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| Mott MacDonald project manages Scotland’s largest scheme Scotland's largest solar power generating system was unveiled last month as hundreds of solar panels were officially activated on the roof of Glasgow Sheriff Court. The engineering company, Mott MacDonald, was appointed by the Scottish Court Service (SCS) to provide project management, mechanical and electrical performance design, cost planning, quantity surveying and technical advice and reviewing services for the project, which will significantly reduce the building's carbon footprint. With an active area of 700m² and an output of 97kWp in optimum conditions, the new Photovoltaic array installation constitutes Scotland's largest solar power generating system. The Sheriff's Court in Glasgow is considered to be the busiest civil and criminal court in Western Europe. With 27,000m² over five levels and 20courts, it is also the biggest court building in Scotland. The hundreds of 1.3m x 1m solar panels will cut the court's energy expenditure by an estimated £20,000 per year, resulting in over 40,000kg reduction of carbon dioxide emissions – the equivalent to the CO2 produced by electricity use in 30 UK homes. The elevated position of the array, which cost £500,000, on the court building's roof ensures the panels are rarely affected by shade from other buildings, optimising their efficiency. The output from the installation will be monitored through a meter in conjunction with a weather station installed on the roof, and the amount of electricity generated will be displayed via a page on the Glasgow Sheriff Court's website. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Construction News :: home page |