Wexford to fore of climate change
WEXFORD is set to take centre stage in the UN Global Initiative to Tackle Climate Change.
Work on this global project has been ongoing for the past 18 months and Enniscorthy native Tomás O’Leary of MosArt Architects, which operates globally, has been to the forefront.
Working in conjunction with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Tomás has been enthusiastically supporting the development of standards that will improve energy efficiency in buildings which, in turn, will dramatically reduce emissions. The object of the exercise is to facilitate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals in key areas including sustainable energy, climate change mitigation and sustainable urban development.
The new framework guidelines will be implemented through two key platforms – a research consortium involving leading universities and research institutions and three global centres of excellence one of which is planned for Enniscorthy. Only three centres of excellence are being approved worldwide and when up and running, the Enniscorthy centre will operate in conjunction with centres in New York city and Vancouver in Canada.
The Enniscorthy facility will be built on Wexford County Council owned land close to the former St Senan’s Hospital in an area being developed by the council as a technological park. The structure will be over 33,000 sq feet and is expected to be operational by the end of 2018 or early in 2019.
The centre will be the subject of much discussion at an international forum to be held in Wexford on November 15 and 16.
Wexford County Council will host pre-forum workshops on November 15 while Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy will attend a pre-forum dinner in Clayton Whites Hotel that evening.