Construction Jobs Expo will now take place online on 6th February, 2021. Meet leading employers in the construction and engineering sectors with job and career opportunities.
Obton, a Danish solar photovoltaic (PV) business are set to invest €300m in the Irish solar energy sector.
Obton, a Danish solar photovoltaic (PV) business, and its Irish partner Shannon Energy, have released plans to develop up to 500 MW of solar PV projects in Ireland over the next five years. This will create over 1,000 jobs particularly during its construction phase.
Obton’s significant investment in the Irish solar energy sector was launched today by Anders Marcus, Obton CEO, Mark Foley, Eirgrid CEO, and H.E. Uffe Balslev, Ambassador of Denmark, at an event in University College Dublin. This investment will see around 2,000 acres of farmland converted to the production of renewable energy, helping to deliver the Government’s strategic goal of zero carbon emissions by 2050.
In 2018, Obton formed a joint venture with Dublin-based Shannon Energy. Together they are building an impressive pipeline of solar power investment projects in Ireland and are committed to playing a key role in the transition towards renewable energy.
In conjunction with the investment announcement, Obton and Shannon Energy have also announced details of their first three strategic project acquisitions: the Grian portfolio of solar projects in Westmeath, Longford and Tipperary; the IGP portfolio of projects in Tipperary and Cork; and the Wind Energy Direct solar project in Galway. These three projects will deliver approximately 150 MW of solar power, which would be enough energy to cover the yearly energy consumption of 25,000 homes.
Speaking at the launch event of the €300m Investment in Solar Energy Sector, Anders Marcus, Obton CEO, commented:
“Obton’s vision to create a sustainable future for the coming generations is of highest priority. Through Shannon Energy and our business partners, we are in a great position to do just that in Ireland.”
Commenting on the investment announcement, Noel Shannon, Shannon Energy CEO, said:
“Shannon Energy are delighted to have secured the financial strength for constructing Utility Scale solar projects in Ireland, through our partnership with Obton, and we look forward to securing the licences for our planned implementation in the upcoming Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) auctions over the next five years.”
Welcoming the announcement Mark Foley, Eirgrid CEO, commented:
“As the operator of the national electricity grid in Ireland, EirGrid is committed to achieving 70% renewable energy on the power system by 2030. Investments in renewable energy projects, such as the one announced by Obton and Shannon Energy today, are critical to achieving that goal.”
H.E. Uffe Balslev, Ambassador of Denmark commented:
“Obton is an ambitious Danish company with long experience within solar power investment in many countries. I am proud to support their entry into the Irish market and excited about their expected substantial contribution to making Ireland meet the 2030 renewable energy targets of the Government’s Climate Action Plan.”
The Geotechnical Society of Ireland (GSI) is holding a half-day seminar on Wednesday, 28 April 2021 from 14:30 - 18:00.
The Seminar will begin with four presentations from previous winners of the Young Geotechnical Engineers Award which acknowledges the contribution of young members to the profession and to the society. These presentations will cover a wide range of interesting case studies and research projects.
The main presentation will be given by Mark P. Quinn, BEng ME MIEI - Senior Engineer – Murphy Ireland on the Stillorgan Reservoir in South Dublin, which is currently being modernised by Irish Water. The presentation focalises on maintaining stability of the facility during decommissioning and for the new construction. The presentation will discuss the analysis and methodology used to safely complete the drawdown of Gray reservoir whilst both Upper and Lower reservoirs remained operational. Stability modelling of the shared embankment between Gray and Upper reservoirs was undertaken to establish initial safe drawdown rates and to manage embankment stability until drawdown was completed.
Additionally, the GSI is having the AGM after the presentations, all are welcome to attend.
2:25pm Welcome –Carl Brangan, (ESBI), current Chairperson, Geotechnical Society of Ireland (GSI)
2:30pm Axial capacity of piles in sand: a field perspective - Kevin Duffy, MEng MIEI – PhD candidate in TU Delft
2:45pm Soil-structure interaction of large diameter caissons - Ronan Royston, PhD - Civil Engineer at Ward and Burke Construction
3:00pm Foundation damping modelling for optimum design of offshore wind turbines - Soroosh Jalilvand, PhD, Principal Engineer at Gavin & Doherty Geosolutions (GDG)
3:15pm Predicting Pile Driving Induced Movements in Gothenburg Soft Clay - Yeganeh Attari, PhD Candidate at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
3:30pm Questions and Answers
4:00pm Stillorgan Reservoir – Maintaining stability during decommissioning and for new construction - Mark P. Quinn, BEng ME MIEI - Senior Engineer – Murphy Ireland
Mike Hughes BEng CEng MICE - Chief Engineer Infrastructure – Atkins
4:45pm Questions and Answers
6:00pm Geotechnical Society of Ireland – Annual General Meeting (AGM)
6:30pm Seminar Close
The Geotechnical Society of Ireland is for members of Engineers Ireland with an interest in geotechnical engineering, engineering geology, soil and rock mechanics, ground investigations, the geosynthetics industry and general civil engineering.
