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Solar Energy Services
News Release from: Solarcentury | Subject: Photovoltaic system
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 12 November 2007
Largest Housing Association photovoltaic
system
Solarcentury and Octavia Housing and Care have launched the largest single PV system of any Housing Association in the UK at the Octavia headquarters.
The installation for pioneering social housing organisation Octavia Housing and Care reinforces the group's ongoing commitment to environmental improvement, with the generation of clean onsite electricity set to dramatically cut the organisation's CO2 emissions by almost 20 tonnes each year Minister for Energy, Malcolm Wicks said: "Everyone must do their bit to fight climate change by conserving energy and reducing carbon emissions"
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 28 Feb 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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"It is not just down to Governments or big institutions to solve the problem".
"We provided almost GBP125K in funding from the Major PV Demonstration Programme to support this project as it is exactly the kind of local level scheme that we need more of".
Octavia continues in the spirit of its founder Octavia Hill, co-founder of the National Trust, a Victorian social reformer who changed the face of social housing and campaigned for clean air in London.
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The organisation's headquarters is at the forefront of sustainable design, with features including a combined heat and power unit, energy monitoring, automatic lighting and climate control systems with brise soleil to reduce solar gain.
The environment remains at the heart of Octavia's vision over 100 years on from the 'Smoke Abatement Exhibition' in 1881, which demonstrated new smokeless technologies for home and industry with the slogan 'Economy combined with smoke prevention'.
The exhibition was part of a wider concerted campaign by Octavia Hill for clean air which eventually laid the foundations for the 1956 Clean Air Act.
The Association with the help of Solarcentury, is leading the way in micro-generation, having invested in the latest clean technology, Octavia is once again playing its part in improving air quality and reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
The 40.32 kWp PV array is expected to produce 33 megawatt hours of clean electricity each year, over this time saving approximately 15 tonnes of coal from being burnt and 19 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere.
192 modules cover 240 m2 of the flat roof, with each module saving the carbon emissions from 77kg of coal being burnt each year.
With the built environment accounting for over 40% of carbon emissions, and electricity use the single largest contributor of these emissions, PV is becoming an increasingly popular way to meet carbon dioxide reduction targets and provide clean electricity to buildings in the private, public and charitable sectors.
Grahame Hindes, Chief Executive of Octavia said: "We believe that housing is as much about people as it is buildings".
"We strive for excellent social care and with our own PV system we wanted to set an example of positive environmental practice, a vital element of such care".
"We were looking for the most effective and low maintenance way to cut carbon emissions, with PV being pretty much "fit and forget" we went for it".
He adds: "PV technology is possibly the simplest and most viable way to harness the financial and environmental benefits of on-site renewable energy".
Jeremy Leggett, Chief Executive of Solarcentury added: "It's fantastic to see such a progressive housing association as Octavia lead the way with the deployment of photovoltaics".
"Many housing associations across the country are realising the environmental and long term cost benefits of this silent, low maintenance technology and we welcome every step of this kind towards a low carbon society".
He adds: "There has been no better time to turn to solar electricity generation, particularly for the public sector and charities as 50% of the cost is now covered by the government through the Low Carbon Buildings Programme.".
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