The di-photon excess observed at the LHC can be explained as a Standard Model
singlet that is produced and decays by heavy vector-like colour triplets and
electroweak doublets in one-loop diagrams. The characteristics of the required
spectrum are well motivated in heterotic-string constructions that allow for a
light Z′. Anomaly cancellation of the U(1)Z′​ symmetry
requires the existence of the Standard Model singlet and vector-like states in
the vicinity of the U(1)Z′​ breaking scale. In this paper we show
that the agreement with the gauge coupling data at one-loop is identical to the
case of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model, owing to cancellations
between the additional states. We further show that effects arising from heavy
thresholds may push the supersymmetric spectrum beyond the reach of the LHC,
while maintaining the agreement with the gauge coupling data. We show that the
string inspired model can indeed account for the observed signal and discuss
the feasibility of obtaining viable scalar mass spectrum.Comment: 26 pages. 11 figures. Published versio