Clonmel Scouts Hall

Local Community Group

Clonmel Scouts Hall is used by Clonmel Scout Group who are very active in their local community providing voluntary works for many different events such as the Clonmel Busking festival.

The Clonmel Scouts hall was last renovated in 1986 and in recent years had been in poor structural condition.

‘The building was in serious need of upgrading and general renovation works including electrics,’ said Pat English, Assistant Group Leader who oversaw the project in conjunction with Tipperary Energy Agency and the Scouts Hall subcommittee.

‘The Scout Group Council started the process of applying for grants and coming up with a spec and plans for the upgrades,’ said Pat.

Energy Efficient Listed Buildings

Tipperary Energy Agency carried out an energy audit, supported by LEADER to determine what energy upgrade works could be carried out. The scout den is a protected structure and is on the national inventory of architectural heritage database. The project was also overseen by a heritage certified Architect, Kenneth Hennessy F.R.I.A.I who provide the heritage service in conjunction with Margaret Quinlan, conservation architect grade 1.

An application was made to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s (SEAI) Better Energy Communities (BEC) scheme to fund 50% of the costs of the works, which was granted. LEADER  and Tipperary County Council also co-funded the project which enabled the voluntary organisation to renovate the historic building. Clonmel Scouts Hall completed all the works recommended by Tipperary Energy Agency. These works included double glazed heritage style windows, internal wall insulation, internal flat roof insulation, LED lighting, air-air heatpump and a heat recovery ventilation system. The new measures resulted in savings of 39,712kWh per year or €5,560 per year.

Following the work to the scouts hall, the building is now a warm and welcoming space for scouts and guides, visiting troops, parents and the wider community. It is also available for use to other community groups when not being used for scouts or guides.

‘It has also made scouting/guiding more attractive to join. All of the people using the building have noticed a major difference in the quality of heating in the building. The scout den is now a warm and welcoming space for everyone using it,’ said Pat.  The works have increased the use and availability of the scout hall and made the premises more user friendly.  It has also made the premises more open to the wider community.

Pat said, ‘the local economy will benefit from additional visiting groups using the scout den as a base for training and overnight stay in the locality.’

Without the grant funding, the scout group would not have been able to fund the project from its own funds.

‘The building can also be a demonstration project on educating the scouts/guides and the wider community that it is possible to make heritage buildings energy efficient,’ said Pat.

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