Shoreline Solar Project
News
Sprouts,
Solar Power and Stormwater: Three Local Projects to Watch
Julia Levitt
March 30, 2009 12:15 PM
Need a dose of inspiration from your own backyard? Keep an eye out for these innovative and practical community projects, which were among the coolest I discovered over the weekend at the Seattle Green Festival.
Gayle Hoffman, who is earning certificates in solar/photovoltaic design and
zero energy building practices though Shoreline Community College's Zero Energy Technology
program, thought that solar would be a natural fit for the new campus at Shorewood High
School. The school is currently in the planning phases of completely replacing
all of its aging buildings with healthier, more energy efficient structures.
Because the plans for the new school haven't been finalized, Hoffman and fellow students designed a versatile freestanding structure, roofed in solar panels, that could be incorporated into a building, an outdoor pavilion area, or another part of the final design plan from contracted firm Bassetti Architects. The solar structure features 30 photovoltaic modules, and Hoffman says that, if built, it would be capable of providing an estimated 6,500 kWh per year of energy for the school. While students and teachers enjoy the summer months off, the segments will be hardest at work, generating power that can be sold back to the grid.
Inside the buildings, Shorewood students have also raised their sustainability profile. According to Hoffman, who regularly volunteers to share her expertise in Shorewood classrooms, "The 9th graders used to do volcano projects in science class. Now all 9th graders do renewable/nonrenewable energy projects." The curriculum is changing to keep up with the times. Here's hoping that students will be able to learn on a campus that doubles as a renewable energy laboratory.