Goal For The Green

You probably already know that installing solar panels is one of the best ways to make your home more energy efficient and environmentally friendly, but did you also know that you could wind up saving money in the process?

English: On 140 acres of unused land on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., 70,000 solar panels are part of a solar photovoltaic array that will generate 15 megawatts of solar power for the base. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The fact that solar can save homeowners money is driving increased interest on the part of consumers. Here are some surprising Facts on Who Goes Solar? According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, the U.S. residential solar market grew nearly 62%  (see chart) last year and isn’t expected to slow down any in 2013.

Are You ready to go solar at your home or business? Perhaps you didn’t know that the typical solar customer is changing, too. While solar panel buyers ten years ago focused on environmental benefits, today’s solar consumer is looking at other factors. Many homeowners today are buying solar for the same reason they’re buying hybrids: It saves money, and the choice to go with solar powered electricity these days just makes sense.

If you’ve been paying electrical bills for more than a handful of years, you are already well aware of the fact that those bills continue to increase every year and usually consume a large chunk of your monthly expenses.

The cost of solar panels has declined dramatically in recent years. According to Rhone Resch, president and chief executive of the Solar Energy Industries Association, the prices of solar panels decreased 60% last year, making it a more affordable option for many homeowners to consider.

Federal tax credits for solar installations have helped,too. Solar systems installed from Jan. 1, 2009 to Dec. 31, 2016 can get a tax credit of 30% off the cost. State and local incentives can even further reduce the cost of installing solar panels.

When calculating the cost of solar panels, homeowners should consider how much they’ll save on utility bills. Beware of solar installers though, that are overly aggressive in estimating how much you’ll save. Remember, any projection of utility bill savings is an estimate at best; it’s impossible to know how electric rates will fluctuate or how your home energy usage will change.

It’s unclear whether low solar panel prices are here to stay, but one thing is certain: There’s never been a better time to go solar. Now’s the right time to act on this current information. You can feel good about looking into your options for going solar and saving green.

About the Author: Ryan McNeill is president of Renewable Energy Corporation, which helps homeowners make the transition to solar power homes.

Congratulations to Benenson’s Continuing Commitment to Sustainable Design!

On February 14, 2012 an announcement was made by Richard A. Kessler, Chief Operating Officer of Benenson Capital Partners LLC. They are one of the nation’s oldest privately-held real estate investment and development companies. The announcement was made at their  five acre campus located at 1600 Summer Street, in Stamford, CT. The highlight of the announcement was the installation of their state-of-the-art rooftop solar energy equipment and paneling at the six-story, 260,000-square-foot, technologically-advanced  property.

Benenson commissioned energy leader Elliot Isban of American Solar and Alternative Power, to oversee the project at 1600 Summer Street. The site is one of Stamford’s premium office properties, which is currently leased to GE Asset Management, Philips Electronics, North American Corporation and Aon Corporation.

“Over the years, we have transformed the property at 1600 Summer Street to meet the needs of the most innovative and successful businesses,” said Mr. Kessler. “From the newly designed lobby and Euro Café to the Wi-Fi connected public areas and the fully equipped conference center.  Every effort has gone into fostering creative interactions. Providing an efficient energy source for the building was a natural next step, which reflects the Benenson tradition of caring for our communities and standing at the forefront of innovative fossil fuel-free environmental technology progresses.”

The building at 1600 Summer Street is one of only a handful of properties in Stamford to boast rooftop solar panels,while it reflects Benenson’s long-term commitment to supporting environmentally sensitive projects, which benefit not only the building’s tenants but also the larger community.

American Solar and Alternative Power, which has been in the energy conservation business for 25 years. They provided Benenson with an integrated offering of solar solutions, with the ultimate goal of maximizing the potential of the solar array to reduce the property’s reliance on non-renewable resources.

The positive environmental impact of the solar project is extensive, including a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions to the tune of 113,147 pounds per year. Also noted, are reductions in sulfur dioxide (479 pounds per year) and nitrous oxide emissions (189 pounds per year). These savings are equivalent to a passenger car reducing its annual mileage by 139,808. The building features premier Sun Power solar panels, which are the most efficient in the nation, which features a system that tracks the solar power produced and the consequent benefits to the environment.

“Benenson Capital Partners is part of a very elite group of companies that have had the foresight to take such a bold step forward toward sustainability,” said Mr. Isban, CEO of ASAP. “The commitment that the firm has made to utilize solar energy offers tenants yet another example of Benenson’s pledge to consistently provide a best-in-class work environment.”

The Benenson group of companies is still owned and controlled by the Benenson family, and it dates back to 1905 . Benenson Capital Partners, is a leader among privately held operating companies in real estate investment, development and asset management. BCP manages 150 properties, including retail, office, industrial, multifamily, hospitality and land throughout the United States, Canada and Europe on behalf of the Benenson group of companies. The company focuses on core, value-add, and opportunistic investments across all major property sectors, as well as its historic leadership in the ownership of single-tenant triple-net leased properties occupied by major corporate tenants.

