26 news feature SOLAR PV
Wales-based developer has taken the bold but commercially successful decision to build homes with integrated solar panels as standard. For Beech Developments the long-term
N Wales homes reap solar-powered savings F
or years housebuilders have debated the commercial benefits of
installing Photovoltaic Solar Panels. Now, a north
Developments acquired land at Gwel Y Mynydd, which is located on the edge of Llandudno Junction, in North Wales. The development of 66 timber-framed houses
benefits of sustainable living to their customers are of paramount importance. Established in 1995 in Conwy County, north Wales, Beech Developments has made a decision to focus on building sustainable homes, which reduce energy consumption and long-term running costs while reducing their new homes’ environ- mental impact. Employing their own in-house technical and
design team gives the company direct control over the design, specification and renewable technologies used in its developments. Over the years the company has trialled a
number of different technologies ranging from MVHR to solar thermal hot water systems, and more recently integrated photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. Following undergoing these trials, the Beech
Developments team has decided that the benefits of the integrated PVs far outweigh those of the other technologies. These benefits include: • installation • cost • on-going maintenance • long-term benefits for customers with reduced electricity bills and guaranteed Feed in Tariff (FIT) payments.
With Beech Developments also looking for a product that would visually complement the aesthetics of homes, this was another reason for deciding integrated PV was the way to go.
Gwel Y Mynydd installation
The chance to integrate these solar panels into a new home development came when Beech
would incorporate property types ranging from two bedroom cottage apartments to four bed- room detached homes, all with sustainable features including integrated Photovoltaic Solar Panels. By integrating the panels Beech Developments saved the need for tiling 690 m2 of roof area. In tile production alone this has
saved the production of 7.6 tonnes of CO2; equivalent to a train doing three laps around the planet. The production of solar panels does of
course produce CO2 but this is paid off by their generation within two years followed up by many
more years of CO2-free electricity generation.
Procurement and installation At Gwel Y Mynydd, Beech Developments had investigated the integrated PVs as an alternative to solar thermal hot water systems, which they had used on previous developments. The com- pany was looking for a product which would be simpler to install with less long-term mainte- nance costs for their customers. The thermal hot water systems used in other developments
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