Bespoke Solar PV panels designed and manufactured by GB-Sol have won the Solar Power Portal ‘Best in Show’ Solar Design Award along with installer Evo Energy.
Voted for by the public, the new award was created to recognise excellence in the field of aesthetics and design.
The project was brought to GB-Sol’s attention by installer Evo Energy who had a client looking for a bespoke solar PV solution for their unique building project. The concept for the house was inspired by the spiral of an ammonite fossil. The complex curved timber roof provided quite a challenge for solar panel design and installation. As the site location was an area of outstanding natural beauty in Devon, the appearance of the solar PV panels had to be sympathetic to the surrounding area.
Considering this complex requirement, a bespoke solar PV solution that integrated seamlessly with the curved wooden roof panels was vital. Every one of the 33 panels produced was unique, produced specifically to fit a precise location on the roof. Instead of using standard glass and aluminium framed solar panels to follow the curve of the building and create a faceted look, the panels were slightly curved. This was achieved by using layers of polymers rather than rigid glass. Due to the unusual shape of the house, each solar panel was mounted at its own individual pitch and orientation.
To fix the curved panels to the building, a bespoke solar mounting system was devised. This had to work with the contours of the building as well as allow ventilation under the panels. To achieve this, the panels were attached to a lattice work of curved timber battens that were installed on top of the weathering membrane.
GB-Sol was honoured to be a part of this prestigious project that featured on the Channel 4 programme ‘Grand Designs’ and are thrilled to be joint winners of the ‘Best in Show’ Solar Design Award at the Solar Power Portal Awards.
If you have a project in need of a unique solar panel solution, then please get in touch.