The Zeroth Energy System is an innovative community heating network particularly suited to apartment complexes. It contains heat pump technology and utilises a refrigerant-free, water-to-water energy loop to provide heating, cooling and hot water. The unique design and operating temperatures allow a broader range of heating or cooling equipment to be used compared with current building design practice.
The site trip and CPD presentation involved a classroom-type interactive presentation followed by a tour of the purpose-designed, apartment-style demo installations. However, it was a site visit with a difference. It was not death by Powerpoint but rather a workshop format with the 16 young engineer participants divided into teams who competed for points based on the Zeroth presentation.
Scores were allocated and recorded at the end of the “workshop” element, and then carried over to the go-karting competition at the WhiteRiver outdoor go-kart racing circuit located just a few minutes drive from the Glen Dimplex complex.
On arrival the group once again assembled into their respective teams and, having been kitted out and briefed on the rules and safety regulations, got down to the serious business of racing. The excitement of the day was multiplied in spades by the fact the heavens opened just as the racing began, making driving conditions on the outside circuit like skating on ice!
The computerised timing system and the individual lap time printouts charted everyone’s progress so there was no possibility of cheating, save for the nudging that occurred on the track. On conclusion of the racing the exhausted participants re-assembled to witness the team scores being tallied and added to the scores from the earlier workshop session to determine the overall winners.
While it may be clichéd to say so, it was not about the winning on the day, the interactive formula of the occasion ensuring that it was all about the taking part … it really was a case of CPD learning made fun.
If you are interested in joining CIBSE YEN Ireland Branch – and participating in future YEN events – contact Ryan Loney at email: rloney@jvtierney.ie
