Tuesday, May 16, 2006

First Condo Project in New England to Use 100% Solar Power

May 16, 2006

Brockton, Massachusetts [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] With support from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) and Conservation Services Group (CSG), ground is being broken for what may well be the first new condominium construction project in New England that is all solar, according to Johnson Square Builders, the developer.

Each of the townhouses in the $6 million Johnson Square Village, based in Brockton, Mass., will have its own designated solar photovoltaic (PV) systems that will save residents nearly $600 a year on energy costs.

Each unit of the seven residential buildings, or a total of 26 townhouses, will feature an 18-panel, 3.24 kilowatt (kW) solar array that will power appliances, computers, TVs and other electronics. The PV systems are expected to generate 4,212 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, based on New England's climate. According to CSG, designer of the PV systems, solar output on each home will provide more than 60 percent of the home's electrical usage.

Last month, the MTC awarded Johnson Square Builders a $458,300 grant from the Renewable Energy Trust to help defray the cost of the panels and the installation. According to Trust Director Warren Leon, "This project addresses two critical needs in the Commonwealth -- housing and energy -- by creating healthier new, affordable homes for families and generating clean electricity that produces no harmful emissions. Working with partners like the City of Brockton, CSG and Johnson Square, we hope to change the way homes, schools and businesses are built, so that green construction becomes the standard throughout Massachusetts."

Johnson Square Village will be Energy Star-rated, meeting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) guidelines for maximum energy efficiency. The project will also be LEED-certified. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is a program of the U.S. Green Building Council.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

this project needs to be completed soon, where are the pictures of what these townhouses will look like.