🟩 GreenBricks Building of the Week 🟩 Central Bank of Ireland

Irish green

Once a symbol of recession – an unsightly slab of concrete representing much that had gone awry for banking and construction – now a symbol of recovery and regeneration.

📍Location

Dublin Docklands, Ireland

🏢Building Details

• 29,000 sq. ft. – 8 storeys over double basement

• Completed 2017, consolidating 1,450 dispersed workers

• Green Project of the Year: Irish Construction Excellence Awards 2018

👷🏾‍♀️Developer & Contractor

• Gerry Quinn – Chief Operations Officer at Central Bank of Ireland

• Liam McMunn – Environmental, Health & Safety Manager at Central Bank of Ireland

• Walls Construction Limited

✍️Architects & Engineers

• Pat Kirwan – Former Associate at Henry J Lyons Architects

• Shane T. – Director at O'Connor Sutton Cronin

• Maurice Johnson – Chairman at Maurice Johnson & Partners

• Eoin O'Herlihy – Managing Director at O'Herlihy Access Consultancy (OHAC)

• Thomas Waterman – Production Manager at Kilkenny Limestone Quarries Ltd.

• Anthony Denby – Managing Director at Woodfit - Joinery and Acoustics

• AECOM

🌱Sustainability

• BREEAM Outstanding in Design (86.7%) + Excellent in Use

• Ireland’s 1st commercial BER A2 energy rated = 72% reduction in energy consumption over Irish Building Regulations

• Anodised aluminium mesh panels on façade reduce impact of solar heat gain, reducing energy needed for heating and cooling

• Extensive sub-metering: lighting + small power metered separately per half-floor plate on each floor; energy for heating sub-metered per quarter-floor plate on each floor – all linked to BMS for detailed consumption overview

• Mixed-mode ventilation strategy reduces A/C energy: when external conditions are a comfortable 14-25ºC, façade mounted louvers open allowing only fresh air to ventilate

🥦 Wellbeing

• Inclusive Design embedded: staff with disabilities shared their experiences in workshops, collaborating to help reshape design – personal site inductions given a week before moving

• Hearing enhancement systems in a number of meeting rooms, including boardroom + multi-purpose space

• Internal spaces contain CO2 sensors to monitor + address increased carbon dioxide levels – constantly improving ventilation, aiding productivity

• Extensive cycle storage + facilities = 300 racks + 30 showers

🎈Bonus feature

Small, passive energy-saving measures have been adopted throughout. For example, laptops have replaced desktop computers (employees can answer phones directly from laptops) – and given a laptop consumes up to 80% less electricity than a desktop, this translates to a significant saving with 1,450 staff.

🔗 Check it out https://henryjlyons.com/projects/the-central-bank-of-ireland