In light of this month being Guaranteed Irish Construction Month, we asked Niall O’Connor, Managing Director of Kingspan Insulation some questions about his company and being a Guaranteed Irish Member.
Kingspan has been a long-term member of Guaranteed Irish. Could you explain the reason behind Kingspan's decision to become a Guaranteed Irish member?
Our roots can be traced back to the mid-1960s when we started manufacturing trailers in the yard of a pub in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan. We are now a global business, our headquarters, including the state-of-the-art innovation hub - Ikon, still resides in Kingscourt, maintaining a strong connection to our origins (albeit not at the back of a pub!). Our decision to become a member of Guaranteed Irish stems from our recognition of the importance of promoting Irish businesses, sustainability, and the local economy. And our Guaranteed Irish membership strengthens our international outreach and reputation while remaining rooted in our Irish identity.
How does Kingspan contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of buildings through its products?
We produce a range of products at our factory in Castlebayney, Co.Monaghan including Kooltherm Insulation Boards which have a low thermal conductivity. Kooltherm’s thermal efficiency can help buildings be more energy efficient, leading to better occupant comfort, lower heating and energy bills and an overall better environmental impact.
So, what advantages does Kingspan perceive in being listed as a member of the Guaranteed Irish House initiative?
Producing products which contribute to energy efficiency for new build dwellings and retrofit activity is at the core of our strategy. Kingspan Retrofit has a nationwide network of SEAI approved contractors carrying out energy efficiency upgrades to existing houses. Guaranteed Irish House is therefore a perfect fit for us. Guaranteed Irish House aligns with our core objectives, making it an ideal choice for us.
How does Kingspan see its role in addressing the housing crisis in Ireland, particularly in terms of providing affordable and sustainable housing solutions?
We pride ourselves in having strong relationships with contractors, builders, and merchants across Ireland. We have a range of insulation boards to suit different applications and budgets. Whilst new housing is key to addressing the housing crisis, making sure the existing housing stock is fit for purpose is also critical. Our Retrofit offer includes lots of advice and guidance re grants and a network of installers qualified to carry out upgrades to existing homes.
How does Kingspan see the future of sustainable building in Ireland, and what is the company doing to stay ahead of the curve?
Our Global Group led Planet Passionate initiative builds on the success of our Net Zero Energy programme - launched in 2011. Looking forward and following the latest development in climate science, we are shifting our focus to absolute carbon reductions and the direct use of renewable energy; through our measurable targets across four focus areas (Carbon, Energy, Circularity & Water). We are actively focussed on improving sustainability in our product offer and also reducing the impact our operations have on the environment. For instance, in 2022, 58% of all new cars within the Group in the year were zero emission vehicles, and our waste to landfill for the whole business reduced by 42% since 2020. We aim to be at the forefront of sustainability supporting the building industry in Ireland, good progress has been made, but we still have a way to go.
What does it mean to your business to be Irish?
I think the best answer to that question should not come from me. I’d like instead to recall a statement made by our CEO Gene Murtagh on The Real Day at Goffs earlier this year:
“Identity is everything, we are unapologetically Irish and very committed to Ireland. We reiterate our commitment to Ireland when others are leaving. We trade on our Irish identity. It’s hard to describe what it means to be Irish, but everyone from Ireland knows what it means to be Irish, we can identify with that.
In 99.9999% of cases its positively received, its unthreatening, its welcoming and we find it actually an advantage and something we want to hold onto. We are a big business, but we are a “big” small business, in how its managed; culturally being Irish is very important.
Still being able to keep our culture intact and bringing our Irishness fully to the surface of the business is important to us. So, being Irish matters a lot and that’s why we are proud to be a Guaranteed Irish business.”
Niall will be one of the panelists attending the Guaranteed Irish annual Construction Forum. The event titled “Construction in Ireland, is it Sustainable? - Can we really ‘green build’ our way out of this housing crisis?” will take place on Wednesday 27th September. For more information click here.