Kieran Holohan
Managing Director, Saint-Gobain
One organisation is driving low-carbon, high-performance construction through data, innovation and partnership.
Ireland’s construction landscape is changing rapidly, shaped by the push for sustainability, faster delivery and proven performance. As regulations tighten and carbon targets increase, project teams need solutions that are reliable, tested and tailored to real-world conditions.
Saint-Gobain’s role is to support the entire construction ecosystem — designers, contractors, MMC manufacturers and merchants — with low-carbon products, verified systems and the technical assurance that turns ambition into certainty. Across Gyproc, Isover and the wider group, the company is investing in testing programmes, digital tools, product innovation and on-site guidance to ensure systems meet Ireland’s demanding building requirements, from airtightness and acoustics to fire safety, moisture performance and durability.
This year also marks a significant milestone, as Saint-Gobain brand Gyproc celebrates its 90th anniversary in Ireland — nine decades of innovation, partnership and performance. It’s a celebration that will not only look back at Gyproc’s heritage but also introduce exciting new initiatives planned for the years ahead, reinforcing the company’s long-standing commitment to the Irish construction sector.
The aim, as ever, is simple: to help the industry build lighter, faster, lower-carbon and higher-performing buildings, without compromising compliance. As Managing Director, Kieran Holohan says, “We’re backing our words with action, investing in technology, testing and partnerships that let the industry perform while cutting carbon.”
Barry Hennessy
Commercial Sector Director, Saint-Gobain
When it comes to supplying materials and services for large-scale commercial construction projects, a one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work. “That’s because different sectors have different needs and priorities,” says Barry Hennessy, Commercial Sector Director at Saint-Gobain. The company designs, manufactures and distributes light and sustainable materials across a wide variety of commercial settings, each with its own regulatory and performance expectations.
Saint-Gobain’s role is to support the entire construction ecosystem — designers, contractors, MMC manufacturers and merchants — with low-carbon products
Different sectors, different requirements
In healthcare, for example, acoustic privacy is essential. A consultation room beside a waiting area requires specialist sound insulation to ensure confidentiality. Education brings different acoustic challenges again. “Colleges or schools will have various acoustic requirements in common areas,” Hennessy explains. “It’s important to realise that the construction industry is more complex, regulated and specialised than ever.”
Giving construction projects tailored solutions and specialised support
To meet this complexity head-on, Saint-Gobain has adopted a sector-led methodology, ensuring specifications reflect the precise technical, compliance and operational needs of each building type, whether a hospital, school, data centre or multi-occupancy residential scheme. This approach recognises that fire integrity, acoustic control, moisture management, durability and thermal efficiency all behave differently across sectors. Tailored specifications therefore give customers clearer choices, fewer site surprises and performance designed in from the start.
But performance depends on more than choosing the right system; it requires consistent, expert support throughout the entire project. This is where ProjectSure, Saint-Gobain’s dedicated service offer for large commercial and non-residential projects, comes into play. ProjectSure supports the full journey, as Hennessy puts it, “Our service offer brings design support, technical assurance and training together, so specifiers get clarity, contractors get speed and Building Control gets confidence.”
By blending sector expertise with structured project support, Saint-Gobain is helping deliver smoother builds, fewer issues and higher-performing buildings across Ireland.
