"Complete Solar Roof" Offers Power and Heat

Complete Solar Roof

When The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) picked ten of the best green energy projects that began generating electricity in 2005, Solarcentury 's innovative Low Carbon Building Products (LCBP) received important recognition. solarcentury 's work on the CIS 'solar tower', a cladding solution using over 7000 solar panels for their headquarters in Manchester, and The Eden Projects Energy Roof, which blends with the intricate architectural 'Fibonacci' design of the building, received praise for innovation and inspiration by the Minister for Energy, Malcolm Wicks.

At Interbuild 2006, Solarcentury will be launching the latest addition to their LCBP range -- the world's first Complete Solar Roof. Already installed with St James Homes, the Complete Solar Roof replaces conventional roofing products with a unique combination of solar electric (C21e) and solar thermal (C21t) integrated tiles to generate combined solar heat and power from daylight alone. Together, the two technologies create a fully integrated solar roof, and because they sit flush with the buildings roof structure, planning permission is not required.

With the construction industry responsible for 50% of global CO2 emissions, Solarcentury, the UK's leading solar energy solutions company recognised the challenge of meeting the Government's 2010 carbon reduction target by launching a unique range of Low Carbon Building Products, which take building integrated solar energy to a new level of functionality. LCBP helps the entire construction industry -- including architects, surveyors, builders and contractors -- re-evaluate the effectiveness of traditional materials and deliver low carbon buildings.

These revolutionary building products generate electricity or hot water from daylight, in addition to providing a long-lasting weatherproof surface, by incorporating solar photovoltaic (PV) or solar thermal technologies into innovative building materials. Low Carbon Building Products supersede conventional building materials -- such as cladding, glazing, louvres and conventional roof tiles -- by generating clean, renewable energy on site and reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the built environment. Eden and CIS demonstrate two applications of LCBP to generate clean, renewable, on-site energy using silent and unobtrusive technology, without affecting aesthetics.

The projects were chosen by the DTI because they were exciting, innovative and have helped to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and raise awareness of renewable energy, while contributing to the Government's 2010 carbon reduction target.

Commenting on the projects, Minister for Energy, Malcolm Wicks said: "The projects highlighted have certainly made their contribution to reducing carbon emissions and increasing the megawatt capacity that comes from green sources, while helping people understand what renewable energy is and where it comes from. I look forward to building on this success in 2006.

"We are aiming for 10% of the UK's electricity to be supplied from renewable energy by 2010 and it is essential that we make considerable year on year progress if we want to hit that target."