Construction Jobs Expo is an excellent opportunity to meet employers face-to-face, make great industry connections and attend innovative seminars.
Engineers Ireland South East Region are hosting a free webinar on the Housing Delivery Coordination Office - Assisting in Delivering Social & Affordable Housing. The webinar takes place on at 17:00 Wednesday, 21 April 2021.
The webinar will be led by Eddie Taffe, LGMA Housing Delivery Coordination Office Programme Coordinator, who will give an outline of the role and remit of the recently established Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office in the delivery of Social and Affordable Housing by Local Authorities in Ireland.
The presentation will also give details on new and upcoming developments in planning and delivery of social and affordable housing in accordance with the objectives in the Programme for Government.
About the speaker
Eddie Taaffe is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of Engineers Ireland and has over 25 years experience in civil engineering and project management with Local Authorities. In 2020 he was appointed Programme Co-ordinator with the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office established within the Local Government Management Agency. Eddie has previously worked in Planning, Housing, Roads, Water Services and Infrastructure Delivery Roles in a number of Local Authorities including Wexford County Council and South Dublin County Council.
About the LGMA
The LGMA Housing Delivery Coordination Office (HDCO) investigates and advises on best practice for housing delivery, including in relation to non-traditional delivery channels and the streamlining of existing delivery methods.
To do this the LGMA:
• Develop systems and processes for local authorities to ensure appropriate real time data is available on social and affordable housing delivery programmes
• Support local authorities with specialised skill sets in programme and contract management, project appraisal and technical advice
• Input into social and affordable housing delivery targets in conjunction with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) and ongoing oversight of delivery against targets on a national basis
• Liaise and collaborate with stakeholders in DHLGH, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), The Housing Agency, The Land Development Agency (LDA) and The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) on matters of mutual interest in housing delivery
They provide advice on best practice housing delivery channels and methods.
Construction Jobs Expo is an excellent opportunity to meet employers face-to-face, make great industry connections and attend innovative seminars. The event establishes a more informal setting, where you can talk to employers in a more relaxed environment. In addition to meeting employers, there are industry talks from career professionals
The government has issued a draft national strategy on how Ireland can transition to a Circular Economy and is currently inviting businesses, communities and citizens to contribute their views through a public consultation.
What is a circular economy?
Looking beyond the current take-make-waste extractive industrial model, a circular economy aims to redefine growth, focusing on positive society-wide benefits. It entails gradually decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources, and designing waste out of the system. Underpinned by a transition to renewable energy sources, the circular model builds economic, natural, and social capital. It is based on three principles:
www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org
Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD said:
"The Circular Economy is built around 'doing more with less' or consuming fewer material resources to sustain our communities, homes and economy. The model builds on sharing, reusing and reinventing materials to meet our needs and replaces the current 'take, make, dispose' model. We are now developing a whole-of-Government strategy to ensure Ireland transitions to a Circular Economy and avails of the opportunities the circular economy can provide. These opportunities include reducing waste, shrinking our carbon footprint, supporting local and regional economic development, growing new business models and providing skilled employment opportunities."
The draft Strategy sets out what is a circular economy, why Ireland needs to achieve a circular economy and how national policy will develop to support that goal.
It has 5 key objectives:
The final strategy will provide an important policy signal across the system and the markets that Ireland is committed to a transition to circularity. The government had committed to producing this strategy under the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy.
Our transition to a circular economy will require a whole of society effort. To help communities make the transition to a circular economy, the government has launched a new Circular Economy Innovation Grant Scheme (CEIGS). This grant scheme aims to support innovation and circular economy projects by social enterprises, voluntary and community organisations and businesses with less than 50 employees. The total CEIGS is €250,000 for the 2021 call. The maximum year 1 grant available will be €50,000 – the indicative funding range for projects is €10,000 - €50,000.
