Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process of assessment of the effects of a proposed development on the environment, which helps to ensure that the environmental consequences of the project are understood before a decision to grant planning permission is reached. In Ireland, the formal EIA process is undertaken by a local planning authority or
The Importance of a Project Manager An effective project manager is vital to the success of a project. The expansion and growth of the construction industry in Ireland over the past few years has led to the increased demand for competent project managers to ensure that projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget, and
As Assigned Certifiers for some of the largest residential developers in Ireland, ORS takes on a crucial role in ensuring compliance with Building Control regulations. We act as the eyes and ears for Building Control, collating all relevant certificates from the Design Team members, sub-contractors, and specialists. This includes installation of and commissioning certificates, as
A Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) varies in complexity and scale. Stages 1 and 2 FRAs are desktop based and identify whether there may be flooding, and qualitatively assess and review the flood risk. Stage 3, however, involves more detailed and uncontrollable variables. It is a detailed quantitative assessment of potential flood events and involves site
Introduction When designing and constructing multi-storey residential or commercial buildings, ground-floor retail units are sometimes an afterthought. This is predominantly due to uses of the upper floors taking precedence from a design, financial and size point of view e.g. residential and office space. Tenants will typically conduct feasibility reviews of several potential units at
Measured Building Surveys A measured building survey is an accurate representation of a building, detailing architectural elements and structural features. It is an essential part of the design and planning process, especially during a building renovation or restoration. During the design stage for some projects, architects may require more detailed drawings, depending on project needs:
With the pressing need to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy has become an increasingly important topic in recent years Renewable energy is energy that comes from sources or processes that are constantly replenished, such as wind, solar, geothermal, and hydroelectric power. These sources offer a sustainable alternative to finite and
The ‘Safety File’ for construction projects is also called many other things; e.g. handover file, operation & maintenance manuals, health & safety file. These files can also vary widely in terms of the contents. The Safety, Health & Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013 set out the requirements for a Safety File to be prepared,
Fire stopping is a critical component of fire safety in any building. It is the process of sealing gaps and penetrations in fire-rated walls, floors and ceilings to prevent the spread of fire and smoke. If fire stops are not installed correctly, both fire and smoke can rapidly dominate a building, structurally damaging it and
Daragh O’Brien, The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage announced on the 18th of January 2023, that the government has approved drafting legislation to support the remediation of apartments and duplexes affected by Fire Safety issues to the overall value of circa €1.5bn – €2.5bn. In light of this, ORS has established a dedicated