UK designer and installer of solar car parks 3ti is installing the first large-scale project in Europe to be constructed from sustainable Glulam timber beams and Glass-Glass solar panels.
Opening to the public in April, the new SCP at Wiltshire Council’s Five Rivers Health & Wellbeing Centre is made from renewable, recyclable wood laminations bonded together to offer a natural alternative to steel or concrete.
The engineered timber affords significant advantages over structural steel as it is three times stronger and a third lighter, and uses only a tenth of the energy it would take to produce an equivalent steel beam.
The material has minimal environmental impact from its production, is highly repairable, and is an excellent biofuel at the end of its life, further minimising waste.
The solar installation at Five Rivers comprises three gullwing solar canopies covering 70 car park spaces, with a combined total capacity of c.220 kWp.
The leisure centre will use 100% of the solar generation on-site, which will contribute approximately 10% of overall electricity demand at the site, saving around £50,000 a year on electricity bills.
Philip McMullan, Senior Technical Lead on Major Energy Projectsat Wiltshire Council, said: “The new solar installations at Five Rivers will help reduce our carbon footprint and support the local community with the transition to zero emission motoring by strengthening the county’s EV charging infrastructure.”
Tim Evans, Founder & CEO at 3ti, added: “Better EV charging infrastructure at destinations with long dwell times – offices, hospitals and leisure facilities like Five Rivers – will encourage greater EV adoption rates; it’s refreshing to see Wiltshire Council adopting such a forward-thinking approach, and we are honoured to play a part in their sustainability vision.
“We are constantly evolving our SCP products and are proud to feature these innovative new designs, construction materials and techniques at Five Rivers. Introducing these features means we can offer better durability and versatility than conventional materials and significantly reduce carbon emissions generated across the entire product lifecycle.“
Image of solar car park from 3ti
