Thinking about modernising your Leisure Centre? Our team delivered the full refurbishment of Lahinch Leisure Centre. Explore the project to see what's possible for your facility.
The project was delivered by our team of experienced engineers, who managed all stages from design development to practical completion over a five‑year period. The timeline below summarises the works undertaken.
Hover over each point on the timeline to view detailed information.
2017
Initial energy audit completed.
2017
2018
Application made to the Department for URD Funding.
2018
March 2019
Design Team appointed.
2019
January
Application to SEAI BEC/CEG Programme.
February
Design documentation issued for tender.
June
Tender Returned and Contractor Appointed
July/August
Value Engineering
September
Works commenced on Site
-
Works Suspended on Site (Covid)
2020
2021
Works recommenced on site.
2021
May 2022
Handover/Practical Completion.
2022
Building Details
General Information
Constructed in 1950, leisure centre added in 1996
Total building area approx. 3,079 m²
Facilities included gym, 25m pool, paddling pool, jacuzzi, steam room, changing rooms
Additional spaces: offices, café, massage clinic, dive academy, surf school
Building Fabric
Poor overall condition
Minimal roof insulation
Cavity block wall construction
Majority single‑glazed windows; partial upgrade to double glazing in 2012
Solid concrete ground floor; 50mm insulation only in 1996 extension
Heating & Hot Water
73 kW oil boiler serving community hall & offices
Two oil boilers for pool & space heating: 438 kW (10 yrs old) and 450 kW (25 yrs old)
DHW via calorifier for changing rooms
Heating distribution via radiators with poor control
No heating in gym or dive academy
Ventilation & Controls
3 AHUs with 283 kW heating coil capacity
56% heat recovery serving pool hall & changing rooms
BMS not operational; boilers & AHUs running manually 24/7
Pumps all single or fixed speed (no VSDs)
Lighting & Electrical
Majority CFL and T8 fluorescent lighting
Previous Renewable System
105 kW Danfoss ASHP installed to support oil boilers
System never fully operational
Decommissioned after site flooding
Fabric & Energy Upgrade Highlights
Cavity & External Wall Insulation
The upgrade included cavity and external wall insulation, with 140m² of pumped cavity insulation achieving a U-Value of 0.22W/m²K.
Grant aid on capital costs of €1,680 from SEAI at 30%.
968m² of External Wall Insulation was installed using the Thermotech 120mm insulated render system, achieving a U-Value of 0.14W/m²K.
Grant aid on capital costs of €170,360 from SEAI at 30%.
Roof Insulation Upgrade Works
3,080m² of roof insulation was upgraded using 120mm Xtratherm Flat Roof Board.
A U-Value of 0.16W/m²K was achieved.
Grant aid on capital costs of €15,800 from SEAI at 30%.
Ground Floor Insulation
400m² of ground floor insulation was upgraded using 100mm Kingspan K3 floorboard.
A U-Value of 0.18W/m²K was achieved.
Grant aid on capital costs of €15,800 from SEAI at 30%.
Windows & Doors Upgrade
136m² of windows were upgraded to double glazed units, achieving a U-Value of 1.4 W/m²K.
59m² of doors were replaced with high efficiency units, delivering a U-Value of 1.2 W/m²K
Grant aid on capital costs of €101,530 from SEAI at 30%.
Smart LED Lighting Upgrade
A total of 416 LED fittings were upgraded to smart LED units equipped with occupancy sensors and daylight‑harvesting controls.
Emergency lighting was included as part of the installation.
Grant aid on capital costs of €101,530 from SEAI at 30%.
Solar PV & Battery Storage
A 137kWP solar PV array was installed, comprising of 310 Longi 445W panels and supported by two Solis 40K-5G inverters and one Solis 50K inverter.
The system is complemented by a 30kWh battery‑storage installation using nine Pylontech US3000 units.
Grant aid on capital costs of €165,000 from SEAI at 30%.
Shower Heat Recovery System
Six Recoup shower heat‑recovery units were installed, each providing 42% heat‑recovery efficiency.
Grant aid on capital costs of €11,520 from SEAI at 30%.
ERP Compliant AHUs with Heat Recovery
Three Mark Eire ERP‑compliant AHUs were installed to serve the pool hall and changing rooms.
Each unit delivers a minimum of 84% heat‑recovery efficiency, significantly improving ventilation performance and reducing energy demand.
Grant aid on capital costs of €335,125 from SEAI at 30%.
Geothermal Heat Pump System
2 The geothermal system comprises two Thermia Mega XL ground‑source heat pumps (79kW each), supplied by 15 boreholes at 150m depth and 10m spacing, giving a total borehole length of 2,250m.
The installation also includes new domestic hot‑water cylinders with a 700L pre‑heat tank and a 700L finish tank.
Grant aid on capital costs of €324,600 from SEAI at 30%.
New BMS
A new Building Management System (BMS) was installed, incorporating 478 monitored and controlled points across the facility, supported by two new Motor Control Centre (MCC) panels to manage plant equipment.
Grant aid on capital costs of €45,000 from SEAI at 30%.
Heating Distribution Network
34 fan coil units (FCUs) were installed, 18 of which are four‑pipe units providing both heating and cooling.
Grant aid on capital costs of €185,275 from SEAI at 30%.
Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery (MVHR) System
10 mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) units provide fresh‑air ventilation to all areas outside the pool hall and changing rooms.
Grant aid on capital costs of €52,480 from SEAI at 30%.
Variable Speed Drive Pumps
17 variable‑speed drive (VSD) pumps were installed across all low‑pressure hot water (LPHW) services.
Grant aid on capital costs of €68,800 from SEAI at 30%.
De-stratification Fan Installation
Six de‑stratification fans were installed in the pool hall, kids’ zone and community hall — all high‑ceiling spaces where warm air naturally rises and collects at roof level.
De‑stratification fans gently recirculate this trapped warm air back down into the occupied zone, improving comfort and significantly reducing heating energy waste.
Grant aid on capital costs of €11,000 from SEAI at 30%.
Biomass Boiler Installation
The biomass system consists of a boiler cascade comprising one 300kW unit and one 100kW unit, supported by a 10,000L buffer tank.
The system operates on wood‑pellet fuel.
Biomass Supply & install Cost:
€ 182,000.00 (Ex VAT)
Delivering Efficiency: TEA’s Retrofit of Lahinch Leisure Centre
Project Gallery
Why Choose TEA
25+ Years Delivering Ireland's Energy Transition
Tipperary Energy Agency is a not-for-profit social enterprise founded in 1998. We have been at the forefront of energy efficiency and retrofit in Ireland ever since, working with local authorities, communities, businesses, and the public sector across the country.
25+
Years of Experience
Over two decades supporting Ireland's transition to sustainable energy use.
40+
European Projects
Successfully completed more than 40 national and EU research and demonstration projects.
€1.4M
Savings Delivered
Helped Tipperary County Council alone achieve over €1.4 million in energy cost savings.
Ready to Upgrade your Leisure Centre?
Unlock lower energy bills, improved performance, and a more sustainable leisure centre with support from our experienced team..
