Temple Emanu-El

Installed in May of 2012, the Temple Emanu-El solar array produces around 30,500 kWh each month, enough to power 87-94% of the site's electrical consumption.  The 630 panels sit on two custom steel structures that shade most of the north parking lot.  Temple Emanu-El had been looking for a shade solution for their parking lot, and when the option to go solar and have shaded parking came around, they were very excited.

The biggest barrier to going solar for Temple Emanu-El was the perceived cost. After learning about TFS's financing options for non-profits, they found that they could see immediate savings on their electric bill with no out-of-pocket cost.  Over the next 20 years, their system will save over $500,000, which they can then direct back into their ministry.

For Temple Emanu-El the environmental savings provided by the solar panels are an added bonus to the shade and financial savings.  In describing their commitment to the environment, Temple Emanu-El found this passage from Ecclesiastes/Kohelet 1:4 applicable, " ... the Earth remains forever."

Catalina UMC

A custom steel solar shade structure was installed by TFS in the Catalina United Methodist Church parking lot adjacent to Himmel Park in late 2013.  The 118.3 kW system will provide energy savings to the church via a Solar Services Agreement and also has the added benefit of shading 48 parking spots for the church's employees and parishioners.  The solar array provides 86-90% of the total electricity used by the church and adjoining Day School.

Catalina UMC was motivated to go solar by "the basic theological issue of caring for the planet in the best ways possible."  The church has been focused on sustainability for some time reducing their trash production by half, increasing their recycling by 30%, and upgrading all of their lighting for energy efficient models.

For Catalina UMC, "Solar is an effective and efficient way to produce energy, good for the environment and provides a cost savings for those who use it."

Ascension Lutheran Church

Ascension Lutheran Church and School installed a solar parking shade structure at their north Tucson campus in April of 2013.  The 147.84 kW solar system provides 85-90% of the electricity used on site while shading 35 parking spaces.

Ascension Lutheran believes that there is a "need for alternative forms of energy because of rising electricity costs in the future."  For them, going solar was a way to help protect themselves against these rising costs while "being good stewards of God's creation".   Their Parish Administrator also remarked that "Solar is exciting and empowering."

St. Francis-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church

St. Francis-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church turned on their solar electric system at the end of March in 2012.  Their 59.22 kW system offers them financial savings and also allows them to fulfill their "Biblical responsibility to protect our God given earth and environment," says Carl Perry, a St. Francis parishioner and one of the main driving forces behind the church's switch to solar. The process for St. Francis in the Valley started on Earth Day in 2010, when Perry attended a Solar Seminar held by the Interfaith Council of Green Valley.  There he learned that with a third party investor a solar system for St. Francis would be economically feasible.  Now, the solar system covers 95 - 99% of the electricity needs for the church, and they will see over $113,000 in savings in the next twenty years.

When asked about St. Francis' sustainability goals Perry says, "Solar has planted a seed that I hope grows."

Christ Community Church

Christ Community Church (CCC) has converted their East Tucson facility to be powered by the sun!  Their new system consists of 5 different parking shade structures, which support a total of 1,115 panels.  Solar from this system will provide about 87-91% of the power used at CCC. Officials at Christ Community Church decided to go solar in order to "manage power costs that were continuing to escalate."  CCC will be protected from escalating utility costs, and will see over $1,000,000 of savings in the next 20 years. 

Christ Presbyterian Church

Christ Presbyterian Church, which has been serving their community since 1956, has recently decided to power their place of worship using the sun.  The decision to make the switch to solar was made primarily to confirm their dedication towards being stewards of the earth.  Pastor Steve Melde says, “We saw it as a stewardship issue:  not only investing in the future costs of electricity, but providing for a cleaner environment and taking care of God’s creation.” Their solar system was completed at the end of 2012, and consists of  315 SunPower solar modules atop a custom-made steel structure that doubles as shade for 32 parking spaces.  The system will provide between 92-100% of Christ Presbyterian's electrical needs.

