Project Type
Project Team Zoom Interview Case Study
Steel Profiles Used
  • Tonnage
    560
Project Overview

The Eastgate Solar Phase 2 project aimed to reduce the shopping center's grid consumption by 35% and provide covered rooftop parking, utilising over 560 tons of steel, primarily circular and square hollow sections, to construct a large-scale, architecturally-pleasing solar panel structure.

Project Details
The fabrication process for the Eastgate Solar Phase 2 project involved extensive work in the steelwork contractor's factory before the steel components reached the site. The majority of the structural elements, including the trusses, columns, and edge plates, were fabricated using precision cutting, welding, and finishing techniques to create the primarily tubular and square hollow steel sections. The fabrication team carefully planned the sequencing and delivery of the steel components to ensure a smooth installation process on the active shopping center site. This included optimising the sizes and shapes of the prefabricated elements to minimise on-site modifications and streamline the assembly. The meticulous attention to detail and quality control measures implemented during the fabrication stage were critical in enabling the successful and timely completion of this large-scale solar panel structure, despite the logistical challenges of the project.
The installation process on the live shopping center site required careful coordination and planning to manage access, traffic, and integration with existing building systems. The prefabricated steel components were efficiently assembled, leveraging specialized equipment like cranes and lifts to overcome the spatial constraints.
The project faced unique challenges, such as verifying column positions, accommodating changes in the grid layout, and maintaining operations in the live shopping center. The team's flexibility and collaborative approach enabled them to devise innovative solutions, including designing a adaptable steel structure to absorb site changes.
Benefits of Steel in this Application

The lightweight yet strong tubular steel section allowed for an architecturally pleasing, sustainable design that seamlessly integrated the solar panels over the shopping center's vast parking areas. The flexibility of the steel-framed structure accommodated changes and future development, while the impressive scale and striking night-time lighting created a visually striking landmark. Overcoming logistical challenges through careful coordination, the steel construction enabled the project team to deliver a highly functional and energy-efficient solution that will significantly reduce the shopping center's grid consumption.

The impressive scale, with over 13,000 solar panels installed, and the striking night-time lighting make this one of the largest and most visually striking solar rooftop installations in southern Africa. The project team overcame significant logistical and coordination challenges to complete the work while keeping the live shopping center operational, showcasing their flexibility and expertise.

Testimonials

In the project case study, the team expressed pride in the impressive, architecturally-pleasing outcome, highlighting the steel structure's visual appeal, especially the striking night-time lighting. They emphasised the collaborative efforts and flexibility required to overcome the logistical complexities of working on an active shopping center site, showcasing their expertise.