PROJECT
AVONDALE HOUSE AND FOREST PARK
WAY BEYOND THE TREES COBEC ENGINEERING BROUGHT A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL INSTALLATIONS OF AVONDALE HOUSE AND FOREST PARK, IN A PROJECT THAT WILL STAND THE TEST OF TIME…
C obec Engineering partnered with main contractor John Sisk & Son to provide both the electrical and mechanical installations at the Avondale House and Forest Park, in Co. Wicklow. The brand-new tourist attraction offers a Visitors Centre, the Coillte Pavilion, which features a learning experience on the history of forestation, the Seed Café, and the Avondale House, the former residence of Irish nationalist Charles Stewart Parnell. Other attractions include trails in the woods, a walkway over 23 metres above the forest floor, and a 38-meters high viewing tower. “It is a lovely project to be involved in, as there aren’t many attractions like this in Ireland,” commented Peter Mulligan,
business development director at Cobec Engineering. “It is quite unique, and we really enjoyed being part of it.” The electrical services offered by Cobec for the main buildings included main and sub-main board installation, mains and sub-mains wiring, containment systems, PV system installation, sitewide lighting and emergency lighting, DALI lighting control system, general services, IT installation, including fibre, security systems, life safety systems, BMS Wiring and EV charging points in the car parks. A sustainable approach Client Coillte, an organisation responsible for 440,000 hectares of forests and lands in Ireland, focused on developing
the project as sustainably as possible. “The Visitors Centre includes low energy use LEDs throughout, lighting controls to further save energy, and an extensive PV system for renewable energy generation,” Peter explained. The EV charging points in the car parks also contribute to this sustainable approach. Mechanically, the centre is powered completely by electricity, using air-to- water heat pumps and heat recovery units. In addition, a rainwater harvesting system was installed to meet the centre’s needs for general water usage. Challenges The Avondale House was built in 1779, and listed buildings always pose a
“It will be a great place to bring our kids and even our grandkids and say: ‘this was a project we delivered.’”
48 | IRELAND’S ELECTRICAL MAGAZINE
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