Bann Services

Bann Services is a consultancy specialising in eco-friendly engineering designs for the domestic housing market. With over 30 years experience in building services for Commercial, Industrial and Health Care sectors we offer sustainable design and project management skills to both new build and refurbishment works. We develop existing buildings and restore them re-using existing materials where possible and install renewable energy sources to compliment the high level of insulation within reconstruction. Below are descriptions of our most recent project together future works currently at the design stage.

• Meenaslieve Schoolhouse.
This 1930`s designed two room schoolhouse by 2004 had ended up as a shed for cattle to over winter. The walls were crumbling and the flooring had totally rotten away. The roof was leaking and all windows had rotted away. There was neither a water supply nor public drainage at the site and the nearest electrical supply was more than four fields away.

The objective of the design was to produce a scheme that would reutilise existing materials where possible and install energy sources that where both sustainable and cost effective. It was paramount that the levels of insulation to the existing structure and the new works equalled if not bettered the requirements of Part L of the building regulations.

To minimise the use of concrete blockwork in the construction it was decided to repair the existing mass concrete walls of the original structure and supplement these with an inner skin of blockwork separated with a insulation filled cavity and dabbed plasterboard internal finish. Electrical services were contained within the cavity to minimise chasing of walls.

It was hoped to save the existing ash flooring for reuse in the new 1st floor bedrooms however years of neglect had its toll. The wood was cut up and set aside for fuel. The hardcore base for the new floor was recovered from the demolition of the internal walls and openings. A high level of insulation above the radon barrier together with underfloor pipework within a 100mm screed formed the floor structure for the ground level. The underfloor heating was separated into 7 zones through an actuator controlled manifold connected to the main boiler heating circuit. Electronic thermostatics are installed in each room for individual control. Eighty (80) vacuum tube solar receivers supplement the pellet boiler installation which supplies both the underfloor heating and the domestic hot water system . An electric immersion heater is installed as a backup only if the primary pellet source fails. The inset wood burning stove will backup the space heating requirements for part of the ground floor and the 1st floor. Double glazed windows and roof lights capture solar energy for supporting the space heating requirements. The electrical supply is from Airtricity, generating power from the local wind farms.

The extension roof is covered in rubber slates recycled from car tyres and blends in seamlessly with the existing natural slate.
The property is awaiting the EU flower award

• Roo Co. Cavan
This is an elevated 2.75 acre site overlooking Lough McNean and the Glens of Leitrim. The site contains a three roomed cottage and a number of out buildings. The decision is to either refurbish and extend the existing cottage or build a new house on the site. Planning permission will be required for the new building and the extension works depending on size. The electricity is now available at the site but there is no Group water scheme connection as yet.

• Massebrooke South Co. Mayo
The site comprises a four room cottage, granary and barn on approx 0.6 acres. The site has all utilities together with an oil burning stove. The granary and cottage have been partially refurbished and the proposed project will be to re-engineer the heating system to include solar heating and pellet boiler and remove the oil burning stove. Enclosing the barn will provide a workshop and games area to the 1st floor level.