DCC - Ireland’s First Local Authority EPC Project

Codema's Role

Codema facilitated Ireland’s first local authority Energy Performance Contract (EPC) on behalf of Dublin City Council (DCC), for three of DCC's leisure centres. This involved management of the procurement process, contract preparation and the gathering of the necessary technical data.

Project Description

Following the commitment to the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP) and the Programme for Government 2011-2016, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (DCENR), together with SEAI, developed the National Energy Services Framework to help develop the energy efficiency market in the non-domestic sector throughout Ireland. As part of this programme, 22 organisations from both the public and private sector were selected as exemplars and committed to delivering an Energy Performance Contract. An EPC is a contractual agreement by an Energy Service Company (ESCo) to guarantee energy savings over an agreed period of time.

Codema facilitated the EPC on behalf of Dublin City Council, for three of DCC's largest leisure centres - namely Markievicz Sports and Fitness Centre, Finglas Sports & Fitness Centre and Ballymun Sports and Fitness Centre. In July 2016, DCC awarded the EPC to Noel Lawler Green Energy Solutions, who carried out a range of energy-efficiency upgrades in each of the three leisure centres, including, as applicable:

• Building Management System (BMS) Optimisation
• CHP Overhaul and power modulation controls (Finglas)
• New 110 kWh CHP and power modulation controls (Ballymun)
• Upgrade of lighting to LED and lighting controls
• New cooling strategy for Air Handling Units
• Boiler plant replacement with high modulation boiler
• New controls for pool pumps

The project was supported under the SEAI National Energy Services Framework, as well as the European project EESI2020, co-funded under H2020.

Results to Date

Codema works closely with the ESCo to carry out regular Measurement and Verification (M&V) of the buildings. The latest M&V figures show that over the duration of the contract, the EPC project has saved Dublin City Council approximately €995,000 on its energy costs, and has achieved average energy savings of 38% and cost savings of 48%. The project saves the council up to €190,000 on its energy costs per year, and results in additional maintenance savings. 

The contract is now in its seventh year, having operated successfully since December 2016, and Codema will continue to assist DCC with managing this M&V process for the duration of the contract period.

Codema won Best Energy Service Promoter in the 2017 European Energy Service Awards in May 2017 for our work on this project, and the project was so successful that Dublin City Council initiated a second EPC involving a number of its other leisure centres.

Find out more about our other Local Authority EPC projects here.