Construction company gives up coverage to invest in photovoltaic system

Brazil surpassed the 16 GW mark of installed power photovoltaic source, including large-scale plants and own electricity generation systems.

According to ABSOLATE (Brazilian Association of Photovoltaic Solar Energy), solar has already brought Brazil more than R$ 86.2 billion in new investments, R$ 22.8 billion in revenue to public coffers and generated more than 479.8 thousand jobs accumulated since 2012.

There is no doubt about the growth of this technology on roofs, facades and small plots of land, for example. But do we already have buildings taking advantage of this clean and renewable source?

Construtora Patriani is one of the companies that are already investing in capture and storage. Since 2021, it has chosen not to build roofs on top of buildings to invest in modern and technological developments with the installation of photovoltaic plants.

According to the company, the removal of the most noble part of the projects, such as the penthouse apartments, which are the units with the highest value per square meter, did not reflect negatively on residents.

On the contrary, the initiative was well accepted, especially when presenting the system's economy. “The plant is capable of reducing the building's energy consumption by up to 50%, thus resulting in cheaper condominiums for residents,” said Ricardo Camargo, engineer at Construtora Patriani.

As an example, at Serafina Corporate, the construction company's headquarters in Santo André (SP), 41 panels were installed on the roof and 10 on a solar tree – resulting in an average annual saving of R$ 16,200.00 on the condominium fee.

“The trees became a symbol of Patriani to show concern for sustainability. It's a way of sending a message in a more practical way. People who pass by see that this is already a reality”, he reported.

Furthermore, the specialist highlighted that the reduction in expenses could be even greater with the use of modules with trackers, a technology that has already been studied by the company's engineers.

“We have this sustainable footprint in the works, in the choice of materials, as the use of a renewable source is very important. For us it is a priority”, he highlighted.

“We are increasingly seeking to adapt to the use of sustainability in all our buildings”, commented Camargo, adding that, by 2024, they intend to deliver 31 projects with solar plants.

Another point he emphasizes is that all the apartments they build have space for charging electric vehicles for each condominium owner, “as well as we reuse water and use materials that have a green carbon footprint in their manufacturing”.

Trend of buildings with solar

For the engineer, it will be a trend to find construction companies that adopt this technology. “As cities become more dense, it will become increasingly difficult to supply buildings with conventional energy.”

“Therefore, the use of solar energy will not just be a trend, but a necessity. Governments should even have more attractive policies to use clean sources”, he concluded.