Cladding provides solar-generated electricity
Rain screens that form part of the facade for the redevelopment of a school in Dorset incorporate Solar PV panels to generate up to 12.5 kW of electricity, amounting to about 6250 kWh a year. About 180 solar PV panels, each 1 m square, have been installed on an extension to block 5 of The Blandford School and supplied by Telling Architectural.
Project technologist Richard Veale explains, ‘The rain screen provides useful shelter from the elements on the most exposed elevation of the building and a visually stunning elevation. At the same time, the panels provide a useful contribution to the school’s energy requirements.’
The solar panels were supplied in metallic gold to meet the architect’s specification. The rain screen cladding is mounted on a lightweight aluminium support developed by Telling Architectural to accommodate the cabling and aesthetic requirements of the client.
