If there ever were a work-location that you would never want to give up, this would be it!

Our Client installation is located just 30m. from the seafront, stands tall at a height of 50m. from the sea-level, and provides a 270 degree panoramic view of the Arabian sea with the city skyline at the forefront.

When we contacted the Client, they were looking to incorporate Renewable Energy into their Energy-mix and had begun their journey to shortlisting vendors whom they could partner with. Initial discussions had revolved around utilizing the flat-terrace areas for installation of a Solar PV Plant. However, when the BigSwitch India team visited the site for a recce, a different idea began to emerge. We suggested that a part of the sloping roof that housed their auditorium, be used for locating some of the Solar Panels, thus providing a bigger open-terrace area, than earlier envisaged. Further-on, our data analysis of their Energy consumption revealed to the Client, several new opportunities that had otherwise not been pointed out by competing vendors. All in all, a holistic approach was considered, not just from a design perspective, but also from an Energy consumption standpoint since the Client was already on a Time of Day (ToD) metering arrangement. After several rounds of discussions, presentations and mock-ups, we were awarded the contract to the project, that would eventually become one of the finest assignments we have undertaken !

The Auditorium roof originally comprised of asbestos-cement sheets that were installed using standard ‘J-bolts’ punctured through the substrate and affixed onto the underlying purlins with hexagonal nuts that had corroded through the years. The roof was leaking in several places, and the Client was adopting traditional practices of coating the surface with asphalt mix (“daambar” in local parlance) each year, prior to the onset of the monsoons. However this was not a fool-proof method and the leaks kept recurring each year, leading to significant damage to the auditorium below. This also had the potential of damaging very high-end electronic AV equipment, which the Client was always wary of. The team at BigSwitch India pointed out to the Client that traditional repairs to the asbestos roof would be very difficult to undertake after a frame that would house the Solar panels was affixed atop the asbestos, and hence suggested roof-replacement prior to undertaking the project. Eventually, the project turned into a ‘Turn-key’ assignment, wherein BigSwitch India were tasked to undertake the entire work of replacing the roof alongside installation of the Solar PV Plant.

The team at BigSwitch India approached the task on hand by starting to undertake a study of the scientific nature of challenges being faced by the Client. Leakage issues had occurred because of the capillary action of water due to holes punctured into the sheets for affixing them. The vast fluctuations in temperature through the seasons during the year led to constant expansion and contraction of substrate. Furthermore, the junction point of 2 dissimilar metals (ie. the point where the bolt meets the sheet/purlin/washers) led to corrosion over time. Considering the incidence of high-velocity winds at the location, the solution not only had to be robust, but also able to withstand constant upward and downward drafts that would lead to weakening of the substrate. In addition, the proximity to the sea required the solution to withstand very high salinity levels of the surrounding air, which leads to a higher corrosion potential. Above all else, the entire structure would have to be robust to support the weight of the Solar Plant, which would be the cherry-topping.

Several design and material-iterations later, the team at BigSwitch India zeroed upon a unique solution that would attempt to reduce the above-mentioned challenges to a great extent. A screw-less, non-penetrative solution was chosen, to ensure zero-failure due to capillary action of water that seeps in due to holes in the substrate. A PPGL metal-roof, with adequate thickness that could support the weight of a Solar Plant was shortlisted. In addition, the roof chosen, would be coated on both sides to prevent corrosion in the highly-saline environment. To reduce number of failure points, the roof sheet-length was customised (40-ft.) and manufactured to fit the entire length of available space on each side of the slope, as against standard 8-ft./10-ft. sheets that are available in the Industry.  The roof has been fitted with under-clamps in a sandwich pattern, and the Solar panels too sit atop this metal-roof on aluminium-rails attached to claw-clamps that ensure there is no puncture onto the metal substrate at any place. For additional benefit, the installation is noise-damped and insulated with a vapour-locking material from a world-leading vendor who chose to partner with us on this iconic project. The entire installation is tested for 150KMPH wind-speeds.

Since 2017, the Solar Plant along with the customized roof continue to provide exemplary benefits to the Client, with the dual advantages of Green Energy generation, as well as providing adequate protection to the structure below, which has hosted Mumbai TEDx Conferences. It has weathered inclement climatic conditions including 2 very violent tropical storms, the likes of which Mumbai has never witnessed in her recorded history. It is  a showcase of the Engineering Design and Installation Capabilities of BigSwitch India and is lauded by Clients, vendor partners and suppliers, whose untiring efforts and teamwork led to overcoming adversities and in building a fine Project that shines like a Jewel across the Arabian Sea.