33 Molesworth Street, Dublin.
At a glance
- Site: 33 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2, D02 CP04
- Client: GIA Surveyors
- Building Type: Commercial office (Georgian frontage with 1970s and rear extensions)
- Total Floor Area: 25,678 sq ft
- Assessment Type: BER Improvement Plan (IES Virtual Environment – NEAP compliant)
Project brief
Eteria was appointed to deliver a BER Improvement Plan for the commercial office building at 33 Molesworth Street, Dublin.
The brief was to assess the existing energy performance and identify cost-effective retrofit measures to reduce carbon emissions and improve the building’s BER, while balancing performance uplift, heritage constraints and operational disruption for a live office environment.
Challenges
The building comprises a protected Georgian frontage combined with later extensions, creating a complex mix of fabric and MEP servicing strategies. Limited construction records meant baseline performance had to be established through a number of site surveys and modelling assumptions.
The building relied on gas-driven VRF systems, wet radiators and a large central hot-water plant, all of which are carbon and energy intensive. Many of the most effective fabric upgrades, such as wall and roof insulation, would be intrusive and disruptive to tenants, while the building’s listed status restricted the replacement of original single-glazed windows.
The challenge was therefore to define a package of measures that could deliver meaningful BER improvement. These measures had to within budget, minimum tenant disruption and ultimately offer a pathway to decarbonisation and performance improvement of the asset.
Results
The recommended package of measures managed to improve the building from BER C2 to a high B3 at an estimated cost of €1.08m using electrification of heating, highly efficient LED lighting, intelligent controls and some glazing upgrades.
A full building retrofit was explored and it could achieve BER A3, but with greater cost and disruption.
We are focused on applying practical, forward-thinking technologies to improve the efficiency and sustainability of assets and their operations. Our goal is to support carbon reduction by using innovation blended with traditional practices to ensure a robust solution.