- Industry
- Commercial building
- Location
- Kelowna, BC, Canada
- Solution
- Rooftop solar PV system
- System capacity
- Approximately 150 kW DC
- Project scope
- Feasibility study, site inspection, solar engineering, installation and commissioning
This Kelowna building could not shut down. Staff and customers were in it every working day, and the owner had already been told by another contractor that a solar retrofit meant disruption.
The question was not whether solar worked here, it was whether it could be built around a business that never stops.
We staged the build instead of blocking the site. Material deliveries, racking, module setting, wiring and electrical tie in were sequenced into phases with defined access routes and emergency egress kept clear throughout, so daily operations continued while the roof was being worked on.
Mounting was chosen roof section by roof section. Where the structure suited it we used ballasted racking to avoid penetrations, and mechanically secured only where conditions required it, keeping the existing roof intact under a 150 kW array.
The array layout traded a little theoretical yield for real maintenance access. Panel placement was optimised around shading while leaving service pathways, so the system can be cleaned, inspected and repaired without dismantling rows.
Project overview
Redyna Technologies Ltd. developed a rooftop solar PV solution for a commercial building in Kelowna, British Columbia.
The project was designed to maximize available rooftop solar generation while working within the facility's existing electrical infrastructure and operational requirements.
The project demonstrated Redyna's ability to integrate renewable-energy systems into existing commercial buildings without major disruption to ongoing operations.
Site inspection and feasibility
The project began with a comprehensive site assessment. Redyna's engineering team evaluated:
- Building orientation
- Rooftop dimensions
- Roof accessibility
- Existing roof condition
- Solar exposure
- Shading
- Existing electrical service
- Main distribution equipment
- Equipment locations
- Cable pathways
- Emergency access requirements
Establishing the configuration
The assessment was used to establish the preliminary system configuration and the installation strategy for the site.
Solar design
The solar array was designed to optimize annual energy production while maintaining appropriate maintenance access. The design incorporated:
- High-efficiency PV modules
- Ballasted / mechanically secured mounting structures as appropriate to roof conditions
- String inverter architecture
- DC protection
- AC disconnects
- Grounding and bonding
- Monitoring equipment
Array layout
Panel placement was optimized to reduce shading losses and maximize available rooftop generation.
Electrical integration
Redyna engineered the electrical interface between the solar PV system and the building's existing electrical distribution system. The engineering scope included:
- PV string design
- Inverter selection
- DC cable routing
- AC feeder design
- Protection coordination
- Disconnect requirements
- Grounding
- Surge protection
- Monitoring and communications
Installation strategy
Because the facility remained operational during construction, installation activities were planned in stages. The project team coordinated:
- 01Material delivery
- 02Mounting-system installation
- 03PV module installation
- 04DC wiring
- 05Inverter installation
- 06AC electrical work
- 07Grounding and bonding
- 08Monitoring installation
- 09System testing
Working around live operations
The installation methodology was designed to minimize interference with the client's daily operations.
Commissioning
Redyna performed a structured commissioning process. The system was verified through:
- Visual inspections
- Electrical continuity checks
- Polarity verification
- Insulation testing
- Grounding verification
- Inverter commissioning
- Monitoring-system setup
- Functional testing
- Performance verification
Handover
The client was provided with system operating information and maintenance recommendations.
Project outcome
The completed solar installation provided the commercial facility with a dependable renewable-energy source and helped reduce its reliance on grid electricity. Key benefits included:
- Onsite renewable-energy generation
- Reduced electricity consumption from the grid
- Improved energy sustainability
- Remote system monitoring
- Reduced long-term energy costs
- Increased utilization of existing rooftop space
Engineering value delivered
The project demonstrated Redyna's capability to manage a commercial solar installation from initial feasibility assessment through final commissioning, while coordinating mechanical, electrical, installation and operational requirements.
Redyna's value — one engineering and implementation pathway
- Feasibility
- Site inspection
- Solar engineering
- Electrical integration
- Staged installation
- Commissioning
- Client handover
150 kW DC
System size
Zero days lost
Downtime
Feasibility to commissioning
Scope