KORE Retrofit has retrofitted just under 70 commercial properties since 2017, with more to be completed by the end of 2021. Office buildings, factories, supermarkets, farms, bakeries, and more have received our one-stop shop service, with energy efficiency upgrades including LED lighting, Solar PV, refrigeration, insulation, heat pumps, and machinery upgrades. 

KORE Retrofit’s main aim is to increase the energy efficiency of buildings across Ireland, and this includes buildings that are ‘out of the ordinary’.

In 2018, Smith's Funeral Directors in Granard, Co. Longford began working with KORE Retrofit to upgrade the heating system in their funeral home and adjoining church. The building was a convent built in the 1800’s, with the church construction added in 1955. Both units were run by a large 1980’s oil boiler with gunbarrel pipework and radiators. 

A Warmflow Warm Air 88kW Boiler was installed with ancillary ductwork and a thermostat with 24-hour control. This heating upgrade has saved the funeral home 5,717kWh in thermal savings per annum, approximately €1,143, as well as reducing their carbon emissions by 1171.98 kgCO2. KORE Retrofit worked with Smith’s funeral directors to design, manage and complete the project, obtaining a 30% SEAI better energy communities grant for the upgrade works.

‘We leased the convent and church in 2007, and were spending thousands a year on oil, and the comfort and level of heat in the buildings did not reflect this spending. We decided to switch to a warm air boiler to get rid of oil, and upgrade the ducting and heating controls to lower our energy use and also to lower our heating bills. As the funeral home is only used when necessary, it was important to have an efficient boiler with heating controls, and a system that could also provide ventilation in an old building like ours. KORE Retrofit had the install complete in a week, with no disruption to the business, and helped us get the SEAI grant available, which helped with the investment and payback period’. Tomas Smith, Funeral Director.

Sustainability in Ireland’s Commercial Buildings

Heating upgrades are one of the top three energy efficiency measures to be upgraded within commercial properties, and this was a high priority for a monastery in the east of Ireland, when in 2020 they sought assistance from KORE Retrofit to upgrade their heating system to sufficiently heat and provide hot water to their growing number of residents. 

The monastery was constructed in 2004 with one chapel, dining room, living room, kitchen, and bedrooms for five live-in residents. (Due to privacy reasons, we cannot declare the name or location of the monastery)

As requests for residency began, the monastery built an additional five bedrooms in 2011 and found the oil boiler was struggling to heat the additional rooms. With a need for a more energy-efficient heating system and a commitment to the environment, the monastery worked with KORE Retrofit in late August 2020 to install an Ochsner Terra 14 ground-source heat pump and also upgraded the attic insulation with 200mm of wool insulation. 

The installation took just over one week and has been in operation for 3,767 hours thus far, using 416.7kWh of heating energy and 353.7kWh in domestic hot water energy. 

The energy bills for the monastery have significantly decreased, as well as the added comfort and warmth experienced by the residents. KORE Retrofit project managed the whole retrofit project, including grant application and obtainment of a 30% grant from SEAI. 

Move to Renewable Energy

Sustainability is a key objective for monasteries across Ireland and their commitment can be seen with the volume of renewable energy technologies installed. In September 2020, KORE Retrofit began working with another monastery in the west of Ireland, whose roots date back to 1640. The current building was constructed in 1840 and the latest upgrades and extensions were then built in the 1960s. Home to 10 residents, a chapel, prayer room, and many vacant rooms, this large site had substantial energy costs and the residents wanted to generate their own electricity, reduce their energy consumption and energy bills. 

In just eight days, the installation and commissioning of an 11kW Trina Solar PV system was completed, installing the solar panels on the ground of the monastery, as the roof wasn’t strong enough to hold the weight. 

The estimated energy savings per annum for this system is 9,900kWh, saving approximately €1,980 per year for the monastery. With the assistance of KORE Retrofit, the project was designed, managed and quality assured, with a successful grant application of 30% obtained. The monastery is currently looking at other energy efficiency upgrades for 2022 and will continue to strive towards low energy and sustainability for its community.

Go Green and Upgrade Your Business Today

The benefits of a commercial retrofit are endless, from financial to wellbeing, health, and environmental. Partnering with KORE Retrofit ensures your project is managed to the highest standard from the initial enquiry, design, energy assessments, grant application, quality assurance and works completed. Whether you have a traditional business or one that is out of the ordinary, our dedicated service is the same. Contact us today to apply for our 2022 scheme or to learn more!