Building a gym and medical centre that is 25% more efficient than current building regulations

Results

  • 25%

    More Energy Efficient than building regulations
  • CO2

    Sensor estimating people in building and changing airflow to match
  • 1st

    Greenfield site to achieve EXEED certification

Ireland’s first greenfield site to achieve SEAI EXEED certification

Johnson and Johnson VisionCare have completed building on a new gym and medical centre with support from EXEED which is an Excellence in Energy Efficient Design certification programme. This has resulted in their new facility being 25% more energy efficient than current building regulations. 

This project is Ireland’s first greenfield site to achieve SEAI EXEED certification.  The centre is on its Limerick site and is a space for meetings, treatments and fitness for employees. 

Johnson and Johnson VisionCare aimed to deliver a centre that is innovative and sustainable. The building is energy efficient as well as comfortable and bright for employees using the facility.  

The planning approach

The company did a review of where they would use energy and how they could avoid energy use as much as possible. It was important to find ways to increase natural daylight and control energy and water use. They used a fabric first approach, focusing on how they could reduce infiltration and thermal bridging. 

The grant was a motivator in considering EXEED in the beginning. You have to be prepared for the process which can be challenging. But the results have been incredible. We have seen substantial cost and energy savings. 
Paul Walsh, Energy and Sustainability Lead at Johnson and Johnson

What was completed through the EXEED Project?

​The site already had a 3MW wind turbine and 100% of the electricity generated from the turbines is consumed onsite.

  • A big energy user in the centre is hot water for showers. An air source heat pump heats the water for the showers. It also provides space heating. Each room has a fan coil unit which controls the temperature and ensures comfort in that space.
  • A CO2 sensor on the return duct of the HVAC system gives an estimate of how many people are in the building. When it senses that there are more people - it increases air flow rates. The fans then reduce their speed if there are less people in the facility.
  • The LED lights have occupancy sensors, so the lighting is all automatic. The bright and welcoming lighting adds to the aesthetic of the building. The lights and fans automatically turn off at night time. 

EED Expert

Johnson and Johnson appointed Micheál Galvin from Enviroeye Engineering Ltd as their Energy Efficient Design (EED) Expert for this project. In this role, Micheál contributed to their achievement of EXEED Designed certification.