SWJ Consulting Ltd, has offices in Witney (Oxfordshire) and Southampton and has steadily expanded its structural engineering services across the south of the UK, branching into areas such as wastewater & water treatment and commercial solar panel structures. Although primarily known for building structures, we have experience with innovative sustainable engineering solutions for clients looking to implement or increase the use of alternative energy.

Solar Power Engineering

SWJ’s experience in commercial solar panel installations demonstrates our ability to integrate structural design with renewable energy infrastructure. We have worked with many commercial companies, in particular motor dealerships, and industrial unit owners, to help them understand what additional loads their existing structures could take, and so the size and weight limitations of any photovoltaic arrays. We can work directly with the client, or with the photovoltaic suppliers. We have also looked at this solution for churches and other historical buildings and prepared calculations on feasibility. Our structural expertise in managing loads, fixing systems to buildings, is key to delivering safe, high-performing solar installations.

Wastewater Treatment Structures

SWJ Consulting is increasingly working on wastewater and water treatment projects, designing structural supports and vital elements for treatment facilities, including tanks, supports, access platforms, and associated earth-retaining or concrete works; critical structures underpinning water treatment processes. Understanding the unique environments of these structures enables us to specify the right materials for the longevity of design. We are often working in congested sites that are constantly expanding, and have the experience to find the best solutions for each site.

Archimedes Screw Hydropower

Increasing the effectiveness of existing systems, or ensuring the protection of the fish population, are other areas of engineering we have had specific experience with.

We worked with Hallidays Hydropower to help a riverside hotel in Oxfordshire generate more power from their Archimedes Screw. This meant modifying the riverbank with changes to the earth retaining structures to focus the river into a narrower channel drawing more water into the screw, with the additional challenge of preventing the erosion of the retaining walls. We needed to look at this very carefully to ensure our design would not cause any damage to the environment.

On the River Goyt in Stockport, Greater Manchester, there is an 18th Century Grade II Listed Cotton Spinning Mill, called Pear Mill that is now a number of commercial units. Here, we were asked to design a fish pass for the eel and salmon to migrate safely to their feeding grounds alongside an Archimedes Screw that had a long drop and quite a steep angle. We collaborated with the Environment Agency and hydro specialists to create this fish‑friendly renewable energy installation. There were limits on the vertical heights and distance the fish could be expected to swim without rest, and we needed to balance the flow of the water with the overall height of the damn while providing rest pools for the fish.

Structural expertise for environmental innovations

Sustainable construction and design is still very much in its infancy in the commercial and industrial sector but our expertise on materials, earth-retaining work and load bearing calculations alongside our digital construction technology and willingness to collaborate means we have confidently delivered on many alternative-energy and environmental projects.

Our collaborative philosophy dovetails nicely with community or mixed‑discipline projects like small‑scale hydropower developments. Our experience in water‑related infrastructure, covering treatment plants and supporting structures, enables us to add value to wastewater clients.

If you have an alternative energy project, whether solar, hydro or eolic (wind energy) then get in touch with the team at SWJ Consulting. We will prove a valuable addition to your design team with our innovative thinking and pragmatic approach to problem-solving, delivering engineering solutions across the renewable and environmental sectors.

Read more about our projects on www.swjconsulting.co.uk. Call us on Witney (01993 225085) or Southampton (02381 920656) or email the team mail@swjconsulting.co.uk