Background

The Rubrics Building is a Protected Structure, Recorded Monument, and Ireland’s oldest surviving purpose-built residential building. This remarkable architectural gem constructed between 1699 and 1702, is a testament to history, culture, and heritage. It is also located adjacent to the Old Library Building (1732), which houses the ‘Book of Kells’, providing an important contribution to the overall historic and cultural nature of the campus. Along with the Old Library building, they are the only survivors of what was originally a quadrangle of primarily red bricked residential buildings dating back to 1699, and it is now the oldest building on campus.

The Rubrics is a unique building of architectural, social, and historic interest that has stood the test of time and evolved to its present form over the course of three centuries. The range comprises five houses of four storeys and attic.

This historic structure has stood the test of time for over three centuries. However, as the building entered its fourth century, Trinity College recognised the need for a transformation to ensure its longevity and sustainability.

Brief

Pascall+Watson were tasked with developing a low-carbon Fabric Retrofit Strategy for the Rubrics Building, aimed at improving its thermal efficiency and standard of accommodation. Equipping it with facilities for contemporary living whilst protecting any historic features and reducing the university's energy consumption and emissions.

The primary objectives of the project were:

• Preservation of Heritage: Safeguard the historical, architectural, and cultural significance while upgrading its fabric for modern use.

• Energy Efficiency: Achieve substantial energy savings, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, aligning with Trinity College’s commitment to sustainability.

• Occupant Wellbeing: Enhance the living conditions for both faculty and students, ensuring comfort, safety, and sustainability.

Key Challenges

Early engagement was essential in managing the complex needs, expectations, and desires of the various stakeholders. From the estate's facilities management teams including maintenance and housekeeping to the occupier groups, all with differing and overlapping requirements. Managing these expectations proved challenging in a historic building of this nature, balancing the provision of high-standard accommodation with modern conveniences for each unit, facilities that were once largely shared.

Some of the challenges faced on site include:

  • The building had undergone many repairs and transformations during its lifetime, adding to the complexity of on-site activities as each area was uncovered. This demanded a significant site presence from the design team and contractor management personnel.
  • The integration of ‘mod con’ facilities such as bathrooms and kitchenettes and the servicing of these facilities in a 320-year-old protected structure make this a particularly challenging project. All this required extensive site participation by the architect and design team consultants.
  • The integration of new services throughout, particularly a new wet heating system, provided many challenges on site. Horizontal distribution through the attic and discreetly formed risers facilitated the distribution of the primary heating and electrical services. These had to be incorporated whilst respecting and preserving the historic building fabric.
  • Upgrading of the historic fabric to provide for improved sound, air infiltration, fire and structural integrity throughout required extensive site participation from all involved.

Project Features

  • Energy Performance of Historic Buildings: We adopted a holistic retrofit approach in conjunction with ‘Carrig Conservation’, balancing heritage conservation, fabric preservation, energy performance, embodied and operational carbon emissions, and occupant wellbeing. Following best practice guidance, including the procedure recommended by I.S. EN 16883:2017 for improving the energy performance of historic buildings. The team were carefully to employ the conservation mantra of doing as little as possible, but as much as necessary to fulfil the requirements of the project.
  • Comprehensive Analysis: Our multidisciplinary team employed a fusion of advanced technology and conservation best practices. We undertook on-site assessments, such as U-Value testing and petrographic analysis, and lab-based research allowing us to create accurate thermal models that facilitated informed decision-making on sustainable upgrades in harmony with the building’s heritage. In our analysis, we assessed various retrofit measures for technical compatibility, heritage impact, and energy-saving potential. This data formed the foundation for our restoration plans.
  • Technological Advancements + Conservation: Blending technological advancements with conservation best practices, we executed a comprehensive restoration, including fire, structural, and thermal upgrades. Our approach focused on retaining and repairing historic elements while incorporating modern facilities and services.
  • We retained and refurbished original joinery elements while removing obsolete or inappropriate remnants. Our approach was to retain the raw character and patina of the existing fabric whilst treating the modern interventions, such as the kitchenettes, as sculptural installations - light, visually compelling, appropriately scaled and set apart from previous generations of building fabric. Critical coordination during the design and on-site phases ensured all new services were strategically placed to minimise disruption to the building’s historic fabric.
  • Heating: Following detailed analysis of all available options by ‘AECOM’ engineers, a Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) system was chosen as the heat source for space and water heating. The system utilises an array of twenty-one, 175m deep boreholes for heat harvesting which in then feed into heat pumps which extract the heat. The heat pumps are housed in a new plant room which was positioned underground in the vicinity of the Rubrics building. The placement ensures that the plant room does not detract from the very significant historical and architectural character of its surroundings.
  • Notable Material Selection: The slate roof, at the end of its serviceable life, was replaced with an insulated roof using locally sourced natural slates from Valentia quarry in County Kerry, honouring the building’s authenticity, supporting local craftsmanship and reducing its carbon footprint. The roof incorporated a sarking board layer which is made from pressed wood fibre and contributes to the roof insulation.

Foamed glass aggregate was used to insulate the ground floor sub-floor void while maintaining proper ventilation. This innovative product utilises recycled glass to provide a lightweight ‘aggregate’, for quick, easily installation, while not facilitating rising damp and can be easily removed in the future if required.

Brickwork repairs were carried out using reclaimed bricks that were taken from the building following local modifications or structural repairs.

The east elevation, previously covered in a cement-based dash render, underwent a transformation with the removal of the old render and the installation of a new lime based insulating render with cork additives to improve the U-Value of the wall.

Impact

The project has been a remarkable success, receiving praise and admiration from all stakeholders involved. The client, senior college staff and building occupants were all deeply impressed by the execution and outstanding outcomes for the project. We were immensely proud that the project was showcased as part of the prestigious Dublin Open House 2023.

Additionally, the project has received notable success beyond Dublin, with the project architect showcasing the revival of this ancient and cherished structure to various universities, government departments and specialist interest groups.

This project showcases that preserving history can go together with modern functionality and sustainability. Trinity College’s commitment to preserving the past while embracing the future is embodied in this remarkable transformation of the Rubrics Building. It stands as an emblem of sustainable preservation and architectural enhancement, inspiring others to follow suit in safeguarding our shared heritage for generations to come.

  • Client: Trinity College Dublin
  • Architect: Pascall+Watson Architects
  • Conservation Consultants: Carrig Conservation International
  • Contractor: Clancy Construction
  • Civil / Structural Engineers: AECOM
  • Mechanical & Electrical Consultants: AECOM
  • Landscape Design: Mitchell+Associates
  • Quantity Surveyor: W Stephens
  • Project Management: WH Stephens
  • Fire Safety Consultant: BB7
  • PSDP: CMSE (Occupli)
  • Archaeological Consultant: IAC
  • Arboricultural Consultant: Charles McCorkell
  • Environmental Consultant: Moore Group
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