North Tipperary, Ireland
The rural region of North Tipperary in the Mid-West of Ireland covers a total area of 600 km² with a population of 10,000 people. The region has an agricultural base and its village and town structure are typical of rural Ireland. There is limited use of renewables and 60% of existing houses were built with poor insulation levels (prior to 1980). The SERVE project aims to develop a sustainable region in North Tipperary through the implementation of actions in the field of sustainable energy. Actions include energy upgrades for existing dwellings, installation of renewable energy heating systems, development of an eco-village in Cloghjordan and the development of a district heating system. A comprehensive renewable energy retrofitting programme sees high efficiency wood stoves and boilers installed in hundreds of homes. Other households will benefit from micro-wind turbines and PV panels.
The CONCERTO approach
To accompany these measures, the buildings – 500 in all – have improved insulation installed, along with modern energy control systems, giving homeowners more control over their power consumption. Serve is also serving up a first for Ireland: a specially designed and built ecovillage at Cloghjordan. This will have 132 homes, all constructed to the highest standards of energy performance, marking a 40% efficiency gain on current building standards.
The village is heated by Ireland's first district heating system based on renewable power. As with individual dwellings, woody biomass is used for heat, with the installation of a biomass boiler with 600kW capacity. Solar power also contributes. The plan is for the project to set new standards for energy performance and renewable energy supply in rural Ireland. The energy efficiency and renewable power measures undertaken will be monitored and measured with a view to improving Ireland's energy performance overall. Importing knowledge from other EU countries will also be crucial to this – and will help Ireland make inroads on its CO2 emissions, which have risen quickly as a result of the rapid economic development of the country. Renewable energy installations in existing buildings will cut emissions by 330 tonnes of CO2 annually, while the ecovillage will emit 1,200 tonnes less per annum relative to conventional developments.
Use of Renewable Energy Sources
Low Carbon Technologies
CONCERTO activities in the SERVE region of North Tipperary
Site facts & figures
The consortium
The rural region of North Tipperary in the Mid-West of Ireland covers a total area of 600 km² with a population of 10,000 people. The region has an agricultural base and its village and town structure are typical of rural Ireland. There is limited use of renewables and 60% of existing houses were built with poor insulation levels (prior to 1980). The SERVE project aims to develop a sustainable region in North Tipperary through the implementation of actions in the field of sustainable energy. Actions include energy upgrades for existing dwellings, installation of renewable energy heating systems, development of an eco-village in Cloghjordan and the development of a district heating system. A comprehensive renewable energy retrofitting programme sees high efficiency wood stoves and boilers installed in hundreds of homes. Other households will benefit from micro-wind turbines and PV panels.
The CONCERTO approach
To accompany these measures, the buildings – 500 in all – have improved insulation installed, along with modern energy control systems, giving homeowners more control over their power consumption. Serve is also serving up a first for Ireland: a specially designed and built ecovillage at Cloghjordan. This will have 132 homes, all constructed to the highest standards of energy performance, marking a 40% efficiency gain on current building standards.
The village is heated by Ireland's first district heating system based on renewable power. As with individual dwellings, woody biomass is used for heat, with the installation of a biomass boiler with 600kW capacity. Solar power also contributes. The plan is for the project to set new standards for energy performance and renewable energy supply in rural Ireland. The energy efficiency and renewable power measures undertaken will be monitored and measured with a view to improving Ireland's energy performance overall. Importing knowledge from other EU countries will also be crucial to this – and will help Ireland make inroads on its CO2 emissions, which have risen quickly as a result of the rapid economic development of the country. Renewable energy installations in existing buildings will cut emissions by 330 tonnes of CO2 annually, while the ecovillage will emit 1,200 tonnes less per annum relative to conventional developments.
Use of Renewable Energy Sources
- Solar thermal
- Building-integrated biomass heating
- Large-scale biomass heating
- Wind power
- Photovoltaics (for street lighting)
Low Carbon Technologies
- Insulation
- Renewable insulation materials
- Monitoring and targeting
- District heating
- Glazing of windows
- Optimized lighting/ daylighting systems
Highlights
Site facts & figures
- Estimated population involved: approx. 4,000
- Approx. geographical area coverage: Information will follow
- Approx. energy saving (in %): Information will follow
- Approx. energy from RES (in %): Information will follow
The consortium
- Tipperary Institute, IE North Tipperary
- Circa Group Europe LTD, IE
- North Tipperary County Council, IE
- Renewable Energy Management Services Limited, IE
- Surface Power Technologies, IE
- Sustainable Projects Ireland Limited, IE
- Tipperary Energy Agency Limited, IE
- Ayuntamiento de El Franco, ES
- Energy Consulting Network, DK
- Fédération Européennes des Agences Régionales de l’énergie et de l’environnement, BE
- North West Croatia Energy Agency, HR
- Senergy EConnect Ltd, UK
CONCERTO is co-financed by the