Spirita goes Solar

7 March 2008

Six Spirita housing schemes will benefit from Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Energy as part of a sustainability project introduced by the organisation, designed to reduce both carbon emissions and residents' energy costs.

Spirita, one of the leading providers of housing and associated care and support services in the Midlands, has contracted Solar Technologies Ltd to install Solar PV panels in schemes in Basford, Grantham, Wollaton Vale, St Ann's and Hyson Green. The panels will provide all the energy for the communal areas in each scheme which, it is hoped, will lead to a reduction in service charges for residents in the future.

This is the first time the housing provider has chosen to refit properties with solar energy, illustrating the organisation's determination to reduce its carbon footprint and encourage the use of sustainable resources.

Light sensitive Solar PV panels will be retrofitted to the properties to provide the energy used in communal areas, which is currently paid for via the residents' service charge. By using solar energy (which is generated at no charge) and monitoring the difference in the electricity bills, Spirita will be able to calculate a reduction in the service charges for each resident.

As the amount of energy generated by this technology will be in excess of the amount required to power the schemes, the excess will be used to provide power for the national grid, thereby utilising greener energy even further.

Spirita is investing £200,000 on the installation of the Solar PV panels and have successfully secured £150,000.00 of additional Grant funding from BERR under the Low Carbon Buildings Programme Phase 2 in connection with British Gas & Solar Technologies. The project is due to be completed in May 2008.

Project Manager, Steve Cooke, said that it was an exciting concept as organisations strive to find ways to cut carbon emissions and promote sustainable resources. "Having identified the funding necessary we decided to use these six schemes as a pilot, enabling us to evaluate the overall efficiency of the system.

“If it is as successful as we envisage then I'm sure we will be utilising this technology more in the future. It offers benefits to the environment, to our residents and to the organisation itself as we continue to reduce our carbon footprint. We are keen to introduce 'green' technologies wherever we can and our new-build schemes are renowned for their energy saving features. However, this is the first time we have decided to do something on this scale as a retro-fit.”

Acting Managing Director, Steve Richards, added: "Alternative energy sources are, without doubt, one of the most important commodities for the future. We all have a responsibility to do everything we can to reduce energy consumption and actively reduce carbon emissions. This project highlights the emphasis that we are placing on this agenda.

Our residents can be assured that the work, which is due to be completed this year, will be undertaken with the minimum of fuss and disruption, and that they will reap the benefits in the years to come.