by Rebecca Walker — May 13, 2009 —The Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) awarded PE Consulting with its International Renewable Energy Project of the Year award for its integrated solar energy retrofit project for the City of Encinitas, in California.
The Civic Center project included a 96.4 kilowatt solar photovoltaic system, a central plant which cools and heats the building more efficiently, replacement of an old roof with a reflective membrane surface, and the addition of natural day-lighting technology.
The solar panels are expected to produce 40 percent of the building’s daily energy requirements and will provide power back to the utility grid on weekends and holidays when the Civic Center is unoccupied, notes PE Consulting.
By integrating solar electricity with more efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning, the City expects to save taxpayers $4.3 million over the next 25 years. In addition to economic and environmental benefits, the view from the City’s recently completed modern library, which overlooks the Civic Center, has been improved substantially. The structural framing supporting the solar panels were also used to cover the mechanical system, the company notes.
PE Consulting is a multi-disciplined engineering and consulting firm specializing in helping public and private clients transform their facilities into highly efficient, sustainable enterprises. For more information, see the Web site.
