Case Study: Shannon Springs Hotel
The Shannon Springs Hotel
When a hotel owner tells you they were spending €4,000 a month on kerosene, you understand why energy management stops being a nice-to-have and becomes an urgent business priority. That's exactly where Shannon Springs Hotel was before we started working together, and it's a big part of why this project means so much to us.
We're proud to share that Shannon Springs Hotel's EXEED certified energy transformation has been published as a case study by SEAI, and the results are well worth talking about.
Here's what the project delivered:
510,100 kWh saved per year
117 tonnes of CO2e reduced per year
€69,599 in annual cost savings, a 48% blended energy saving
48% total energy savings against the baseline year
SEAI EXEED Designed certification with results independently verified by the NSAI
And the hotel is just getting started.
About Shannon Springs Hotel
Shannon Springs Hotel is a 71-bedroom, four-star property in Shannon, Co. Clare. It is home to the Old Lodge Gastro Pub, a restaurant and live music venue, and operates in one of the most energy-intensive sectors in hospitality. Rising energy costs, tightening regulations, and growing guest expectations around sustainability were all factors pushing the hotel to take action.
What's notable about Shannon Springs is that they didn't wait to be forced into it. They started by metering their energy consumption, brought in an external energy consultant for a detailed audit, and made the decision to invest in meaningful, lasting upgrades. That proactive mindset made our job as their energy partner a lot easier.
What We Did Together
Watt Footprint was engaged as the appointed Energy Efficient Design (EED) expert and project manager, applying the SEAI EXEED programme methodology in accordance with IS 399. The approach was whole-system and design-led, combining detailed energy analysis with targeted upgrades to key building services.
The key measures included:
Replacement of oil boilers with an air-to-water heat pump system with smart controls and improved distribution
Replacement of 18 electric storage heaters with an energy efficient air-conditioning system
Installation of a 37.77 kWp Solar PV system with 91 south-facing panels for onsite electricity generation
Deployment of an Eniscope energy monitoring system with comprehensive metering across heating and electrical circuits
Upgrades to energy efficient water pumps and booster sets to optimise the low-pressure hot water system
The EXEED methodology brought structure to every decision. We carried out detailed baseline energy modelling using SEAI EXEED tools, challenged and analysed the energy demand to identify more efficient solutions, evaluated multiple energy conservation measures, and conducted lifecycle cost analysis to make sure every euro invested was working as hard as it could.
The oil boiler replacement alone was transformative. Before the heat pump went in, the hotel was spending around €4,000 per month on kerosene. That single measure, combined with the broader project, is delivering a return on investment in the region of four years.
Shannon Springs Hotel receiving their EXEED aware from SEAI
The Results
The numbers are independently verified by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), which is a core requirement of the EXEED certification process. That verification matters because it means the savings are real, not projected.
Beyond the headline figures, the project also improved indoor air quality and guest comfort, strengthened the hotel's sustainability credentials with customers and stakeholders, and set up a replicable model that other hospitality businesses can learn from.
As our CEO Paul Mahon put it:
"Watt Footprint were delighted to act as the appointed EED experts and project managers for the Shannon Springs Hotel. The project demonstrates clear leadership in the hospitality sector in taking a holistic approach to their energy performance and a standout example of how the EXEED process can deliver lasting benefits for business."
And from John Gavin, Co-Owner and Director of Shannon Springs Hotel:
"Through this project, we have significantly reduced our energy demand and carbon emissions while strengthening the long-term resilience of our business. The support from the SEAI EXEED programme was instrumental in enabling a structured, data-driven approach to achieving meaningful savings."
Award-Winning on Multiple Fronts
Shannon Springs Hotel is already one of the most decorated properties in Irish hospitality, with recent recognition including Best Hospitality at the Clare Business Awards (2025), Airport Hotel of the Year at the Irish Hotel Awards (2025), and a Gold Hospitality Green Business Award through the Fifty Shades Greener Management Programme. The energy project adds another layer to a story the hotel is clearly proud to tell.
What Comes Next
The hotel is not done yet. Next steps include ongoing staff and guest energy awareness programmes, continuous performance monitoring using energy performance indicators, and exploration of emerging technologies like battery storage and energy recovery systems.
The infrastructure and data architecture put in place through this project means Shannon Springs is well positioned to build on what has already been achieved.
Thinking About Your Own Energy Journey?
The Shannon Springs story is a good example of what happens when a business takes energy seriously from the ground up. It started with metering, led to a detailed audit, and grew into a certified, independently verified transformation that is delivering real savings every month.
If you're in hospitality or running a large commercial property and you're wondering what a structured approach could do for your operation, we'd be happy to have that conversation.
