Clyde Campbell Solar Carpark
| Funding |
Council received $1 million under the Federal Government's Drought Communities Program and dedicated $650,000 of that funding to this project |
| Department |
Project Delivery |
| Status |
Complete |
| Strategic purpose |
To demonstrate leadership in addressing the climate-related causes of drought and other natural disasters through sustainable technologies |
Lismore City Council accepted a tender for the design and construction of a ‘Solar Carpark’ in the Council-owned Clyde Campbell carpark. The infrastructure included the installation of an architectural ‘butterfly-shaped’ awning, clad with photo-voltaic solar panels and covered 40 carparks. It also included the installation of two Electric Vehicle (EV) fast chargers, with the potential for additional EV chargers to be installed in the future.
The sustainable design and shape of the roof was inspired by the native Richmond Birdwing Butterfly. The Birdwing Butterfly vine – the butterfly’s food source – grew on the shade structure from hanging planter boxes.
The solar carpark harnessed renewable energy to provide charging stations for EV users and much-needed shade for CBD users and their vehicles. Excess solar energy was fed back into the electricity grid.
The potential for flooding at the site was a major consideration of the design. All electronic/electrical components were positioned above the 1% AEP flood level of 12.45 AHD (the level specific to this location) or were removable (the EV charger). The solar roof of the structure included an extra 500mm of ‘freeboard’ so the lowest solar panels sat at approximately 12.95 AHD. Furthermore, the structure itself had been engineered to withstand these flood depths and velocities, including an allowance for debris build-up.
