The STEM building at the Institute of Technology Tralee is part of the HEB1 Bundle, a group of six projects across Ireland delivered through a Public-Private Partnership programme.
Munster Technological University, Tralee, Kerry
The STEM building at the Institute of Technology Tralee is part of the HEB1 Bundle, a group of six projects across Ireland delivered through a Public-Private Partnership programme.
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Project Overview
This STEM building, completed at the Institute of Technology Tralee (ITT), forms part of the HEB1 Bundle delivered under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) programme, comprising six projects located across Ireland.
The building provides 8,913 m² of floor area and has enabled the relocation of the remaining academic departments from the South Campus to the North Campus. The facility significantly enhances the quality of Science and Engineering provision at the university and meets both current and future expectations for a state‑of‑the‑art higher education institution.
It also establishes a regional centre of excellence in agricultural education and research, attracting students who will support local and regional employment growth by increasing MTU Kerry’s capacity by 440 students.
Due to the building’s geometry, the engineering design divided the development into three separate structures, each incorporating full movement joints.
Block 1
· Structural steel frame
· Lateral stability provided by braced steel bays
Blocks 2 and 3
Reinforced concrete flat‑slab construction
Supported on reinforced concrete columns and walls
Lateral stability provided by diaphragm action of the floors, transferring horizontal loads to the concrete cores and shear walls.
Additionally, a louvred plant‑area screen conceals rooftop plant from external view, and a covered plant area houses critical M&E equipment. Both are constructed using a galvanised, braced structural steel frame.
The Challenge
The ground conditions beneath Block 1 were challenging, with areas of pyritic shale present.
Our Solution
We incorporated a piled solution in areas of poor ground and transitioned to shallow pad and strip foundations as ground strength improved beneath Blocks 2 and 3.
Areas of pyritic shale were treated using a bitumen‑sealer technique, developed in close consultation with the main project contractor, JJ Rhatigan Building.
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