Project Snapshot
As one of New Zealand’s newest and fastest-growing shopping centres, Tauranga Crossing is forging a path in sustainable development.
Endless Energy have delivered a custom solar installation featuring a total of 714 flat and vertically mounted panels, engineered in collaboration with Gamcorp and YEH Renewables.
The system was installed over a 3 month project period, seamlessly integrating renewable energy into the centre’s expanding retail precinct.
Project Purpose
Tauranga Crossing is committed to sustainability and reducing its environmental footprint as part of its “Better for the Future” ethos.
By installing solar panels, the centre aimed to:
Power a significant portion of its electricity demand with clean/renewable energy, reducing reliance on grid-supplied, fossil-derived power.
Lower ongoing energy costs for the centre.
Support Tauranga Crossing’s sustainability commitments and visibly demonstrate leadership in environmental responsibility to its community and shoppers.
Engineering & Installation Challenges
One of the main challenges for this project was that the solar panels needed to be mounted vertically (i.e. on vertical cladding rather than solely on a conventional pitched or flat roof). Vertical mounting often introduces structural, wind-load and shading considerations.
Solutions
Thanks to detailed engineering and drawings provided by Gamcorp and YEH Renewables, the installation proceeded smoothly. The precision in planning made what might have been a complex installation appear almost seamless.
Endless Energy coordinated closely with Tauranga Crossing’s development team to ensure integration with ongoing construction/ expansion works, aligning solar installation without disrupting centre operations or the customer experience.
Financial & Environmental Impact
- Financial savings: While exact figures depend on retail electricity costs, this scale of renewable generation would likely result in savings in the order of hundreds of thousands of NZD per year – reducing operating costs, improving long-term sustainability margins and offsetting a significant portion of the centre’s electricity spend.
- Carbon reduction: ~42.4 tonnes of CO₂ per year, the equivalent to planting ~1,800 trees grown to maturity, or avoiding ~170,000 km of car travel annually.
Project Outcomes & Significance
Delivered a high-impact solar system that aligns with Tauranga Crossing’s sustainability ambitions.
Demonstrated that retail centres can successfully integrate large-scale solar, including vertical panel mounting, with proper planning.
Enabled Tauranga Crossing to reduce its carbon footprint and energy costs, while offering a visible sustainability message to shoppers, tenants and the community.
Helped reinforce Tauranga Crossing’s brand as a forward-thinking, environmentally responsible retail hub in the Bay of Plenty region.
Why This Project Matters to Endless Energy
This installation stands as a demonstration of Endless Energy’s capability to:
Design and deliver large-scale solar for commercial retail environments.
Work with complex architectural demands (vertical cladding).
Liaise effectively with developers, engineers and construction teams to deliver performance without compromising on design, safety or client operations.
This project shows that solar is not just for roofs. With the right partners and design, solar can be integrated into facade cladding, enabling significant emissions reduction and cost savings even on complex building structures.
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