Sustainability and education building design: solar PV and the road to Net Zero
As part of the government’s drive to decarbonise all sectors of the UK economy, the Department for Education (DfE) has announced that all new school buildings it delivers in England will be net zero in operation.
According to the National Audit Office, education is the public sector’s largest emitter of carbon from buildings, amounting to 37% of all public sector emissions in the UK. So, if the UK is to meet its legally binding target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, a lot of work will need to be done in the education sector.
To become net zero and ensure a significant cut in carbon emissions, schools will have to be constructed with renewable energy solutions like solar PV. In this article we’ll explain how installing solar PV in educational buildings can contribute towards the decarbonisation agenda, and how we are helping new and existing education buildings to meet the DfE’s net zero targets.
What is solar PV and how can it help decarbonisation?
A photovoltaic solar power system, more commonly known as solar PV, is a technology that uses solar panels to convert sunlight into electricity. Installing solar PV on a building has many benefits:
- Solar PV can significantly offset the daily energy demand from the national grid, which can substantially reduce a building’s energy costs.
- This reduces reliance on fossil fuels, lowering the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.
- Electricity produced from solar PV has a much lower carbon footprint that coal and gas.
- The carbon emissions from manufacturing solar panels are quickly offset by the clean energy they generate.
Ultimately, the use of solar energy helps the decarbonisation agenda by reducing the use of fossil fuels and generating clean energy. Solar PV does not produce greenhouse gases when operating, and can save thousands of tons of carbon emissions over its lifetime. In fact, studies have shown that solar PV technology has the greatest potential to significantly reduce emissions by 2050 of all low-carbon technology solutions.
Why is solar PV a good solution for educational buildings?
Of all the various renewable energy solutions, solar PV is often the stand-out choice for schools, colleges, universities and other educational buildings.
From a practical standpoint, many educational buildings have large, flat roof spaces that are otherwise unused and are usually not overshadowed by taller buildings, making them ideally suited for solar PV installation.
However, if a building does not have much roof space, other innovative solutions can be implemented. One example is a solar PV canopy that can be built next to the school. This could be used as an outdoor classroom where children can learn and play in all weathers – providing both shelter from the rain and shade from the sun.
In addition to the benefits mentioned above, there are specific benefits to education buildings of installing solar PV. Because these buildings usually operate during daylight hours, with solar PV they can generate and consume their solar energy during peak usage times, when energy demand is at its highest. Under some schemes promoted by energy providers, any excess energy generated when the buildings are not operational – for example at weekends and during holidays – can be sold back to the grid, generating additional income.
For schools, solar PV also offers a unique educational opportunity to teach students about the benefits of renewable energy and sustainability. Having a working example of renewable technology on site can give students more direct engagement with these subjects.
How is SQ4S helping education buildings meet net zero targets?
SQ4S is helping education buildings cut their carbon emissions and hit their net zero targets with our range of solar PV solutions. Here are some of the recent projects we have delivered:
Pear Tree High School – Solar PV on a green roof
We installed a Bauder bio roof mounting system at Pear Tree High School in Stockport, as part of a project with A&B Engineering and the Department for Education.
The new, purpose-built special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) school offers state-of-the-art facilities for 133 students aged 11-19. Its various energy efficiency measures mean it will achieve Net Zero Carbon in Operation (NZCIO) status.
The Bauder Biosolar system is an integrated solution for mounting solar PV on a green roof, allowing the roof to be vegetated as well as creating renewable energy. Pear Tree High School has a fairly congested roof, meaning our design team had to develop a flexible system set-up to maximise efficiency.
When the seeds germinate, the bio-roof will not only help the school reduce its overall energy usage, but will also increase biodiversity and extend the roof life.
Deer Park Primary School – Solar PV for a school and a supermarket
We were approached by Lidl GB to design two independent solar PV arrays to be placed on the flat roof of Deer Park Primary School, which was to be constructed on top of their new store being built in Twickenham. One system was to supply the school and the other the store.
The system had to be designed to meet annual generation targets, and not be visible from street level to meet planning conditions. The arrays needed to be installed around another rooftop plant, and avoid the ballasted edge protection system. Both were to have display screens to show how much the system was generating.
We installed and commissioned a 34kWp array for the store and a 24kWp system for the school. Due to other obstacles on the roof, the cabling and associated containment needed to be carefully planned and installed. We even had to make some last-minute alterations to the design to overcome unexpected obstacles on the roof that were not shown on the plans.
You can read our case study for this installation here.
Lancaster University – a solar PV retrofit
We don’t just install solar PV on new educational buildings – we can also retrofit existing structures.
Lancaster University wanted to install solar PV on a new building, but the nature of the construction meant it had to be installed on a neighbouring building. What’s more, the installation needed to span the three available roofs, covering an area of about 250m2, and it needed to work around existing roof equipment. We designed, supplied and installed a ready-to-use 49kWp solar PV system using a particular ballasted mounting technology to make the most of the limited space and produce the maximum amount of energy for the University’s budget.
You can read our case study for this installation here.
Choose SQ4S for your education building solar PV
At SQ4S we manage commercial solar PV from design through to commissioning, maintenance and energy generation, ensuring our clients get the best service at every stage of the process. Our award-winning team has more than 15 years’ experience designing and installing solar PV systems around the UK. We have partnerships with market leading solar PV manufacturers, and we are an approved installer for the BauderSOLAR range of solar PV roof mounting systems.
So, if you are working on an education new build and need a trusted installer for your solar PV, or if you want to retrofit your education building with solar PV, get in touch. Our expert team can help you realise your renewable energy ambitions and meet your net zero goal.
