(03 minute read)
There is an old adage that is timeliness in its nature – ‘New is Silver, but Old is Gold’. Alignment of this value to the newer aspects of architecture is also about preservation of existing design whilst retrofitting with newer technologies, without compromising on any aesthetics of the old.
There are instances when we meet Clients who do not want to disturb any aspects of the old because of their emotional connect with the distant past. Here was a Client who was very keen to embrace Renewable Energy technology and reap its benefits by including Solar PV into their day-to-day lives. However, they wanted to do so, without disturbing any part of the terrace façade.
Their building is a classic 04-storeyed all-white structure with arched balconies across every room located on every floor. This design is also replicated onto the terrace slab, which serves as a major stress-busting area for its residents to relax and recreate with yoga and other exercises. Hence the Client did not want any part of the terrace to be touched. The building is located about 400m. from the Mumbai shoreline and in a wind-zone. BigSwitch India design team reached out to them to help address this specific requirement, with a solution that was a win-win for them all along – a Solar PV Plant on their building water tank!
However, this solution was not without its own share of challenges waiting to be overcome. The water tank is at the level of a 6th floor slab, and hence wind forces equivalent to semi-high rise apartments act at this near-shore location. More importantly, the water-tank is also required to be maintained every six months with regular cleaning by professional tank-service agencies with their equipment.
Our customized Solar PV Plant design considered all of the above challenges in its final proposal. The structure was mounted using zinc-coated galvanized-steel members that fit into the natural gap between the main and septic water tanks. Furthermore, the rows between the Solar panels were specifically designed considering that regular water-tank maintenance necessitated the opening of manhole covers. The overall Solar plant is kept at a low height to ensure wind-drafts are kept to a minimum. The entire structure is wind-tested for high velocity wind-speeds. The terrace slab remains untouched, as before. The result is a truly differentiated offering that is almost hidden from public view while it silently goes about generating Green Energy for the Client.
At BigSwitch India, the starting point of our choice of design and materials is always the Customer, who remains at the core of every robust solution that is built, keeping their specific requirement in mind. It is this very distinction that makes us stand-apart in the Renewable Energy industry, and our Clients who proudly showcase these jointly-built offerings to the world.