Solar system SGS | Constabulary
Representing the largest capital investment in the police authority’s history, the North Cumbria Police Headquarters became fully operational in April 2009. Officers and staff were relocated from their previous office in Carlisle city centre, which had been their temporary home since the Carlisle floods of 2005 badly damaged the former North Cumbria Police Headquarters.
The building comprises 4,000 square metres of office space over three floors and has had a number of features, aimed at minimising the long-term environmental impact of the development, such as rain water harvesting, natural ventilation and green roofs included. The building, which also utilises exposed thermal mass and locally sourced natural materials, has been awarded BREEAM Excellent rating. It was also awarded the North West Regional Construction Awards 2009, environmental Sustainability category; highly commended.
The ‘green roof’ is achieved by installation of an A.O. Smith SGS 60-ITE 750 solar system. The solar heat input collected by the 2×5 solar collectors (on-roof-frame construction) is transferred to the available hot water supplies via the ITE 750 which is controlled together with the collectors by the SGS 60. With the use of a single system controller the SGS 60 only fires its high efficiency condensing gas burner when hot water demand outstrips the available stored and solar heat input.