How we’re making Churchill Square Business Centre greener

At Capital Space, we are always looking for new ways to make our centres more sustainable, so we are delighted to share that we have received a £5,000 green grant from Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council which will be used to cover the cost of improvements to our solar panels at Churchill Square Business Centre.

Measuring our energy consumption

Our existing array of panels on top of Building 30 (B30) has been underperforming for some time: our data shows B30 panels generated 15,832 kwh of electricity in 2023 – equivalent to around 54% of the electricity used in this building. We drew the rest from the National Grid. Similar panels on Building 50 generated 23,598 kwh of electricity. When we originally installed the panels, it was estimated that the annual generation of electricity from B30 would be 26,822 kwh per year.

Unfortunately, although the 10-year-old panels on B30 are in good working order, their performance has been undermined by shading from surrounding trees, which are subject to a Tree Protection Order.

Our plans for new, more efficient solar panels

As there is not enough room on the roof to reposition the existing panels out of the shaded areas, we are going to remove the 120 panels, which are 250 watts each, and replace them with a higher wattage alternative panel. This means we don’t need as many panels and we will be able to generate more electricity. The new design will be made up of 48 x 500watt panels and will be sited away from the shaded areas of the roof to maximise their exposure to sunlight.

The estimated annual production of the proposed new system is 23,120 kwh of electricity per year. If we can use 54% PV-generated electricity within the building, then we will reduce our electricity consumption by 3,935 kwh per year.

A new home for the existing panels

As part of this project, we are planning to recycle the removed panels from B30 by relocating them to the roof of building D at Waterhouse Business Centre in Chelmsford. We estimate that these panels will produce 26,822 kwh of electricity per year.

We are pleased to have Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council’s support in reducing the impact of our business activities on the environment.

If you’re a small business owner looking for a workspace which is serious about environmental, social and governance (ESG) and sustainability, please get in touch.