The carport demonstration structure is located in the car park of the headquarters of The Lathrop Company, an Ohio affiliate of Turner Construction, which is both the largest general contractor and largest builder of LEED projects in the US.
"Our company is committed to supporting innovative building products that promote green building concept. When we were introduced to ShadePlex and heard of their need for a demonstration project site, it seemed a perfect fit to undertake this project at our recently LEED certified headquarters building," said Tom Manahan, President of The Lathrop Company.
The carport is the first commercial demonstration of ShadePlex’s new solar panels, which are unique because, as they are made of fabric, they are three to five times lighter than rigid solar panels framed in glass and metal. The 92, 110, and 330 watt panels also generate electricity on cloudy days as well as sunny days. According to Brian Tell, ShadePlex’s President, PV-FlexMount is also the first solar panel produced in a wide variety of colours to fit with almost any architectural or property configuration.
The carport structure covers two parking spaces and is engineered to provide shade and protection from the elements, while also withstanding heavy wind and snow loads. In addition to reducing installation costs, ShadePlex believes fabric carports with PV-FlexMount can increase the value of parking lots. "Without solar, most parking areas are often just sunk costs," Tell stated. "With shaded PV structures, there are opportunities to recapture those costs or generate additional revenues through electricity sales back to the utility, charging user fees for premium parking, or increased customer loyalty."
Tell added, "The typical airport, mall, school or office building has hundreds if not thousands of open, unshaded parking spaces. Using our products in multiple parking canopies can easily support electric vehicle infrastructure and commercial power loads in addition to providing shade”.
While this is a small demo project, a larger installation using PV-FlexMount will allow commercial customers to lock-in a competitive rate for electricity and save thousands of dollars a year on their utility electric bills, as well as reduce carbon emissions. PV-FlexMount can also be used on flat commercial roofs without the use of glues, resins or roof penetrations, and on sports/event dome roofs, and military or emergency relief tents.
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