Irish building firm John Sisk & Son Ltd has been awarded the contract for the re-development of the PJ Carroll Building at Dundalk Intitute of Technology.

The 57 week contract, which commenced late last month, will involve a re-roof of the entire building (including occupied areas), remedial works to the listed external calcium silicate brickwork and curtain walling, and a complete fit out.

Dundalk Institute of Technology acquired the PJ Carroll Cigarette Factory adjacent to the campus in 2002 for €16 million.

The property consists of 17,780m² of office and factory space sitting on 18 hectares.

The factory itself, designed by Ronnie Tallon of Scott Tallon Walker in the late 1960’s, is a listed property of national and international significance and a major landmark building at the southern entrance to Dundalk town.

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The refurbished scheme has been designed by the original architects Scott Tallon Walker and includes many innovative architectural and special purpose design features.

These include a substantial emphasis on the use of renewable energy systems with, for example, the Institutes wind turbine being used to create ice banks at off peak times to reduce reliance on grid supplied electrical energy for air conditioning.

A new biomass fuelled district heating system is also planned which will come on stream to supply heating requirements by the completion of the project.

The development is an important element in the Dundalk 2020 Renewable Energy Initiative being spearheaded by Sustainable Energy Ireland with the campus and adjacent areas being at the centre of a new Renewable Energy Zone.

The refurbishment programme will create new state of the art teaching, laboratory and staff areas. It will involve the refurbishment of over 11,000m² of space within the factory area and will be completed by the end of 2009. Over 1000 students and 100 staff will be accommodated within the new facility.

The only allowable structural works are the raising of three existing 20m x 20m roof bay trusses, which will be undertaken by specialist lifting contractors using a synchronised hydraulic jack system to lift the roof truss without the need to dismantle them.

(PR)