When the roof is full, the walls can work.
Solar cladding, shading, canopies and solar glass for commercial buildings. We check it, design it and manage the build, across the UK.
Five ways a building can make its own power.
Solar does not have to sit on the roof. It can be the wall, the shading or the glass, in place of a material you would have bought anyway.
Solar cladding
Panels as the outer skin of a wall. They can be coloured or patterned so they do not look like solar panels.
Solar shading
Louvres over windows that cut overheating and make power from the same sun.
Solar glass
Glass with cells built in, for curtain walls, skylights and atria. Cells can be spaced to let daylight through.
Canopies and walkways
Entrance canopies, covered walkways and bike shelters with a solar roof.
In-roof solar
Panels that sit in the roof in place of tiles or slates, fitted while the roof is open.
From one office wall to a whole school.
Solar walls are not new, and two of these are in England. Here are three published examples, smallest first.
These are not our projects. They are published examples from other firms and building owners, shown so you can see the range. Each links to its source.
- 73kW66 metre south wall
Doxford International, Sunderland
Business park office
352 solar modules in the cladding, 532 square metres. Meets almost 30 percent of the building's power.
Source: University of Strathclyde (opens in a new tab) - 391kW7,244 panels
CIS Tower, Manchester
Office tower
Solar panels cover three walls of the service tower.
Source: Sharp (opens in a new tab) - 12,000 panels6,048 square metres
Copenhagen International School
School, Denmark
Coloured solar panels as the outer skin, designed to supply more than half the school's electricity.
Source: Dezeen (opens in a new tab)
Figures are as published by each source, checked 13 November 2026.
Four things to know before you start.
A solar wall makes less power than a roof and costs more per kW. It earns its place on a new build, a re-clad, or a building where the roof is already full.
A wall makes less than a roof
Modelled for Exeter, a south-facing wall makes about 72 percent of a well-angled south roof. East or west walls make about half.
It costs more per kW
One Swiss study found integrated solar roofs and facades cost roughly 30 to 50 percent more than the usual finish. Part is offset by the cladding you no longer buy.
Fire rules come first
On some buildings over 18 metres, a solar panel on an external wall must meet the top fire classes. Your fire engineer and building control need to be in early.
Timing matters most
It is far cheaper to design solar into a new build or a re-clad than to add it to a finished wall.
Check. Design. Consent. Build.
Check
A quick, honest look at the walls, the shade, your power use and the grid supply. If the roof would pay better, we say so.
Design
Which surfaces are worth using, yield, budget cost and payback, worked up with your architect and fire engineer.
Consent and grid
Planning and the G99 grid application, led by our in-house Chartered Town Planner (MRTPI).
Build
A managed build that fits the main contractor's programme, delivered with certified partner installers.
Solar facade questions
What is a solar facade?
It is solar used as the outer skin of a wall, in place of ordinary cladding. It is one kind of building integrated solar, often shortened to BIPV.
How much power does a solar wall make?
Less than a roof. Modelled for Exeter, a south-facing wall makes about 755kWh a year per kW of panels, against about 1,050 for a well-angled south roof.
How much does a solar facade cost?
There is no reliable UK price list, because every project is bespoke. It costs more per kW than standard panels, and part of that is offset by the cladding or glass you no longer buy.
Are solar facades safe in a fire?
They have to be designed for it. On some buildings with a storey over 18 metres, such as flats, hospitals and hotels, panels on an external wall must reach fire class A1 or A2-s1,d0. Talk to a fire engineer and building control before the design is fixed.
Do solar facades need planning permission?
Usually, yes. In England, permitted development only covers small wall-mounted systems of up to 50kW, and not on a wall facing a road in a conservation area.
Can solar panels be coloured to match a building?
Yes. Cladding panels can be coloured, printed or patterned. They make less power than plain panels, because some light is blocked.
Are there solar facades in the UK?
Yes. A business park office in Sunderland was built with a 66 metre solar wall rated at 73kW, and the CIS Tower in Manchester was clad with 7,244 solar panels across three walls.
How much of a building's power can a solar facade supply?
It depends on the wall and the building. Published examples range from almost 30 percent at one UK office to more than half, by design, at a school in Copenhagen clad in 12,000 solar panels.
When does a solar facade make sense?
On a new build or re-clad, on a listed or sensitive building where standard panels would be refused, or when the roof is already full. With a large, sound roof and nothing else, standard panels are usually better value.
Do you install solar facades yourselves?
We design the system, handle the planning and grid, and manage the build. The installation is delivered with certified partner installers.
Roof full, or building something new?
Tell us about the building and what it uses. We'll check it and give you an honest answer.