Solarcentury helps new academy meet renewables target
The Harris Acedemy
When the architects of a new school needed to meet local authority targets for renewable energy, our photovoltaic (pv) panels provided the answer.
The Harris Academy in South Norwood was designed by John McAslan + Partners and is said to be one of the most technologically advanced schools in the country. It features the latest IT systems – with interactive whiteboard technology in all departments, as well as a recording studio, radio station and technology centre.
Fanos Panyides of John McAslan explains that when the building was submitted for planning consent one of the conditions of the local authority was that it should incorporate a certain proportion of energy services from renewable sources:
"The challenge was that the building design was already substantially completed and we were working on quite a constricted site, so there was no room for technology such as a wind turbine. Solar photovoltaic cells were the only way of integrating renewable energy supply at that stage," he says.
Solar cladding is the ideal solution for projects where space is limited. Meanwhile the 'fit and forget' nature of pv means it is a good renewable to choose for busy organisations where maintenance could be a costly issue.
The Solarcentury panels were simply mounted on the south-facing elevations of the plant enclosures on the top of the school's five blocks, with further panels mounted on the front of the building as cladding.
The high power to size ratio of our photovoltaic solar panels, combined with their ease of installation, are making them an increasingly attractive way for new and existing public buildings to meet sustainability targets.
