Solar Case Study – Federation Square | Commercial Solar Power by Energy Matters

Federation Square selected Energy Matters to supply and install solar power systems as part of its overall energy management initiative, which included an energy performance plan aimed at achieving carbon neutrality in 2013.

Energy Matters installed two grid–connect systems on Federation Square – a 16.4kW array on the Ian Potter Gallery and an 8.2kW system on the Alfred Deakin Building.

Combined, the two Energy Matters solar panel systems will generate approximately 30 megawatt-hours of clean electricity per annum and avoid an estimated 36 tonnes of power-related carbon emissions annually. Both systems will offset the electricity use of the respective buildings.

The Federation Square building had a complex facade, and its rooftop was just as detailed, making the project particularly challenging. A great deal of planning went into the installation to ensure the solar arrays would achieve the required performance and be mechanically safe.

One of the many challenges was the roof material—a non-penetrable material that required Energy Matters to source special clamps.

Our team was also quite restricted in terms of access to the building. Given that it is a public space, our installers could only have access during certain hours. Even then, our presence needed to be low–impact to ensure day-to-day operations in Federation Square were not disrupted.

Much of the material movement was done manually because a crane could not be used on-site. Solar panels, inverters and other components were carried up flights of stairs and across rooftops.

The systems were connected to multiple switchboards and to the Building Management System.

The project was successfully completed without causing any major interruptions. The building management was extremely happy with Energy Matters and commented at the end of the project that they hardly noticed our team’s presence.