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Steven Strong's
The Solar Electric House
Steven Strong's Classic Book: The Solar Electric House

A consumer's guide to solar home design, by the pre-eminent authority on renewable energy systems.

renewable energy means jobs for electrical workers

SDA partners with union on PV system design, training and installation

San Jose IBEW 322 installation
Electrical workers install PV system on
the roof of their union hall. 		Location: San Jose, CA USA

Client: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 322

Use: Meeting Hall, Offices and Training Center

San Jose IBEW 322 installation
Installing a rooftop system on the regional
training center for electrical workers in Silicon Valley.Background:

Local 332, the largest local of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Northern California, set multiple goals for their new union headquarters and NJATC regional training center:

  • provide a home for the IBEW Local 332
  • integrate photovoltaics and green building principles where possible
  • serve as venue for education of union members and the public.


Solar Design Associates partnered with the union to design, engineer and oversee the construction of the solar elements of the project, one of the largest union-sponsored solar power installations west of the Mississippi.

solar sunshades on IBEW 322
Energy-generating BIPV skylights and sunshades serve multiple purposes at IBEW Local 322.Special Features:

  • Custom BIPV skylights incorporate laser-etched thin film PV allowing for the production of electricity while reducing cooling loads by shading unwanted solar gain
  • The south façade is fitted with custom fabricated sunshades to reduce the glare from the intense California sun, while generating electricity from the integral polycrystalline solar modules. The electricity produced by the sunshades is fed into a battery bank to power the IBEW's critical loads in case of a power failure or rolling blackout
  • The roof mounted polycrystalline laminates on PowerGuard backing feed utility-quality power to the building, thanks to the bright Silicon Valley sunshine.

Solar Design Associates designed and engineered all three systems, producing the design documentation and specifying components. We assumed responsibility for commissioning and acceptance testing for the systems, and provided IBEW members with extensive training

Outcome:

Now billed as "The Photovoltaic Local", IBEW 322 has become the go-to place for learning about PV in Silicon Valley.

Local 332 offers their 29,200 square foot facility as a meeting and training venue for local groups committed to sustainability, and the union has conducted tours for over 1000 members of the general public. IBEW 322 is also a participant in the Million Solar Roofs Partnership in the Bay Area.

The union received the Innovation in Building Award from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council.

“The membership voted overwhelmingly to install PV on their building. The IBEW has come to see the importance of distributed on-site electricity generation, using renewable energy sources such as solar, as part of their future.”


SDA President Steven Strong



We are always interested in initiating new projects with trade unions, from consulting and training services to building design and implementation.
Contact us.


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