South West College Erne Campus

Client

South West College

Key Services Required

Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
Passivhaus Advisory

Awards

Passivhaus Premium Status
BREEAM Outstanding
BREEAM Awards 2021: Public Sector Project, Design Stage Winner
UN Centre of Excellence for High Performance Buildings
RICS Awards 2022: Public Sector Project Winner
CEF Construction Excellence Awards 2022: Education Project of the Year Winner
RICS National Awards 2022: UK Project of the Year and UK Public Sector Project Winner
Passivhaus Trust Awards 2023: People’s Choice Winner
Towards Net Zero Ireland Awards 2023: Public Building Winner

Project Information

The new South West College Erne Campus in Enniskillen is the world’s first educational and currently the largest – Passivhaus Premium (PHP) rated building. It is the first UK building to achieve both PHP status and BREEAM outstanding accreditations and has also been recognised as one of 26 UN Centres of Excellence for High Performance Buildings around the world.

The new 8,000sqm campus completed in September 2021 boasts a large PV array providing renewable energy generation of 120 Kwh/m2/year, along with ultra-modern facilities for 2,800 students.

The new building design focuses on providing environmental and energy efficiency benefits, maximising daylight/solar gains through the curved design. It arcs around a landscaped public space to the north. A 15 metre deep atrium is central to the design, providing functionality whilst acting as a winter garden and encouraging daylight and ventilation.

The ventilation strategy employs various systems. The primary systems are centralised and local mechanical ventilation is supplemented by natural ventilation. The heating system is a combination of a bio-oil micro CHP unit producing 80% of the energy demand as well as 100% of the DHW demand and finally an air-to-water heat pump providing the remaining 20%.

Photos courtesy of South West College

Read more in Hamilton Architects’ Passive House Premium brochure

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.