Prior Weston Primary School Case Study
- Product:
- Kensington Dual-Pitch Solar Canopy
Case Study
Prior Weston Primary School, London
Product: Kensington Dual-pitch Free Standing Canopy with the Ascot Solar Upgrade
Frame Colour: Slate Grey – RAL 7015
Size: 34m x 4.5m
Estimated Value: £65,000
The Brief
Prior Weston Primary, located in the City of London, required a large south facing free standing canopy that would create solar energy for their school whilst also protecting their pupils from the elements.
David Everett, the school’s Business Manager contacted Able Canopies for a free site survey and quotation as he had seen a Shade Sail array that we had installed at Richard Cloudesley Special School which is situated on the same site as Prior Weston Primary School.
The Solution
After viewing the site and discussing the schools’ requirements we recommended a Kensington Dual-Pitch free standing canopy with the Ascot Solar upgrade as this would provide both cover for the weather and a means to generate solar energy for the school.
The Kensington Dual-Pitch free standing canopy is a contemporary, free standing canopy that is constructed from steel with a choice of polycarbonate or glass roof panels. The school chose to have opal polycarbonate panels on one side of the canopy and the Ascot Solar upgrade on the other side of the canopy roof that would be most exposed to the sun. Click here to find out about our new range of Solar Canopies that are coming soon.
The Ascot Solar upgrade uses IPV (Integrated Photovoltaic) solar glazing panels which can be installed as a roof option on many of our canopies. They work like any other solar panel, generating electricity from the sun’s energy which can be used by the school, allowing them to save on their energy bills whilst also bringing in added revenue on any leftover energy that they do not use.
The school required planning permission for this installation due to the fact that the canopy would be within close proximity to the school’s boundary and because the school is situated close to the Barbican Centre in the heart of the City of London. As part of our service we offer free planning assistance and so once Prior Weston Primary placed the order with us we helped the school with their planning application to help make their experience with us as smooth and as supportive as possible.
The Installation
Planning permission was granted for the canopy, however due to the school’s location, the council issued specific restrictions to ensure there was minimal disturbance to residents of the area. To avoid causing aggravation to the local residents due to excessive noise we arranged for all canopy components to be delivered at times that were appropriate and we also arranged for smaller vehicles to deliver the components as the local roads had weight restrictions.
The installation commenced during the last week of July 2013 and was completed the first week in August 2013. Large foundations were needed for the canopy’s steel framework, and whilst excavating the holes for the foundations, it was established that the ground had previously been reinforced with steel rods making it difficult to excavate the foundations needed. The installation team resolved this issue by arranging for extra equipment to be delivered to site including a hydraulic pecker that they attached to the excavator to allow the foundations to be completed.
Once the framework had secured into place the polycarbonate and glass IPV roofing panels were fitted, but due to the issue with the reinforced ground, the installation of the electrical components for the IPV panels was delayed; however, with efficient re-scheduling and liaison with the school and our subcontractors the canopy and all electrical components continued to be installed on schedule.
The total installation time for the project was 10 working days as planned and all requirements requested by the council and the school were adhered to, leaving the school with a finished product that they could enjoy and benefit from for many years to come.
