Round Hill Capital’s Curraheen Point achieves first for student accommodation connectivity

In a first for Ireland, Round Hill Capital (RHC) has committed to securing certification for its student accommodation developments to give residents complete clarity on internet connectivity.

Cork’s Curraheen Point, which opened last month, is Ireland’s first purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) to receive certification, achieving a Silver rating from global real estate digital rating company WiredScore.

Round Hill Capital Managing Director, Ireland, John Vaudin said, “In times when online connectivity is more important than ever, residents deserve a simple way to find out if a residence will support their digital needs.

“This is particularly vital for students in a year in which access to online learning has become essential to study, due to national and local lockdowns.”

WiredScore provides developers with a framework to achieve an appropriate level of connectivity for a building’s intended usage, with ratings ranging from ‘Certified’ to ‘Platinum’. It enables them to consider connectivity at the beginning of the development cycle to future-proof buildings and avoid retro-fit costs.

Round Hill Capital’s tech-first approach means it is a pioneer in digital certification; its Bridgefield private rental scheme in North Dublin was Ireland’s first residential building to receive a WiredScore rating. Three further Round Hill Capital PBSA projects will also be eligible for WiredScore certification, including Cork’s Broga House, Ashlin House and Ardee Point in Dublin.

The certification of Curraheen Point, RHC’s first PBSA in Ireland, follows its practical completion during challenging COVID-19 restrictions.

The 145-bed development near to Cork Institute of Technology and University College Cork has been handed over to award-winning student accommodation provider Nido Student, which has now welcomed the first residents.

Works on the former warehouse site started in May 2019 but had to pause for almost 10 weeks from March 2020 under a COVID-19 related directive from the Irish Government.

Vaudin said: “Our teams really went the extra mile to overcome the dual challenge of finishing the development and keeping our workforce safe during a global pandemic. Thankfully, we have long been investing in innovative ways of working that make our development process more efficient.”

On getting the go-ahead to restart work, RHC introduced several measures to ensure its workforce was able to maintain social distancing. These included the creation of small A/B teams, staggered break times and shifts, increased cleaning of all communal areas and the introduction of hand sanitising stations.

Curraheen Point was completed to the same lifestyle-led specification as RHC’s student developments throughout the rest of Europe. Residents will benefit from ensuite rooms, calming study spaces and vibrant social areas. They will also have access to industry-leading 200Mbps Wi-Fi, cycle storage and year-round events programmes.

Curraheen Point is the first of three purpose-built student accommodation developments to open in Ireland as part of a joint venture between Round Hill Capital and NBK Capital.