Lismore City Council Clyde Campbell Carpark Solar Shading

Autonomous Energy, part of Iberdrola Australia, was engaged to deliver a unique solar car park system and electric vehicle DC fast charger in the heart of the Lismore CBD.

The system was inspired by the local, endangered Richmond Birdwing Butterfly (Ornithoptera richmondia). The outspread wings of the structure capture rainwater which is stored in a tank and then used to water the array of native plants in both hanging and ground mounted planters. Most important of these plants is the Birdwing Butterfly Vine, (Pararistolochia praevenosa), which is the host plant for these majestic butterflies. 

The bifacial solar panels generate electricity from both the front and rear sides and are semi transparent, allowing filtered light through to the area below, perfect for both the plants growing there and the car park users.

Reclaimed timber clads the sides of the columns, with trellasis attached to allow the Birdwing Butterfly Vines in the planter boxes below to grow up the structure.

Hanging planter boxes are suspended between the columns with plantings of natives that will fill out and hang over the sides as they mature.

The structure and its footings was designed to manage the flooding which the site can be susceptible to, with the electrical components located above the water line next to the substation on the amenities block.

The solar panels themselves form a watertight canopy, with the rainwater collected in a box gutter and stored in a 10,000L water tank from which it is used to irrigate the plants. The box gutter is trafficable to allow access for maintenance and cleaning.