Plan to halve energy consumption in Offaly primary school
Work will begin next week on heat pump installation
WORK on a project which it is hoped will halve a school's energy consumption is due to start next week.
A new air source heat pump is at the heart of an energy efficiency drive at St Patrick's Primary School in Edenderry.
Earlier this month the school's board of management got the go-ahead from Offaly County Council planners for the development.
Air source heat pump installations for schools are part of the Department of Education Ireland RePower Extended Pathfinder Programme 2024/2025.
That initiative is aimed at improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions in educational institutions and St Patrick's Primary School is on the programme.
According to the planning file, the objective of the project at the school is to meet key energy performance targets, including a minimum Building Energy Rating (BER) of B1 for the retrofitted building.
A commencement notice says the thermal upgrade of walls and ceilings, installation of new windows, a heat recovery unit and solar panels will begin on Wednesday, June 25.
These works will be carried out along with the installation of the heat pump. Electric vehicle charging is also part of the project.
Reducing primary energy consumption by 50% is a target of the work. It is anticipated that 90% of space in the school will be heated by the air source heat pump system.