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Project Updates for Speech and Hearing Rooftop Solar PVs

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  1. Resolution to Speech and Hearing Rooftop Solar

    Associated Project(s): 
    Speech and Hearing Rooftop Solar PVs

    The proposed project for a solar array at the Speech and Hearing building was deemed canceled due to the design study which found the roof unable to hold the solar array, as well as an informal shade assessment which found that the panels would not get all day sun due to the existing buildings.

    Please see below a conversation between Morgan White, Jen Frattergio, and Paul Foote regarding this project:

    On January 26, 2024 Paul said:

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    Hello Jen,

    I hope you are having an enjoyable Friday!

     

    I have a quick question, Marth, Aman and I did a quick assessment of the Speech and Hearing bldg. for rooftop solar array and found it to be a poor source for solar insolation due to the Psychology bldg.. shadowing over it for the morning hours and

    HMV9pe+i1PbPVspCsESS5ODdpXH36pOTz2CcPDDoWICqUgAqo3IEXAD3cWIMBAQAOw== 

     

     

    then there are some trees that block summer sun to the north and west as well.

     

    v6WGGhQWOsW9bRDbv08HvCD7RjSBokHjJ3ryw0BChiCAtACRpCHdd4xLdgBdbvkSz5rStTEb1agB3hIArP8hwUpZcQchbu+WBQ7Bz2dngLhy8ewD2VBgQZYsBfKgSmijF3+ghW5gMY0gxSAA1FICVKI7I1AzWmuYNHGTHMUR6Xl2c6ucjq9bDrlRtEMCAA7

     

    We are tasked with submitting an IL Green Fund (SSC) application for this project and I am wondering if there is a reason this location was chosen and/or can we select another location that may produce higher outputs from the sola array?

     

    Here is the charge language: Develop and submit an application to IL Green Fund (SSC) for rooftop Solar on Speech and Hearing Sciences Building in collaboration with stakeholders.

     

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    Jen forwarded the inquiry to Morgan White and Stacey DeLorenzo:

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    Hi Morgan and Stacey,

     

    See below for a question from Paul and the Energy Team.

     

    Morgan, you had suggested the team apply for funding from the IL Green Fund (SSC) for rooftop solar on the Speech and Hearing Sciences Building. What was the reasoning behind this recommendation? Is a tool used or an analysis done to identify suitable buildings for installations?

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    Morgan replied:

     

    Hi Jen,

     

    Just to close the loop on this old question from 1.5 years ago…  There was an analysis of large roofs that could potentially be retrofitted with solar.  Many of the large roofs are made with gypsum board which is not strong enough for panels, and the remainder would require a structural analysis.  Someone said the Speech and Hearing Sciences Building was retrofitted with a different lower-weight type of insulation which should make it viable to handle the weight of solar panels.  We did an in-house assessment with F&S Design Services, and it was found that the roof could hold the weight of the panels.  Then the Student Sustainability Committee funded a full design, which was completed and is on the iCAP Portal / in F&S records.  The iCAP Energy Team pointed out that the new high-rises around the facility block a lot of the sunlight, so the project was essentially cancelled.  I think it would still be helpful to do a shade study for the building, and potentially it could have a green roof on it.  It is very visible from the Hub (one of the highrises nearby), so it could be a visible sign of our climate action.

     

     

     

  2. Final Report submitted to SSC - Speech and Hearing Solar

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Speech and Hearing Rooftop Solar PVs

     

    This project was originally proposed by Mechanical Engineering students for Abbott Power Plant in spring 2016.  At that time, the SSC members did not want to support solar on the co-generation power plant because it uses fossil fuels.  They asked if we could use it on a different campus roof, and we considered all the large or medium campus roofs.

     

    The SSC asked us to identify a building that could have solar added, so I reached out to Applied Health Sciences in 2016 for approval to use the Speech and Hearing Sciences Building.  Since that time, Kristine Chalifoux confirmed that the roof is strong enough for solar panels, due to a previous change in the insulation materials.  Brian Finet completed design drawings for installing solar on the full available roof, and the Architecture Review Committee confirmed the building is allowed to have solar added.  

     

    After the engineering design work, the remaining funds were about $35K.  This fall, we received a construction estimate from Jeff Holt for upgrading the electrical system to handle a 70 kW solar PV array.  It would cost about $42K if done in conjunction with your capital project, just to get the wiring up to the roof and ready to punch through and install panels later.  Rather than ask the SSC for additional funding and an extension, I am returning the remaining dollars and putting this project on indefinite hold. 

