73-89 Oxford Street, London W1
Sector: Commercial, New Build Construction
73-89 Oxford Street is a new build property with one retained façade comprising seven floors of spectacular Grade A office space and retail and now has solar PV boosting its renewables portfolio.
The Requirement:
This building was developed by Great Portland Estates and designed by Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands whose main objective was to balance the current expectations of Oxford Street development while respecting the character of the neighbouring buildings in the Soho Conservation Area was key as the site is on a prominent corner location at the junction of Oxford Street and Dean Street – opposite the Tottenham Court Road Crossrail Station which is due to begin service in 2018.
The primary façades are clad in unitised glass shadow boxes with stainless steel and anodised aluminium linings, while the secondary façades use unitised reconstituted stone or unglazed terracotta fins. This choice of high-quality materials echos neighbouring black granite buildings, appearing reflective in oblique views, with a lighter, more delicate, contemporary appearance on approach.
A kink in the site is expressed in the Oxford Street façade and widens the pavement towards the Crossrail station, opening views to the entrance and easing the flow of pedestrians into Dean Street and the station plaza. 69-89 Oxford Street and 1 Dean Street have been designed to achieve BREEAM Excellent.
The Solution:
With our strong history of commercial design and build solar PV solutions in the centre of London, Abalze MyriadSolar was appointed by Gratte Brothers, the M&E contractor, to deliver the solar PV system and meet the BREEAM Excellent renewable energy target.
The solar PV solution designed by Ablaze MyriadSolar consists of 120 bespoke black monocrystalline panels mounted on the brick wall recesses to form a seamless architectural brick and glass façade. An additional 22 panels are mounted on the south facing plant screen at roof level and another 22 panels are mounted on a ballasted system on the roof. The installation provides 23,000-kilowatt hours of renewable power to the building per year, which translates as a 10% reduction in the building’s electrical consumption. The cost savings on utilities are in excess of £3,000 per year.
The Specification and Benefits:
System size: 31,84 kWp
Mounting System: Bespoke Design by Ablaze MyriadSolar and proprietary flat roof Schletter system
Predicted output: 23,000 kWh per Annum
Estimated CO² savings: 12 Tons per Annum
Feed-In-Tariff rate: £0.0419 per kWh
Estimated FiT income: £1,000 per Annum
Electricity costs savings: £3,000 per Annum
Total savings: £4,000 per Annum