Retail and Telecoms dominate at Sustainable Energy Awards
Media Release
20 November 2009
~ SEI reveals sixth annual Sustainable Energy Award winners ~
Retail and telecoms emerged as the most progressive sectors for energy management at Sustainable Energy Ireland’s (SEI) sixth annual Sustainable Energy Awards in Dublin, with Dunnes Stores, Heatons, O2 and eircom each taking awards at the all-island event.
Sponsored by ESB Customer Supply, the SEI Awards highlight excellence in business energy management and this year included entries from over 100 organisations. Top prize on the night, ‘Outstanding Energy Manager of the Year’, went to Jonathan Pugsley of Leitrim- based door manufacturer Masonite Ireland , which demonstrated 30% energy savings across their business, slashing their energy costs dramatically in the process.
Other winners include:
- Telefónica O2 Ireland who won ‘Pioneering Renewable Energy Project’ for Ireland’s first self-sustaining base station powered by wind and solar power
- Dunnes Stores for ‘Inspiring Energy Awareness Campaign’ following a reduction in electricity use of 17% across all 114 stores nationwide
- ‘Leading Energy Efficiency Project’ for Heatons Dundalk whose new building uses 45% less electricity and is on target to achieve a 30% reduction in maintenance costs
- eircom who won the award for ‘Sustainable Energy Building Excellence’ for their energy efficient headquarters in the Heuston Quarter in Dublin
In total, projects entered demonstrated energy savings of €14 million, with an additional €18 million in projected cost savings identified. 2009 also saw a jump in the number of smaller businesses entering the awards across multiple sectors, reflecting the completion by SEI of over 1,500 small business energy assessments over the past two years. Cumulatively, €341 million in estimated energy cost savings has been achieved by projects entered in the Awards since 2004.
Energy Minister Eamon Ryan congratulated the 2009 participants and said, “These Awards are a welcome encouragement for Irish business, at a time when cost-savings and increased efficiency are at the top of the company agenda. This year’s participants achieved significant reductions in their energy overheads, a pattern which with continued Government support, can be replicated right across our business sector. By making relatively simple changes, all Irish businesses can increase their efficiency, reduce their energy consumption and crucially make real financial savings.”
Commenting on the Awards, Professor Owen Lewis, CEO, SEI said, ”In this the sixth year of the Energy Awards, SEI is particularly pleased at the number and quality of this year’s entries. We saw a marked increase in entries from smaller businesses that are reaping the rewards of energy management. This is further proof that energy efficiency is on the agenda of every business throughout the country regardless of size or sector.”
Brid Horan, Executive Director, Energy Solutions ESB, said, “ The Sustainable Energy Awards have become a catalyst for change. By encouraging all sectors of business to recognise the need for energy management and sustainability, the Awards are stimulating awareness and accelerating the rate of practical initiatives that companies are now required to make.“
Further information on the 2009 Sustainable Energy Awards can be found on SEI’s website www.sei.ie/energyawards
~ ends ~
About SEI:
Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) is the statutory authority charged with promoting and assisting the development of sustainable energy. SEI is funded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan, with programmes part-financed by the European Union.
Notes to editor:
Full list of 2009 Sustainable Energy Award winners:
Category A: Leading Energy Efficiency Project – Larger User (Annual energy spend >€1M): Wexford Creamery
Category A: Leading Energy Efficiency Project –Medium User (>€200K; <€1M): Semple McKillop Consulting Engineers – St Luke’s Hospital, Armagh City
Category A: Leading Energy Efficiency Project – Small User (<€200K): Heatons Store, Dundalk
Category B: Pioneering Renewable Energy project: Telefónica O2 Ireland
Category C: Sustainable Energy Building Excellence: eircom Ltd
Category D: Inspiring Energy Awareness Campaign: Dunnes Stores
Category E: Excellence in Coordinated Energy Management programme (Large): Xerox, Dundalk Toner Plant
Category E: Excellence in Coordinated Energy Management programme (Small/Medium): Institute of Technology, Tralee
Category F: Outstanding Energy Manager of the Year (Large): Jonathan Pugsley, Masonite Ireland
Category F: Outstanding Energy Manager of the Year (small/medium): Paul Boylan, Citi
For more details about the winning entries please click here.
Please click here to download a copy of this press release in PDF format.
