SPP Awards spotlight: BIPV installer of the year

Awarded to the team responsible for the best building integrated PV installation in the UK, two iconic projects stood head and shoulders above the rest of the entries.

Both Blackfriars Bridge and King’s Cross Station stand as highly visible reminders of BIPV’s capability to not only seamlessly blend into the most challenging environments but also generate significant green energy.

Solarcentury for Blackfriars Bridge, London

Solarcentury installed 4,400 solar panels on the roof of the refurbished Blackfriars station.

Spanning the River Thames, the new station building is said to be the world’s largest solar bridge. The 1.1MW building-integrated PV system will generate 900,000kWh a year, providing 50% of the station’s energy requirements.

Dragging a 125-year-old bridge into the 21^st century presented numerous challenges for the construction team, including working high up, over water and surrounded with live train lines.

The project’s location and visibility makes it an important showcase for the potential of solar in urban areas, and an important benchmark for Network Rail as it looks to cut carbon emissions.

Sundog Energy for King’s Cross Station, London 

Sundog Energy was responsible for the design, supply and electrical installation of the 240kWp solar PV glazing system forming part of the new glass roofing structure at the recently refurbished King’s Cross Station.

The installation was logistically complex and had to be precisely scheduled to synchronise with a massive rolling scaffold that slowly moved along the platforms and concourse whilst the station was in daily use.

The aesthetics of the system were also critical as the station is a grade I listed building – the solar PV cells had to be integrated into 1,392 glass laminate units that form part of the barrel vaulted glass roofing structures.

The £1.3 million project generated huge public interest due to its technical complexity and the fact that the work was undertaken while the station was fully operational and is a testament to the adaptability of solar PV.