Supplying and installing a comprehensive range of domestic renewable energy solutions through The Brooks Group, BroMur Energy Ltd. commands a leading position at the very forefront of Ireland’s rapidly-expanding renewable energy sector. Building Ireland spoke to director James Murphy to get an insight into the products and services provided by this outstanding industry-leading operation.
With sustainable energy requirements now compulsory under Part L of the Building Regulations, sourcing the best and most cost-effective renewable energy products has become a prime consideration both for new builds and for those retrofitting their homes to make them more comfortable and cost-effective to run.
Constantly evolving and adapting in response to the needs of this vitally-important market, BroMur have emerged as one of Ireland’s premier renewable energy specialists, their unrivalled reputation for excellence based on more than four decades of combined engineering experience.
BroMur Energy Ltd. was founded in 2008 by brothers James and Fergus Murphy to provide a range of renewable energy solution for new and existing homes. From heat recovery ventilation, heat pumps and underfloor heating, thermodynamic solar panels, air tightness, central vacuum systems and cavity wall insulation through to full mechanical contracts for new builds, BroMur’s extensive range of value-added products and services is brought to the market through The Brooks Group.
Their head office / renewable energy centre is located at Brooks Timber and Building Supplies Ltd.’s premises in Parkmore Galway, where all their main products can be demoed and / or discussed in detail with fully-registered, experienced domestic renewable energy experts.
James and Fergus Murphy each boast more than 20 years’ experience working at the forefront of the renewable energy sector. They have been in business together since 1998 and their previous interests evolved somewhat organically into BroMur during the downturn. Both are qualified BER [Building Energy Rating] assessors as well as fully-qualified mechanical engineers.
“We started off doing BER assessments and then when the SEAI grants came out we did cavity wall insulation,” reflects James. “We saw that as a finite bubble, however, so there was a need to look at other products. When the 2011 Building Regulations came out, we looked at heat recovery ventilation. We teamed up with ProAir and started to install their systems around Galway.
“It was around 2012-13 that we teamed up with Brooks. No other builders providers were as proactive as Brooks in providing renewable energy solutions. We struck a deal to provide their renewable energy solutions and moved into their premises in Galway. We continued to also do cavity wall insulation and air tightness as well.
“Whereas in the past, many people were trying to find ways to avoid compliance with Part L, it became mandatory when the Building Control Regulations were amended in 2014. So, we started instlling heat pumps and underfloor heating. We also put together a mechanical contract package. We also started to take on our own plumbers and we now have a team of five plumbers on board.”
As a one-stop shop for renewable energy solutions, BroMur can effectively put all their products and services together within a full mechanical contract package to ensure complete compliance with Part L.
Customers have the convenience of dealing with one point of contact as the full range of services provided incorporates everything from initial advice, supply and installation of systems through to commissioning and certification. While traditionally, Galway has been their main market, in partnership with Brooks, they are tapping into other markets, most notably in Cork.
“Ultimately, I could see our Cork business outgrowing what we are doing in Galway because it’s such a large market and we are so busy there,” James notes. “We have a project manager based in Cork and we have already picked up some very nice projects. With offices in each of the Brooks sites, we would hope to emulate that in Dublin, Sligo and Tullamore.”
BroMur can cater for any size of project from a one-off new house or large residential development to grant-driven renovation schemes such as those funded by the SEAI. “Our BER background allows us to give people good advice on upgrading their homes,” James confirms.
As well as Brooks, other key partners / suppliers to BroMur include The Energy Store (cavity wall insulation), Partel (Air tightness systems), Pipelife, Hitachi and the aforementioned ProAir. “PipeLife manufacture the pipes for our underfloor heating systems and are also a main agent for Hitachi heat pumps,” James continues. “We use ProAir heat recovery and mechanical ventilation systems, Partel supply air tightness systems while we also work with a number of other Brooks-based suppliers.”
The partnership between BroMur and The Brooks Group has proven to be of huge mutual benefit to both parties as well as customers. “It has benefited both sides,” James agrees. “We have gained access to a large market, while they have access to our renewable energy expertise. Indeed, since partnering with us, Brooks are seen as the builders providers that’s leading the way in the renewable energy market.
“We back it up with our knowledge and experience. The products and the systems have to be compliant and proven. It’s vital for customers that they can rest assured that their buildings are going to meet all the latest requirements and regulations and also that the work is up to scratch.”
Further growth is inevitable, so the challenge facing James and Fergus is to ensure that structures are in place to ensure that future expansion of their business is sustainable and viable: “Genuinely, we are not going out looking for business – it is coming in the door,” James concludes. “The task now is really to manage and control it and not to overtrade or overstretch ourselves. We are very busy and we’re largely booked out for most of the coming year, but we want to make sure we continue to provide great products backed up by hands-on service.”
BroMur Energy Ltd.,
Racecourse Road,
Parkmore,
Galway,
Tel: 091 766 741
Email: [email protected]
Web: bromur.com
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, May/June 2020, Vol 6 No 3
