Irwell Valley Housing Association

“They worked hard to finish each façade in the time given and the result is very impressive”.   ISG, Main Contractor

The Project

Award winning housing association, Irwell Valley, provides homes and services to over 20,000 people around Greater Manchester. In a scheduled refurbishment of three tower apartment blocks in Stockport, Irwell Valley was keen to introduce a vertical solar PV faҫade onto the front of each building to generate electricity and light for communal areas.

“TGE Group had two weeks to complete the project, working alongside our own teams who were rendering the front of the buildings. This meant tight deadlines as we were both using the mast climber systems. They worked hard to finish each faҫade in the time given and the result is very impressive,” commented main contractor, ISG.

The Solution

TGE Group designed a 1.92kWp flat wall, solar PV façade for each tower. Each vertical façade was designed to be aesthetically pleasing, with 16 black, GB Sol panels mounted on a bespoke, black aluminium frame, all requiring a full structural design along with fixing designs and pull out tests. Each vertical array was installed 13 stories high using mast climbers.

“We were pleased with the overall design which looks clean, modern and added to the overall impact of the front of the buildings. In addition to providing a distinct, up to date look, most importantly they are generating free electricity for use in the building, and reducing carbon emissions,” said project director David Young.

Energy Savings

The installation will generate 3,438 kWh a year with a saving of 1.8 tonnes of carbon each year.