New Armory Apartments

Finished in late 2012, the New Armory Building on Congress just west of downtown Tucson provides new, affordable housing for seniors, aged 62 and older on restricted incomes.  The building houses 143 modern apartments and will meet LEED for Neighborhood Development standards at the LEED Silver level, helped by their solar panels.  Residents will be able to use the new light rail, which will pass in front of New Armory on Congress.  They also have easy access to the Santa Cruz River walk and bike path, as well as the Mercado San Augustin, which has multiple community events each month, including a Farmer's Market. The New Armory Building has a 126.9kW system, which provides the apartments with a monthly estimated production of 19,164kWh.  On the roof, 412 modules are supported on shade structures over the many air conditioners required to cool the building.  The monthly environmental savings are also significant; each month the solar electricity offsets over 19,000 lbs of Coal from being burned and prevents 42,690lbs of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere.

The Lofts at McKinley

The Lofts at McKinley, an adult living center in Phoenix was built to provide sustainable and budget friendly living spaces to active adults over 55 years.  Residents get part of their electricity covered by solar electricity; 182 panels on the roof provide approximately 6,500 kWh of electricity each month.  Developers of the Lofts at McKinley decided to install solar on their project because it was “the right thing to do.” Residents also get the benefit of knowing that their electricity comes from solar power, and that the solar is having a positive impact on the environment.  Each month the community saves over 14,500 lbs of CO2 and 66lbs of other green house gases from polluting our atmosphere.  The environmental savings are equivalent to 15,700 miles not driven.

National Outdoor Leadership School

The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) has long been dedicated to sustainable practices and maintaining their natural environment.  In light of this, they commissioned TFS to install a 19.7 kW system for the school which will cover almost all of their electricity usage.  The system will also become part of their teaching material to students and visitors about sustainability. The solar array which sits on the roof is helping them become more sustainable and to reach their goals.  According to Lindsay Nohl the Southwest Director of NOLS, "the school has a lofty sustainability goal to reach 30% reduction of carbon emissions by 2020." Installing a solar array was an obvious way for them to reduce their carbon footprint and work towards that goal.

Apart from photovoltaic or electric solar panels, the school also employs solar hot water collectors to provide hot water to the shower houses on the premises.  They also use a variety of rain catchment systems to collect water for irrigation around the school's property.

Read more here.

Montgomery & Associates

The Montgomery & Associates, a hydrogeology consulting firm, chose to install solar energy to provide electricity for their Tucson office because utilizing renewable energy is important to them and because the investment would ultimately help them save money.  The incentives offered by tax credits and TEP also made the investment very attractive. The Montgomery & Associates solar system consists of photovoltaic solar panels resting on a custom-made steel structure.  The array also acts as shading for employees’ cars.  This particular array has a very high capacity and fits entirely on the parking canopy, which is a great alternative for businesses with restricted roof space.

In addition to the technical design and installation expertise, the company was thrilled and surprised by how easy the installation was.  Jeffrey Meyer, a Hydrologist and Principal for Montgomery & Associates stated, "this process has been a great overall experience – the entire TFS staff has been very helpful and enjoyable – made this project surprisingly easy!”

Global Community Communications Alliance Solar Array

The Global Community Communications Alliance is a nonprofit headquartered in Rio Rico, AZ at Avalon Organic Gardens, Farm and Ranch.  The organization strives to implement sustainable techniques of water harvesting, composting, recycling, green building and alternative energy while practicing organic farming and gardening.  They chose to install a photovoltaic solar array in order to save energy, reduce pollution and become a more viable example of sustainable principles in action.  Their array not only gives them energy from the sun, it also acts as a shade structure.  According to the nonprofit, "Solar is a key part of a sustainable future."

