Solarcentury innovation for sustainable homes

Edited by the Buildingtalk editorial team Jul 30, 2008

Solarcentury continues solar innovation for sustainable home with C21e Slate and new energy display system to be exhibited at at Interbuild

One new addition to the award winning family of solar roofing materials is the C21e Slate which makes sustainable building even easier and better looking.

The C21e Slate will be on show, delivering the same high power output as the award winning tile format, it has a sleek aluminium frame to fit with a range of natural, fibre cement and reconstituted roof slates.

The slate product follows demand for a solar roofing material compatible with slate roofs not only in the UK but across Europe, and is already in use on more than a dozen roofs in the UK helping house builders meet planning requirements and The Code for Sustainable Homes.

Since its launch in 2005, C21 solar electric and solar thermal roof tiles have been installed on over a thousand roofs by house builders such as Barratt, Fairview, St James and Croudace.

Feedback from initial C21e Slate installation has been positive.

Slate installer Clive Evans of Crest roofing, said on the completion of his first install: "Initially we had no idea what to expect".

"We'd installed C21 before, but not the slate version".

"We weren't worried or daunted at all as we had confidence in the product, and sure enough once shown it looked great".

"We slated right to left in one morning, just as you would any regular slating product".

"We only needed to be shown how to do it once, and now the boys are waiting to go on the next roofs".

"It's a good little product you've got there." Simon Gerrard, residential sales manager, Solarcentury says: "An increasing number of developers are choosing photovoltaics as part of the solution to help them meet The Code for Sustainable Homes at level three and beyond".

"This is because photovoltaics are easy to specify in SAP, easy to install, have a proven performance in the UK and are comparable in price to other renewable options." Solarcentury will also show 'Orbit', the new solar energy display system for homes with C21 roof tiles.

The only consumer friendly display on the market to show both energy consumption and production in a clear graphical format, Orbit is available for both C21 solar electric and C21 solar thermal roofs.

The simple wall mounted wireless device follows consumer demand for a clear graphical display to encourage energy saving at the same time as demonstrating home energy generation, and is an innovative addition to the Solarcentury product family.

Dan Davies, Chief Technology Officer, Solarcentury says: "The Orbit display has been designed to help people see at a glance how their solar system is performing and how their house is using energy".

"Early users have said that this provides a useful check on the solar power systems as well as a visual check on whether or not the iron has been left on!." Solarcentury will be exhibiting at Interbuild this year in Hall 5, stand D55/E50.