Killarney scheme energy efficient

Tommy Barker reports on a new energy-efficient homes scheme with lower pricing appeal and incentives to buy in Barraduff.

THEY don’t build them like they used to...and that’s to the better, sometimes.

At a time when energy costs are going through the roof, the real winners in today and tomorrow’s property market will be those who buy houses that will cost very little to heat, power and run.

Enter the likes of this Barraduff, Killarney scheme just launched, with its airtight building frame, fresh airducting/heat recovery systems and huge insulation ‘U-values’ thanks to its ICF concrete framework of building, with two dense foam skins keeping the toughest of weather out, along with the calmest of living environments inside. Energy certs are just coming in with impressive B1 and B2 ratings.

This development is aimed primarily at first-time buyers who are priced out of the Killarney market (Killarney houses are on a price-par with Galway homes).

Brian Gallivan Developments have pegged back profits and prices, with stock going from €225,000 for over 1,000 sq ft, with larger 1,300 sq ft three beds at €255,000/275,000. Then, there are ‘sporting’ incentives via a draw (see p1 story) for the first 50 buyers, such as a free house, €30,000 in fit-out or €10,000.

That sort of incentive is far from a gimmick, but it doesn’t come at the cost of real value: these houses pack in a lot of features and space.

Despite their traditional styling they are quite innovative, and dare to say it, misleading, on several fronts. The system-building techniques mean things like insulated concrete floors and huge sound proofing internally, as well as pod bathrooms. But, it also gives things like pre-finished ‘fake’ tiling over window bays, the bolt-on porch canopies and even brackets are also in hard-wearing plastics for low maintenance, and chimneys are also not what they seem to be, made up in plastic and fully convincing from ground level, there for appearance sake only.

Internal fireplace options are either gas or electric: open flues wipe out any air-tightness gains, as well as being wasteful of fuel. And, as Gallivan’s engineer Patrick Murphy notes, you could hardly sit in a room so well insulated facing an open fire, you’d be pinned to the back wall, red-cheeked.

Selling agents are DNG Ted Healy (who predict enough incentives here to get nervous first-time buyers to commit to a purchase,) along with Savills HOK. The offer prices at present are for what’s called a builder’s finish, with the basic house delivered and bathrooms finished out.

It means starting prices can be kept as lean as possible, at a time when first-time buyers have to stump up more of a house purchase price than in the crazy days of 100% mortgages. Buyers then get a menu of themed options skillfully selected and packaged by Kenmare-based interior designers David and Sarah MacGinty (damn, they are good at this sort of sourcing) to choose from. It ranges from painting schemes and floor finishes to kitchens, doors, fireplaces and even landscaping. Do it yourself and save, or go for the easier, clearly priced option: buyer’s choice.

What smart buyers should stump up for, though, is the attic conversion for storage use. The roof spaces are largely open and free of trusses, so there’s several hundred sq ft of extra space on offer. For €7,300 the developers will put in a pull-down steps, floor the space, slab it out, plaster it and put in lightwells. The overhead space on offer is immense, and doing it day one will save on hauling a lot of building materials through an otherwise finished house.

Four showhouses open up next weekend in Barraduf village, about seven miles out the Mallow road from Killarneys and the full scheme on 24 acres of land beside and behind the village will have an array of house types, from starter to homes for retirees, and everything in between.

Kerry County Council had been pro-active in pushing this scale of clustered, serviced village development for Barraduff, seeing it as a pilot/remedy after some other county village developments proved less than inspiring. Architects who came up with the neighbourly streetscape layouts were Melville Dunbar Associates, based in the UK, and who’ve done design guide work for Cork County Council, as well as some highly regarded schemes in Naas and Portlaoise.