Green Credentials
NUI Galway is the only University in Ireland to offer a degree in Energy Systems Engineering, and has a significant focus on research into environmental technologies. The Engineering Building contains a range of such ‘green’ technologies. There is largescale rainwater harvesting, a biomass boiler, low-embodied energy materials such as zinc, novel voided slab systems, grass roofs for water attenuation, heat exchangers and many other cutting-edge technologies.
Ø Materials
- Low embodied energy materials (including zinc exterior face)
- Novel voided slab systems (the first significant installation of its kind to be used in Ireland – basically plastic bubble filled with air bulk out the concrete so you less is needed)
- 40% GGBS based concrete (this type of concrete uses a by-product of iron ore manufacturing ‘Ground Granulated Blastfurnace Slag’ greatly reducing the carbon footprint of the concrete)
Ø Heating and Ventilation
- 500kW thermal, 350 kW electrical natural gas-fired Combined Heat and Power Unit
- 950 kW pellet biomass boiler
- Computer controlled night purging
- Three >90% efficient natural gas condensing boilers
- District heating system feeding the nearby Sports Centre and swimming pool
- Climate wall with top-vented stack control and solar control via blinds
- Ground source heat pump in southern parkland
- Natural stack ventilation
- Darkened glass on east side to reduce solar gain
- Chilled beam systems
- Black plaster on northern façades as a heat collector
- Low-E glazing (to reduce solar gain and heat loss)
- Solar hot water heating for domestic hot water supplies
- Heat exchangers (using the atrium as a building lung and passive vents in the laboratories)
Ø Water
- Rain water harvesting
- Large scale water recycling
- Low-volume flush toilets
- Infra-red sensor low water volume spray taps
- Grass roof (on the labs) for water attenuation and insulation
- 75m3 rain water harvesting tank (re-used for toilets)
- Large buried water attenuation tank (to stop major discharge to the city sewers)
- Siphonic drainage
Ø Lighting
- Low energy lighting with presence and lux level lighting controls including manual switching
- LED Exit Signs and emergency lighting
- External LED Lighting with time-clock and photocell control
- Maximising free cooling by using displacement ventilation in the comfort cooled lecture theatres
- Low loss electricity transformer
Ø Management
- Building management system controlling all aspects
- More than 140 meters on the building services
- Lux dipping throughout the day and night (the computer drops the lights if it is bright, and lowers the levels at night)
- Green / Amber / Red light signals in large postgraduate areas indicating Naturally ventilated / Fan coil assisted / Fully air conditioned environments (respectively)
- Metering of power systems
- Metering of heating and cooling systems
- Use of an energy centre to reduce construction requirement, prevent overheating of plant areas, reduce noise and provide a teaching tool