T: 071 96 46186 F: 071 96 46188 E: arignaleader@iol.ie
 

The Renewable Energy Installer Training Programme

"Providing enhanced knowledge and expertise in the evolving world of Alternative Energy"

Arigna LEADER in early 2006 submitted an application to Accel, an in-company training initiative, to support 200 electrical, plumbing and engineering contracting companies to acquire technical and on the job employability skills within the emerging sector of Renewable Energy. Arigna LEADER were successful in their bid and received a total of €200,000 from the Accel fund to realise the potential of the programme.

The programme closed in the end of March 2008 and has far exceeded expectations with over 500 members trained and a bank of training accumulating to over 2500 days. The programme itself has flourished through the dedication of the staff, the trainers and the forward thinking of the business sectors involved, not only in the surrounding counties but across the island of Ireland.
The alternative energy sector is internationally one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy. The use of alternative heating technologies and modern energy saving methods in the Irish market has recently come to increasing prominence through greater awareness and knowledge of the threat of global warming. Increasingly companies, individuals and government bodies are seeking to or are being forced to improve their environmental performance through numerous regulatory and economic demands.

The need for training was very much demand led - as compliance increased and regulations are continually brought forward, there has been a significant increase in the demand for environmental products and services, thus this sector was widely regarded as bearing significant job creation potential.

In total fourteen different Energy related courses have been delivered on numerous occasions throughout the duration of the programme. In the initial stages the staff of the programme organised "Introduction to Renewables" courses throughout the region to obtain feedback from the companies involved in which they outlined the courses that were seen to be the most important to deliver. With the initiation of the SEI Greener Homes scheme both Solar Water Heating and Biomass courses were the most prominent in the early stages of the programme. Both courses were designed to be as hands on as possible offering those involved the opportunity to plumb in and hard wire the systems from scratch on pre-assembled test rigs. Those involved found these courses extremely useful due to the practical aspect and many went on to hone their skills and incorporate the installation of these technologies within their business mix.

As the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive came into force, the programme took on a life of its own as more and more members took precedence in Energy Efficiency related courses. It was imperative that a course be offered to members in the newly developed Building Energy Rating training.

 

Over 50 members have been trained to FETAC Level 5 on the SEI DEAP Building Energy Rating Software and many have advanced to become accredited auditors. These members now offer their services throughout Ireland and are SEI approved to provide Building Energy Rating Certificates to new houses currently being built in Ireland.

To assist members in the development of their business a Blowerdoor pressure testing course and an Infrared Certification Training Course were also offered. The Blowerdoor pressure testing course went into great detail on air leakage rates within dwellings, how to test for them and how to prevent them. The Infrared Certification Training Course studied thermal imaging systems and how to determine areas of high thermal bridging from the images produced by a Thermal Imaging Camera. These courses provided members with the opportunity to develop the best possible package for their clients when offering their auditing services.
To coincide with the Building Energy Rating Training it was important to offer a course in sustainable design to complement and reinforce the knowledge of the members in best practice methods of construction. Mr Peter Cowman, renowned Architect and founder of the Living Architecture Centre provided numerous six day courses in Sustainable House Design offering the student a greater insight into natural methods of construction and a more in depth understanding of the science behind good architectural design techniques.

Also within the topic of Energy Efficiency a FETAC Level 5 Approved Installing Thermal Insulation Course was ran over a five day period offering members an expansive knowledge of modern insulation techniques and how to incorporate and install them to the highest possible standard. This course was key to any member who was directing their business towards the renovating sector as Existing Buildings will require a Building Energy Rating Certificate from January of 2009.

Wind Power has always been the hottest topic in Ireland when it comes to Alternative Energy and within the programme this was no exception. After an initial basic training course in Wind Energy the members were keen to learn more and a one week intensive training course was organised. This course was delivered by the esteemed father of wind Mr Hugh Piggott and by the end of the week through hard work, dedication and sheer grit the class had managed to build two complete wind turbines, one with a rating of 1.5kW and the second with a rating of 750 Watts. These turbines can now be seen for miles around at the complex where the course took place, the Gyreum in Riverstown, Co Sligo. The Gyreum is now, thanks to Hugh and the hardworking members on the course provided with the free power of the wind.

Throughout all the courses on offer members were given an excellent opportunity to be at the forefront of their field of expertise, they have been able to develop their business to offer a more comprehensive package to their customers and are now more confident with the knowledge they possess. The staff of the programme would like to thank all the members involved and would like to wish them every success in the future as they advance their careers within the Alternative Energy field.