Sustainability on the agenda in Belfast
Last week Metal Technology participated in two key Sustainability events held in Belfast and facilitated by Queen’s University Belfast.
On Monday 23rd February, we attended the Passivhaus for the Public Sector in Northern Ireland event, held in the Canada Room, Lanyon Building at Queen’s University. This focused on the importance of good design: Reducing Risk, Cost and Carbon and was organised by the Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG) for Architecture & Built Environment NI.
The event explored how the Passivhaus standard provides a proven, low-risk pathway to delivering high-performance public buildings that reduce operational cost, carbon emissions, and long-term asset risk, while improving occupant health and comfort.
The day was run in collaboration with:
· Passivhaus Trust
· Passive House Association of Ireland (OFFICIAL)
· Queen’s University Belfast
Following the event we were delighted to welcome several speakers and delegates to our to our HQ in Antrim for a presentation and site tour, culminating in witnessing an air test on one of our Passive House windows, in our new state-of-the-art weather test rig, that is located in our recently completed R&D facility.
Caroline Ashe Brady – Chair of PHAI & Commercial & Sustainability Director at KORE Insulation
Ann-Marie Fallon – Co-Director Passivhaus Trust, Mentor Architype, BE-ST Board Member, Coaction Trainer
Sally Godber – Director Warm Consultancy
Barry McCarron – Managing Director, KORE Retrofit & Expert Advisor to Ministerial Advisory Group for Architecture and the Built Environment (MAG)
On Tuesday 24th February, we also attended Queen’s University’s Sustainable Construction Conference 2026, titled “Materials Matter: A Deep Dive into Material Innovation, Circularity, and Low Impact Design”.
With net-zero targets tightening, and carbon scrutiny increasing, material choices and circularity are firmly in the spotlight. The half-day event explored materials, circularity, and low-impact design, with a focus on innovative and best-practice. There were great insights from leading experts across the UK and Ireland, with real-world case studies, and cross industry perspectives that were all aimed at accelerating sustainable transformation across construction and the built environment.
