Scheme helps deliver new student housing

Clancy Construction has become the first company to be approved under Enterprise Ireland’s Built to Innovate initiative for a project in Cork.

The initiative aims to achieve faster, higher-quality housing construction by providing funding for productivity training, innovation, and digital, paperless systems.

The use of off-site construction reduced the overall personnel required on site of the 554-bed Bandon Rd student accommodation development and, at the same time, increased productivity, despite repeated delays caused by Covid-19 lockdowns.

The opening of the new scheme ahead of the new college term is also expected to free up accommodation in urban Cork and return it to the rental market.

Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath said: “Schemes such as this will help the construction sector prove new technologies that will ultimately help speed up the delivery of big infrastructure projects.

“Enterprise Ireland is helping companies such as Clancy Construction maximise the value of modern methods of construction, and I look forward to seeing this new technology being further utilised to deliver thousands of much-needed homes in the years ahead.”

The completed Bandon Rd project comprises of 77 apartments spread across five blocks, the frames for which were manufactured and assembled off site. The frames were then delivered and quickly erected on site.

The model of construction meant that an individual apartment block of five to six storeys high was constructed and weatherproofed in an 18-week period, with the internal finishing cycle taking just 16 weeks.

Clancy Construction managing director John O’Shaughnessy said: “We were delighted to work with Enterprise Ireland on this new scheme, which forms part of the Housing for All initiative. This project was halted for 12 weeks as a result of two Covid-19 lockdowns and also faced supply chain disruptions as well as social distancing requirements.

“However, by making use of technological advancements, lean construction, and off-site construction, the development has been completed on time and within budget.

“It shows the value of innovation and lean processes, and I am confident that it can be replicated across the residential construction sector.”

Enterprise Ireland’s Industrial and Lifesciences division manager, Tom Kelly, added: “This project on Bandon Rd proves the potential of off-site construction to accelerate the delivery of housing, within budget. Under Built to Innovate, we welcome Clancy Construction’s plans to further improve productivity with training and the introduction of advanced digital systems.”