New Green FÁS Courses For Construction Sector

Construction workers in Clare looking to take advantage of the wave of green and clean-tech opportunities coming on-stream have been buoyed by the announcement of new FÁS courses.
 
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms. Mary Coughlan, T.D., today announced details of the green courses, which focus on Sustainable Energy, Gas safety and installation, Insulation technologies, Building Energy Rating and Micro-Electricity Generation, among others.  Minister of State and Clare T.D., Tony Killeen said the new training courses would provide a significant lift to the local construction sector by helping those who have lost jobs to upgrade their skills and take advantage of employment opportunities in the green and clean-tech sectors. He said, “The renewables sector, in particular, is a significant growth area within the construction sector. Work opportunities exist in areas including the installation of energy efficient and renewable technologies, together with compliance and energy rating work.”
 
Minister Killeen welcomed the programme’s inclusion of Sustainable Energy courses, such as the installation of Solar Thermal, Heat-pump Bio-mass boiler systems. “The aim of these course will be to develop the necessary skills, knowledge and competence of plumbers, electricians, fitters and other suitably qualified construction workers to design, install and commission domestic solar hot water heating, bio-mass and heat-pump systems in a safe and competent manner”, he commented.  The Clare T.D. also noted the inclusion of a training course relating to the Building Energy Rating (BER) system. “This course provides the necessary skills, knowledge and competencies to suitably qualified participants to produce BER Assessor labels and advisory reports for new and existing dwellings in accordance with current standards and regulations”, he stated.
 
Other courses featured in the new FÁS training programme:
 
Gas safety and installation courses:
- ‘G.I.S. Gas Installer – Safety’ to upgrade the skills and knowledge of persons in gas safety features so as to enable them to work safely on domestic installations and non-domestic gas pipe work. 
- G.I.D. Gas Installer Domestic’ to provide the necessary skills and knowledge to install, maintain and service domestic gas installations and equipment in accordance with current standards and regulations.
 
Smart/Intelligent Building Systems:
- This course provides qualified electricians or suitably qualified applicants with the skills, knowledge and competence to install, configure and test an intelligent building control system using KNX/EIB technology.
 
Insulation technologies and techniques: 
- This course provides general construction trades persons with skills and knowledge in the areas of insulation materials, techniques and technologies, and provides plasterers with external wall rendering techniques for existing and new buildings. 
 
The following additional courses due to come on stream later this year:
 
Micro-Electricity Generation Wind Turbine and Photovoltaic Courses:
- These courses are being developed in close co-operation with Sustainable Energy Ireland and will enable Installers to safely install appropriate micro-generation equipment up to 11Kw 3 phase or 6Kw single phase in size, in line with the current requirements as defined by E.S.B. networks. 
 
Passive House Building:
- This course will be aimed at construction workers and will provide the skills and knowledge to understand and use the technology associated with the passive house construction method/standard. 

New Green FÁS Courses For Construction Sector

Construction workers in Clare looking to take advantage of the wave of green and clean-tech opportunities coming on-stream have been buoyed by the announcement of new FÁS courses.
 
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms. Mary Coughlan, T.D., today announced details of the green courses, which focus on Sustainable Energy, Gas safety and installation, Insulation technologies, Building Energy Rating and Micro-Electricity Generation, among others.  Minister of State and Clare T.D., Tony Killeen said the new training courses would provide a significant lift to the local construction sector by helping those who have lost jobs to upgrade their skills and take advantage of employment opportunities in the green and clean-tech sectors. He said, “The renewables sector, in particular, is a significant growth area within the construction sector. Work opportunities exist in areas including the installation of energy efficient and renewable technologies, together with compliance and energy rating work.”
 
Minister Killeen welcomed the programme’s inclusion of Sustainable Energy courses, such as the installation of Solar Thermal, Heat-pump Bio-mass boiler systems. “The aim of these course will be to develop the necessary skills, knowledge and competence of plumbers, electricians, fitters and other suitably qualified construction workers to design, install and commission domestic solar hot water heating, bio-mass and heat-pump systems in a safe and competent manner”, he commented.  The Clare T.D. also noted the inclusion of a training course relating to the Building Energy Rating (BER) system. “This course provides the necessary skills, knowledge and competencies to suitably qualified participants to produce BER Assessor labels and advisory reports for new and existing dwellings in accordance with current standards and regulations”, he stated.
 
