62 Ballymoney Library Low Carbon Retrofitting Scheme
CEF Awards
BALLYMONEY LIBRARY LOW CARBON RETROFITTING SCHEME
Nominated for the CEF 2024 Construction Excellence Awards in the Social / Community Project of the Year category , the Ballymoney Library Low Carbon Retrofitting Scheme is a ground-breaking project that sets a new standard for sustainable public buildings in the UK .
The Ballymoney Library , a vital resource for Ballymoney ’ s 11,000 residents and its surrounding rural areas , has undergone a remarkable transformation to become the first public building in the UK to be retrofitted to the EnerPHit standard - an internationally recognized energy efficiency benchmark .
Since 1970 , Ballymoney Library has been a cornerstone of the community , serving as a hub for education , culture , and social connection . Located on Queen Street and sharing its site with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust , the library is a central part of daily life for locals , including over 2,000 active library members and numerous primary and post-primary schools .
Through its Causeway Homecall and Mobile Library services , it also extends its reach to housebound individuals and rural communities , ensuring access to books and other resources .
Thanks to significant capital investment supported by the Department for Communities and the Department for the
Economy ’ s Energy Invest to Save Programme 2023 / 24 , Ballymoney Library has undergone a deep energy retrofit to achieve the EnerPHit standard . The refurbishment undertaken by Main Contractor , Seaview Developments , was part of a broader initiative to enhance energy efficiency in public buildings across Northern Ireland , setting a precedent for future sustainability efforts .
The EnerPHit standard , developed by the Passivhaus Institute , focuses on retrofitting existing buildings to meet modern energy efficiency requirements . This rigorous process involves comprehensive insulation , air-tightness improvements , and the use of renewable energy systems , resulting in dramatic reductions in energy consumption .
For Ballymoney Library , achieving the EnerPHit standard has transformed it into a low-carbon , energy-efficient space that is both environmentally friendly and cost-effective in terms of energy usage .
The library ’ s new design seamlessly integrates sustainability with aesthetics . Upon approaching the building , visitors are
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