Cel-F Solar has completed the installation of a solar hot water system at the Environment Agency’s Thames region office in Reading, home to over 350 staff. Cel-F Solar selected Strebel vacuum tube collectors for the project, as they could be mounted horizontally onto the flat roof of the plant room at the office. Five of the collectors heat a 400ltr un-vented cylinder which preheats water fed into a Strebel 24kW gas-fired water heater. The system supplies hot water to the canteen and will eventually supply the top floor wash rooms in the offices. An energy display panel is featured in the canteen to indicate the cumulative amount of clean energy generated. Consultant engineers Jacobs Engineering UK Ltd calculated annual CO2 savings of 26.5 tonnes, or 20%, on heating and hot water, equating to financial savings of £3,400 per year for the office. Alan Fry, Director of Cel-F Solar, commented: “We were delighted to be selected to supply the renewable energy system for the Environment Agency’s Thames region office.

We were able to work closely with Jacobs Engineering UK Ltd and install the most effective solution for the project.” The installation was completed as part of the Environment Agency’s Internal Environmental Strategy, being implemented nationally. Lesley Baxter, Facilities Technical Support officer, commented: “The new water heating system provides an energy-efficient supply of hot water to the canteen and greatly improves the environmental performance of our building. All businesses have an important role in helping to reduce the impact of climate change – and the installation of these solar panels is just one of the ways that we are doing our bit. We support the development of sustainable technologies and businesses and are looking forward to seeing the results of this energy efficiency.” Cel-F Solar Systems Limited operates within the commercial and residential sectors, providing 360^o support from design to maintenance, and a range of building-integrated renewable energy technologies including Solar Hot Water systems, Solar Photovoltaic systems, Wind Turbines, Ground Source and Air Source Heat Pumps, and Biomass boilers.