Press release
Sustainability and climate action at the heart of key NDP-funded OPW projects
Published on
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Published on
Last updated on
Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW), Patrick O’Donovan, T.D., welcomed the investment of in excess of €4 billion under the revised National Development Plan 2021–2030 for projects and programmes the OPW will deliver through its own Vote and managed on an agency basis on behalf of clients. Sustainability and climate action are at the core of the Office of Public Works’ Statement of Strategy and the Office is committed to a vision that strives for harmony between our built and natural environments. Following Monday’s Government announcement, the OPW is proud to introduce some of the key projects it will deliver that clearly demonstrate the organisation’s evolving role as a leader in the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon, resource-efficient economy.
Responding to the announcement, Minister O’Donovan said:
“The OPW is deeply committed to helping advance sustainable solutions that mitigate against the effects of climate change. The significant investment made under the National Development Plan published by the Government will allow us to implement the changes required to protect communities across Ireland from the impacts of climate change through future-proofed, adaptable flood risk management schemes. It will also allow us to support key climate action targets by increasing the energy efficiency of the State’s portfolio, in tandem with investment in the creation of more agile, digitally enabled workspaces that will meet the current and future operational needs of our client Departments. The Government’s infrastructure investment into heritage sites nationwide, finally, will help us to protect and promote our built and archaeological heritage through sensitive conservation, refurbishment and animation for the enjoyment of current and future generations.”
Investment of €186m since the start of 2018, underpinning the commitment of the National Development Plan to 2027 of €1bn, has resulted in an almost three-fold increase in flood relief schemes from 33 to 92 currently. This is part of a programme of €1bn of investment in some 150 schemes to be progressed over the lifetime of the NDP 2021–2030, identified by the Flood Risk Management Plans to protect approximately 23,000 properties in communities threatened from river and coastal flood risk.
All flood relief schemes are designed to be adaptable to the impacts of climate change scenarios, in line with the Government’s Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan for Flood Risk Management 2019–2024. Scheme design also includes identifying locations in the scheme’s contributing catchment where there may be opportunity to implement Natural Water Retention Measures. These can comprise a broad range of multi-functioning measures that use natural processes and features to reduce flood risk, improve water quality and create habitats.
In addition to major schemes, the investment programme continues to support the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works schemes under which local authorities have directly delivered 616 projects nationwide that provide local solutions to prioritised flooding issues. These projects provide flood protection to over 7,300 properties.
Within the significant existing programme, the largest flood relief investment project ever proposed in Ireland is the Lower Lee Flood Relief Scheme, representing over €140m of investment for Cork City. The OPW scheme will protect 2,100 properties from tidal and fluvial flooding and encompasses:
Up to 50% of the OPW’s office accommodation portfolio now requires urgent investment to reduce its carbon footprint in line with the requirements of the Government’s Climate Action Plan. The flagship project under this programme will be the deep retrofit of Tom Johnson House, Dublin, involving an investment in the region of €50m. The balance of the expenditure under this programme (€390m) will be invested in the energy retrofitting of Ireland’s State-owned office accommodation throughout the country to at least medium depth level renovations in order to achieve a minimum increase of 50% in individual building energy efficiency. This will be achieved by the scaling up of existing OPW programmes over the lifetime of the NDP.
The investment will focus on a range of measures to reduce the carbon footprint of the portfolio: from improved fabric insulation, window replacement and air tightness upgrades to the installation of renewable heating technologies (e.g. heat pumps), upgraded Building Management Systems, upgraded lighting systems and the installation of Solar PV panels. Throughout, preservation and re-use of existing building materials and robust waste management protocols will be integral to all procurement processes. A contribution of €15 million, targeted at regional offices, will be made towards the cost of the programme from the EU’s National Recovery and Resilience Fund (NRRP).
