Glengormley firm among key players in stadium project

The stadium officially opened on Friday, May 2 for the RaboDirect PRO12 game against Leinster.

A pre-match event saw a celebration of rugby in Ulster, with representatives from schools, clubs, referees, the women’s game and disability rugby there to cut the ribbon on the new grounds which can now hold 18,000 fans.

Ulster Rugby appointed building contractor Gilbert-Ash NI Ltd to carry out the construction work, which began in November 2012.

Harvey Group worked closely with Gilbert-Ash NI Ltd, Hamilton Architects and Holmes Miller Architects to successfully deliver the project on schedule.

Harvey Group was responsible for the full mechanical and electrical installation, including heating, ventilation, lighting, plumbing, fire alarm and public address systems. The firm’s managing director, Brian Harvey said: “We were delighted to be involved in the redevelopment of the new Ravenhill Stadium. It is a fantastic achievement for Harvey Group to be part of the development of such a world class stadium in Ulster.”

New renewable energy technologies incorporated included a rainwater harvesting system with a capacity of 50,000 litres of water to feed the Pitch Irrigation System. Other technologies employed included Heat Recovery Ventilation systems and LED lighting to maximize the energy efficiency of the building.