Cáirlinn Hall is located within the current Sustainable Energy Zone in the town and is a development of newly built homes built to Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) ‘House of Tomorrow’ (HOT) standard.   

There are also a number of existing homes in the zone which have been refurbished to bring them in line with energy requirements of a conventional home. 

The homes are 40% more energy efficient than a conventional home and will save money on electricity and heating bills, make the home more comfortable and also make a vital contribution to reducing climate change.

In addition to housing, the four-square kilometre area includes an industrial park, a college campus, a high school, a hospital, a hotel and other businesses.  The project will provide a showcase of some of the innovative technologies, policies and practices that will be needed in order to develop sustainable energy communities in Ireland and elsewhere and, between 2007 and 2012, will install innovative energy-efficiency technologies in a wide range of buildings across the zone.

1. Industry
Dundalk 2020 project is working with local leaders in business and industry to implement many of SEI’s Industry Programmes. Companies in Dundalk are collectively working together to improve the energy efficiency of their organizations.

2. Renewable Street Lights
A renewable street light is a light that is powered by a micro wind turbine and photo-voltaic cell. Power from either/ both the micro wind turbine or PV cell can be stored in a battery at the base of the street light.

3. Retrofit of Residential Buildings
The Dundalk 2020 project is working with Dundalk Town Council, and its’ respective partners, to improve the energy efficiency of homes in the Muirhevena Mór regeneration project.

4. Smart Meters Pilot
DSM is an approach which provides options to minimise issues as load management, energy efficiency, and related activities.

5. Secondary School
The Dundalk 2020 project is working with O’Fiach secondary school to improve the energy efficiency of the building. This will improve the energy efficiency of the building by 60%.

6. DKIT - North South Buildings
The Dundalk 2020 project is working with DKIT to improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings.

7. Hospital
The Dundalk 2020 project is working with Louth County Hospital to improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings.

8. New Build Residential
The Dundalk 2020 project is working with Adston Developments to create an exemplar project for new build residential.

9. ESCO - Biomass District Heating
The district heating will deliver renewable heat to individual energy users within the Dundalk Sustainable Energy Zone. This will allow the Dundalk 2020 project met its target of 20% renewable heat by 2010.

10. ESCO – Wind Turbine
An ESCO will install operate a wind turbine to supply electricity to an industrial site. This wind turbine will ensure that the set target of 20% renewable electricity is met.