The solar panels installed on the soon-to-be completed H-STEM building are hard to miss. Adorned with the school’s iconic husky logo, the 85-kW solar array will push Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification towards gold for the building when it opens later this month.
Including solar energy was discussed early in the planning process, but was cut as costs climbed. When asked about funding for the solar panels, Facilities Engineer for the University, John Sturos, said, “Solar panels were initially discussed during the H-STEM project design phase, but were not included due to budget constraints. As the project progressed, there appeared to be enough money in the project contingency to fund the solar panel system.” The cost of the photovoltaic solar panel system was approximately $200,000 and was installed by local firm Bay Electric.
LEED certification was a motivating factor in the addition of solar in the project. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certifications are in recognition of sustainable practices in the building industry. The University hopes to achieve LEED gold status for the building, and the solar addition will provide three additional points to the overall score. Michigan Tech did not seek LEED certification for its most recent building, the Great Lakes Research Center. Mark Van Wagner, of Bay Electric, says the solar array will provide between 2-3% of the building’s yearly electricity needs. A feature inside the building will include a display providing the current output of the solar panels at any given time.
The winter weather of the Keweenaw peninsula can provide some challenges for solar power generation. Snow covering the horizontal roof panels during the winter months means the actual power generation will vary depending on the season. Due to the fragility of the panels, there is no way to clean snow off without risking damage to the sensitive cells.
The new solar panels will be the latest investment in sustainability by the University, which already purchases 50% of its electricity from wind generation downstate. Long term sustainability goals include reducing the impact of new construction as well as increasing efficiency of existing structures.
