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Project title

IGBC ATU & Limerick 2030 Circular Economy Construction demonstrator project

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

Irish Green Building Council

Lead Applicant

Pat Barry

Project Abstract

The aim of this proposal is to utilise the Opera Site development as a Lighthouse Demonstrator Project for the Circular Built Environment. The proposal is a collaboration between the Irish Green Building Council (IGBC), the Build360 research group in the Atlantic Technological University (ATU), the Southern Region Waste Management Office (SRWMO), and the Limerick 2030 property development company. The work packages will explore circular economy opportunities during the demolition and enabling works (retrospectively), design, pre-construction, construction, and operational phases of the project in close collaboration with the supply chain. The outputs will include a suite of ‘Demonstrator Opera Briefs’ that will inform subsequent projects in the overall Limerick 2030 plan i.e., Cleeves Riverside Quarter, with additional evidence-based case studies and industry guidance produced for the wider construction sector i.e., to inform upcoming Project 2040 projects amongst others. The Opera Site is a brownfield site located in the heart of Limerick City Centre in the functional area of Limerick City and County Council. It has a project value of €275m providing 500 construction jobs during development and 2,500 jobs during operation. The development consists of One Opera Square, which is a 14,000m2 6-storey office, retail and restaurant; Apart-hotel, which is 4,700m2 consisting of 57 rooms, a restaurant, 7 retail units and 13 apartments; a new 4,410m2 city library, living room and café; 4 Opera Square, which is a 2,580m2 5-storey office (flexspace), 3 apartments and retail; 14-storey landmark office building of 12,300m2, the full refurbishment of the Granary (2,715m2) into offices and a restaurant; a 8,000m2 basement for 155 car spaces and 495 bike spaces; and a public realm space of 5,700m2. The project will frame the Opera Site project as a Lighthouse Demonstrator project for the circular built environment by assessing how current sustainability criteria (NZEB compliance, LEED Platinum (One and Four Opera Square), Well Platinum (One and Four Opera Square), and Wiredscore Platinum (One and Four Opera Square)) align with against circular economy (CE) best practice i.e., ARUP’s Circular Buildings Toolkit, London Circular Planning Statement requirements, the Regenerate tool (https://regenerate.urbanflows.ac.uk/about/), industry guidance i.e., IGBC Client Guidance and other relevant assessment tools i.e., BREEAM, Level(s), One Planet Living. The project will also design circularity ‘interventions’ to be piloted throughout the project. The output will be the design and piloting of a circular economy literacy learning pathway with supply chain stakeholders using a Triple-A approach (Awareness, Action, and Attitudes). These work elements and outputs will be brought together to produce an Opera Site Lighthouse Demonstrator Circularity Playbook that will consist of a suite of evidence-based and research-informed guidance for subsequent Limerick 2030 developments and the built environment sector in Ireland.

Grant Approved

�95,065.50

Research Hub

Green and Circular Economy

Research Theme

n/a

Start Date

31/03/2023

Initial Projected Completion Date

30/03/2025