COMMUNITY
Field of dream
Summary
Client: Field of Dreams
Location: Cork
Sector: Community
The Challenge
The Field of Dreams is a three-acre horticultural site which was developed and built in 2017 to meet the ongoing learning needs of adults with Down syndrome across Cork City & County. Their vision at Field of Dreams is to provide opportunities for adults with Down syndrome for ongoing learning and growth, with the ultimate aim of supporting them to access paid, sustained work. They provide bespoke training and this, coupled with hands-on Employment Support (for both the employee and the employer) has been critical in successfully integrating their Field of Dreams students into the workplace.
The Field of Dreams has a training room, commercial grade kitchen with cafe area, polytunnels, market garden, sensory garden, remembrance garden, fruit garden, orchard, covered courtyard, a care farm with sheep and chickens and recreational areas. As a charity The Field of Dreams were struggling with excessively high energy bills for the site and were also keen to see how they could make their buildings more environmentally friendly.
The challenge was to devise a strategy and implement works on a site that is being used daily as well as ensuring that the charity clients were not affected by the contractor’s presence.
The Solution
SE Systems carried out an energy audit that included all of the buildings on the site. Several energy savings opportunities were identified, these included a mix of operational items that could be incorporated straight away through energy behavioural changes as well as capital works items such as installing heating and light controls, a solar PV system to generate electricity, installing an energy management system and upgrading some doors.
The following measures were installed:
- PV installation: 6kWp Solar PV System
- Windows/Door Upgrade: From 3W/m2K to 1.4 W/m2K
- Heating Controls installation: 7-day time clocks on 4 under sink water heater
- Lighting Control Upgrade: From T8 fittings to LED with built in microwave sensor + Installation of occupancy sensors in low occupancy area.
- M&V installation: Monitoring & Targeting system on site to provide greater visual over actual consumption trends.
The Impact
The implemented upgrades resulted in a total energy consumption reduction of 8,324.8 kWh, with electrical consumption reduced to 542.704 kWh and renewable energy contributing 776.7768 kWh. These measures significantly contributed to the facility’s energy efficiency and sustainability.
The client also reported the following benefits since the projects were completed.
- Reduced energy bills.
- More comfortable environment for students and staff to work in.
- Peace of mind that they are more environmentally aware and doing their bit to help conserve energy using renewable energy sources.
- Reduced carbon footprint.
- CSR benefits
- Improved lighting levels through use of LED’s.
- The heat pumps make the working environment very comfortable.
- There is now hot water every morning when they open the building thanks to the time clocks on the water heaters.
They also outlined that from an education point of view, it has been very useful to be able to show their students the energy consumption on the live energy monitors. The students are now more aware of their energy consumption and will spread this information at home to their families.
A key success working with SE Systems is that funding was received from both the SEAI Community Energy Grant as well as the SE Systems Community fund which made the projects possible for Down Syndrome Cork. SE Systems project managed the works overseeing all of the sub-contractors, and grant paperwork.
We have seen a huge savings on electricity & heating costs, this was the very first very significant noticeable difference which was a real pleasant surprise. Our electricity bills have been greatly reduced.
Debbie Kelleher
Care Co-ordinator
The Partners
Grant Coordination
Community Energy Grant
Client
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