Come on a tour of the Tallaght District Heating Scheme, the first large-scale district heating network of its kind in Ireland.
The scheme is operated by Heat Works, Ireland's first not-for-profit energy utility, owned by South Dublin County Council. It makes a significant contribution to reducing carbon emissions in the area, saving almost 1,500 tonnes of CO2 each year and establishing Tallaght as a leader in climate action innovation.
Tour details
This tour of the Tallaght District Heating Scheme lasts approximately 90 minutes.
It begins with a short presentation at the WorkIQ Tallaght building, where participants will learn how waste heat recovered from the nearby AWS data centre is captured, distributed and used to provide low-carbon heating and hot water to connected buildings across Tallaght.
The tour then sets off from WorkIQ Tallaght. Attendees will visit the Heat Works Energy Centre for an introduction to the history, objectives and operation of the district heating scheme, including its contribution to South Dublin County Council's climate action goals.
Participants will also learn how heat is transferred, stored, monitored and managed across the network, with a visit to the substation included as part of the tour.
Project representatives will explain the benefits of district heating and discuss plans for expanding the network. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions throughout the tour.
Tour starting point
Please meet inside the WorkIQ Tallaght building 10 minutes before the start time, where a brief presentation will be given before the tour begins. You can find the exact location of WorkIQ Tallaght here.
If you're walking from Belgard Road, please note it's a busy road - cross only at official pedestrian crossings.
This event is organised as part of the Interreg North-West Europe RODEO project, which aims to roll out district heating and cooling extensively to the residential sector.
Background to the Tallaght District Heating Scheme
District heating is a network of highly insulated pipes that delivers low-carbon heat from a central energy source, providing space heating and hot water to connected buildings. The Tallaght District Heating Scheme is especially innovative in that it uses waste heat from the nearby Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centre to supply the network.
The system was officially launched in April 2023. The first phase supplies heat to existing and new local authority buildings, buildings on the TU Dublin Tallaght campus and 133 households in the cost-rental Innovation Square apartment complex. There is potential for many other local buildings to connect in future, including new residential developments and Tallaght Hospital.
This event is coordinated by South Dublin County Council, Heat Works and the Dublin energy agency Codema.