Ecocluster Impact

The WISER Project ecocluster brings together the creative skills of fashion, furniture, bike and paint upcyclers from the Rediscovery Centre. In 2017 the social, economic and environmental impact of the cluster was measured across a a number of key indicators with a view to communicating impact.  A smart new info graphic was developed which has now been updated with our new logos. The data will be used as a benchmark for the 2017 review.

Scoil an tSeachtar Laoch

Students from 3rd and 4th class in Scoil an tSeachtar Laoch did a workshop today on Waste, learning all out litter, waste, where our waste goes, and how we can reduce, reuse and recycle.

Did you know that:

Nearly 42 billion tonnes of electronic waste are disposed of each year around the world . It is estimated that 300 tonnes of gold are wasted through electronic waste disposed of each year with a value of €44 billion.

Gaelscoil Bhaile Munna

Well done to all the students in 5th Class Gaelscoil Bhaile Munna on their great work and participation in the Biodiversity workshop on 3rd Feb – fantastic animal collages!!

At the biodiversity workshops we explore wildlife, habitats, and ecosystems and animal adaptations including camouflage.  We host a range of outdoor games will also be included as well as hands-on activities such as making bird feeders, going on a bug hunt and pond dipping.

Sustainable design workshop

The Rediscovery Centre were delighted to welcome Killinarden Community School to our centre on 27th Jan for a Sustainable design workshop. The students learned all about what sustainable design is, explored the life cycles of products that we use, such as aluminium cans, mobile phones and tents, and looked at examples of reduced packaging for products. The students did fantastic designs of sustainable packaging for our sustainable egg drop challenge!

First workshop of 2017

The Rediscovery Centre was delighted to welcome the students from one of our local schools to the Boiler House on Friday the 27th of January. The Virgin Mary Girls National School in Ballymun came to our new premises for the first on-site workshop and it was great to start holding events in our new 3-D Textbook. The girls took part in one of our ninety minute Biodiversity workshops, facilitated by our Education team, were they learnt about what biodiversity is and why it is so important for our environment.

Building Energy Rating

The WISER Life+ project seeks to exemplify reuse and demonstrate best practice. Being a retrofit project the centre was challenged to turn an industrial building which was designed to let heat out into one which would retain heat, whilst ensuring a commitment to material reuse or the use of natural and sustainable building materials.   During the design of the 3D textbook a BER (Building Energy Rating)* target of B2-A2 was set.

A word from RDC Director & WISER Expert panel member, DereK McGarry

“Having worked more closely with the Rediscovery Centre (RDC) for the last 3 years as a board member, the events of the last few weeks have been particularly exciting. Under the leadership of Dr Sarah Miller, RDC secured €3.6 million European Life+ funding to redevelop the old disused boiler house landmark building in Ballymun, North Dublin. RDC moved into their new facility only last week. They now start the challenging process of creating a 3D text book to showcase this exemplar ecological systems facility, which will focus on leading the change from waste to resource through reuse, redesign, research and education.

Many hands make light work..

On December 16th 2016,  the WISER Life project staff, expert panel, architects, construction team and the board of management at the Rediscovery Centre (RDC) came together to celebrate the finalisation of the building and the upcoming Xmas season. To mark the occasion people present who had worked on the project were asked to plant spring bulbs in the grounds of the garden as symbol of their contribution to the project over the past two and half years.

A Milestone day for WISER life as Rediscovery Centre receives the keys to Europe’s 1st 3D Textbook.

Today was a milestone day for the WISER Life project as Project Manager, Sarah Miller accepted the keys from Pat Diver, Site Manager (Purcell Construction).  A small crowd gathered (left to right Darragh Lynch,  Ollie D&N group, Gerard Griffin, Pat Diver, Joe Burke, Sarah Miller, Ronan Glynn, Carrie Ann Moran, Tommy Ellard & Roger Warburton) to witness the handover and participate in a welcome tour from Pat.

Key features of the building were described in detail including the Building Management System which has over 500 data points monitoring the building’s operation.