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Guaranteed savings through EPC in Sports & Fitness Centres of Dublin

  • 20 Novembre 2018
  • Ireland
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Dublin City Council awarded Ireland’s first local authority Energy Performance Contract (EPC) project to Noel Lawler Green Energy Solutions. Working closely with the Dublin Energy Agency Codema, the project will save the council up to €100,000 on its energy and maintenance costs per year. 

Dublin City Council awarded its first Energy Performance Contract (EPC) project to Noel Lawler Green Energy Solutions in July 2016, working closely with Dublin’s Energy Agency Codema in procuring this contract to upgrade three of its Sports and Fitness Facilities. The project was supported under the SEAI National Energy Services Framework, as well as the European project EESI2020, co-funded under H2020.

 

As leisure centres are typically high energy users, Dublin City Council decided to use an Energy Performance Contract (EPC) model to carry out upgrades to Ballymun, Finglas and Markievicz Sports and Fitness Centres, rather than carrying out these works using more traditional methods. An EPC is a contractual agreement by an Energy Service Company (ESCo) to guarantee energy savings over an agreed period of time. It differs from the traditional method of carrying out energy efficiency measures, as the ESCo must ensure that these energy savings are achieved, and cannot walk away from an unsatisfactory job.

 

After a rigorous procurement process, DCC awarded the contract to Noel Lawler Green Energy solutions; this contract is for 8 years and includes full maintenance of all equipment associated with the upgrades by the ESCo.

 

General informations

Location: Ballymun, Finglas & Markievicz Sports & Fitness Centres, Dublin

Results: 38% energy savings in the 1st year

Funding: Dublin City Council, SEAI, DCCAE

Example of upgrades: BMS Optimisation, CHP upgrades, LED upgrades

Year completed: 2016

 

Energy Measures

The energy upgrades at the three sports and fitness facilities were completed by the end of 2016 and included:

  • Building Management System (BMS) optimisation
  • CHP Overhaul and power modulation controls (Finglas) • New 110 kWh CHP and power modulation controls (Ballymun)
  • Upgrade of lighting to LED and lighting controls
  • New cooling strategy for Air Handling Units • Boiler plant replacement with high modulation boiler
  • New controls for pool pumps

Lessons learnt

This project is a great example of how the public sector can work together to drive efficiencies and I would like to thank the great teams in Codema, the SEAI and the Department of Energy for their support and technical assistance (Brendan Kenny, Deputy Chief Executive, Housing & Community, DCC).

Award labels

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Available link languages

English

Operational date

Mercoledì, 30 Novembre, 2016

Source of funding

Private

Funding description

Following the commitment to the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP) and the Programme for Government 2011-2016, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (DCENR), together with SEAI, developed the National Energy Services Framework to help develop the energy efficiency market in the non-domestic sector throughout Ireland. As part of this programme, 22 organisations from both the public and private sector were selected as exemplars and committed to delivering an Energy Performance Contract. An EPC is a contractual agreement by an Energy Service Company (ESCo) to guarantee energy savings over an agreed period of time. Codema facilitated Ireland’s first local authority EPC on behalf of Dublin City Council, for three of DCC's largest leisure centres - namely Markievicz Sports and Fitness Centre, Finglas Sports & Fitness Centre and Ballymun Sports and Fitness Centre.

Economic effect

Codema works closely with the ESCo to carry our regular Measurement and Verification (M&V) of the buildings. In its first year, the EPC project has saved Dublin City Council approximately €172,000 on its costs, and has achieved average energy savings of 38%. Codema will continue to assist DCC with managing this M&V process for the duration of the contract period. The project has been so successful that DCC has initiated a second EPC involving a number of its buildings; this second project is at an advanced stage, and is due for completion by the end of 2018.