SIG Building Solutions has entered the solar car parking structure market with a range of designs developed to help private and public sector organisations with large parking facilities to capitalise on the opportunities the structures provide for generating solar energy and reducing their carbon footprint. Designed and manufactured in the UK from UK held steel stock, SIG Building Solutions’ structures can be developed, manufactured and delivered in a matter of months, depending on planning approvals. SIG works in conjunction with the solar system provider to provide the structure element. With a number of solar car parking structure projects already in the pipeline for SIG Building Solutions, including large commercial and industrial schemes, the business is well positioned to continue to meet the growing demand. Guy Chilvers, SIG’s Solar structural canopies business development manager, has spent ten years in the market, including five years specialising in car parking structure design with involvement in projects such as Bentley Motors, Crewe, and Falkirk Council’s EV Hub, which has 200 parking spaces and was officially opened in September 2020. He says, “With solar car parking structures, any organisation with a significant area of parking space, can generate power and save money. At the same time, the watertight canopies help to protect vehicles from the elements. Our structures are designed to have a fully watertight canopy, guttering and cable containment.” In 2017 SIG Building Solutions company Steadmans manufactured the steel framing for the Bentley Motors solar car parking structure in Crewe, which covers 1,200 car parking spaces and provides 25 per cent of the electricity demand for the factory. Darren Hall, Steadman’s commercial director, said, “Having supplied the steelwork for the Bentley project we are excited to have re-entered the market.” During 2022 SIG Building Solutions has developed a range of structure designs for the commercial market with the aim of providing an ‘off-the-shelf’ solution at a viable price. The investment has resulted in unique structural designs that require less steel, so reducing the cost, and can be installed efficiently to minimise disruption to car parking during installation. SIG offers a choice of canopies depending on clients’ requirements and on-site analysis. The options are based around three main designs: a double gull wing design ideal for east/west facing panels; a double mono version providing maximum area for south facing panels; and a single row structure specifically designed for EV charge points. To specify the most effective structure, SIG Building Solutions undertake a complete analysis of potential car parks, looking at location, shading, drainage and power requirements. The location of the canopies within the car park and orientation is vital to obtaining a good return on investment, says Guy Chilvers. Renders of the site are produced to support the quotation and these can be used for planning applications. “Hospitals, schools, leisure centres, airports, office complexes, factories, shopping centres and railway station car parks – really the scope for solar car parking structures is tremendous,” adds Guy Chilvers. SIG Building Solutions SIG Building Solutions group businesses produced over three million metres of profiled steel sheeting in 2021. Across its six sites the business sold over 800,000 metres of insulated panel. SIG Building Solutions is part of SIG plc, a leading supplier of specialist insulation and sustainable building products and solutions with an emphasis on expertise and service. SIG plc has 6,800 employees, 432 sites and 250,000 product lines. SIG plc is committed to supporting customers to make tangible steps towards a greener future. For more information, contact Guy Chilvers, SIG Building Solutions, on 07528 777513 Email: GuyChilvers@SIGbuildingsolutions.co.uk
