Carroll’s Building, DKIT

Challenges

The 10,000m² P.J. Carroll’s cigarette factory was built in 1967 and stands as one of the best example of Miesian architecture in Europe. For this reason the building is listed and retaining its image is of both national and international importance. The building was purchased by Dundalk Institute of Technology in 2002 with a view to converting the building to a modern educational facility without compromising its historic status.

Strategy

The building fabric was improved through innovative methods including the re-definition of the buildings’ insulation layer, and the introduction of natural daylight and ventilation. The systems employed included chilled beams, ECDC fan coil units and  displacement ventilation which were carefully controlled to match building loads. Of particular interest is the integration of an 850kW wind turbine with an ice bank store which maximises wind energy used and smooths the buildings’ electrical demand exposed to the national grid. This building offers one of the first examples of a potential new method of responding to the introduction of smart metering to Ireland.