Tucson Racquet Club

The Tucson Racquet Club is proud to be the new owner of a solar hot water system. As a local Tucson business, the racquet club  recognizes their responsibility to be a leader in the environmental arena. Their goal in installing a solar hot water system was to do something positive for the environment, and for their bottom line. They said that they decided to go with the TFS team, because they heard that TFS is the "most knowledgeable solar provider in this area," and "their work is high quality." The Tucson Racquet Club is grateful for the smooth, organized installation process, and the highly efficient materials used to create their new system. They are excited to see their new solar hot water system hard at work.  Tucson Racquet Club also uses solar panels to provide the club with clean, renewable electricity, which reduces their electricity bill and their greehouse gas emissions.

The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy has added solar to its sustainable Tucson campus. The 92 kW solar electric (photovoltaic) system will supply 93% of the building's power. The organization's hope is that it will educate and inspire businesses, particularly nonprofits, to adopt sustainable practices. Solar Details  The Conservancy’s newest photovoltaic (PV) system is made up of 293 solar panels -- 53 solar panels on the roof of the main building and 240 solar panels on a solar parking shade structure, with 18 roof-mounted panels from an earlier installation. The 4,200-square-foot photovoltaic array has three primary functions -- shading 14 parking spots, electricity generation, and serving as a rainwater harvesting catchment area.

The primary goal for The Nature Conservancy was to provide as close to 100% as possible from renewables, without taking over the site, which they would really like to use as a demonstration of xeriscape, water harvesting, and  sustainable electricity generation -- all things The Nature Conservancy stands for.

Rainwater Harvesting   Rain that falls on the solar parking structure will be directed into a "mega-cistern," made of modular "milk-crates" of recycled material wrapped in impermeable plastic buried beneath the driveway. That 30,000-gallon reservoir was installed in 2011, according to the Jim Cook, former Executive Director at The Nature Conservancy. The reservoir will be less visible than the existing "iconic" 18-foot cistern, which was also installed by TFS, that collects roof water for native plants around the main building. With every inch of rainfall, the solar parking structure will harvest over 2,530 gallons of water. The additional storage will supply water for the entire 2.35-acre campus.

Financial Factors  In regard to funding these types of solar projects, non-profits are often left out of the solar game, because they can't take advantage of the available tax credits. However, the funding for The Nature Conservancy’s system came from a $130,000 donation that was parlayed into a $542,000 PV system. The non-profit worked with a financial partner who was able to use the tax credits and accelerated depreciation schedules that are available for solar projects. Using a lease-purchase agreement allowed the conservancy to add panels and upgrade their efficiency - all for a monthly payment that is less than their current electric bill.

Community Food Bank

Tucson’s Community Food Bank is harvesting the power of the sun to serve more members of our community. The food bank’s 68.80 kW solar electric system will save the non-profit organization nearly $10,000 per year. The electricity savings  alone will help pay for about 1,000 emergency food boxes annually, which help to feed local families. Currently, the food bank is providing meals to nearly a quarter of a million people in Southern Arizona. The food bank's photovoltaic system (AKA: solar electric system), which consists of 306 solar panels, was incorporated into a solar parking shade structure, and is located south of the non-profit's main building.

The funding for the Solar Project came through the efforts of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in the form of a $200 thousand federal grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with Economic Development Initiative Funds (EDI).  The project also includes funding from Tucson Electric Power’s Up-Front Incentive Program. This generous funding covered more than half of the cost of the project. Food bank officials are hoping that another federal grant will allow them to put up a second solar array in 2011.

“We are excited to add solar energy to our water harvesting, recycling, hybrid truck technology and energy efficiency programs at the Community Food Bank,” said Bill Carnegie, President/CEO.  “We are proud to set the example for other businesses in the region.”

Sun Tran

Sun Tran provides a service that improves air quality in our community by taking cars off our busy streets and uses cleaner burning fuels to operate their fleet. Now, as part of Sun Tran's dedication to becoming the City of Tucson's first "green" transit facility, solar bus canopies are shading the expanding fleet of 250 buses. This is not the first time SunTran has chosen to harness the power of the sun. Throughout the Tucson community, bus shelters utilize solar powered lights to reduce the amount of energy used to provide safe and well-lit waiting areas for passengers.