Other courses featured in the new FÁS training programme:
 
Gas safety and installation courses:
- ‘G.I.S. Gas Installer – Safety’ to upgrade the skills and knowledge of persons in gas safety features so as to enable them to work safely on domestic installations and non-domestic gas pipe work. 
- G.I.D. Gas Installer Domestic’ to provide the necessary skills and knowledge to install, maintain and service domestic gas installations and equipment in accordance with current standards and regulations.
 
Smart/Intelligent Building Systems:
- This course provides qualified electricians or suitably qualified applicants with the skills, knowledge and competence to install, configure and test an intelligent building control system using KNX/EIB technology.
 
Insulation technologies and techniques: 
- This course provides general construction trades persons with skills and knowledge in the areas of insulation materials, techniques and technologies, and provides plasterers with external wall rendering techniques for existing and new buildings. 
 
The following additional courses due to come on stream later this year:
 
Micro-Electricity Generation Wind Turbine and Photovoltaic Courses:
- These courses are being developed in close co-operation with Sustainable Energy Ireland and will enable Installers to safely install appropriate micro-generation equipment up to 11Kw 3 phase or 6Kw single phase in size, in line with the current requirements as defined by E.S.B. networks. 
 
Passive House Building:
- This course will be aimed at construction workers and will provide the skills and knowledge to understand and use the technology associated with the passive house construction method/standard. 

EUR5m Social Housing Scheme Opened In Killaloe

A new EUR5 million state-of-the-art social housing scheme has been officially opened in Killaloe, County Clare.

The ‘Crossroads’ scheme provides housing for 24 families in 2, 3 and 4 bedroom houses. Constructed by Killaloe-based firm Gatecastle Construction, the new development brings the total of houses delivered by Clare County Council under its Social Housing Programme to 1458.

Speaking at the official opening ceremony, Mayor of Clare Councillor Madeleine Taylor Quinn (available for interview on 087-2402341) said, “The design, accessibility and usability of this development are of the highest standard. What is especially convenient for residents of this scheme is that their homes are just a stone's throw from the local shops, schools, play areas, church, banking and medical facilities. The development has also brought great vibrancy to this part of Killaloe.”

The Mayor noted that Clare County Council was striving to build communities rather than just build houses. She continued, “In building these communities the Council works with local communities, elected representatives, the Housing Strategic Policy Committee, Gardaí, Health Service Executive and the Clare Money Advice and Budgetary Service, so that a network of supports is delivered to maximise the safety and security of the neighbourhood. The Local Authority has an estate management unit within its Housing section, which works closely with the residents and is responsible for setting up residents associations, supporting them, and encouraging them to energise people in the community to help maintain and further improve their quality of life.”

Mayor Taylor Quinn congratulated Gatecastle Construction for delivering the scheme and paid tribute to the Clare-based design team comprising Michael Leahy; Paul Conway and Partners; Rogerson, Reddan and Associates, and Paddy Coleman and Associates, which she said had expertly managed and completed the scheme on time and within budget. The Mayor also congratulated the staff of Clare County Council for their expertise and dedication to the project.

Cllr. Joe Arkins (available for interview on 087-2902552), Chair of Clare County Council’s Housing Strategic Policy Committee, described the Crossroads development as a modern high quality housing scheme that acted as a focal point for the entire community. He added that the scheme was another important step forward in housing provision in County Clare “It is Clare County Council’s policy to ensure that each person in the County has access to adequate accommodation, at an affordable cost, suited to their needs, in a good environment and in so far as possible, a tenure of their choice. Tenants also have an opportunity to purchase their house, after one year of occupancy, and at current market values and low interest rate, this is an excellent time to consider that option”, stated Councillor Arkins.

The SPC Chair noted that the Crossroads estate was a well-designed housing development. He explained, “Clare County Council promotes the use of energy efficient systems and the Housing Department is represented on the Council's Climate Change Committee, whose role it is to recommend and implement changing practices to cut down on carbon emissions and to improve efficiencies. In this scheme, the heating system is a dual system of gas and solid fuel. The highest standards have been used in installing heat/smoke detectors, safety locks on doors and windows.”

Councillor Arkins encouraged the newly formed Crossroads Residents Association to participate in the Council’s Best Kept Local Authority Estates competition, which encourages residents to take an active role in improving the appearance of their estates. He continued, “The work that tenants and householders do in this regard is very important not just because it makes their local area a more pleasant place to live in from a physical perspective. It also engenders an important sense of community spirit and community pride. Most important of all it demonstrates to our children that we are proud of our locality and that we take ownership for our own place and that working together we can build a better community. In appreciation of work of residents associations and householders within local authority estates in maintaining and improving their areas, Clare County Council provides a prize fund of EUR6,000 for the competition”.