Work Commences On Ireland's First Zero Carbon Community Centre Project In Wicklow

Ireland's first privately developed creche and community centre in Ireland is to be built to net zero carbon principles in Newtownmountkennedy

Work on a €3.2m net zero carbon project in Newtownmountkennedy is now underway.

The project in Altidore Gardens is expected to be the first privately developed crèche and community centre in Ireland to be built to net zero carbon principles.

Developer D/RES says responsibly sourced, mass-engineered timber will improve construction while reducing the carbon associated with traditional construction.

The project incorporates renewable generation through solar PV provision, which will supply 20 per cent of the operational energy use for each building.

Mass engineered timber consists of cross laminated timber (CLT), an engineered wood product consisting of layers of kiln-dried dimension lumber, and glue laminated timber (glulam), high performance beams and columns made by glueing parallel timber laminates together.

The floors, walls, and roof will be made with CLT, while the columns, beams and rafters will be made with glulam.

Both buildings are designed for natural ventilation, with automated actuators in the creche and manually opening windows in the community centre.

The project incorporates renewable generation through solar PV provision, which will supply 20 per cent of the operational energy use for each building.

Patrick Durkan, chief executive of D/RES has told BusinessPlus:

"This project is about delivering sustainable, environmentally friendly, and future-proof infrastructure for Ireland.

"This milestone isn’t just a first for D/RES; it's a national first for privately developed public buildings, setting a new benchmark for low-carbon, high-performance construction. 

"It clearly demonstrates that Net-Zero Carbon principles are achievable and should be the standard for Ireland's future.

"D/RES is committed to contributing directly to healthy, vibrant, energy-efficient, and environmentally responsible spaces for communities across Ireland, setting a clear path for the industry and public building development.”