Alex White T.D. Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources presenting the SEAI award to Colm O’Kane (Ballyliffin Loudge Hotel and Spa) with Neil McDaid and Noel McGonigle (Daigon Ltd) who helped to deliver the project.
Ballyliffin Lodge and Spa are celebrating after being awarded first place in the Small Business Category at this year’s National Sustainable Energy Ireland Awards.
The award, which recognises and rewards excellence in energy management was presented by Mr Alex White, Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources at a gala dinner last Thursday in the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland praised the hotel for demonstrating how, in tough economic times, costs can be reduced through a holistic, inclusive approach to running a small business.
Ballyliffin Lodge and Spa.
Speaking about their success at winning the award, Ballyliffin Lodge Manager Mr Colm O Kane said they are delighted to have won.
“This award is a fantastic recognition of the hotels initiatives towards energy management, and a testimony to the hard work of all our teams and everyone involved. We started to look at our energy consumption as a business and our goal for 2014 was simply to maximize efficiencies while reducing running costs.
Mr O Kane went on to say “We implemented some quick wins like replacing our light bulbs with low voltage alternatives and we installed motion sensors so areas are only lit up when in use. We replaced taps and shower heads with low flow aerator and push button types again saving water.
“The hotels most ambitious change and the one which has had the greatest impact, was changing how they heated the building itself, and the efficient supply of hot water, in particular to their 17 metre swimming pool.”
The hotel changed all its oil boilers and retrofitted four Airthermal heat pumps and now are no longer dependant on oil and its fluctuations in price.
Ballyliffin Lodge were delighted to be able to avail of the services of local company DaiGon Renewable Energies Ltd for the implementation of their new heating and energy management system.
Mr O Kane said “DaiGon have done a tremendous job They had tried and tested systems, they knew the costs involved, but they also knew the savings to be made in monetary terms and in environmental terms. They pitched a very professional case as to what their system could do and why it was suitable for our business. When given the go ahead they implemented it on schedule with little or no disruption.”
Neil Mc Daid of DaiGon said they were delighted to have installed the new system at the Ballyliffin Lodge and Spa.
“It was a tremendous opportunity to work in our local area making a difference. DaiGon have been in existence for 14 years now and both Noel and I have great pride in the heating systems that we design and the Ochsner machines that we install. We know the machines to be reliable and when the heating system is designed to meet the needs of the customer we know we can deliver the performance efficiencies as promised.
“We would like to thank Sean & Mary Keogh Owners of The Ballyliffin Lodge, Colm O Kane and all the team for their belief in us and for giving us this opportunity.”
The Ballyliffin Lodge & Spa has reduced its carbon footprint by over 140 tonne per year and as well as this recognition from the SEAI they have been awarded the Green Hospitality’s Gold Award.
Both staff and customers are fully supportive of the changes the hotel have made in their strive to continue to create and maintain a sustainable business.
The Ballyliffin Lodge now plan to work towards the Platinum Green Hospitality Award and further improving their eco-friendly credentials.
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