     

    The overall campus goals for on-campus solar generation are listed in the 2015 Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP), which will be updated for 2020.  The current objective is to generate 25,000 MWh/year of on-campus solar, and we are currently at about 7,000 MWh/year.  Per the direction received from Chancellor Jones, we are working on a second large-scale solar farm to meet the goal, rather than several smaller-scale projects. 

     

    The second solar farm is planned to be about 12,000 kW in name-plate capacity, significantly more than the 70 kW rooftop array for Speech and Hearing.  Rooftop solar is still an option, and several departments continue to install them at the building scale. The design drawings are posted online through the iCAP Portal, at https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/project/speech-and-hearing-rooftop-solar-pvs, for future use.

     

    Attached Files: 

  4. Jeff Holt assigned to coordinate installation

    Associated Project(s): 
    Speech and Hearing Rooftop Solar PVs

    Jeff Holt met with Morgan White today to discuss the rooftop solar project on the Speech and Hearing Sciences Building.  We discussed solar installer certifications (NABCEP), in-house construction options, and coordination with the Capital project being managed by Kevin Price.  We also discussed the options for requesting additional funding from the Student Sustainability Committee, to be able to install more of the solar.

  8. Work Order created for engineering work

    Associated Project(s): 
    Speech and Hearing Rooftop Solar PVs

    Work Request 253325 converted to Work Order 10519389

     

    Work Order: 10519389

    Building: 0209 - SPEECH AND HEARING SCIENCE

    Room:

    Department Reference:

     

    Customer Description:

    WO for engineering services for solar funding for Speech and hearing sciences

     

    Phases:

    Phase: 001 DESIGN SERVICES

  9. Meeting to initiate the work order

    Associated Project(s): 
    Speech and Hearing Rooftop Solar PVs

    F&S staff met to discuss the Speech and Hearing Sciences Building Rooftop Solar PVs project.  Managing Engineer Kristine Chalifoux and Electrical Engineer Brian Finet will take the lead on the design.  The design will use a ballast mounting system, real time energy meters, and an online solar dashboard.

  11. F&S design meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Speech and Hearing Rooftop Solar PVs

    Brian Finet shared a preliminary sketched layout for the Speech and Hearing Rooftop Solar PV, in a short meeting with Morgan Johnston and Robert Halverson.  During the spring funding meeting of the Student Sustainability Committee, they questioned if it was possible to do a scalable design for this building, so more than the originally funded 11kW could be installed in the future.  The answer is yes, this is highly scalable.

  12. Preliminary meeting with F&S Engineering Design

    Associated Project(s): 
    Speech and Hearing Rooftop Solar PVs

    Morgan Johnston, Robert Halverson, and Brian Finet met to discuss the design needs of the Speech and Hearing Rooftop Solar PVs project (on building #209).  Key points discussed are:

    Per the building occupants, this project needs to be installed at the same time as the Capital Project in that building, currently scheduled for summer 2017.  Therefore, the bulk of the design needs to be completed by December 2016, and the installation methodology should be clarified in September or October, 2016.

    The project must be metered, in order to track the solar energy generation.  There are several metering options and considerations to be addressed.  The meter needs to track real-time energy generation from the array, but this project does not currently include setting up a dashboard website specifically for this array.

    Discussion about the pros and cons of various mounting methods were discussed.  Additional potential for rooftop leaks are the primary concern for building occupants and maintenance contacts.  The most manageable installation style is to connect the solar panels to an existing load bearing column for the building.  Ballast style installations, while not creating an immediate rooftop penetration point, are very likely to wear on the roof and create non-point source leaks which are hard to find and eliminate.  Additionally, with a ballasted mounting system the snow load is difficult to calculate due to the unpredictable effect of snow drifts.

  13. SH Solar Funding Agreement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Speech and Hearing Rooftop Solar PVs
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    One of the strategies outlined in the Illinois Climate Action Plan is a significant increase in the amount of solar energy on campus, which would include rooftop panels as part of the plan. Toward that end, SSC is funding an 11-kilowatt array on the roof of the Speech and Hearing Building. This specific location was selected due to its viability, visibility, and location near the heart of campus.

    Attached Files: