School reaping benefits of energy efficiency

Moynalty NS moved to its new school building in 2012 and at the time was the first school in Ireland to be built to passive house standard.

Energy efficient and eco friendly, it was hailed as a school of the future.

Among the many modern features is an inbuilt filtration system which principal Denise Ward believes has helped it avoid transmission of Covid within the school.

"Even when the windows are open it is still a lovely and cosy 21 degrees," said Denise, who became principal of the school in 2009.

She told how just four pupils and one staff member tested positive for Covid since the pandemic started and these were not school transmissions but were picked up in homes.

The school design was unique when it opened in 2012 in that it had been built to PassivHaus Standard. This involves high levels of insulation, energy efficiency, rainwater harvesting, triple glazing, carbon dioxide sensors in the rooms and an airtight, build. The ultra low energy building uses biomass boilers, solar panels and a heat recovery system to reduce its ecological footprint. The resulting building is hugely energy efficient and extremely eco-friendly in its running and received an A rating certificate.