Two Outstanding Projects Shortlisted in RICS Awards 2022

Bennett Freehill are delighted that two iconic projects on which we provided M&E Services – South West College Erne Campus and Methodist College Old School House – have been shortlisted in this year’s RICS Social Impact Awards.

The SWC Erne Campus has been shortlisted in the Public Sector Project category. It is the world’s first educational, and currently the largest, Passive House Premium (PHP) rated building and the first in the UK to achieve both PHP and BREEAM Outstanding accreditations.

As an exemplar of a near Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB), this £34m, 8,000sqm project has been recognised as one of 26 UN Centres of Excellence for High Performance Buildings, ranking alongside the Apple 2 campus in California.

The Old School House at Methodist College, Belfast is a finalist in the Public Sector Project category and the Revitalisation/Refurbishment category of the awards. The refurbishment of this Grade B1 listed building, erected circa 1865 in the Queen’s Conservation Area, has given it a new lease of life and made it fit for modern purpose.

About the awards, Managing Director Cormac Freehill said:

We are thrilled that the RICS has recognised these two significant projects. Our designs provide environmental and energy efficiency benefits and set market leading standards. These two projects are exemplars of this. Congratulations to our hardworking talented team who focus on delivering technical excellence for clients, and to the project teams on both schemes.

Winners of this year’s regional awards will be announced across the RICS network on 18 May 2022. This will be followed by the RICS Awards Grand Final in London, which is the pinnacle of the awards and celebrates the best of the best from the regional awards.

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Paul O'Neill

MIET CEng MEng

Paul joined Bennett Freehill in late-2021 as part of the organisations drive towards technical excellence, an employee-focused culture, strategic growth and NZEB focus. 

A Chartered Engineer with 14 years’ experience in the construction and electrical industries, Paul has particular specialisms in electrical engineering, conservation, power generation and vertical transportation having worked on projects in the education, healthcare, hotels and office sectors. 

As electrical engineering design lead, Paul is responsible for technical delivery and project responsibility related to electrical engineering, and more critically, directing technical, quality and standards within the engineering teams.

Paul brings his passion for technical quality, buildability, progressivity and efficiency to the Bennett Freehill team.

Aaron McCarthy

MCIBSE CEng BEng

Aaron is a Chartered Engineer who specialises in sustainability and low carbon design, with detailed knowledge of passive design techniques and thermal modelling procedures.

Aaron joined Bennett Freehill in mid-2021, having previously gained 10 years’ experience as an Energy and Building Services design engineer within leading multi-national building services practices. Aaron brings extensive experience in managing and delivering large scale multi-disciplinary projects and has a wealth of experience in MEP Project Management.

Aaron is responsible for client liaison, technical delivery and management of design teams to ensure we meet our clients aspirations.

Aaron brings his passion and drive for successful project delivery through collaboration with clients and design teams.

In May 2022 Aaron was appointed as Partner.

Cormac Freehill

MCIBSE MIET CEng MSc BEng

A Chartered Building Services Engineer with over 15 years’ experience working with some of the UK’s foremost engineering companies, Cormac has been pivotal to the successful award and delivery of multi-million pound projects since being appointed to the role of Managing Director in June 2020 and rebranding the business as Bennett Freehill.

Cormac brings a new vision, new energy and fresh leadership to the team and is responsible for the strategic growth and development of the business, through supporting and undertaking marketing activities, and the training and development of our technically accomplished staff.  In the role of design team leader and client liaison Cormac ensures that the team delivers pioneering, pragmatic MEP design excellence for our clients. 

Cormac specialises in Passivhaus and Nearly Zero-Energy Building (NZEB) construction and is passionate about, and professionally skilled in, Renewable Energy Systems, Energy, Procurement, Design Management and Consulting Engineering.

Cormac Freehill

MCIBSE MIET CEng MSc BEng

A Chartered Building Services Engineer with over 15 years’ experience working with some of the UK’s foremost engineering companies, Cormac has been pivotal to the successful award and delivery of multi-million pound projects since being appointed to the role of Managing Director in June 2020 and rebranding the business as Bennett Freehill.

Cormac brings a new vision, new energy and fresh leadership to the team and is responsible for the strategic growth and development of the business, through supporting and undertaking marketing activities, and the training and development of our technically accomplished staff.  In the role of design team leader and client liaison Cormac ensures that the team delivers pioneering, pragmatic MEP design excellence for our clients. 

Cormac specialises in Passivhaus and Nearly Zero-Energy Building (NZEB) construction and is passionate about, and professionally skilled in, Renewable Energy Systems, Energy, Procurement, Design Management and Consulting Engineering.