Environment Agency Red Kite House

Wallingford, Oxfordshire, UK

Background:
The Environment Agency recognise that sustainable construction can reduce our demand on natural resources, boost the local economy and provide a better environment for people to live and work.

Red Kite House is a new office for the Environment Agency in Wallingford, England. It is an example of sustainable development and demonstrates leadership in the design of improved working surroundings. The Environment Agency comissioned solarcentury to design a solar louvre brise-soleil canopy to provide shade to the interior. The new building serves as an example of best practice in sustainable office development and will help raise awareness of the potential for businesses, organisations and the public to make positive choices to protect and improve the environment.

Solar design:
The PV modules form a brise-soleil canopy on the concave south façade, the canopy formed by fixing the PV louvres to existing steel beams. PV louvres were created by fixing the modules and the aluminium cowling to bespoke telescopic spindles on ground, which were then lifted into position.

solarcentury identified Sharp 80W modules as the most appropriate photovoltaic (PV) technology for this application. This high efficiency modular technology was then fitted into specially designed metal frames to form louvres and in turn a PV brise-soleil. The solar arrays installed are made up of a total of 316 Sharp 80W PV modules designed and supplied by solarcentury.

Energy savings from the solar louvres, complemented by the energy efficient design of the building, will meet around 20% of the building’s annual demand forelectricity.

Unique features:
Red Kite House demonstrates the unique flexibility of solar technology as a power source, shading canopy and beautiful architecture. The solar louvres also reduces solar glare to the offices, which helps to keep the building cool during summer months by minimising excessive thermal gain. This application therefore minimises the buildings overall energy demand to further reduce overhead energy costs.

The PV brise-soleil canopy for the Environment Agency, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, is a project that is part funded by the Department of Trade and Industry.

Summary of electricity comparisons

• Generates total electricity for 7 average three-bed houses each year.
• Generates enough electricity each year to light an average three-bed house for over 33 years.
• Generates enough electricity to make727,500 pieces of toast/over 1 million cups of tea.

Summary of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) comparisons

• Saves over 8 tonnes of CO2 emissions, a major greenhouse gas, equivalent to 608,966 party balloons or 5 Olympic swimming pools.
• CO2 savings: account for 11 trees required to absorb CO2 over 100 years.
• To achieve the Kyoto Protocol, the UK is required to reduce CO2 emissions by 12.5% below 1990 levels by 2010. This installation offsets the contribution of 25 UK individuals to this target every year.