Following the successful Tripolis Amsterdam project, Walraven was asked again by Energy@TheOffice to design the support structure for the solar panels of The Ensemble in Amsterdam – the tallest project Walraven has contributed to to date.
The 119-metre-high project, The Ensemble, consists of two towers and a plinth roof (the lower part of the building).
Walraven engineers designed a robust triangular frame structure for solar panels in an east-west configuration, fully tailored to the building and location, and engineered to safely and efficiently withstand all influences, including wind loads.
Walraven RapidStrut® Systems and Walraven DobyGrip suspension systems were used, among other things. All materials used were Walraven BIS UltraProtect® 1000 protected — a surface protection that excels in corrosion resistance, durability and versatility. This system is suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications and is the ideal solution for sustainable solar energy installations at height.
Technical challenge
The biggest challenge was on tower 1, the building’s highest tower. On the top roof, the solar panels are arranged in an east-west configuration, while one floor lower, the panels are arranged in a south-facing configuration. During the design phase, it became apparent that the south-facing panels were subject to excessive wind loads at a standard 10-degree angle of inclination.
Our engineer then investigated whether adjusting the angle of inclination could provide a solution. The outcome was that with an angle of 7 degrees, the wind load remained within the permitted limits. The efficiency of a panel at 7° is slightly lower than at 10°; in practice, this is hardly noticeable, usually around 1–2% per year.
Collaboration and implementation
During the process, there was intensive and excellent contact with Marcel van Veen of Cordeel, the contractor. All models and designs were carefully coordinated and integrated into Trimble, so that all documentation was clearly available in a single environment.
Thanks to the close collaboration between Energy@TheOffice, Cordeel and Walraven, the Ensemble project has also been a success, literally at the highest level.
Project developer: Ensemble Real Estate, Great Grey Investments, Wonam andGreystar
Architect: CONIX RDBM and Van Belle & Medina
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