30/03/2006
Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.
The Mayor of South Dublin County Council, Councillor Therese Ridge, officially opened “The Power In The Pool” seminar in County Hall on Wednesday 29th March 2006.
The seminar was organised by the County Architect, Brian Brennan as part of the South Dublin Innovation Forum and featured a range of presentations from the Architectural and Engineering firms involved in the design and construction of the new swimming pools in Jobstown and Clondalkin.
The emphasis of the presentations was on “Sustainability through Innovation”.
Most important new building since the Round Tower
“ The new Clondalkin Swimming Pool now under construction is perhaps the most important building to be built in the old village since the Round Tower itself. Not only is it stunningly beautiful in it’s structural form but it’s array of solar panels – the biggest yet in Ireland - acts as a foil to the ancient simplicity of the round tower ” said Mayor Ridge.
Incorporating energy-saving technologies
Mayor Ridge also encouraged architects, engineers and planners to undertake an urgent re-think on the use of the worlds dwindling energy supplies when designing their buildings.
“In welcoming you all to South Dublin, I urge everyone attending the Innovation Forum to take a lead from the design teams involved in the Clondalkin and Tallaght pools and demonstrate in all your own building designs that incorporating energy saving technologies helps make good architecture.
I am particularly pleased with the policy developments towards sustainability and eco- design in our Architects Department and I am sure that all here welcome this type of initiative. This is the type of long term policy initiative currently being identified for use in Ireland by the European Environmental Agency.
Ultimately this move towards a more sustainable and a more healthy form of building can only be to the benefit of the construction industry itself. In terms of energy consumption and in terms of CO2 emissions in particular the competitive message is very clear ‘ If your’e not clean your’e not lean and in construction as in every other business if you are not lean you cannot compete.
Clean energy saving and low CO2 producing buildings help create a cleaner and healthier built environment and this is
of critical importance to the end user - to the men, women and children of all ages and all abilities who live in and use our buildings. “
Energy use in Clondalkin cut by 40%
“I would also encourage to take the lead from another important Clondalkin example and this is the SDCC refurbishment programme in North Clondalkin under which some 150 homes in Moorfield and Shancastle have received a comprehensive energy saving upgrade and a full Central Heating installation. The results here are quite staggering – not only has energy use been cut by an average of 40% but a staggering reduction of 10 tonnes in CO 2 emissions has been achieved. Just one tonne of CO2 would fill a hot-air balloon! The homes involved are more comfortable, warmer and much more user friendly.
Finally, I would ask you to ensure that if a house is indeed a ‘machine for living in’, then please make sure that energy-wise it is a ‘ Clean, Lean Green Machine’.
Give us the buildings and public places of our time
“I assure you that in the commitment to Sustainable Design you have shown at this forum, I will, as mayor of South Dublin, be your Champion and will encourage other county councils to follow your lead.
I ask you only one thing in return. To be brave, to be men and women of your time – to give us buildings and public places of our time and - in the sheer quality of your eco-innovation, to let us all know that you have been here” concluded Mayor Ridge.