United Solar’s Uni-Solar brand photovoltaics were installed on 18 elementary schools and three middle schools with standing seam metal roofs.
The installation is expected to save the district $14,000 per year at each school in energy costs, totaling more than $300,000 annually, and will provide a carbon offset of 166 metric tons per year.
PK Electrical acted as an electrical engineering firm and the design professional on the project for the Washoe County School District, and was concerned over potential damage to each school’s roof structures with glass panels acting as an airfoil on windy days and pulling too hard on the attachment parts and on the metal roofs.
A computer monitoring system has been installed at each school, displaying real-time usage data.
