Solar manufacturer to install Canada's largest solar system

VICTORIA, British Columbia, Canada, March 7, 2007. The largest solar system in Canada will install 108 kW of solar panels on a federal building on the east coast.

Carmanah Technologies has been awarded a contract for Cdn$1.4 million from Public Works & Government Services Canada for the panels to be installed on the roof of the Jean Canfield Building in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The grid-tie solar system will be connected to both the conventional electricity grid and an array of 500 Sanyo solar modules.

The system will include web-based monitoring technology to provide live content to a lobby display, enabling visitors to view the system's energy generation performance in real time. Currently under construction, the four-storey facility will house 500 civil servants and become a national showcase for sustainable and green design while maintaining the historical architectural style of downtown Charlottetown.

The government wants to obtain Gold certification for the building under the LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System. The 16,686 m2 office is located on a brownfield site and incorporates raised access floors, chilled slab cooling, storm water management, rainwater harvesting and hydrogen fuel cell.

It will be connected to the municipal district heating system and use electricity generated from wind turbines, making the building a near-zero emission project. Estimates indicate the project will be 57% more energy efficient than the model energy code.

“Carmanah is proud to supply the PWGSC with a custom-designed, turnkey solar power system that will help make the Jean Canfield Building one of the most environmentally friendly buildings in Canada,” says Art Aylesworth of Carmanah. “LEED-certified buildings are 44% more energy efficient on average than conventional buildings; this is a testament to what we can achieve toward the reduction of fossil fuel use and GHG emissions using today's sustainable energy technologies.”

Massing and orientation are designed to optimize access to natural light, solar energy and natural ventilation. The south wing, with large areas of glazing, is skewed 45° off the city’s diagonal grid to take advantage of higher sun angle in the south and to maximize exposure for daylighting and the roof-top solar array. Massing of the two wings creates a central three-story atrium, providing additional daylighting and natural ventilation.

Carmanah is involved in solar power systems and solar-powered LED lighting, as well as LED illuminated signage. Based on Canada’s west coast, it has installed 250,000 systems around the world. The company designed and installed a 100 kW solar rooftop array at Exhibition Place in downtown Toronto last year.

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