Heating the home – while staying green

Co-owner of Greenr Eco Store, Milo O'Connell, pictured in the showrooom in Ballylanders. Aesthetics are an important feature of the stoves they offer, as this attractive corner stove shows. (Picture: Marian Roche)

Greenr Eco Store is a modern company, supplying a vital component of every Irish home – effective heating solutions.

The green heating supply company was established in Ballylanders in the latter half of 2021. The company, co-owned by Mitchelstown man Milo O’Connell, is specialist provider of green heating solutions for homes, both those that are being retrofitted, along with new builds. Greenr Eco Store are also suppliers of wood fuels, all of which are carbon neutral.

In response to rising costs including carbon taxes, and new legislation prohibiting the use of smoky coal and wet wood, Mr O’Connell established the company with his business partner when they spotted a gap in the market.

However, demand is not just driven by legislation and external forces, but also driven by what the buyer wants, as Milo recognises that customers today ‘want to do the right thing’.

“Our products, like the wood-pellet burning stoves are more cost-effective, definitely, but we are also seeing that customers are actively looking for green solutions in the home. The products today too are cleaner as well, and the design of the appliances is much different – the idea of the old heavy cast-iron stove is kind of gone”.

ECO DESIGN 2022

The premises, on the site of the former Galtee Wood Products factory, is located just outside Ballylanders village in south Limerick. This is not just a showroom, however, as electric fires and eco-friendly stoves are merrily lit – a far cry from an ordinary cold and draughty showroom.

The company supply a variety of products, and everything that the company deals with is green/eco – from fuels, to wall-mounted electric radiators. They also supply outdoor patio heaters, a pizza oven, and a display fire-powered entirely by bioethanol. 

Milo and his business partner live by their ethos and are committed to eco solutions. One of the buildings on-site is clad in solar panels, providing 100kwh of energy – the biggest installation of solar panels in the region.

“The way things are going people won’t be able to use fossil fuels for much longer. New stoves too need to be compliant with Eco Design 2022, which means they burn more effectively, and new passive houses are so good, they don’t need the kinds of heating that were used before.”

Milo demonstrates too that the wood-pellet burning stoves are cleaner, with the glass rarely turning black. The ‘chimney’ is a neat, controlled flue, and can be inspected at the showroom in Ballylanders. So safe, one can put their hand on the metal flue and it is barely warmer than the one that is not even in use.

The designs of the stoves on-site are modern and clean, corner stoves too with a very ‘Dermot Bannon’ feel. What’s more, some of the designs can be controlled by an app, meaning the fire can be lit remotely while you’re still on the way home from work!

MANY OPTIONS

For homeowners attached to the idea of a mantlepiece, Greenr have developed a special eco-friendly stove that slots into the existing mantle surround, or can arrange to have one fitted. The company are not only suppliers of a large selection of stoves, including Irish-made Boru stoves, but also air-to-water pumps, air-to-air pumps, and are continually expanding to meet the needs of the more eco conscious customer.

Milo also supplies fuels, including wood briquettes, kiln-dried hardwood logs that are compliant and contain no more than 20% moisture, and wood pellets. Today’s wood pellets are a far cry from those originally on the market many years ago, and today, are an extremely effective, carbon neutral fuel.

Wood pellet burning appliances are commonplace and increasing in popularity throughout Europe, including in Austria, Germany, Spain and Belgium.

Greenr Eco Store recognise that before long, every household will need to reassess how they heat their homes, and are offering the expertise and equipment to make the transition. Why not call in today!