The solar PV panels being installed on top of the Business/School of Public and Environmental Affairs building will generate 43kW of electricity per day representing an amount that would supply the daily needs of over two dozen houses.
164 panels, each measuring 77 by 39 inches, will supply a portion of the building’s power needs thereby helping to offset some electricity costs. According to Dawn M. Rhodes, vice chancellor for finance and administration, the project will also provide research opportunities and extend IUPUI initiatives to advance sustainability. The university specialises in urban research and therefore sustainability is an important topic that extends into every aspect of campus life added Colleen McCormick, director of sustainability.
The project is being led by Campus Facility Services and the University Architect’s Office and is one of 18 Qualified Energy Savings Projects underway in several university buildings. The goal is to reduce the campus’s carbon footprint by implementing energy savings measures in lighting, air-conditioning, heating and water. The university will issue bonds in order to pay the $11.5 million cost of the projects which are expected to pay for themselves within ten years.
“Implementation of this project is a great ‘first step’ for the campus in the generation of electricity from a renewable source,” said Emily Wren, associate vice chancellor of facilities. “This is a very large step at a time when we are talking about carbon emissions and what the impact of the campus is on the environment.”
The panels on the roof of the Business/SPEA building are set in a static position of about 22 degrees from the horizontal in order to capture as much solar radiation as possible without assistance from an active solar tracking system. They are expected to capture an average of about four hours of solar energy per day.
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