Solar Facility Completed At Boulder Commons Apartment Complex

BOULDER, CO — Apartment complex Boulder Commons is now home to a solar facility, marking the completion of Phase 2 of the Commons' integrated solar energy project.

The 318-kilowatt (kW) facility includes 101 kW of vertically mounted solar panels on the southeast-facing facade and 217 kW on the roof, a news release said.

It will save an equivalent of 4,384 metric tons of CO2 over 20 years, which is like taking 953 cars off the road, said Mat Elmore, Pivot Energy's VP of business development. Pivot Energy was one of three companies that designed the facility.

The plan for the vertically-mounted panels was created after officials realized that Morgan Creek Ventures (MCV), which owns Boulder Commons, could not reach its energy goals for the property with rooftop solar alone, the news release said.

"We were thrilled when Pivot Energy stepped up to the challenge of helping engineer and construct the vertical array," Matthew Beery, MCV's director of construction. "Other developers were hesitant to test the waters of designing a vertical facade, but the Pivot team was eager to do whatever it took to help us meet our goals."

MCV officials hope the project will act as a blueprint, showing other real estate developers that they can "achieve sustainable building design with an attractive financial return and keep tenant costs competitive," the news release said.

"Helping MCV achieve its high-performance energy goals for this unique project was tremendous, and the additional 101 kilowatts on the vertical facade was critical to this outcome," Elmore said. "Boulder Commons again demonstrates how ambitious goals and creative design can unlock a future of truly sustainable buildings."

More information can be found here.