Ards Friary Retreat and Conference Centre
Ards Friary in Creeslough, Co. Donegal needed extensive renovation to make it more comfortable and economical to operate. The aim was also to move towards greater self-sufficiency.
Key achievements
The energy running costs of the Retreat Centre have been reduced by 49% immediately following the project.
There are two alternative means of heat source which means that security of supply is guaranteed at all times.
The installation of biomass will allow the retreat to develop their own fuel supplies from the estate in the future.
The added control features offered by the BEMS allow the building to be selectively heated to meet occupancy demands.
| Annual energy (kWh) | Annual costs (€) | Annual CO2 (kg) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before project | 918,298 | 87,712 | 1,109,650 |
| After project | 513,592 | 44,548 | 80,934 |
| Savings | 404,706 (44% saving) | 43,164 (49% saving) | 1,028,716 (90% saving) |
The 3,500 sq.m building includes a church and associated areas, 50 bedrooms, several common rooms, a laundry, workshops and catering facilities.
Boiler upgrades
Prior to this project, the building heating requirements were met by two 300 kW boilers, while a smaller 176 kW boiler was used for summer domestic hot water generation. These have now been replaced by a lead 250 kW biomass boiler, fuelled by timber sourced and chipped on the estate, and supported by a 250 kW LPG condensing boiler for standby and top up. The biomass boiler is configured to burn wood with moisture contents of between 30% and 50%, and has a rated operational efficiency of 92% at full load.
The condensing LPG boiler has a certified seasonal efficiency of 94%, and low NOx emissions easily meeting current BREEAM requirements. Wood fuel handling is via a 100 cubic-metre wood fuel storage compound, incorporating a roller shutter door to allow the tipping of wood chip into the bunker.
Window replacement
The energy performance of the building has been improved by replacing 85 metal-framed, single-glazed windows with PVC units with a maximum U value of 1.8 W/sq-mK. The ground floor has been split into strategic zones, allowing space heating to be delivered only when and where required. In addition, energy metering has been installed and connected to a new central building energy management system.
LPG drier
Electricity demand has been reduced by replacing a 10 kW electric clothes drier with an LPG drier.
"Energy use has been approached holistically by addressing the building fabric, heat generation and electrical installations."