Dovetail Completes Two of the Largest Solar Electric Installations in the Cincinnati Area

Dovetail Completes Two of the Largest Solar Electric Installations in the Cincinnati Area

Dovetail Solar & Wind, one of Ohio’s providers of renewable energy systems, has completed two of the largest solar electric installations in the Cincinnati area as prominent elements of new green buildings.

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden engaged Dovetail to install a 19.3 kilowatt solar photovoltaic array on the zoo’s new Harold C. Schott Educational Center building. The Education Center, which is currently under construction, will be a dynamic facility that integrates the excitement and wonder of exploring a rain forest habitat with the creative approach to educating children and adults for which the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is nationally renowned.

The 31,000-square-foot Education Center, designed by CLR design inc. and Glaserworks, and being built by Turner Construction, will be home to the zoo’s expanded educational programs as well as a 250-seat general-purpose auditorium. Ten new classrooms will encircle a “Discovery Forest,” a large round greenhouse containing both plants and animals that will greatly enrich the overall learning experience. The center will accommodate overnight student groups and clubs that participate in the ever-popular Nocturnal Adventures program.

The solar system was installed by Dovetail working as a subcontractor to B&J Electric. It is one of several “green” building features incorporated into the center. It uses 168 units of Evergreen Solar, Inc. 115 watt photovoltaic modules installed on the south-facing roof. The DC power produced by this large array is converted into 208 volt AC power by five PV POWERED 4600 grid-tie inverters and feeds into the building’s standard electrical system. It will significantly reduce the external electrical power that will be required to operate the building. Any excess power that is generated by the solar system will automatically route to the utility power grid. This nonpolluting, renewable energy system will avoid approximately 68,000 pounds of global warming CO2 from being produced annually by a traditional fossil fuel electric power plant.

In April, Dovetail also added an 11 kilowatt solar array to the new Melink Corporation headquarters in Milford, Ohio. Melink is one of the leading providers of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) products and services for restaurant, supermarket and retail chains. Melink's new 30,000 square-foot headquarters is located just east of Cincinnati, Ohio. Initial review indicates the building will earn a LEED ‘gold’ certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. A gold ranking would make Melink’s building the only one in Ohio, and among a select group in the world achieving this level.

The solar photovoltaic system installed by Dovetail on the roof of the building is one of numerous green building features incorporated into this facility. The building features a geothermal variable-speed pump; a high-performance envelope including the roof, walls, and windows; natural lighting and passive ventilation strategies; indoor air quality controls; dual flush toilets and waterless urinals; recycling systems; and many other green elements. Preliminary analyses of utility bills confirm the building’s energy and water efficiency.

The Melink solar system installed by Dovetail is comprised of 64 Sharp Electronics Corp. 170 watt photovoltaic modules installed on ballasted racks on the building’s roof. The DC power produced by this 10.9 KW array is converted into 208 volt AC power by two PV POWERED 4600 inverters and feeds into the building’s standard electrical system. Net Metering will ensure that any excess power that is generated by the solar system on weekends will automatically route to the electric utility power grid. This nonpolluting, renewable energy system will keep approximately 40,000 pounds of global warming CO2 from being produced annually by a traditional fossil fuel electric power plant.

Published 06/02/2006 Green Building Community ™ is owned by ConnectPress®, Ltd.

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