Applications for funding could focus on the thematic areas which relate to priorities for the circular economy in Ireland: plastics, construction & demolition waste, food waste and resources & raw materials (electrical and electronic equipment, textiles, furniture). Some examples (for illustration purposes) of the type of proposals for funding that could be considered are:
In line with the measures proposed in the Waste Action Plan, today also sees the launch of a consultation on Ireland’s new Circular Economy Programme , led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This new programme builds on fifteen years of leadership by the EPA on waste prevention, including Ireland’s well-regarded food waste prevention campaign and the development of national guidance on priority topics such as Construction Waste Management and Green Public Procurement. Through its work in this area the EPA also supports Dublin’s Rediscovery Centre as the National Centre for the Circular Economy; and Circuleire - the National Circular Manufacturing Platform.
The new EPA Circular Economy Programme will be a driving force for Ireland’s move to a circular economy by businesses, householders and the public sector. It is founded on the waste hierarchy which identifies Prevention as the priority, to be followed by: Re-Use; Repair; and Recycling. Activities within the programme will be focussed on the sectors that use the most resources and where the potential for circularity is high. Through the programme EPA will provide insights and data to support national circular economy policy and behavioural change campaigns. Early examples of this approach will be the development of target-driven roadmaps on Food Waste and Plastics to articulate sectoral actions required to achieve a national shift to circularity. The successful model of partnership working will also be continued and developed, with a new collaboration to grow Ireland’s reuse & repair culture.
The programme objectives are to:
The public consultation on the Programme is open until 17:30, 11 June 2021.
Speaking at the launch of the programme today, Laura Burke, Director of the EPA said:
"The EPA Circular Economy Programme supports government strategy and will translate national circular ambitions into the daily activities of workplaces and homes across Ireland. Creating a resource efficient economy and resilient society requires rapid and far-reaching transformation across all sectors. This new programme will work with business leaders, public-sector exemplars and the public to change our attitudes to consumption and to develop new opportunities that meet consumer needs while reducing waste and carbon emissions. We look forward to hearing from our stakeholders with their views on the programme’s objectives and priorities."
Glenveagh Properties PLC have been given the green light to go ahead with its plans to sell 702 Build-to-rent Apartments to Dublin City Council for just over €33.44 million.
The plans are to create the Build-to-rent at Castleforbes Business Park at Sheriff Street and East Rd, Dublin 1.
The development comprises nine apartment blocks ranging from one storey in height to one block up to 18 storeys in height.
It has been reported that as part of its Part V social housing obligations, Glenveagh is planning to sell six three-bed apartments at an indicative cost of €791,531 each to the city council as part of the proposed €33.4 million deal with the Council.
The builder is also planning to sell 14 two-bed apartments to the council at a cost of €641,899 each and 41 one-bed apartments at a cost of €408,074 each.
Glenveagh is also planning to sell 10 studio apartments to the council at a cost of €297,323 each.
In a letter to the City Council, director at Glenveagh Living Ltd, Wesley Rothwell has stated that the figures “are purely indicative and are intended to provide a reasonable estimate of the costs and values of the units based on construction costs prevailing at the time of the application”.
Mr Rothwell said the ultimate Part V agreement is dependent on the final grant of permission and the site value of the time of planning permission.
Now, the final grant allows Glenveagh to sell its original estimate of 71 apartments to the Council.
In giving the apartment scheme the go-ahead, the appeals board stated that the proposal would constitute an acceptable residential density in this urban location, would not seriously injure the residential or visual amenity of the area and would be acceptable in terms of urban design, height and quantum of development.
The board accepted that the scheme would materially contravene the Dublin City Development Plan in terms of height.
In giving the plan the go-ahead, the board upheld the recommendation of its Senior Planning Inspector, Lorraine Dockery to grant planning permission at the end of a 114-page report.
In a submission, former Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Niall Ring hit out at the ‘build to rent’ nature of the scheme.
Cllr Ring told the appeals board that “this concept is anathema to me and I, like so much of the community, am against the idea of a scheme which excludes any possibility of a young person/couple being able to get on the property ladder”.
He said: “The idea of a non-resident pension fund owning block after block of apartments in the city must be resisted."
Build-to-rent Apartments “would, by its very nature, attract a transient population which, according to studies carried out, impact very negatively on the overall social fabric of an area”.
Cllr Geoghegan stated that the average cost of a Part V home to the Council between 2020 and 2018 was €245,000.
He stated: “What the figures demonstrate is that when taken on average, Part V can be a cost-effective way of creating mixed tenure communities.”
He stated: “What the figures demonstrate is that when taken on average, Part V can be a cost effective way of creating mixed tenure communities.”