West Tucson Corporation

This West Tucson company decided to install solar because of the cost savings and the environmentally friendly approach to producing electricity. They like their data monitoring system and hope this installation paves the way for the future. They were pleased with their experience with TFS, noting specifically our attention to detail, responsiveness, and customer-focused attitude.

Arts For All

Our first recipient in 2009 for TFS’s solar grant was Arts for All, Inc.  TFS was proud to install a 5.2 kW photovoltaic system, which is expected to save the organization over $27,000 in utility costs over 25 years. Arts for All, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that serves children with and without disabilities and adults with disabilities from the greater Tucson area. Their mission is to provide accessible education, training and experience in the arts to children, primarily those with special needs. In an effort to decrease its impact on the environment and become a more earth-friendly facility, Arts for All has taken numerous steps toward general sustainability. For example, to prevent further landfill waste, Arts for All utilizes reused and recycled materials for art projects, implements an organization-wide recycling program, and provides reusable water bottles and tote bags for customers.

Arts for All’s sustainability practices stretch beyond the walls of its facility. Native desert landscaping has been planted, requiring low water usage. Also, all employees and members are encouraged to utilize alternative transportation methods such as carpooling, bike riding, taking the bus, etc. For those individuals who are unable to take public transportation, due to disabilities, Arts for All uses its own hybrid vehicle to insure that carpooling is accessible for everyone in their organization.

The PV system that was donated by Technicians for Sustainability was not this non-profit’s first experience with solar.  Earlier this year, a solar powered parking lot gate was installed in order to support the organization’s priority for long-term sustainability.

Lastly, TFS wants to congratulate Arts for All, once again, for the actions they have put forth for energy and resource conservation. We hope you enjoy your new PV system, and continue on your path to a sustainable future.

Central Animal Hospital

In 2009, Central Animal Hospital designed a new, LEED certified facility to provide a clean, healthful and modern environment for its patients, clients and staff.  TFS installed a photovoltaic system and a solar hot water system, which are just a couple of the green features that Central Animal Hospital incorporated into their new building.  Some of the other sustainable features include: •Extensive daylighting after taking a mostly windowless building and bringing in natural light via a central light monitor, glass block and solatubes.

•Automatic light adjustment using electric lights, which automatically adjust to provide the needed foot-candles of lighting for that room, at that particular time of day.

•High levels of building ventilation from the placement of carbon dioxide and temperature sensors throughout the building, which adjust the ventilation to provide a healthful and comfortable environment.

•Energy recovery systems that recover energy, hot or cold, from exhausted air and return it to the fresh air that is being pumped into the building.

•Rainwater harvesting for plants using cisterns that store a small portion of the rainwater that runs off the roof.

•Use of sustainable building materials that were produced as locally as possible and from materials that can be easily re-grown or replaced.

•Low-toxin production to prevent fumes and toxins from being released into and lingering in the building and the environment, creating a much more healthful building for all.

Central Animal Hospital designed a green building simply because it was “the right thing to do.”

www.centralah.com

Pima Community College - East Campus

TEP donated a photovoltaic system to be installed at the Pima Community College East Campus and TFS had the honor of being chosen to install it.  This installation is part of a movement to make solar more accessible in Tucson.  PCC is offering solar installation classes at various campuses.

Haley & Aldrich, Inc.

Haley and Aldrich installed a photovoltaic system as part of their remodeling project in order to follow their own guiding principles to 'lead by example' and 'invest in ourselves for tomorrow' in conjunction with their business segment helping clients implement sustainable practices.   They like most the fact that the system integrated well into the property (roof and carport installations without looking gaudy) and they enjoy the ability to monitor system production online in real time.