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C.I.S. Solar Tower
 

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View from the MEN car park - 2006-8-26 (484537)
(c) Jonathan Smith
 
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The services tower, clad in solar panels, juts out above neighbouring buildings - 2006-8-26 (484539)
(c) Jonathan Smith
 
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Identification
Official name C.I.S. Solar Tower
Alternative names *
Emporis Building Number 110856
 
Location
Address *
Bordering street Miller Street
Postcode *
Exact Latitude *
Exact Longitude *
Location Map (POI) *
Complex Co-operative Insurance Society Co. Ltd. Head Office
City Manchester
State England
Country United Kingdom
 
Technical Data
Height (tip) *
Height (struct.) 118 m 387 ft
Floors (OG) 25
Construction start *
Construction end 1962
Last reconstruction *
 
Building in General
Type of construction skyscraper
Architectural style *
Status completed

Facts
- The services core was originally clad with around 14 million one centimetre square grey tessarae which, due to a lack of expansion joints and adhesion failure had begun to fall off.
- The exterior is of glass, aluminium and black enamelled steel.
- The interior was designed by Sir Misha Black, co-founder of the Design Research Unit.
- The tower was heavily influenced by skyscraper architecture in America (particularly the Inland Steel Building in Chicago).
- Completed in 2006, the services tower was clad with 7,244 80 Watt photovoltaic modules.
- The building has Europe's largest commercial solar façade and is one of Britain's largest solar power systems.
- CIS Solar Tower was activated by Prime Minister Tony Blair.
- The building is Grade II Listed.

Companies involved in this Building*
Architect: G S Hay , Sir John Burnet, Tait and Partners

Other companies: Design Research Unit, Cento Engineering Company Ltd., Solar Century Holdings Ltd., ISG Interior Exterior PLC.