| The IPBN is supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland under the ESP Grant programme |
Ireland-based KRA Renewables has a wealth of experience in design, project management, and contract administration, having delivered a wide range of commercial commissions for various large-scale projects with budgets in excess of €40 million. This successful project was managed by KRA Visionary Project Partners who have been in existence since 2000 and have become known for their professionalism in project management and building surveying services.
Zofia Howell, LEED Green Associate and Director of Operations at KRA Renewables, tells the IPBN, “In 2017, we began to see increased interest in renewables, with clients asking us how to make their businesses more sustainable, especially in the area of energy efficiency. We’ve grown from there to offer renewable energy consultancy services and, with our background in construction, we get the projects into the hands of trusted contractors and see the project through.”
Retrofit work can often be carried out poorly, so it’s paramount that any design, construction or engineering work is being done properly in the first place. That’s the value that KRA Renewables brings to the table. “We bring expertise with our full KRA Renewables engineering team and the professional team of our parent company,” Howell says.
Contractor selection is done impartially, according to Howell, as the most important thing is to find the best contractor for the project and, since KRA Renewables has such a strong background in construction, they can specify exactly what they want and precisely how they want it done. “There are a lot of contractors out there for insulation and solar panel installations for example, but our concern is making sure the owners get the result that they need and the solution that will work best,” Howell says. And good news for homeowners, KRA Renewables has recently branched out from finding renewable solutions in the commercial sector to providing the same services in the domestic arena.
KRA Renewables is also there acting as a touchstone for information as the project is being planned so that they can guide decision making to achieve optimal results and help dispel any rumours that could affect poor energy choices on the part of the client. Howell says, “We’ve all heard stories about the lack of actual payback on solar panels, for example, but when a project is being properly designed and installed then that is just not the case.”
The company has put various projects up for grant funding and has become a Project Coordinator for the BEC (Better Energy Communities) Programme grant, available through SEAI (The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland), which provides 50% of the cost of retrofits for community projects, up to 30% funding for businesses, 80% for fuel poor households and up to 35% for non-fuel poor homes.
According to Howell, “What sets us apart from others in this arena is that everyone in the business really cares about sustainability and fighting climate change. When we approach a project, our first thoughts are about biodiversity, energy efficiency, and making sure projects are green from the ground up. That sustainable approach is our core purpose.”
The IPBN is proud to promote this same purpose at our Sustainability Conference from March 16 - 18. Join us as we discuss new ways to build a greener future.
| The IPBN is supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland under the ESP Grant programme |
