Siamsa Tire theatre
Based in Tralee, Siamsa Tíre is one of the busiest theatres and arts centres in the country. It is home to the National Folk Theatre, and also trains young people in the traditional arts, produces new work and tours internationally throughout the rest of the year.
The centre was built in 1991 and was not energy efficient. The Board and staff team decided to install cavity wall and attic insulation to prevent heat escaping and regulate the temperature of the building. They installed an air to heat pump to heat the building.
Solar PV supplies electricity to the building and they carried out a full LED lighting upgrade, with the exception of the stage lighting. Energy use decreased by 11% between 2016 and 2017 with related emissions reducing by 26%. The energy savings are estimated to be 141,660 kWh per annum.
The works cost €205,300 and were also funded by the Department of Culture, Heritage & the Gaeltacht.
The main motivation for the organisation in carrying out the upgrades was to reduce their carbon footprint. The CEO, Board and staff team at Siamsa Tíre are very conscious of minimising energy use and fossil fuels. The organisation is establishing themselves as a leader on environmental sustainability within the arts sector. Annual carbon dioxide savings are equivalent to removing over 10 cars from the road. Patrons to the building have said that they are proud of their efforts to reduce energy use.
The lead applicant for this project was NCE Insulation.