La Touche House office block in IFSC to get €50m green revamp

The owners of La Touche House in Dublin’s financial district plan a €50 million sustainable overhaul of the landmark building.

Axa Investment Managers Alts – part of the French insurance giant – and local partner BCP Capital intend to redevelop the office block, one of the first to be built in the capital's International Financial Services Centre in the city's north docklands.

The pair plan to expand and refit the building using “passivhaus” standards, which can cut energy bills by up to 90 per cent and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

They applied on December 23rd to Dublin City Council for permission to overhaul La Touche House and increase its height to 10 storeys from seven.

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Axa and BCP expect to spend more than €50 million on the work, which will involve a partial demolition, vertical extension and recladding its outside.

Work on the partially-let complex is likely to begin in late 2023 or early 2024, subject to planning approval.

Lower energy

Passivhaus uses the sun, internal heat sources and heat recovery, insulation, airtightness and other techniques to cut buildings’ energy demand.

Axa and BCP have hired Dublin-based architects Urban Agency to design the plans for the project. They noted that buildings and construction could inflict most damage on the environment.

Commenting on the plan, Nick Cullen, founder and executive chairman of BCP Capital, said: "The plans for La Touche House support the European Commission's recent proposal to align the rules for the energy performance of buildings with the European Green Deal and the decarbonisation of the EU's building stock by 2050."

James Anwyl, BCP's head of design and construction, predicted that La Touche House would offer a "near-perfect" indoor climate once the work was completed.

“Creating a healthy and enjoyable internal environment is of primary importance to BCP Capital and our partners Axa Investement Managers Alts,” he said.