The close link between industrial construction and renewable energy
In this in-depth study, we will tell you about some of our achievements in the industrial field, focusing attention on the close link that exists between industrial buildings and photovoltaic systems built precisely on the roofs of production plants.
What the national regulatory framework provides
For new buildings: greenfield projects
The Legislative Decree 3 March 2011 n. 28 is the implementation of Directive 2009/28 / EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources, amending and subsequently repealing Directives 2001/77 / EC and 2003/30 / EC. It went into effect in March 2011, but became relevant for new industrial buildings as of January 1, 2017.
In the case of new buildings, the electrical power of the plants powered by renewable sources that must be installed on top of or inside the building or in the relative appurtenances, measured in kW, is calculated according to the formula P = S / K where S is the floor plan of the building measured in square meters, and K is a coefficient, which since 1 January 2017 is fixed and d = 50.
Taking a practical example, the amount of mandatory kWp to be installed on a new industrial building with a roof terrace of 2,000 square meters will therefore be determined by: P = 2,000 / 50. P = 40, i.e. 40 kWp
For old refurbished buildings: brownfield projects
The same Decree also governs major renovations, that is, those demolition and reconstruction interventions of the entire industrial building envelope, but also extraordinary maintenance, such as the specific case of the disposal of eternity on the roof.
Here, too, the same formula seen above P = S / K applies.
The advantage of entrusting the installation to professionals and industry experts
Given the regulatory context, it is clear that the installation of a new photovoltaic system on the industrial roof of a production plant must necessarily pass through structures and organizations that boast an integrated knowledge and experience at an industrial level.
Designing and building a photovoltaic system appears to be a simple profession, made up of a few operations, such as the installation of photovoltaic modules and electrical connections. The mistake that many make is to think that the plant is finished there; instead, the operations that determine a perfect installation are really different and much more complex.
First of all, the design must be one with a series of FACTORS, such as:
- Assessing the static nature of the roof at a structural level, not all roofs are suitable for hosting a photovoltaic system, it essentially depends on the type of structure and in what years it was built. In addition, the regulations in force also vary from region to region based on the incidence of snow-related loads. In conclusion, before installing a photovoltaic system, a static structural feasibility check must always be made.
- The regulations in force, safety and fire prevention for example.
Safety: the obligation to install certified lifeline systems on the roof, which are used by operators both during the installation phase of the system and for future maintenance.
Fire protection: respect the distances from the skylights, from the chimneys from the skylight / smooke out or from the REI compartments underlying the roof, these are all customs and technical obligations that must be taken into consideration;
- Sometimes it is advisable to redo the industrial roof from scratch because it is too damaged, in these cases it becomes an obligation to install 8 tenths sheets to allow certifiable tightening of the structures on which the photovoltaic modules are mounted and in the case of polycarbonate skylights it will be necessary to ensure that the same plastics they are reinforced with certified anti-fall nets and that they are designed as an anti-condensation honeycomb.
- At the plant level, it must always be considered that the existing electrical substations on which to place the new electrical panels and inverters have sufficient space to accommodate the new technological equipment;
- The existing tunnels for the passage of medium voltage cables must be evaluated in a preliminary phase, otherwise new underground services suitable for the electrical connection of the system must be planned and prepared.
- Also at the plant level, the new system must be connected to the customer's consumption meter, therefore, all the formal and operational steps that allow the connection itself and its entry into operation must be carefully analyzed.
- In the event that the system is designed on new shelters for parking spaces, the structures and foundations must be sized ad hoc, the structural deposit must be made and a real building permit must be requested at the relevant Municipality.
Do not underestimate the work environment and the context where the system is installed:
- As in our cases, for MODULO - PLADOS TELMA and DAYCO EUROPE customers (insert photo) it should be considered that under the industrial coverage object of the intervention, there are people and production lines that operate H24, therefore production needs always come before needs installation, but above all the safety of people must be maximum;
- The management of interference in the installation phases is also fundamental. This criticality in our last three projects has been overcome by appointing the figure of the project manager on site, who daily conversed with the client's Manager, for the management of all the most delicate phases.
The role of the General Contractor
According to the aspects listed above, relying on a General Contractor is the best choice because:
- The customer must have a single contact person who can manage both industrial construction activities, such as the refurbishment of a roof, and the actual installation of the system;
- The feasibility study must necessarily be carried out by a single interlocutor;
- The design must be complete and not approximated by several technicians, the General Contractor generally incorporates this service to the realization of the project;
- Services related to post installation, which generally translate into scheduled maintenance of the plant and industrial roof, but also all the administrative obligations that revolve around a photovoltaic system, such as periodic calibrations, declarations to the GSE and to the Agency of Customs, relations with E-Distribuzione, just to name the most representative.
Success stories of the Inveco Group: Three projects completed in 18 months
MODULO 384 kWp, project completed in 5 months and which involved the disposal of an asbestos roofing and its remaking with sandwich panels of about 1,000 square meters of industrial roofing in the press and molding department. In addition to the installation of the photovoltaic system, 5 large smoke extractors combined with air exchange have been inserted on the roof.
PLADOS TELMA 477 kWp, a project completed in 5 months and which involved the total refurbishment of the roof domes with new 8 tenths aluzinc and the installation of three distinct sections of the photovoltaic system.
DAYCO EUROPE 832 kWp, project in progress and which involved the removal of asbestos cement on the facades of the plant, the reconstruction from scratch of about 10,000 square meters of industrial roofing and the installation of 4 distinct sections (one of which on a new parking shelter) of photovoltaic system.
All three of these projects had a common thread that specifically concerns our General Contractor services:
- Ad hoc feasibility studies based on customer needs;
- Analysis of specific consumption in the three zonal bands;
- Design of both the building part and the plant part;
- Turnkey construction of building works and photovoltaic systems;
- Administrative fulfillment and multi-year maintenance contracts with each customer.
In conclusion
“To be General Contractor” means being a company specialized in engineering. It must be able to organize and coordinate construction and plant engineering works at an industrial level, in compliance with a specific budget, a work schedule and in compliance with the quality of the contracted works. Those who would like to invest their resources in complex projects, have the possibility to rely entirely on a General Contractor such as INVECO HOLDING SpA, as it is capable as the only general contractor of obtaining all the necessary authorizations from the public administrations to carry out each project regardless. geographical area and country of reference.
The factors described are synonymous with overall savings in an absolute sense both in terms of timing and economics.
Contact us for any integrated industrial project.