Clúid Housing, in partnership with Kerry County Council, Rebuilding Ireland and Kerry-based Thermohouse Limited, the leading Irish low energy building system manufacturers and installers, today welcomed Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy to one of Ireland’s largest sustainable social housing developments. Announcing the commencement of the second stage of construction at the site, Thermohouse is delivering turnkey, rapid-build, energy efficient houses at the Srúthan na Sáilí development in Derreen, Killarney. Due for completion in early 2020, this is one of Clúid’s largest new build developments currently under construction.

The Derreen development, which commenced in January 2019, consists of 61 two and three-bed dwellings, built using Thermohouse’s unique low energy building system. As well as being up to 60% faster than traditional construction, the houses have superior levels of airtightness, considerably reducing their heating costs. These houses are ‘nearly Zero-Energy Building’ (nZEB) compliant as mandated by the EU energy directive for new builds completed after 31 December 2020.

James O’Halloran of Clúid commented: “We are delighted to welcome Minister Murphy to the development here in Killarney, as it enters the second stage of construction. The first social housing project of its kind in Ireland, it not only addresses the need for rapid-build homes but also creates greener, more energy efficient buildings, with lower fuel bills. Partnering with Kerry County Council, Rebuilding Ireland and Thermohouse, who deliver residential projects across Ireland and the UK, has allowed us to meet our goal of providing high quality housing for those who need it, here in Kerry.”

Michael Cronin, Managing Director of Thermohouse said: “Clúid’s development here at Derreen illustrates the benefits of our complete Low Energy Building System comprising of interlocking walls, floors and roofs modules. Manufactured off-site at our Killarney factory, these future-proofed homes are faster to construct, more energy efficient and benefit from a 60-year system guarantee.

“How we approach building homes in this country is changing. Thermohouse structures not only meet the EU’s nZEB requirements, they consistently exceed them, and being locally manufactured, we offer a lower carbon footprint for delivery in Ireland.”