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Case Studies

The case studies on these pages are mostly rooted at home, although we have also illustrated good practice from organisations outside of Northern Ireland.

We encourage you to read these introductory articles and get in touch with the listed contacts if you want more detailed information. Use them as inspiration, copy them, reinterpret them or just admire them. 

 

Upcycling and revitalising repair skills in Belfast’s Repair Café

Repair Cafés provide a quirky remedy needed to move away from a throw-away society and one has just launched in Belfast. The volunteer ran café advocates for a circular economy - to minimise waste through maximising existing resources achieved through extending and revitalising the lifecycle of an item. The initiative encourages upcycling and repair skills which act as a way of inspiring people to become more mindful before they throw an item away.

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Environmental Awareness in City Hotel Derry

The City Hotel Derry is a four star hotel on the banks of the River Foyle in the centre of Derry-Londonderry. The hotel was built in 2002 and caters for business and leisure guests in its 158 bedrooms, as well as functions such as weddings and conferences. The site is a detached building with 8 floors and a basement garage. The building's gross floor area is approximately 14,400m2.

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Project 24 breathes new life into Bangor

Opened to the public in April 2013, Project 24 is an innovative and impressive regeneration project which has captured the public’s interest, bringing vibrancy and interest to Bangor, a polular seaside town in Northern Ireland.

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County Down housing scheme among UK’s top eco-friendly

An ultra-energy efficient Choice Housing scheme in County Down has been named on a shortlist of the UK’s most environmentally friendly developments. Killynure Green in Carryduff is a 40-unit social housing development which utilises a range of cutting-edge renewable technologies that recycle water and solar power and help tenants reduce costly energy usage. The ground-breaking scheme was the first in Northern Ireland to achieved the highest grading possible for sustainable homes – meeting strict targets for CO2 emissions, water usage, ecology and waste – and remains one of the largest of its kind in the UK.

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Sustainable land use at Tullyvar Landfill Site

Mid Ulster District Council and Fermanagh and Omagh District Council jointly have delivered a successful wetlands development at Tullyvar Landfill Site, which is jointly operated by both councils. Assisting the facility in the treatment of its leachate, the wetland development encourages reduced air pollution, reduced landfill aftercare costs and leads to increased biodiversity and the improved long-term sustainability of the site.

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Social enterprise café at Belfast City Hall

Loaf Catering, a social enterprise that provides training and employment opportunities for local people with learning difficulties, operates Belfast City Hall’s Bobbin Coffee Shop. Loaf Catering’s profits support the work of its parent organisation the NOW Group, a social enterprise itself that provides support for people with barriers to employment and learning across Northern Ireland. Loaf’s kitchens are also accredited training sites where it provides 20 training and work experience placements a week for NOW’s catering trainees with learning difficulties.

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Energy efficiency at Greenbank Depot in Newry

Energy upgrade works by Newry Mourne and Down District Council at the depot have resulted in an annul saving of £9,300 in electricity costs (35% reduction) and £5,500 in oil and biomass savings (18% reduction). The site's energy rating has improved from an 'F' rating to a 'C' rating.

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Water Efficiency Savings in Omagh

The Consumer Council has helped to identify a water leak at Omagh Community House and subsequently complete a leakage allowance form for NI Water, which led to a reduction of £3,895 on its water bill. 

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USEL Championing the Circular Economy

Usel, a social enterprise established in 1962 to provide supported paid employment for people within its Belfast manufacturing base, collects mattresses from council recycling centres, bed retailers and hoteliers across the province and brings them back to their licenced facility where they brough back to life. 100% of mattresses collected are diverted from landfill.

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Sustainable heating solutions in the North West

Over 15 stakeholders from the North West of Ireland have participated in four study visits organised by project partner Derry City and Strabane District Council (Northern Ireland, UK). SECURE partners from ERNACT and Donegal County Council (Ireland) have also attended the trip to learn more about good local energy practices. 

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