About us
RVR Energy Technology Ltd is a leading Irish manufacturer and distributor of heating equipment for commercial, residential and industrial buildings. The business was founded in 1994 and is based in Kenmare, Co Kerry. The company is a 100% owned subsidiary of RVR Ltd which is in owned by Michael Hayes and Brendan 'O Shea.
A little history . . .
The 1970s, '80s, ' 90s
In 1976, three emigrants, John Sullivan, Brendan O Shea and Jimmy Connolly, returned to Ireland from New York and established Pioneer Radiant Products Limited. They began to manufacture gas-fired overhead radiant heaters. In those days, before natural gas, the market was based on LPG and typical customers were Churches, Halls, and Factories. Hundreds of these buildings were heated with these ‘Pioneer’ heaters.
Above: Gas fired radiant heater production department, the 1980s
Natural gas arrived in the 1980s and sales grew. Detroit Radiant Products Company acquired the business. Exports to the UK and Europe started.
A range of direct gas-fired air heaters was developed and these products found a ready market in the hotels, halls, and nightclubs which were being built around Ireland in the 1980s and 1990s.
Above: 1980s model direct gas-fired air heater
There was a management buyout in 1994 which led to the purchase of the business by Michael Hayes and Brendan O Shea. Production of gas fired heating equipment continued.
Above: Giant AHU at Shannon Aerospace Hangar, the 1990s
The company also became one of Ireland's foremost producers of Air Handling Units and large ventilating equipment. A new factory was established in 1999 for the manufacture of AHUs. Many large projects were completed in the hotel, healthcare, educational, manufacturing and aerospace sectors.
Sales of commercial condensing boilers started at this time also when RVR became the Irish distributor for MAN Heiztechnik, the German manufacturer of high-efficiency boiler equipment.
The 2000s to date
In the 2000’s, the air handling business was sold. The supply of boilers and radiant heating products into the commercial market continued, and in 2003 the company expanded into the domestic heating market, becoming the Irish distributor for Immergas, one of Europe’s largest gas boiler manufacturers. RVR became a major supplier of domestic gas boilers during the building boom of the 2000s. Innovations included the introduction of ‘storage combi’ type boilers to the Irish market.
Above: Immergas domestic gas boilers
RVR was an early innovator in the condensing boiler market. A complementary range of diecast aluminium radiators from Passotti was introduced which worked well alongside domestic condensing boiler technology.
RVR was active early in the solar heating market, establishing the Calpak, TISUN and RVR Solar brands in Ireland. Today, we have approximately 30,000 m2 of solar thermal collector in service in homes and businesses throughout Ireland. Further expansion of the product range to solutions such as solar PV followed.
Above: Solar thermal and PV solutions
Sales of commercial products continued and following the introduction of higher capacity wall-hung condensing boilers from Immergas, RVR consolidated its' position as one of the market leaders in wall-hung light commercial boilers. A range of floor standing boilers with capacities up to 900kW was also introduced.
Above: A typical solution in commercial buildings during the late 2000's and 2010s - a cascade of wall hung boilers.
Additional sustainable heating solutions were soon rolled out. This included the introduction of heat pumps and biomass boilers as well as a range of hybrid heating solutions. RVR invested heavily in R&D, developing hybrid heating solutions based on a mix of heat pump, solar and boiler technology. These solutions incorporated the best available control technology with advanced web interfaces, energy metering, and data logging.
Above: Commercial heat pumps and boiler hybrid system in a nursing home, 2013
Manufacturing of products continued in Kenmare along with the introduction of the pre-assembled RVRPAK modular boiler solution. Suitable for outdoor or indoor use, it eliminated the need for a dedicated plant room or boiler house in light commercial applications.
Above: RVRPAK modular boiler solutions
The RVRPAK MAX range of HVAC packaged plant rooms was later introduced, which simplified procurement and on-site coordination in retro-fit, refurbishment and new build commercial applications. RVR also introduced a range of domestic heat interface units for district heating applications; these are all designed and manufactured in Kenmare.
Above: RVRPAK MAX packaged plant rooms
A range of fan coil radiators, wet and dry underfloor heating, and wall / ceiling heating solutions were introduced to complement the domestic range of high efficiency heat pumps, which enjoyed increased popularity in the mid 2010s due to building regulation changes.
Above: A typical domestic heat pump installation today
In 2020, RVR was appointed Irish distributor for Thermocold commercial heat pumps and chillers and also introduced Enerblue specialist high temperature and low GWP heat pumps. Low temperature. medium temperature, high temperature, very high temperature, low GWP and dedicated CO2 heat pump solutions are all now offered and almost any air/water or water/water solution can be catered for.
For the domestic market, RVR offers a range of products from Immergas and Mitsubishi and can supply a heat pump for any project – be it for new build, retro-fit in recent homes or retro-fit in older homes with higher heat losses.
Above: Thermocold commercial heat pumps and chillers
Today, we provide modern integrated and sustainable solutions for almost any residential, commercial, or industrial LTHW or space heating application.
We offer comprehensive technical assistance at the design stage and assistance with grant documentation, SR-50, declaration of works, and other supporting documentation and certification if required.
RVR Energy Technology has over 40 years of experience in supplying heating equipment in Ireland and has been supplying heat pumps for over 15 years. We focus on solid engineering, competence, innovation and strive for excellence in our after-sales customer care. Our aim today is to drive the transition to sustainable heating & cooling in Irish buildings.
Our website summarises our current product portfolio. If you would like to know more, please contact us.
RVR Energy Technology Ltd, Kenmare, Co. Kerry, V93 F386, Ireland
+353 64 6641344 – sales@rvr.ie