Next phase of Cox’s Demesne Regeneration Project to commence in January

Ashling Park in Cox’s

Contracts were signed yesterday for the next phase of the Cox’s Demesne Regeneration Project, Phase 2A: Ashling Park Pilot Project, which is a €2.4m contract paving the way for the construction of 14 new housing units along with associated road networks and services plus environmental works.

Phase 2A of the Cox’s Demesne Regeneration Project, follows on from the first phase, the biggest energy efficiency improvement works project in Ireland, which took place in 2012/2013. That phase of the Cox’s Regeneration Scheme saw close to 2,000 residents benefitting from a range of works, provided free of charge, to reduce energy consumption and boost energy efficiency.

The process for the latest phase of the Cox’s Regeneration Scheme goes back six years and in 2013 involved consultation with residents as to what they felt was needed in Cox’s Demesne.

David Storey, Senior Executive Officer, Louth County Council has been involved with the Cox’s Demesne Regeneration Project since its inception and spoke of the importance of yesterday’s contract signing.

“This is yet another milestone in the Cox’s Demesne Regeneration Project and in tandem with the Energy Efficiency Improvements Works programme, represents a €5.7m investment in this area to date with further phases and plans in the pipeline.

“The signing shows yet again the commitment by Louth County Council and the Department of the Environment, Community & Local Government in providing a valued place to live in what is one of the county’s biggest housing estates.”

Cllr Oliver Tully, Cathaoirleach, Louth County Council, spoke of the significance of the Cox’s Demesne Regeneration Project.

“The first phase of the project, the Energy Efficiency Improvement Works, saw Louth County Council involved in an inspiring pilot project that authorities around the country took notice of.

“I’m delighted to sign these contracts as Louth County Council continues to show its commitment to work alongside our tenants in providing a bright future for Cox’s Demesne.”

With work expected to get underway on site in January, Louth County Council officials will be out in the community shortly to host information evenings with the local residents to introduce the contractor McParland Brothers and to inform them of the works that will be taking place in their estate.

Louth County Council would also like to engage with the residents to form a Community Group and representatives from that group will be able to engage directly with the contractor, Design Team and Local Authority Officials.

Cox’s Demesne energy-saving project set for European awards

The Cox’s Demesne Regeneration Project which has seen major energy efficiency works carried out on 573 homes in Dundalk was awarded the ‘Best Energy Smart Initiative by a Local Authority’ at the 2014 Community & Council Awards presented by LAMA, the Local Authority Members Association last weekend and now advances to the European finals.

The first phase of the regeneration project saw Dundalk Town Council take on Ireland’s biggest energy efficiency retrofit to date.

Working alongside Electric Ireland and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), €3.3m was invested in energy efficient insulation, boiler installations, draught proofing and the installation of heating controls in the Cox’s Demesne houses.

All this work was carried out free of charge to the residents concerned. The second phase of the Regeneration Scheme now consists of the Ashling Park pilot project, which is looking at improving existing Council housing stock as well as the local physical environment.

The Cox’s Demesne project will now proceed to the prestigious European Finale of the Ace Awards in the Netherlands in autumn. 

Edel Giltenane, Ace Executive Project Manager at awards sponsor Codema, said: “Cox’s Demesne Regeneration Project was selected for its creative approach and its potential as an exemplar project that can be replicated successfully by local authorities across Europe.”

Cox’s Demesne Regeneration Project will join the winners of preliminary rounds in Belgium, France, the Netherlands and the UK at the finale of the Ace Awards.

The award for Best Energy Smart Initiative was presented at a special Community & Council Awards night held by LAMA in the Crowne Plaza, Santry and was hosted by RTÉ presenter Miriam O’Callaghan.

Welcoming the award, Dave Storey, Senior Executive Officer, this week said it was heartening to see recognition for Dundalk’s involvement in a pioneering project.

“A retrofit on this scale had never been carried out in the country until Dundalk Town Council put the wheels in motion and we knew that other authorities around the country were looking on our project as a national pilot scheme.

“We are delighted to receive this award as it shows that others have recognised the immense work that went into offering our residents free energy efficiency upgrades which they will reap the benefits from for many years to come.”

 

Energy efficiency upgrades underway thanks to cross-border project

The County Museum in Dundalk is one of nine buildings being upgraded

Homeowners and businesses are set to benefit from a cross-border project where local authorities will demonstrate best practice for reducing energy costs.

The cross-border initiative, the Energy Efficiency and Micro-Generation Project, funded through the European Union’s INTERRREG IVA programme commenced in the East Border Region in 2011. Ten local authorities, seven in Northern Ireland and three in Republic of Ireland, selected five of their most energy hungry buildings, fifty buildings in total, to undergo detailed energy audits. As a result of the energy audits, 9 buildings were selected to undergo upgrades to building fabric and building services to reduce the energy consumption.

In the County Museum in Roden Place – one of the 9 buildings selected for energy upgrades works – the upgrade of all gallery and exhibition space lighting to energy efficient LED technology, coupled with the installation of motion detection on each floor, will significantly reduce electricity consumption on site. This lighting upgrade will also be complimented by the installation of a large array of photovoltaic solar panels on the south facing roof, which when weather conditions allow will provide on-site green electricity generation which will meet the majority of the reduced lighting load.

Another feature of the building upgrades will be a visitor experience display screen in the building foyer which, through collaboration with project partners Dundalk Institute of Technology, will provide monitoring of the building’s energy meters allowing visitors to see a ‘live’ display of the building’s energy performance, comparing live data with historical energy consumption and carbon emissions data.

Bryan Crowe, the Energy & Sustainability Project officer, is enthusiastic about the potential of the energy upgrades.

“I am delighted to be involved with this exciting project and welcome the opportunity to demonstrate the energy saving potential of energy efficiency and micro-generation measures to a wide audience through the creation of visitor friendly exemplar buildings within the East Border Region,” he said.

It is expected that the project works will showcase best practice and the renewable technologies most suited to the local climate to local SME’s and homeowners alike.

The Cathaoirleach of Dundalk Town Council, Councillor Eamonn O’Boyle, welcomes this new innovative project, and hopes that it will lead to a much improved efficiency in energy consumption in our County Museum and wishes to acknowledge the funding received from the INTERRREG IVA programme for this new important Cross Border initiative.

Additional information can be found at www.sustainandbuild.com, or follow project progress, with regular updates on twitter @sustainandbuild.

The building upgrades across all 9 sites have commenced with works to be complete by the end of March 2014.