The redevelopment of the sports facilities in Hyde Park is aiming to achieve a Gold Certificate for the building - the first such award for a sports facility in Ireland. The certification is awarded by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), whose programme is the leading one internationally for sustainable building design and construction.
Achieving LEED Gold Certification ensures that the building will operate in a sustainable, environmentally friendly manner over its life cycle from design, construction through to its day-to-day operation. The certification grades the development from the following perspectives:
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Water conservation and efficiency in water use.
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Environmentally conscious decisions to reduce energy demand.
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Proximity to public transport networks, as well as the provision of facilities for cyclists.
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Decisions made by project teams about indoor air quality and thermal, visual, and acoustic comfort - the indoor environmental quality.
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Minimising the embodied energy and impacts associated with the extraction, processing, transport, maintenance, and disposal of building materials.
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The surroundings of the building.
The design of the Hyde Park Sports Centre boasts a green roof visible from Dalkey Hill, sensor-controlled water and lighting, a covered bike rack, LED lighting throughout, solar panels on the roof, drinking water refill stations, and the maximising of natural light. In addition, swift boxes will provide a new home in Dalkey for the migratory bird struggling to find appropriate nesting sites.
Ellen Hegarty in Cuala said:
"For me, as a parent of young children in Cuala, climate change is the issue of our age. We’re very proud that our new home will be the first sports facility in Ireland to be recognised as achieving this very high international standard of environmental sustainability."
