a more traditional- DESIGN AND SITING OF SOLAR PANELS · 2020-02-29 · 4 SELECT THE SIMPLEST...
Transcript of a more traditional- DESIGN AND SITING OF SOLAR PANELS · 2020-02-29 · 4 SELECT THE SIMPLEST...
• Theneateroptionistoremovepartoftheexistingroofcoveringandlaythepanelsflush.Thisiscertainlyworthconsideringiftheroofdoesnotretainitsorginalslatesortilesandisinneedofrepairorrenewal.Butthismaynotbeappropriatewithlistedbuildings.
4 SELECT THE SIMPLEST CONFIGURATION OF PANELS
Photo-voltaicsrequirearelativelyhighnumberofpanels,oftenequivalentinareatoanentiresmallroof.• Ifasubsidiaryroofis
available,itisbesttocoverthewholeroofareawithpanels.Thiswilllooksimplerandneaterthancoveringhalfthemainroof.
• Ifthereisonlyoneroofavailable,thebestarrangementisthesimplestone–eitherahorizontallineofpanelsateaveslevelor,alternatively,immediatelybelowtheridge.Itlooksbetterstillifthepanelsstretchthefull
widthoftheroof,fromvergetovergeplacingthemasclosetotheedgeaspracticable.Thisisamoretraditional-lookingarrangementthanplacingthepanelsinasquareinthecentreoftheroof(orworse,offtooneside).
• Iftheroofisnotparticularlylargeandtheproposedpvpanelscovermostoftheroofarea,itisbesttoleaveacomplete,horizontalstripofroofingvisibleattheeaves,orattheridge.
• Arrangingpanelsinlandscaperatherthanportraitformatreflectsthehorizontalproportionsoftraditionalbuildings.
Solar thermal needfewerpanelsfortheaveragedomesticinstallation.
• Ifpossiblespecifyapanelwiththesamemodulesizeandfinishasapvpanelorrooflightsothattheycanallbecombinedinasimplelineararrangement.
CONTACTUS
TheBuiltEnvironmentSectionoftheCulturalHeritageTeam,
PeakDistrictNationalParkAuthority,AldernHouse,BaslowRoad,BakewellDE451AE
Telephone01629816200
2 CHOOSE THE LEAST OBTRUSIVE TYPE OF PANEL (the points in bold are critical)
• The plainer, darker and more neutral the panel, the better.Inparticularavoidpvpanelswithobviousstarpatterns.Alsochooseapanelwithablackbackground.
• Ask for panels with black framing.Avoidthosewithbrightaluminiumedging.Theseemphasisethepanel’slargemodulecomparedtoroofingslatesortilesmakingthemallthemoreincongruous.
• Highreflectivityofthepanelsurfaceisaproblem:thelessshinythebetter.
• Somepvpanelsarethesizeofmoderntilesortraditionalslates.Generallythesearemoresuitableforpropertiesbeingre-roofed.Theyblendinwellandaretheleastobtrusiveformofpvpanel.
• Forsolarthermal,selectaflatpanelratherthantheevacuatedtubedesign.Theformerissimplerandlessuglyinappearance.
3 DECIDE IF REROOFING IS REQUIRED
• Mostpeoplewithasoundroofwillpreferplacingpanelsontopofexistingslatesortiles.Thisisthecheaperoptionbutalsothemostobtrusiveasthepanelssitwellabovetheroofsurface.Therearealsotheissuesofextraloadinganddamagetoroofcoveringsreferredtoearlier.
