A 1970s office block is the first Government building to be deep retrofitted to reduce its carbon emissions.
It is State-owned and was selected by the OPW as the first Government workplace to undergo a deep retrofit."By doing it to our building we get the long-term gain," he added."This building has its carbon since 1973, so we are not adding to that," he said.The focus was on making the interior more effective and efficient.The OPW expects energy use to fall by 75%.
The carpet and paint has recycled content and the OPW said that 90% of waste material taken out has been recycled."We have a large internal cycle parking area, changing rooms and drying rooms," Mr Costelloe said.By 2030 Ireland must reduce carbon emissions by 51% and reach net zero emissions by 2050.The UN said buildings account for nearly 40% of energy related emissions globally.But work on Tom Johnson House has taken almost two years and the work is costly.