An Bord Pleanála has granted planning permission for the €140m Custom House Quay development in Cork which includes construction plans for Ireland’s tallest building. The go-ahead for the €140m development at Custom House Quay in Cork City centre was given subject to 23 conditions.
The development includes a 34-storey hotel tower, 25 serviced suites, and a range of commercial uses, including retail, office, food and beverage, distillery, and tourism and leisure, as well as a new maritime culture and heritage offering.
A spokesperson for Tower Holdings Group said the developer welcomed the decision of An Bord Pleanála to uphold planning permission for the proposed mixed-use development at the old Port of Cork site on Custom House Quay.
“Today’s decision confirms Cork City Council’s previous approval for the landmark development, which will provide a focal point for the redevelopment of the city docklands.”
The hotel will offer spa, swimming pool and gym facilities, incorporating and preserving the old Custom House. It will also feature a sky bar and restaurant at the top of the building, where visitors can enjoy locally produced cuisine while taking in panoramic views of Cork city.
Tower Holdings plans to open the site’s historic bonded warehouses for public access for the first time and include an interactive visitors centre representing Cork’s rich maritime heritage as a port.
Kevin O’Sullivan, CEO, Tower Holdings Group, said, “We are delighted with this decision from An Bord Pleanála to uphold the previous permission from Cork City Council. We assembled one of the best design teams in the world, all of whom worked tirelessly to get this scheme right, and I would like to sincerely thank them for all their efforts. The mixed-use and cultural aspect of the scheme was extremely important to us and the City Council alike, ensuring extensive public realm space and a maritime visitor attraction. Another key aspect in making the scheme a commercial success is the continuation of maritime activities on the river, ensuring the quays and jetties remain fully accessible and utilised by passenger cruise vessels, water-based transport/tourism and leisure craft to access the site and the city centre by river. I believe this project will add great value to the city and boost the docklands regeneration. I have always believed in a strong future for Cork, and we are proud to be part of this future as the world recovers from the pandemic.”
Marco Gamini, the lead architect for the project for Gensler, said, “Gensler and the wider project design team are delighted by An Bord Pleanala’s decision to grant planning permission for the Custom House Quay scheme. The restoration and transformation of this magnificent site at the heart of the city’s future will be a catalyst for further regeneration of the docklands district. The slender sculpted tower will form a contemporary new piece to complement the much loved historic composition, bringing new purpose and dynamism to the River Lee, as well as provide the city with a beacon to the future. We look forward to delivering this tremendous project in collaboration with the whole team.”
Conor Lee, Director of Operations, Tower Holdings in Ireland, said, “We fully engaged with the planning authorities along every step of the way in this lengthy process to ensure the preservation of existing structures, respecting the heritage and maritime history of the site while sensitively blending the old with the new. The scheme is in line with the Ireland 2040 National Planning Framework, which includes a specific focus on the regeneration of Cork’s brownfield docklands area. We have yet to fully examine all the planning conditions and certain points of detail to establish their effect on the scheme before commencing future engagement with potential occupiers, which in turn will dictate a start date for the project.”
Reported Plans of Irish Construction Reopening from 5th April: Irish construction looks set to reopen on a phased basis from 05 April, with housing returning to work first, according to constructionnews.ie. However, work on commercial projects such as offices and hotels will not be allowed to reopen until a later date.
At the moment only essential works on qualifying foreign direct investment projects, medical and pharma facilities, essential infrastructure and educational works, and social housing projects nearing completion are permitted to be open.
The Department of Housing estimates that phased reopening would mean an additional 14,000 workers returning to sites on top of the estimated 30,000-35,000 currently working.
Constructionjobssearch.ie is Ireland's new online jobs board. Our tools and services give jobseekers the best possible opportunity to find the ideal job.
Simply click, search & apply directly to employers recruiting right now. Take the next step and find your perfect job on Constructionjobssearch.ie
The Irish Home Buyers Association one-day Virtual Summit will explore how to accelerate the delivery of affordable homes. The event takes place on March 25, 2021
The full agenda is here.
In many countries, both across Europe and beyond, the lack of good-quality affordable housing is a pressing problem. We are all too aware of the issue in Ireland. It is especially acute for those households that don’t qualify for social housing but cannot secure the necessary mortgage to meet market rates. The gravity of this problem has seen the intermediate housing segment climb up both the political and investment agendas.
