ENERGY-EFFICIENT RENOVATION
Heliopolis University
Solar System
30 kW rooftop solar PV plant
December 2025
About the Plant
The Naturetex Solar at Heliopolis University System is a 30 kW rooftop solar PV plant. It covers the available roof area and supplies part of the building’s electricity demand, which reduces the energy drawn from the grid and the building’s energy bill. The plant was designed and implemented in line with recognized international standards for PV systems, and every step of the work was documented.
| System | Grid-connected rooftop solar PV plant |
| Capacity | 30 kW |
| Location | Rooftop of the building, covering the available roof area |
| Mounting | Galvanized steel structures on concrete foundations fixed to the roof slab |
| Inverters | Fronius Symo and SMA Sunny Tripower |
| Protection | AC/DC distribution boards, breakers, cable protection and earthing |
| Implemented to | [standards: IEC 62548, IEC 62446-1, IEC 60364-7-712] |
Pre-Installation Audit
Before any equipment was installed, we carried out an audit of the building in accordance with [audit standard, e.g. ISO 50002 (energy audits)]. The audit established whether the roof and the electrical system could safely host the plant, and it set the design basis. It covered:
- Roof condition survey: slab condition, cracks and waterproofing, and the load-bearing capacity for the mounting structures and foundations.
- Available area and shading: measured usable roof area, orientation and tilt options, and shading from nearby structures and trees.
- Electrical installation review: existing main board, protection devices, cable routes and earthing.
- Energy consumption review: daily and seasonal load profile, used to size the plant against the building’s demand.
- Safety and access: safe working conditions on the roof, access routes and site safety requirements for the installation team.
- Findings and design basis: results were recorded and used to finalize the layout, the 30 kW capacity and the inverter selection.
Energy Audit: Where Energy Was Lost
The audit also looked at where the building was wasting energy. We reduced these losses first, so the solar plant supplies a smaller and more efficient load instead of covering waste.
| Area | Where energy was lost | What we did to reduce it |
|---|---|---|
| Lighting | Old inefficient fittings, often left on in unoccupied areas | Replaced with LED fittings and separated switching by zone |
| Cooling | Air conditioners running in empty rooms; air leaks around doors and windows | Set temperature controls, sealed gaps and scheduled operating hours |
| Building envelope | Heat gain through the roof and unshaded glazing | Added thermal insulation and shading where possible |
| Electrical network | Unbalanced phase loads, poor power factor and loose connections | Rebalanced loads across phases, tightened connections and added power factor correction |
| Standby loads | Equipment left on overnight and at weekends | Scheduled shut-off and switch-off routines |
Reducing demand first also meant the 30 kW plant could be sized against the building’s real needs, and every kWh generated goes further.
Design and Implementation to Standard
Following the audit, the plant was designed and installed according to [implementation standards, IEC 62548 for array design, IEC 60364-7-712 for PV installations]. In practice this meant:
- Galvanized steel mounting structures on concrete foundations, sized for the roof loads identified in the audit.
- Inverters (Fronius Symo and SMA Sunny Tripower) matched to the array configuration, with DC and AC protection.
- Distribution boards, breakers, cable conduits and earthing installed and labelled as designed.
- Inspection, testing and documentation at commissioning following [commissioning standard, IEC 62446-1].
Installation Photos
| Site inspection of the panel mounting structure and concrete foundations on the roof. | Fronius Symo and SMA Sunny Tripower inverters with the distribution boards. |
The Building After the Installation