Solar slates
Retro-fitted option Flush-fitted option
Panels over an entire lean-to
Panels below ridge
Panels at eaves
Solar thermal panels (flat panel type)
manufactured by Velux
Conserving your Historic Building
DESIGNANDSITINGOFSOLARPANELS
www.peakdistrict.gov.uk
MINIMISINGTHEIMPACTOFSOLARPANELS
The best way of minimising the visual impact of solar thermal and pv installations is by considering the following 4 factors:
1 CHOOSE THE LEAST OBTRUSIVE LOCATION
Theseareindescendingorderofacceptability:
A Groundmountedpanels,avoidingtheroofentirelyisthebestsolution.Useanareaofthegardenleastharmfultothesettingofthebuilding.Althoughthisinvolvesmorecabling,itavoidstheproblemsofadditionalroofloadanddisturbingordrillingthroughroofcoveringstofixthepanelsintoposition.Whenpanelsaresubsequentlyremoved,makinggoodthesefixingholesisaconsiderableproblem.Aground-mountedarrayalsoallowseasiermaintenanceandrenewalofthepanels.Whenagroundlocationisimpossibleandpanelshavetogoonaroof,simplicityofarrangementisthekey.Itiseasytospoilabuildingbyaddingroofpanelsinaninsensitiveway,ignoringitscharacterandappearanceandthebalancednatureofitselevationalfeatures.Itneedsonlyafewsuchroofsinprominentlocationsandthecharacterofawholevillageisharmed.Ifthebuildingislisted,additionalrestrictionsapply(seebelow).
B Ifthebuildinghasadoubleroofwithacentral valleygutter,useoneofthehidden,innerslopes.
C Iftheroofisbehindaparapet,thiswillalsoenablepanelstobehidden.
D Wherenoneoftheaboveispossible,chooseadetachedmodernoutbuildingorgarage.
E Ifthisisnotpossible,sitethepanelsontheroofofanattachedconservatoryormodernextension.Thisleavesthemainpartofthepropertyunaltered-particularlyimportantwhenthemainroofisopentoview.
F Ifthepropertyhasaflatroofedelement,locatepanelsthereonaangledframe.
Solar thermal and photovoltaic (pv) panels are an increasingly popular source of renewable energy and play an important role in reducing carbon emissions. The National Park Authority welcomes their use in locations where the conservation of the National Park is not compromised. This advice looks to minimise that conflict by suggesting ways to reduce the impact of solar panels on our historic buildings and settlements.
OTHERMEASURESTOCONSIDERFIRST
Beforeconsideringrenewables,itissimplerandmorecosteffectivetofirstreducetheneedforenergybyusingitmoreeffectivelyandbydraught-proofing,addinginsulationandupgradingtheefficiencyofboilersandotherequipment.WithoutsuchmeasuresyourpropertymaynotachievetheminimumEnergyPerformanceCertificateratingneededtoobtainthebestpossiblefeed-intarifffortheelectricitygenerated. Checktoowiththeplannerswhetherplanningpermissionisrequired.Ifyourbuildingislisted,youwillneedlistedbuildingconsenttofixpanelstoeitherthemainbuildingoranypre-1948outbuildingwithinthecurtilage.Youwillalsorequireplanningpermissiontoputground-mountedpanelswithinthegarden.
FURTHERADVICE
Consult your mortgage and insurance providers in case their terms and conditions are affected by the installation of panels. Always check that an installer is a member of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). See the website: www.microgenerationcertification.org for more information.
Panels on roof of a modern garage
Panels forming an open canopied area alongside a modern building
Panels on roof of a modern extension
Flat roof option
Ground mounted panels
G Dependingontheproperty’sorientation,itmaybepossibletositepanelsontheroofofarearorsideelevation.Thoughinthecaseofalistedbuilding,thiscouldbeproblematic.
H Itisalsopossibletofixthem(againonanangledframe)toagablewallwhichisnottooprominentinthestreetscene.Again,possiblyproblematicwithalistedbuilding.
I Onlyasalastresort,considerfixingthemonthefrontroofslope.Thisoptionhoweverwillcertainlyberesistedinthecaseofalistedbuildingwheretheeffectonthebuilding’scharacterandappearanceislikelytobetoodamagingtobeacceptable.
In all cases, ensure that the panels are not over-shadowed as this vastly reduces the performance of PVs particularly.
Rear and side elevations
Gable-mounted
Within the roof valley