Maynooth Sustainable Energy Community
Maynooth Sustainable Energy Community is a community-based voluntary group operating since 2018. Our aim is to enable the people of Maynooth to enjoy a more sustainable energy future and become an exemplar of a sustainable town providing a safe, clean energy future for our children and grandchildren.Â
We work towards our objectives in a unique four-way collaboration together with the Maynooth Community, Kildare County Council, Maynooth University and our business community. We are proud of many accomplishments since our foundation.
Email Us
Email Us
Working Together for a Sustainable Maynooth
As part of Maynooth’s Climate Action Communications project, Maynooth Sustainable Energy Community (SEC) has created this very informative document with the support of the Kildare County Council DZ and Climate Action team.
Working Together for a Sustainable Maynooth
As part of Maynooth’s Climate Action Communications project, Maynooth Sustainable Energy Community (SEC) has created this very informative document with the support of the Kildare County Council DZ and Climate Action team.
We would encourage the Maynooth community and beyond to begin to take some of these steps towards a sustainable future, including home and business energy efficiency, more sustainable food and transport choices, and how collaboration creates a long-lasting benefit for us all!
Please help us to share this open-source document very widely.
Maynooth
Decarbonising Zone
In 2023 Maynooth was designated as Kildare’s Pathfinder Decarbonising Zone.
The Kildare County Climate Action Plan lays out Objectives for Planning and Leadership, the Built Environment,
Maynooth Decarbonising Zone
In 2023 Maynooth was designated as Kildare’s Pathfinder Decarbonising Zone.
The Kildare County Climate Action Plan lays out Objectives for Planning and Leadership, the Built Environment, Transport, Nature, Communities and Just Transition
Examples include support for Active Transport, the Retrofit Demohouse, Community initiatives like the 60+ Climate Action Course, Climate Champion Awards and the annual community Picnic in the Park.
Maynooth SEC collaborates very closely with the Kildare Climate Office to support these activities.
Solar and Retrofit Meitheals
Working TogetherÂ
Maynooth SEC is working with community groups and community leaders to plan and carry out Energy Meitheals in our town.
Solar and Retrofit Meitheals
Working Together
Maynooth SEC is working with community groups and community leaders to plan and carry out Energy Meitheals in our town.
The SEAI Grants support complete home energy upgrades, Solar PV upgrades, and individual energy upgrades.Â
The Warmer Homes Scheme provides fully funded energy upgrades to qualifying householders.
In 2025 more than 20 households joined a successful Solar PV Meitheal in Moyglare Hall Maynooth in collaboration with Cllr Peter Melrose. In 2026 three additional Meitheals are being planned including a Warmer Homes Meitheal for qualifying households in Maynooth.Â
Meitheal is an old Irish word describing community-based cooperation where people come together to help each other.
Maynooth University Green Campus
Maynooth University through the Green Campus and Estates Office teams are among the most widely recognised universities in Ireland based on green flag and sustainability awards won over the past years.
Maynooth University Green Campus
Maynooth University through the Green Campus and Estates Office teams are among the most widely recognised universities in Ireland based on green flag and sustainability awards won over the past years. Their pioneering work with reduced mowing, wildlife support and energy saving on campus has given a strong example to the community.
Members of the SEC sit on the Green Campus team to collaborate on initiatives and make a link between the university and our community.
Maynooth University IRESI Centre
The International Research on Energy system integration, Education, and Environment for Sustainability and Innovation Centre at Maynooth University serves as a leading interdisciplinary hub at Maynooth University…
Maynooth University IRESI Centre
The International Research on Energy system integration, Education, and Environment for Sustainability and Innovation Centre at Maynooth University serves as a leading interdisciplinary hub at Maynooth University, dedicated to advancing sustainable, data-driven, and community-centred approaches to the clean energy transition.Â
Maynooth SEC are the Community Champions for the IRESI team.
Kildare Retrofit Demohouse
Kildare County Council have carried out a complete Energy and Accessibility Retrofit on a 1994 build house at 17 Meadowbrook Avenue, Maynooth in support of the Maynooth Decarbonising Zone Objectives.
Kildare Retrofit Demohouse
Kildare County Council have carried out a complete Energy and Accessibility Retrofit on a 1994 build house at 17 Meadowbrook Avenue, Maynooth in support of the Maynooth Decarbonising Zone Objectives.
A very high quality and performance has been achieved with inside wall insulation, high quality doors and windows, heat-pump and Solar PV generation.
The aim is to showcase ‘best-in-class’ Energy Retrofit to help homeowners, local authorities, businesses and other agencies.
Podcast – Kildare Climate Champion Awards
Maynooth SEC was awarded the Silver Birch Award in the 2025 Kildare Climate Champion Awards for our long term support to improved sustainability in Maynooth
Podcast – Kildare Climate Champion Awards
Maynooth SEC was awarded the Silver Birch Award in the 2025 Kildare Climate Champion Awards for our long term support to improved sustainability in Maynooth
Our Podcast explaining the award and our objectives can be viewed here.
The Kildare Climate Champions initiative is explained here.The initiative will open again in Spring 2026 so please look out for it and make an application.
Picnic in the Park 2026
Sunday June 21st 2pm – 5pm in the Harbour Field
For the fourth year we will be active participants in the Maynooth Community Council Picnic in the Park. The festival has a climate awareness theme.
Picnic in the Park 2026
Sunday June 21st 2pm – 5pm in the Harbour Field
For the fourth year we will be active participants in the Maynooth Community Council Picnic in the Park. The festival has a climate awareness theme. This year in addition to climate themed entertainers and research projects we will have some local suppliers of energy upgrade and solar PV services. In 2025 more than 4,000 people came along.
For more information see the Picnic in the Park page
Our Posters
Together with our Climate Action Document we worked with local artist Antoon Knaap to create two beautiful posters to tell our story.
Our Posters
Together with our Climate Action Document we worked with local artist Antoon Knaap to create two beautiful posters to tell our story.
Working Together for a Sustainable Maynooth shows a vision for our town with icons representing many of the climate actions our community members can take.
Collaborating for a Sustainable Maynooth shows the power of our Community, Local Authority and University Collaboration to work towards a positive future for our children and grandchildren.
Please take and share these posters widely. Share them with your friends, put them on your fridge, and other organisations are very welcome to borrow and use these open-access posters.
Bohemians FC SPARK
Maynooth SEC is visiting Bohemians FC on 30th Jan 2026 to understand their community based organisation, community work, and climate action activities.Â
Bohemians FC SPARK
Maynooth SEC is visiting Bohemians FC on 30th Jan 2026 to understand their community based organisation, community work, and climate action activities. We hope to learn about community cooperative structures in order to build a stronger organisation in Maynooth.
From 2022 to 2025, Bohemian Football Club worked with local partners to run a project called the Spark to take their fan-owned football philosophy into the local economy to help our members and the wider community tackle the greatest challenges we face.Â
The aim of the project was to create the conditions for a climate cooperative in Dublin 7 and to explore how climate action could also build community power and tackle inequality. To do this they ran afterschool programmes, a Bike Library, a Library of Things, repair cafes, intergenerational dialogues, and community education under the banner of Spark Skills.Â
Kildare County Council Climate Action Office
Kildare County Council through the Climate Action Office have developed a strong working partnership with Maynooth Community Groups and Maynooth University.
Kildare County Council Climate Action Office
Kildare County Council through the Climate Action Office have developed a strong working partnership with Maynooth Community Groups and Maynooth University. Through the Kildare Climate Action Plan and the Maynooth Decarbonising Zone KCC are driving initiatives for a more sustainable Maynooth.
