Niall Dunphy

Energy efficiency in commercial buildings: capturing added-value of retrofit

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate, the functioning of value creating configurations and stakeholder interactions in networks of organisations of the retrofit industry for commercial buildings. Design/methodology/approach – A value approach was applied to develop a model of retrofit activities. A Europe wide stakeholder engagement, consisting of over 50 face-to-face interviews with key informants with energy efficiency retrofit (EER) knowledge and expertise, informed analyses on flows of both tangible and intangible value for commercial EER projects. Findings – Given the need to expand the EER marketplace, the sustainability of EER processes is as important as the sustainability of EER project outcomes. Understanding value creation in retrofit processes is crucial to successfully harnessing the available energy savings potential from the built environment. Practical implications – The increasing importance of externalities, such as carbon, means that previously unaccounted for costs are...

A Journey in Sustainable Development in an Urban Campus

University College Cork is located in an urban setting in the heart of Cork city. The university was the world’s first Green-Campus awarded by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), Copenhagen, in 2010 (renewed 2013) and the world’s first university to achieve ISO50001 standard certification for Energy Management Systems: we are student led, research informed and practice focussed on matters of sustainability and this ethos is embedded across the entire university. During the period campus recycling rate increased from 21 to 75 %, total energy consumption decreased by 9 %, the number of staff choosing to cycle to work- increased from 6 to 12 % across campus. €1,000,000 on waste costs was saved and a saving of over 7,50,000 m3 of water. We are also committed to engaging in training our staff in environmental awareness in biodiversity and environmental management. Student led initiatives range from food production in on-campus poly-tunnels to collaboration with our estates to maintain biodiversity. This paper describes the journey for the university staff and its students in advancing our Green-Campus, with a wider impact on our stakeholders and service providers.

Towards Sustainable Agri-Food Systems: The Role of Integrated Sustainability and Value Assessment Across the Supply-Chain

The transition of food-production and consumption systems to a sustainable, low carbon future presents a dauntingly complex issue, involving technical, political, social and theoretical aspects. Such a transition necessitates an exploration of new ways of production and consumption, new technologies and innovations and new regulatory and institutional infrastructures to co-ordinate the change. Appropriate sustainability assessment has the following advantages: the conceptualisation of complex system functioning; the identification of the need for multi-dimensional, strategic approaches; the development of appropriate policy responses; and the targeting and framing of action (assessment) for sustainability. The paper presents a number of key findings and directions for further research in the context of agri-food systems sustainability.

Methodology for a Socio-Technical Approach to Sharing Knowledge and Promoting Dialogue via Use of a Knowledge and Communication Platform

This paper outlines the methodology of a Knowledge and Communication Platform (KCP) as part of the Horizon2020 project Energy System Transition Through Stakeholder Activation, Education and Skills Development (ENTRUST). The ENTRUST project provides a mapping of Europe’s energy system and an in-depth understanding of how human behaviour around energy is shaped by both technological systems and socio-demographic factors. Central to the project is an in-depth engagement with six communities across Europe. The purpose of the KCP is to disseminate and share knowledge and to facilitate and promote dialogue on energy efficiency and transitioning to a low carbon system.