The IHBA’s one-day Virtual Summit will explore how we accelerate the delivery of affordable homes. It is now time for action. We will be asking can we deliver affordable homes for all in the coming decade and if so how do we achieve it? The Summit will provide a national platform for all key stakeholders to meet, engage and mobilise in order to redefine the role of housing in today’s Ireland.
Our interactive and information-packed agenda will examine the critical issues facing the homebuilding sector.
Constructionjobssearch.ie is Ireland's new online jobs board. Our tools and services give jobseekers the best possible opportunity to find the ideal job.
Simply click, search & apply directly to employers recruiting right now. Take the next step and find your perfect job on Constructionjobssearch.ie
The Sustainability Grand Tour: The Future of Construction Product Certification & Innovation – A Suppliers Perspective from Roadstone.
The 'Sustainability Grand Tour’ is an online CPD seminar series organised by a number of Regions and Sectors within Engineers Ireland. In this session Dr William Wilson and Colin Doyle of Roadstone will examine the future of construction product certification and innovation for a sustainable future from a construction materials producers perspective. It takes place on 19:00 Wednesday, 27 January.
The free webinar will cover:
• The development and certification of EPDs – (Environmental Product Declarations)
• The role of construction products with schemes such as LEED & BREAM
• Certification & Innovative solutions to SUDs systems and Part L of the Building Regs
• Use of Recycled aggregates in Asphalt and Concrete products
• Further Research initiatives
• Overview of SuDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems) products and projects.
About the Speakers
Dr William Wilson is a Concrete Technologist with Roadstone since 2017 having previously completed his PhD in the field of sustainable concrete development. William is involved with concrete R&D projects with a focus on sustainable construction products.
Colin Doyle BSc Eng MSc MSc Env (MIEI) is Product Development Engineer with Roadstone with over 20 years experience and provides technical support for customers in the area of Architectural Products. Colin is an Civil Engineer and recently completed a Masters in Environmental Engineering.
‘The Sustainability Grand Tour’ is an online CPD seminar series organised by a number of Regions and Sectors within Engineers Ireland. The seminar series will explore the role of the engineers in developing more sustainable cities and communities, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and present case study examples of leading sustainability engineering projects. Lectures predominantly run each Wednesday evening during January, February and March, speakers from all over Ireland and internationally, will present on their work followed by a Q&A session with the audience, instigating a deeper discussion into the various topics. The seminar series aims to demonstrate how engineers can integrate sustainability concepts into their projects at all stages from design to end-of-life.
Construction Jobs Expo will now take place online on 6th February, 2021. Meet leading employers in the construction and engineering sectors with job and career opportunities.
Louth GAA are finalising preparations and are seeking to begin the tendering process for its new €12m stadium.
Stadium chairperson Aidan Berrill and development committee members are completing design documentation on the new county grounds and expect tendering to start in the next month.
Preparation has already started with the construction work due to start this summer.
Louth GAA are expected to foot at least a third of the €12m bill and fundraising for the project is being put in place.
“We are the only ones without a county ground in the country, but this is going to be a huge development for everyone in Louth GAA,” chairman Peter Fitzpatrick said.
Stadium development chairperson Aidan Berrill added: “It will be the first new county grounds built in Ireland in decades.
“Building a new stadium is a costly undertaking, but allied with the support from local authorities, from Croke Park, from the government, and from all Louth gaels, we have initiated a fundraising drive to raise much-needed funds towards the state-of-the-art stadium”.
‘Pickahouse’ is one of the concepts chosen by the board’s fundraising arm in which the county board has put two houses up for prizes for a draw which will be held in early April.
‘Pickahouse’ administrator Clodagh Culligan, explains: “Other counties have gone down the route of the single house draw. Our team felt that we needed to come up with a concept that was unique. We’re giving two houses away. Two chances to win a dream home. And there is a third prize of €10,000 up for grabs too.”
According to reports, the new 14,000-seat stadium will serve as the home of all Louth teams. The county currently plays home matches at the 3,500-seat Drogheda Park. "The new venue will feature a 4,080-seat stand containing two kiosks, four dressing rooms and a physio room. The standing terrace on the opposite side of the ground will house 8,470 fans and include a spectators’ team room, two kiosks, three press boxes and a storeroom. Two standing areas will be placed behind the goals, each with a capacity of 725 people, while the stadium will also feature a 145m by 90m main pitch and a 90m by 65m warm-up pitch."
Tickets for the house draws are available from all Louth GAA clubs or from www.pickahouse.ie.
Construction Jobs Expo will now take place online on 6th February 2021. Meet leading employers in the construction and engineering sectors with job and career opportunities. TICKETS