American Solar and Alternative Power was founded in 1988.  They provide a range of commercial solar energy solutions for a a variety of companies.  ASAP has also built its success through trusted, long-term partnerships,while working with the best renewable industry professional organizations. Through strong business partnerships, they are able to offer their clients the best solutions and support in today’s market and meet a reasonable budget. Together they are working toward better and greener tomorrows for everyone.

Experience Sky Factory’s Biophilic Illusions of Nature at Greenbuild 2012
The Sky Factory will exhibit at Greenbuild 2012, November 14 – 16 at the Moscone Centre in San Francisco, CA.  You can visit booth #4457N to experience eScape™, the new digital cinema virtual window with HD motion and sound; and a Sky Factory EcoSlim LED Luminous SkyCeiling™, the leaner, greener virtual skylight. 

Fairfield, IA November 6, 2012 — The Sky Factory is exhibiting at Greenbuild, November 14-16th, in San Francisco. The company will showcase eScape™, the new virtual window that displays eight hours of real-time, high-definition nature sequences captured with leading-edge RED Digital Cinema™ technology; and the EcoSlim LED Luminous SkyCeiling™, a vividly realistic virtual skylight that creates a sense of openness in otherwise confined spaces. Sky Factory products bring nature’s soothing presence to interior environments — image, motion and sound — a significant, researched, biophilic benefit for mind and body.

Sky Factory eScape™ is a digital cinema virtual window that features a commercial-grade HD LED screen embedded in a full-size casement window; several trim styles and finishes are available in wood and aluminum. Unedited nature scenes include tropical ocean views with dramatic surf, sunrise and sunset, waterfalls, rivers, lakes, wildlife and underwater marine life. Go here to watch a video on escapes.

Sky Factory EcoSlim LED Luminous SkyCeilings™ are virtual skylights displayed in an ultra-thin, toxin-free, energy-efficient system. The dimmable EcoSlim LED edge-lighting system contains virtually none of the toxic elements of fluorescents, is far longer lasting (50,000 – 100,000 hour life), and costs 15% less to operate for comparable illumination. The EcoSlim lighting unit has a compact profile that uses less material to construct; EcoSlim frames are made from 76% recycled aluminum. The EcoSlim power supply was recognized by the Illuminating Engineering Society in the IES Progress Report as “a unique and significant advancement to the art and science of lighting”. The LSC 24PS power system provides the first LED power supply with up to 1,500 watts capacity. It has a 24-V DC output and is capable of being dimmed. Multiple power supplies can be controlled by one dimming device.

Sky Factory reconnects people with the energizing and healing qualities of natural beauty and daylight utilizing unique architectural and biophilic design elements. Biophilia refers to human beings’ instinctive, genetically based need to affiliate with nature. Sky Factory products are versatile, visually engaging tools that modify the experience of the built environment and enliven human beings’ innate attraction to the natural world. These realistic illusions bring the refreshing influence of nature to enclosed spaces where access to real nature is limited or impossible. Applications include residential, hospitality, retail, office, educational and healthcare spaces.

Texas Tech University’s Neuroimaging Institute has partnered with Sky Factory to research the neural effects of Sky Factory’s photographic sky compositions. The first half of their research is complete. Of particular interest to Sky Factory’s founder, Bill Witherspoon, is “the fact that the Sky Factory sky compositions activate areas of the brain not activated by other positive images. Sky Factory artists introduce compositional principles and elements into our sky images that insure the necessary visual cues are present to trigger a profound ‘relaxation response’ — the unique physiological state that corresponds to an expanded awareness and sense of inner peace and stability. We expect that additional research is likely to further link this experience of SkyCeilings™ to the biophilic engagement that is reported by end-users.

The second part of the study will compare health data from patients staying in hospital rooms with and without Sky Factory Luminous SkyCeilings™. This part of the study will conclude in late 2013.

Sky Factory is an AIA Continuing Education System (AIA CES) Registered Provider, offering two free courses for AIA credit: Illusions of Nature in Architecture and Sustainability, Biophilia, and Illusions of Nature. The courses are available both as live webinars and online download. To learn more, visit www.SkyFactory.com/education/

About The Sky Factory
The Sky Factory, LC is a unique fine art and technology company that creates realistic Illusions of Nature™ – virtual skylights and windows – that transform interior spaces. Founded in 2002 and based in Fairfield, IA, the company is factory-direct with International Partners representing 50 countries. Sky Factory was named one of Inc. Magazine’s Top 20 Small Company Workplaces 2010 and was recently featured as the Wall Street Journal’s Workplace of the Day.