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Brothers Aidan and Peter Cruise were ahead of their time
when they decided to set up a business focusing on energy
efficiency more than a decade ago.
The brothers run Green-house,
which has managed to consistently grow year-on-year and now
claims to run one of the biggest renewable energy showrooms
in the country.
Formed in 1998 as Atec Engineering, it recently moved to
new premises in the Deansgrange Business Park in Blackrock,
Co Dublin, which houses an eco-shop, as well as a training
centre.
Aidan Cruise said the firm was originally set up to supply
and install underfloor heating systems and floor screeds.
It is still busy with those products, but it expanded its
activities in 2003 into renewable energy products. These encompass
heat pumps and specialised solar technology, including products
from Irish firm Kingspan.
‘‘To coincide with our expansion, we decided to rebrand
to Green-house, which we felt enhanced our product range,"
said Cruise.
The company is a member of the Kingspan
Solar accredited installer network and also has a
joint venture with Chevron
Training to provide specialised training for plumbers
and mechanical engineering contractors to upskill on renewable
and plumbing technologies.
Cruise said that Green-house stocked a wide range of renewable
solutions for customers who want to introduce eco-friendly
technologies into their business or home. Visitors to the
company’s showrooms can see operational demonstration models
of air-to-water and geothermal heat pumps, as well as solar
panels.
‘‘Customers are able to see and feel, first-hand, the level
of solar yield generated by a system on any given day," according
to Cruise. ‘‘We also have a working underfloor heating display
area, with technicians on hand to provide advice on any stage
of the job."
The Cruise brothers grew up in Blackrock, Co Dublin and attended
Blackrock College. Aidan qualified as a commercial pilot,
while Peter trained as a plumber in the late 1980s.
‘‘My first role was as a pilot and I also did part-time
building work on the side," said Cruise. ‘‘Peter worked as
a plumber in Dublin and America for ten years, prior to us
joining forces and setting up Atec Engineering in 1998."
The business has 16 permanent staff - including field staff
- and an annual turnover of about €3.5 million, according
to Cruise. ‘‘Our clients are largely made up of two groups
- private householders and plumbers. Their objectives are
the same - to utilise eco-friendly systems that are simple
to install, cost-effective and durable," he said.
He said that customers got a ‘‘remarkable’’ return on the
green technologies - particularly with the availability of
grants from Sustainable Energy Ireland. ‘‘For instance, the
Thermomax solar tubes - suitable for both domestic and commercial
installation - supply up to 70 per cent of users’ hot water
needs and payback is within eight to ten years," he said.
Looking to the future, the brothers aim to consolidate the
three elements of the business - the renewable energy centre,
the training institute and the eco-shop.
‘‘Our next investment will be in a fully functioning solar
photovoltaic system and a working wind turbine," said Cruise.
‘‘We are confident that eco-technology is the way forward.
There is greater interest in greener thinking, in retrofitting
and incorporating ecosystems into properties - and a more
conscious effort to reduce our carbon footprint."
Source - The Sunday Business Post
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