Pembroke Kilkenny to complete a five-year €524,422 energy upgrade. The sustainable project has reduced carbon by 107 tonnes annually, moving the hotel closer to its goal of becoming carbon neutral.
The SEEA is a not-for-profit organisation that works with Irish SMEs, homeowners and communities to deliver energy upgrade projects, from audits and grant applications to project management and delivery, across Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Waterford.
“During the lockdowns, we put in a heat recovery system based on 80% heat recovery,” said John Ryan, the Pembroke Kilkenny’s proprietor. “It has a smart CO₂ sensor, so it will ramp up the ventilation as and when required. We’ve got very low-cost heating because of the efficiency created here.
“We switched from gas to induction hobs, to put in more efficient appliances. The cleanliness of the kitchen and the environment is very pleasant. If you were to ask any of the chefs now, they would much prefer induction.”
The partnership saved 477,316 kWh of energy annually – enough to power 130 average Irish homes for a year. The measures reduced 107.3 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually – the equivalent of planting enough trees to cover Croke Park twice over and letting them grow for ten years.
The improvements resulted in an annual cost savings of €36,090. The Kilkenny hotel received grants of €157,326, managed by the SEEA.
The sustainable energy upgrade was part of a broader €3 million investment that also saw the addition of a new fourth floor, with 11 new suites, at the hotel.
“The path to achieving Ireland’s 2030 climate targets will come down to the collective efforts of local businesses, homeowners and communities,” said Michael Kinchella, project delivery engineer, SEEA.
“Projects like Pembroke Kilkenny show what is possible when ambition and innovation come together.”
