
In the past few years, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2, has undergone a dramatic transformation. SOPREMA have made significant contributions to the new developments that are revitalising the area, with 1 Molesworth Street, becoming Ireland’s first LEED Platinum certified building.
Design service and rainwater calculations
In 2017, the existing building on 1 Molesworth Street was demolished, making way for a new five-storey, mixed-use office. SOPREMA assisted developer Green REIT PLC, building contractor BAM Building and architect Henry J Lyons helping with rainwater calculations and contributed to the design of the building’s detailing.
LEED Platinum Certification
1 Molesworth Street minimises its environmental impact through rainwater harvesting and a green roof that promotes local biodiversity. SOPREMA was responsible for these two elements that contributed greatly to the project’s LEED Platinum Certification in 2018. For the extensive green roof, SOPREMA chose a green roof mix grown specifically for the project, including different types of grasses and wild strawberries. To increase the roof’s rainwater harvesting capacities, SOPREMA divided it into two sections by creating an upstand. In addition to the main roof, SOPREMA installed the terraces all with standard bitumen roofs. Both the terraces and the main roof have a tapered insulation scheme with PIR insulation.
Challenges and rewards
Sitting on the corner of Molesworth Street and Dawson Street, 1 Molesworth Street is right in the city centre. While this is an excellent business location, the site itself proved a challenging work environment. The façade facing onto Dawson Street is completely glazed, featuring a metal framework with laminated glass fins. All the glazing had to be fitted from the roof, which meant SOPREMA had to consider additional design constraints to ensure the building’s waterproofing and to enable a crane to work on top of the roofing system.
The attention to detail and hard work paid off. Architecture Ireland, the journal of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland, praised 1 Molesworth Street for “redefining and integrating the main contextual street elevations, being carefully composed to respond to the historic context.”