College Square, Office/Residential Development

College Square is an 82 metre high mixed-use development in the heart of Dublin City, setting the record as the tallest habitable building in Ireland. The project transformed a previously unused city-centre site, creating a contemporary development with active street frontages, new public spaces and a covered pedestrian route linking College Green with the River Liffey. The development combines Grade A commercial space with residential, retail, and public amenity areas, with sustainability targeted through LEED Platinum certification.

Select Access was appointed to design, supply, install, and certify a comprehensive range of specialist access and maintenance systems across the development. The scope included two bespoke Building Maintenance Units (BMUs), atrium access systems, multiple monorail systems, cable-based fall protection, and additional access infrastructure. The scale, height, façade design, and varied building configurations required carefully engineered solutions to facilitate safe access for ongoing cleaning, inspection, and maintenance in an active construction site.

Select Access designed and installed two bespoke BMU systems. The Main Building BMU operates to a working height of 49m, with a maximum reach of 15.5m and a 2.7m cradle. The Tower BMU provides access to a working height of 85m, with a maximum reach of 23m. For the atrium, Select Access provided powered modular platforms and monorail systems serving the E1 and E2 skylight areas.

The installation included 24 bespoke brackets, manual trollies, and provisions designed to accommodate the atrium glazing requirements. Three additional 12m monorail systems were installed to recessed areas, providing removable manual trolley access for future maintenance requirements. Select Access cable systems were installed, providing approximately 20lm and 115–120lm of cable-based fall protection respectively. Following installation, Select Access provides ongoing testing and maintenance of the access systems on a biannual basis.

The completed access package, completed in just over six months, provides a comprehensive maintenance and working-at-height solution across College Square, allowing specialist personnel to safely access the building façade, atrium, roof areas, and recessed maintenance zones. The combination of high-reach BMUs, powered platforms, monorail systems, bespoke lifting equipment, and cable-based fall protection provides the infrastructure required to support both routine building maintenance and façade access. The systems were designed, installed, and certified by Select Access, with ongoing inspection, servicing, and certification supporting their continued operation throughout the building’s lifecycle. The infrastructure in place hosts 54 apartments, 1,580m² of retail space, and 50,170m² of Grade A office space, transforming a previously abandoned site into a central hub for the community.