Project Overview
Glasgow Sheriff Court is Europe’s largest civil court, occupying approximately 25,360 m² across five floors and operating as one of the busiest buildings in the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service estate. Following a Discover assessment that identified replacement as the strongest investment option, OCS was appointed to deliver a new 257 kWp rooftop solar PV system, removing and recycling the existing 2008 installation in the process.
The project required careful planning to install new infrastructure safely within a live court environment, where disruption to essential services had to be kept to an absolute minimum.
The Challenge
The existing solar PV system had to be safely removed and fully recycled before the new installation could begin. The building’s electrical infrastructure presented an additional complexity: integrating the new system with an existing voltage optimisation unit made the final electrical connection considerably more complex than a standard PV installation.
A planned shutdown of the building’s electrical supply was required to complete the connection. Managing that shutdown without affecting court operations required detailed coordination with building staff and specialist contractors.
Our Delivery Approach
OCS delivered the project through close collaboration between the Energy team, Projects team, and specialist supply chain partners, working alongside Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service staff throughout.
Works were phased to protect the live environment:
- Installation of temporary roof edge protection.
- Removal and recycling of the existing solar PV system.
- Installation of the new mounting system.
- Installation of new solar panels, DC cabling and inverters.
- Installation of AC cabling and electrical integration.
- Commissioning, testing and final energisation.
Regular planning meetings, coordinated programmes and comprehensive site inductions ensured all stakeholders understood the project timeline and their responsibilities at each stage.
What We Delivered
OCS installed a new 257 kWp rooftop solar PV system, sized to make full use of the available roof space and optimised for on-site renewable electricity consumption.
Specialist switchgear design was required to integrate the system with the site’s existing voltage optimisation equipment. The final electrical connection was completed during a carefully planned weekend shutdown
SCTS operations were unaffected throughout the works. The previous installation and mounting system were fully recycled as part of the contract.
Key Figures
- Solar PV capacity installed – 257 kWp
- Estimated annual renewable generation – 229,000 kWh
- Estimated annual carbon reduction- 41 tCO₂e
- Estimated annual cost saving – £68,700
Outcome
The new installation is the largest solar PV system in the estate and provides a material step towards the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service’s target of reducing total energy consumption by three per cent year on year.
Renewable generation is expected to reduce reliance on grid electricity during daylight hours, with an estimated annual saving of £68,700 and carbon reduction of 41 tCO₂e once the system reaches steady-state operation.
The project was delivered without disruption to court services, coordinating multiple specialist contractors, a planned building shutdown and full recycling of the legacy installation within a live operational environment.
