energy efficiency upgrades took place in April 2013 and the projects were complete by October 2013. The works were funded by SEAI Better Energy Communities 2013.

Implemented Energy Efficiency Measures

City Hall opted to install two energy efficiency measures. The first measure they implemented was an upgrade of their lighting. Their existing lighting was T-8, magnetic ballast, mixed with some 2-D fluorescent fixtures. The existing T-8s were replaced with T-5 fluorescent tubes and new fixtures and the 2-D fixtures were replaced with LED equivalent. Occupancy sensors were placed in low use areas such as toilets and canteen areas.

City Hall also decided to upgrade their storage heating. The existing storage heating had been in place since the 1980’s and had no control and was providing low levels of heat output. The City Hall opted to install new Dimplex Storage heating with controls. The controls allow space temperature settings, time clocks as well as being intelligent.

Savings

  • Cost Savings – 36%
  • Energy Savings – 37,170-kWh (5% greater than expected)
  • Expected Energy Savings – 35,509-kWh

Engineer Responsible:

Elizabeth Cosgrave, MEng. Sc., BE MIEI