News.
Van Happen Containers unveils energy-generating facade
Press release –
Unique step in the energy transition – At the Goods Distribution Center GDC Acht, a remarkable and beautifully designed decoration appears on the facade of the Van Happen Containers head office. GDC Acht, like many industrial sites, is a collection of logistics halls with the same appearance. In addition, the image quality plan stipulates that the color of the buildings must be RAL 9007 grey.
To enliven that and to propagate Van Happen ‘s core values, Solarix developed an eye-catching facade with colored solar panels and a circular mounting system, based on the designs of their Dot collection. The idea has been developed into a 163 m2 solar facade, in which arrows constructed from solar panels visualize the collection and sorting of waste at Van Happen.
Unique to this design is, in addition to the colored glass-glass solar panels, the very first lightweight, circular solar panels with color have been developed for this purpose. For the development of these panels, Solarix has joined forces with the company Solarge. This manufacturer’s mission is that by making the panels lightweight, they can be used on many more square meters than conventional panels. The unique collaboration of the two typically Dutch companies will be the prelude to a transition of the built environment and the application of the facade as an energy generator.
Integrating solar facades on business parks
Solar design contributes to a livelier street scene, especially on industrial sites. The corrugated sheet cladding at the Van Happen building presented a challenge for mounting solar panels. For this project, Solarix has researched the possibilities together with installers company Kuijpers and put together a suitable mounting system. The knowledge gained creates many opportunities for similar buildings on business parks that have to tackle a sustainability challenge. With these arguments an environmental permit was obtained and partly with the support of Brabant geeft Energie of the Province of North Brabant, the first lightweight copies were colored. With the interest and help of the subsidy provider, Van Happen Containers was able to embellish its facade in this way and contribute to fossil-free energy generation. The design therefore symbolizes the sorting and separation of the mixed waste stream that comes in and the smaller raw material streams that leave the site on their way to circular use.
Speaking of circular, Solarix-Solarge solar panels already have a much lower CO2 footprint, are made with at least 40% recycled plastic and are fully recyclable thanks to the unique layer principle. In this way, not only the design but also the reality will match the activities that are necessary for the circular economy. And that’s what we’re working on together.
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In our non-binding Solarix SolarCheck we calculate how much energy your facade can consume based on satellite data and 3d project drawings.
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