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| PLNU plans to build a 450 kW solar energy system on its campus Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) announced plans to build a 450 kW solar energy system on its campus. What began as a student research project on the viability of solar energy for PLNU soon developed into a collaborative effort between students, staff and faculty that resulted in an official Request for Proposal and bidding process. With construction slated to begin this July, this will be the first large commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) system for a San Diego university. After an extensive competitive proposal review process, PLNU selected SPG Solar, Inc. to design and install the solar energy system which will produce 80 percent of the peak energy for six major PLNU buildings: Bond Academic Center, Cooper Music Center, Fermanian School of Business, Golden Gym, Goodwin Hall, and Hendricks Hall. In total, more than 50 percent of the buildings' annual electricity costs will be offset by clean, solar power. The 450 kW system, comprised entirely of Kyocera solar modules, will also reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions by 586 tons of carbon dioxide. The 450 kW photovoltaic system will serve as the first wave of solar for PLNU, with hopes to install additional systems throughout the campus. Solar power is the latest step in a series of efforts to make the PLNU campus more sustainable, starting with the initiation of a comprehensive single-stream recycling and composting program in 2003. PLNU also has a president-appointed Resource Stewardship Task Force and a full-time sustainability coordinator. In 2007, PLNU signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment and chose all new building and remodeling projects to be built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver qualifications. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Construction News :: home page |