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Local renewable energy company, Soleau, has recently designed and manufactured solar thermal systems in the Guernsey Housing Association’s (GHA) properties in its Brock Road development.
The development, located on the site of the old Boys Grammar School, has a total of 40 social housing properties which are one, two and three bedroom houses as well as flats and bungalows all built to full eco specifications.
Soleau, co-owned by CDS, is directed by Peter Le Feuvre who together with his colleague Philip Tostevin has over 60 years’ experience within the design engineering business.
Despite the island’s relatively slow uptake in the installation of renewable energy systems it is now standard practice for GHA to incorporate solar thermal systems in all its new homes.
“All our new properties have sustainable specifications which include high levels of insulation, air tight structure with mechanical ventilation and heat recovery, triple glazing and solar heating,” said Phil Roussel, Development Manager of GHA.
“Other than the benefits this has to the environment, there is also a substantial saving on heating and lighting running costs which can only be a good thing for our tenants.
“We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Peter and his team and it is good to support a local business. We try to keep our construction local and it is particularly satisfying that in this case it is not only the installation that is local but the design and manufacture of the solar system is also on island,” said Mr Roussel.
The material used on the solar thermal roof panelling is perfectly suited to Guernsey’s salty atmosphere and is much less likely to corrode. One of the GHA’s properties is already experiencing quarterly energy bills that are approximately half that which could be expected from a similar houses of a standard construction.
Soleau’s design team began working on a normal domestic central heating and hot water system to see how this could be improved. The company’s goals were to make it more efficient, safer and cheaper to run for Channel Islanders unable to tap into lower priced energy supplies such as North Sea gas.
Mr Le Feuve said: “We began with developing a bespoke solar thermal system that is able to supply between half and two thirds of a property’s hot water used over the year free of charge. Guernsey’s climate is ideal for this system.
“We then looked at the heat producer for cloudy overcast days. The local climate is ideal for heat pumps. They were chosen because they produce all the heat required for central heating and hot water with running costs less than half that of oil, gas and electric.
“Hot water cylinders were the final part of the project. We engineered these using copper rather than stainless steel for corrosion and health reasons, to run with the solar thermal and heat pump systems.”
Soleau has also been getting more enquiries from people with swimming pools.
“A heat pump can heat a swimming pool in summer and the house in winter for less than half the price of oil,” said Mr Feuvre.
Last year the company manufactured over 120 panels for local domestic houses and swimming pools.