The flagship project under this programme is the refurbishment of Tom Johnson House in Dublin, which will not only significantly extend the useful life of this building constructed in the 1970s, but will also transform it into an exemplary, energy-efficient headquarters for the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. By retaining and upgrading the existing structure, rather than demolishing and rebuilding, the works will have significantly less impact on the carbon footprint of the building. At the same time, the building’s thermal fabric will be upgraded to improve the Building Energy Rating (BER) from a C3 rating to an A2 rating, which will result in a 75% reduction of annual energy use. Internally, the introduction of a new central floor void will create improved daylight and natural ventilation conditions and the existing cellular office layout will be modified to a more open plan arrangement, increasing the overall building occupancy to 500 people.
The Government’s digital infrastructure requires significant upgrading and rationalisation. A shared Government Data Centre will allow the State to secure operations and future-proof the reliable delivery of essential services to the public. The shared Government Data Centre will be fitted with connections that will allow it to be powered by renewable energy from a potential future solar farm on site. Its completion is anticipated by 2025. It will be operated by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine on behalf of the State and will be located on the Backweston Campus in Co. Kildare which is home to various facilities for the Department, the State Laboratory and Forensic Science Ireland (FSI). By pooling resources in a facility that will operate the latest Free Cooling technology, the new Centre will be at least twice as efficient as existing public service facilities, resulting in reduced power usage and pressure on electricity supply.
This investment will cover a range of areas within the overall Heritage Estate and will enable the OPW to commence the implementation of Master Plans for the Phoenix Park (€40m) and Dublin Castle (€20m).
The investment in the Phoenix Park will meet the twin objectives of improving accessibility to, and enhancing the visitor experience in, the Park. Some of the key infrastructural works to improve accessibility include creating new and upgrading existing cycling and walking routes across the Park and road improvement works. The investment will also involve:
• Refurbishment of the historic gates lodges within the Phoenix Park; and
• conservation of key historical features and wayfinding within the Park.
Restoration and upgrade works at the Magazine Fort and Phoenix Park Visitor Centre will also be undertaken to further improve the visitor experience at the Park. The project to restore the Magazine Fort will enable the OPW to better present this significant historic military building to the public. As visiting military sites and buildings is an increasingly popular segment of the international tourism market, the investment proposed will contribute to the State’s tourism offering.
The investment in Dublin Castle will build on the recent redevelopment of the medieval Record Tower and the planned refurbishment of the Visitor Reception to further enhance the visitor experience of the site. Some of the key elements will include:
• Upgrade and major refurbishment of the Visitor Reception facilities in the State Apartments;
• upgrading the public realm, particularly the Lower Castle Yard to enhance the accessibility of the site to all visitors;
• the redevelopment of the site on Werburgh Street to contribute to the office space available;
• opening up a new vehicular entrance at Stephen Street Upper, to facilitate the removal of vehicular traffic from the areas of the public realm that are predominantly pedestrian-used;
• a new museum space will tell the 800-year history of Dublin Castle through objects in the OPW’s collection, archaeological finds from the site and long-term loans from other national cultural institutions; and
• the expansion of the conferencing facilities housed in the Stamping Building will include a roof-top restaurant and dining facilities, which will also be available to visitors.
In addition to this, the OPW’s contribution of €40m to the Tourism Investment Programme is designed to make historic properties and national monument sites more accessible to the public and will enable the OPW to further protect and enhance Irelands’ Heritage Estate to ensure these sites are conserved and presented to the highest quality. Projects prioritised for investment will:
• improve visitor facilities;
• enhance animation at sites;
• upgrade visitor infrastructure at primary national monument sites; and
• further improve interpretation facilities.
Some of the specific investments relate to:
• Stabilisation works and external restoration of Kilmacurragh House;
• works to preserve the building fabric and improve visitor facilities in Castletown House;
• preservation works at the Annes Grove and Emo Court Estates; and
• refurbishment of the Aquatic House in the National Botanic Gardens.
Additional funding will also be provided by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media, through Fáilte Ireland.