COMMUNITY
North cathedral
Summary
Client: North Cathedral
Site: Cork
Sector: Community
The Challenge
The Catholic Cathedral of St. Mary & St. Anne is the Mother Church of the Dioceses of Cork and Ross. The Cathedral engaged with SE Systems as they wished to look at options for reducing their energy use and to make the Cathedral a more comfortable space for its users. As the main Cathedral over the Dioceses of Cork and Ross, they wanted to be a leader in energy efficiency upgrades and demonstrate to other Churches how you could retrofit a historic building. Following a detailed energy audit of the Cathedral a number of issues were identified. The main church space was cold, and the heating system was not operating sufficiently, the lighting was inadequate and there was minimal insulation in the roof, so a lot of heat was escaping. They also had extremely high electricity and gas bills.
The Solution
SE Systems collaborated closely with NCE Insulation and the client to come up with an energy conservation plan which involved carrying out energy upgrades over a 5 year period to the protected building. There was a strong focus on how to sensitively combine the energy efficiency upgrades while preserving the architectural heritage of the building.
In 2016 they began installing sustainable energy measures which included an LED Lighting upgrade and the installation of Solar Photovoltaic system, and, in 2018 an Air-to-Air Heat Pump and 2 Electric Vehicle Chargers were also installed. In 2021, Attic Insulation was installed over the main nave of the Cathedral which has a suspended ceiling, as well as Energy Monitoring equipment and Temperature and Humidity Sensors. Hygrothermal analysis was carried out to determine the most appropriate attic insulation to use that would not cause any issues such as dampness to the roof structure.
SE Systems worked closely with the conservation architects, specialist sub contractors, and the North Cathedral to ensure each aspect of the project was delivered to a very high standard in this notable historic building.
The overall Energy Upgrade Works included:
- LED Lighting Upgrade
- 4.68kWp Solar PV System
- Heat Pump Installation
- EV Charger Installation
- Attic Insulation
- Energy Monitoring Equipment Installation
- Temperature & Humidity Sensors.
The Impact
The projects at the North Cathedral demonstrate how energy saving measures can be implemented to a protected building over a phased basis as funding became available. A partnership approach was key to this project, and it would have not been possible without the grants it received from the SEAI Communities Energy Grant as well as from the Albert Gubay Foundation. SE Systems can work with their clients to draw down funding from different sources.
The Cathedral now has live vison of their electrical energy usage as well as Co2 emissions from the energy monitors, they are generating electricity on site through the Solar PV panels. The church is now much warmer and comfortable for the parishioners thanks to the air-to-air heat pumps along with the roof insulation. The interiors look very welcoming too as a result of the LED lighting upgrades.
The works here have inspired many other Churches to embark on energy saving projects, not just in Cork but all-around Ireland. The Cathedrals upgrades also featured as a demonstration site in a European funded project called the Energy Pathfinder project which focused on how to retrofit historic buildings.
Thanks to SE Systems, I have achieved my vision of creating a low carbon A1 rated eco-friendly home.
Denis
The Partners
Grant Coordination
Community Energy Grant
Client
Insulation
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