Longford Westmeath ETB
In 2022, Longford Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB) partnered with Ultan Technologies to revolutionise their energy management across 26 sites, including schools, offices, gyms, and training centres. Since then, the project has yielded remarkable results, aligning with Ireland’s 2030 climate action objectives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51% and increase energy efficiency by 50%.
Challenges
LWETB employs approximately 1,000 staff and operates on an annual budget of around €60 million. With substantial energy bills impacting their finances, LWETB recognized the need to take control of their energy consumption.
- Meeting public sector and SEAI targets of 51% efficiency
- Lack of energy measurement systems (e.g. meters and dashboards)
- Unable to verify bills based on usage
Solutions
Ultan Technologies implemented a comprehensive smart meter installation and monitor project across all 24 sites, providing LWETB with an all-in-one energy management system. See video case study here.

This solution allowed LWETB to:
- Monitor and track oil, gas, electricity, and solar usage
- Verify bills and measure progress towards government regulations
- Make data-driven decisions on energy-saving projects
- Utilize a range of dashboards for detailed energy analysis

Ultan Technologies’ dashboard and reporting tools inform every decision Longford Westmeath make with their energy usage. Specifically, they use a range of dashboards like Night Usage Analysis, Weekly Comparison, Simple and Detailed Meter Usage, Comparison Usage and more.
Solutions
Denis McDermott, Head of Corporate Services at LWETB, explains the process: “We went through a tender process and partnered with Ultan Technologies who have been great for us. We implemented smart meters across our entire estate, and we started taking back that information.”

Results
The impact of the smart meter installation has been transformative:
Immediate Savings
McDermott notes, "Almost immediately, there was some low-hanging fruit that we took a huge benefit from: Boilers being used over the weekend and being used at night, and clocks that someone had often walked by and moved by accident, still running and never checked. So we reduced our usage right away."


Fostering a Culture of Efficiency
The project has created a community effort to reduce energy usage. McDermott highlights, "Because of the dashboard that was available to us, we could allow our Principals and Centre Managers to access this information easily on a weekly basis so they can see exactly how much their building is using, how much it's working and when it's using it. So then we got that buy-in from local climate action groups in schools and centres and Centre managers.”
Recognition
The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has recognized this project, acknowledging the great work from LWETB and Ultan Technologies.

Continuous Improvement
The smart meters continue to drive savings and efficiency. "They continue to work for us and continue to pay for themselves," McDermott affirms.
- 31% decrease in usage from September 2019 to 2022
- Additional 13% reduction from 2022 to 2023
Ongoing Management and Monitoring
A key feature of the energy management system is its ability to provide regular, actionable insights to key stakeholders. Below is an example report that can be sent.
The system sends weekly usage summary data in report format to every principal and caretaker. This consistent flow of information allows for:

- Immediate identification of unusual energy consumption patterns
- Proactive measures to prevent unnecessary increases in usage
- Empowerment of staff to take ownership of their building's energy efficiency
- Continuous engagement with energy-saving initiatives

The image above is another sample report comparing Day vs Night Usage across a period of time.

Above is an example report of meter usage that can be shared amongst stakeholders.
Denis McDermott emphasises the importance of this feature: “This weekly reporting ensures that our staff are always aware of their building’s energy performance. It’s not just about long-term goals; it’s about day-to-day management and quick responses to any unexpected changes in usage.”
Looking Forward
LWETB continues to use Ultan Technologies’ easy-to-read dashboards and simple interface to inform community members of their progress in initiatives, projects, and usage. This includes:
- Engaging students in identifying saving opportunities
- Empowering school principals with access to simplified dashboards for energy data monitoring
McDermott concludes, “It is incumbent upon us to lead the way in this, and I think this is an example that’s worked very well for us and can easily work for others. Information is key, and when you have it, you can implement your roadmap better.”
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