Established in October 2000, KRA Visionary Project Partners (KRA) provides a complete range of building surveying and project management services to clients across Ireland with a strong focus on sustainability and the environment.
Headquartered in Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow, KRA has served thousands of clients over the years by looking after their property and construction needs. The highly-regarded chartered surveying company is leading the movement of sustainable building retrofit and project management in the Irish built-environment. KRA values and enjoys working with each and every client on projects which range from very large to very small.
Krystyna Rawicz founded KRA – which stands for Krystyna Rawicz & Associates – and continues to oversee the company’s growth as Managing Director. KRA employs 24 highly-skilled people and is a sister company of KRA Renewables and KRA Portugal which were formed in 2018 and 2021 respectively.
KRA Renewables offers clients trustworthy professional assistance with the feasibility, design, procurement, project management and asset management of energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions, while KRA Portugal was born from a deep belief in sustainability and the drive to make a difference in the fight against climate.
KRA Visionary Project Partners is committed to helping clients move towards more sustainable models of building occupancy, refurbishment and property management in both Ireland and Portugal.
Krystyna has over 35 years’ experience in project management and building surveying. In that time, she has worked in private practice and local government. She is passionate about sustainability and environmental matters, and is a member of the SCSI (Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland) working group on sustainability and a director of the IGBC (Irish Green Building Council).
“I relocated from the UK to Ireland in 1994 and headed up the building and surveying department at Hamilton Osborne King (now Savills) before deciding to go out on my own six years later,” Krystyna explains.
“We’ve built up a commercial client list of 2,500 over the last 20 years. We pride ourselves on building relationships with our clients rather than just working for them. We care very much about our clients and their needs.
“Sustainability and the environment have become a huge part of what we are about since the formation of KRA Renewables and KRA Portugal. We’ve evolved into a sustainable building consultancy. We decided to set up KRA Portugal last year after working on the renovation and extension of the Mae D’Agua water mill in Alentejo as well as the development of an environmentally friendly eco-resort and holiday village.
“We felt it was the right time to spread our wings.”
With a wealth of experience in design, project management and contract administration, KRA has delivered a wide range of commercial commissions, including having responsibility for various large-scale projects with budgets in excess of €40 million. At the other end of the scale, the company looks after small projects for residential and commercial clients, including extensions, refurbishments and renovations. Whatever the size of the project, KRA’s attention to each project is the same.
KRA offers forward-thinking professional advice in the areas of retrofit, sustainable design, sustainable fitout and sustainable planning. With its in-house LEED Accredited Professionals and Green Associates, the company can help guide your project through the LEED process, from pre-design through to final certification.
KRA has a broad and varied portfolio of clients, including high-profile corporate and financial institutions, independent commercial companies and voluntary bodies. Clients range from Nissan Ireland, Irish Life Investments and Musgraves to Ivy Trust, IPUT Real Estate and Hibernia REIT. Recent projects have included Swords Business Campus, Cantor Fitzgerald head office in St Stephen’s Green, Knockanally House in Co. Kildare, The Hive in Sandyford, The Ormond Building on Ormond Quay and Nissan Ireland’s head office in Park West, Dublin.
Set up to assist new and existing clients in implementing sustainability and renewable energy measures, KRA Renewables has completed numerous projects, ranging from a 150KWh solar PV installation for Nissan Ireland’s head office to an All-Island Energy Transition Plan for Inishbofin. It is fast becoming a key player in the renewable energy sector in Ireland.
Nissan Ireland Managing Director Seamus Morgan says: “In 2019, we refitted and repurposed our headquarters, installing 150kWh of rooftop solar PV to meet up to 45% of our electricity needs. We have also installed 16 charging points for EV drivers, new LED lighting to reduce the electrical load on the building significantly, smart controls to ensure that the building is powered down at night and internal bicycle storage facilities for employees.
“The recent installation of low e window film on the building is the latest significant measure we have taken to move us closer to achieving carbon neutrality from our operations while also delivering better working conditions for our employees and better efficiencies for our business running costs.”
In addition, KRA’s range of professional services includes specialist knowledge and experience in the field of dilapidations, large-scale portfolio surveys for pre-disposal, acquisition, planned maintenance, sinking fund assessment and health and safety / fire safety assessment. The company also acts as an independent surveyor in disputes.
As a dynamic, innovative company with an experienced professional team, KRA’s strategic and technical skills and knowledge, and more particularly its emphasis on real and meaningful communication with clients, has led to the successful delivery of projects on time and within budget time after time.
“No two clients are alike, the same as no two projects are alike,” Krystyna points out.
“I love working with people, from the CEO to the man pouring the concrete. I’m endlessly fascinated by people. For me, it’s all about creating and maintaining lasting relationships.
“Our greatest asset are our employees. We have a talented, creative and multi-cultural team of 24 comprising nine different nationalities. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their hard work, dedication and expertise, and our fantastic clients for their continued support.”
KRA Visionary Project Partners
Head office
E11a Network Enterprise Park,
Kilcoole,
Co. Wicklow.
Telephone: +353 (0)1 281 9158
Email: [email protected]
Dublin office
Suite 54,
20 Harcourt Street,
Dublin 2.
Telephone: +353 (0)1 281 9158
Email: [email protected]
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, March 2023, Vol 9 No 3
