First Wessex Homes are a specialist construction company who build and renovate social housing across the South. In 2013, they started the redevelopment of the Bellevue Road site in partnership with Southampton City Council, offering 19 new build flats for young families. HBS Group Southern provided a full service solar PV solution as part of an integrated electrical, mechanical and renewable package.

Project delivery

• HBS New Energies completed the design, supply, installation, commissioning and O&M of the development’s rooftop solar PV system.

• A thorough site survey was completed in conjunction with the architects and SAP assessor to identify and design the most cost-effective solar PV system that would best suit the building.

• We managed the PV installation from start to finish including; roofing, installation, electrical connection and system commissioning.

• The new energies division worked closely with the electrical and mechanical divisions to deliver a fully-integrated solution, ensuring the client’s project targets were met phase by phase without any issues.

• At completion we briefed First Wessex on the PV system installed and provided a detailed handover pack, that included the necessary warranty documents and O&M instructions.

• The solar PV system will provide reliable, low-cost electricity for the social tenants. First Wessex will also earn additional income through the Feed-in Tariff payments for the clean electricity generated by the new build development’s 12 kWp PV system.

• Installing solar PV enabled the scheme to meet its renewable energy obligations and achieve a Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4. All apartments have been built to the highest standards of sustainability, making them environmentally friendly, cost effective to maintain and cheaper for social tenants to run.

Project summary