It is sometimes possible to provide 10% or 15% of the energy requirement for the total building by fitting solar panels just to the apartments on the top floor. To help you to make a quick assessment of such a situation we have devised an innovative tool to analyse the energy saving potential.

Our Solar Calculator is based on SAP and allows a rapid feasibility study to be undertaken to show the effects of installing solar energy systems in selected apartments, and will enable you to gauge their alternative energy contribution when investigating planning permission.

We have a highly skilled team based at our Blackpool head office who are there to help with any technical queries you may have about our products. They are all able to provide comprehensive technical support on the full range of Gledhill products.

Step 1. Click here to download the Solar Calculator Excel file. (Winzip file format*)

Step 2. Input information on the number of flats with the potential for solar heating on each floor into the Calculator and then select the correct Gledhill appliance for your needs, dependant upon the number of bathrooms and bedrooms within that apartment.

The Calculator has been developed using our low tariff electrically heated mains pressure hot water system PulsaCoil, and as such the resulting solar calculation will be based upon this heating system only.

The Calculator will not work for other systems which would generate potentially lower energy savings. Technical information concerning total volume and solar volume is automatically entered when the correct PulsaCoil is selected.

Step 3. Enter the solar panel area for each flat and again, the resulting calculations will be different if other panels with different performance parameters are used. After this simple process has been completed, the Calculator will establish the potential energy savings that could be made when utilising solar panels where practical and maximising their efficiency through the installation of the PulsaCoil hot water system.

The Calculator must not be used as a substitute for SAP, nor has it been designed as such. Ultimately the data for the apartment building will need to be entered into SAP in the normal way. This is simply a guide to help you to assess whether, through this clever use of renewable energy, you would be able to achieve planning permission for your apartment buildings.

* A copy of Winzip is required to unzip this software, you can download it here)