Taoiseach Marks Official Start of Construction on New 'Green' Engineering Buildi

Up to 300 Jobs to be Generated by Construction Project (Leagan Gaeilge) The Taoiseach Brian Cowen T.D. visits NUI Galway today (Friday, 25 September) for a sod turning ceremony marking the construction of a new €40 million Engineering Building. The construction project will employ up to 300 people and is due for completion by September 2011. BAM Building Ltd. has been signed as the main contractor for what will be one of the largest construction projects west of the Shannon and on completion will be the largest Engineering Building in the country. Speaking at NUI Galway, An Taoiseach said: "The new Engineering Building will be financed through a combination of exchequer funding and resources realised by NUI Galway, including philanthropy. The new building will bring benefits to Galway City and its surrounds by creating jobs for the next two years. Longer term it will enable NUI Galway to continue to produce excellent engineering graduates supporting the Smart Economy in areas such as innovation and renewable energy technologies". NUI Galway has recently seen soaring engineering programme applications which reflect favourably on carefully thought-out new programmes. These include Energy Systems Engineering, designed in response to a growing demand for professional engineers to work in the energy sector. Another new course is Engineering Innovation, which aims to create a new type of electronic engineer with skills in innovation and entrepreneurship essential to delivering the Smart Economy. The 14,200 square metre Engineering Building will accommodate the College of Engineering and Informatics, housing 110 staff and approximately 1100 students. It will include green-building initiatives, and with its exposed construction design will itself be utilised as a teaching tool for the students. High-tech renewable energy systems, environmentally friendly heat generation using carbon-neutral biomass, rainwater recycling, ground source heat pump, and low-embodied energy construction materials wherever possible will underpin the building's green credentials and provide working examples for engineering students to study. President of NUI Galway, Dr James J. Browne, said: "This new Engineering Building reflects our commitment to providing students with the highest quality learning experience in engineering education. NUI Galway enjoys a strong reputation in engineering, evidenced by this year's increase in undergraduate engineering entry to over 250 students – a 25% increase on the previous year. This approach to education at NUI Galway is based on the University's key research strengths and our strong linkage with industrial partners. We offer a range of innovative programmes - from Biomedical to Energy Engineering – which highlight the University's commitment to the national and regional needs of the SMART economy". Designed by award-winning architects RMJM (Scotland) in partnership with Taylor Architects of Castlebar, Co. Mayo the building will be the largest constructed in one development on the NUI Galway city campus and will be situated to the north of the Quincentennial Bridge.

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Cuireann an Taoiseach Tús Oifigiúil le Tógáil an Fhoirgnimh Innealtóireachta Ghlais Nua in OÉ Gaillimh (View in English) Tabharfaidh an Taoiseach Brian Cowen T.D. cuairt ar OÉ Gaillimh inniu (Dé hAoine, 25 Meán Fómhair) ag searmanas leis an gcéad fhód a thiontú don Fhoirgneamh Innealtóireachta nua €40 milliún. Fostófar suas le 300 duine ar an tionscadal tógála seo atá le críochnú faoi mhí Meán Fómhair 2011. Is iad BAM Building Ltd. an príomhchonraitheoir ar an tionscadal tógála seo atá ar cheann de na tionscadail tógála is mó atá ar bun siar ón tSionainn agus nuair a bheidh an foirgneamh tógtha beidh sé ar cheann de na Foirgnimh Innealtóireachta is mó sa tír. Ag labhairt dó in OÉ Gaillimh, bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag an Taoiseach: "Déanfar maoiniú ar an bhFoirgneamh Innealtóireachta nua trí mheascán de mhaoiniú ón státchiste agus ó acmhainní de chuid OÉ Gaillimh, acmhainní daonchairdis san áireamh. Bainfidh Cathair na Gaillimhe agus an ceantar máguaird tairbhe as an bhfoirgneamh nua trí na poist a chruthófar as seo go ceann dhá bhliain. Go fadtéarmach cuirfidh sé ar chumas OÉ Gaillimh scothchéimithe Innealtóireachta a chur ar fáil a thacóidh leis an nGeilleagar Glic i réimsí amhail nuálaíocht agus teicneolaíochtaí fuinnimh in-athnuaite." Tháinig méadú suntasach ar na hiarratais ar chlár Innealtóireachta OÉ Gaillimh le gairid, agus is maith an oidhe sin ar chláir nua ar caitheadh an-dua leo. Ar na cláir sin tá an clár Innealtóireachta Córas Fuinnimh, a bhfuil faoi freagairt don fhás san éileamh ar innealtóirí gairmiúla in earnáil an fhuinnimh. Is cúrsa nua eile an cúrsa Nuálaíochta Innealtóireachta a chuirfidh cineál nua innealtóirí leictreonacha ar fáil a mbeidh scileanna nuálaíochta agus fiontraíochta acu, scileanna atá riachtanach chun an 'Geilleagar Glic' a chothú. Beidh Coláiste na hInnealtóireachta agus na hIonformaitice lonnaithe san Fhoirgneamh Innealtóireachta 14,200 méadar cearnach, ina mbeidh 110 comhalta foirne agus timpeall 1100 mac léinn. Beidh tionscnaimh 'ghlasa' á n-úsáid agus an foirgneamh seo á thógáil, agus leis an dearadh tógála oscailte a bheidh air úsáidfear é mar uirlis teagaisc do mhic léinn amach anseo. Beidh dintiúirí glasa an fhoirgnimh bunaithe ar chórais fuinnimh in-athnuaite ardteicneolaíochta, giniúint teasa nach ndéanann dochar don timpeallacht trí bhithmhais atá neodrach ó thaobh carbóin de, athchúrsáil uisce fearthainne, caidéal teasa ón talamh, agus ábhair thógála lagfhuinnimh agus beidh mic léinn innealtóireachta in ann staidéar a dhéanamh ar na córais sin mar shamplaí gníomhacha. Dúirt an Dr James Browne, Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh: "Is léiriú an Foirgneamh Innealtóireachta nua seo ar ár ndílseacht i leith scoth-thaithí foghlama ó thaobh oideachais innealtóireachta de a chur ar fáil do mhic léinn. Tá dea-cháil ar OÉ Gaillimh as an innealtóireacht, mar a léiríonn an méadú go breis agus 250 mac léinn a tháinig ar líon na bhfochéimithe innealtóireachta i mbliana – méadú 25% ar an mbliain roimhe sin. Tá an cur chuige seo i leith an oideachais Innealtóireachta in OÉ Gaillimh bunaithe ar phríomhláidreachtaí na hOllscoile agus ar an nasc láidir atá againn le comhpháirtithe sa tionscal. Cuirimid réimse clár nuálaíoch innealtóireachta ar fáil – ón Innealtóireacht Bhithleighis chuig an Innealtóireacht Fuinnimh – rud a léiríonn a dhílse atá an Ollscoil do riachtanais náisiúnta agus réigiúnacha an gheilleagair ghlic. Is iad na hailtirí clúiteacha RMJM (Albain) i gcomhar le Taylor Architects, Caisleán an Bharraigh, Co. Mhaigh Eo a dhear an foirgneamh seo – an foirgneamh is mó a thógfar mar chuid d'aon iarraidh amháin ar champas na hOllscoile i nGaillimh. Is ó thuaidh de Dhroichead na gCúig Chéad a bheidh an foirgneamh suite. -críoch-