Project challenges
LIMITED ACCESSIBILITY:
The Council offices were located in the heart of Oxford, adjacent to the main city centre terminus bus stops, making it a very busy and congested location. In addition, a low archway restricted access to the rear of building where the bulk of the installation would take place.
Solution: Darke & Taylor’s (D&T) planning had to be both inch-perfect and accurate to the nearest quarter of an hour. The height of the lorry loads had to be precisely measured to ensure they would fit under the low archway, with any deliveries arranged pre-8 am so as not to disrupt public transport links.
PLANNING APPROVAL NEEDED:
Local planning rules stipulated that any building in the line of sight from Carfax Tower should blend in with the surroundings. Furthermore, although solar panels do not usually require prior planning approval, the Council offices happened to be located in a Central Protected Area, hence detailed plans had to be submitted to the Council Planning Office.
Solution: To ensure an elegant solution which minimised reflected glare, D&T commissioned the manufacturer to powder coat everything black. Also, the pitch of the installation was carefully calibrated so as to meet planning approval. D&T always utilises a separate project management and installation team on any job. The team are all certified MCS installers, which is a requirement for reclaiming the generation feed-in tariff.
RETROFIT TO ‘BUSY’ ROOF:
The four-storey high Council office block had a high energy output requirement given its relatively modest roof footprint. The limited roof space available was further compromised by numerous existing structures such as ventilation plant, leaving few ‘uninterrupted’ areas.
Solution: There were no grid issues, so D&T was able to maximise the output by fitting as many panels as feasible to generate 10% of the building’s electricity needs. However, the installation had to be very carefully andimaginatively planned to make it commercially viable.
Gallery
“Darke & Taylor were very effective in managing the project, working closely with the team at the City Council to ensure that disruption was kept to a minimum and that public safety was paramount.”
Dr Paul Spencer, Energy & Carbon Manager, Oxford City Council
