Richmond CA, October 19, 2010 – Richmond architecture and engineering firm Interactive Resources was recently awarded a contract by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to provide solar feasibility studies for 24 California K-12 school buildings in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. The Sequoia Foundation Solar Schools Assessment and Implementation Project in Berkeley, California requires that a feasibility roof structural assessment be conducted to determine the potential of school roofs to support a solar photovoltaic (PV) array. The Sequoia Foundation is preparing a "Solar Master Plan" that will plan and deploy the installation of PV systems on all appropriate district schools and administrative buildings. The success of this Solar America Showcase demonstration project can lead to the development of best practices and potential replication in other school districts. NREL is responsible for the Solar America Showcase technical management efforts.
Interactive Resources will provide structural engineering services in the rapid evaluation of 24 buildings for the application of photovoltaic arrays, which could also lead to additional school sites. All of the sites are existing school facilities located within California. Each site (building) will be evaluated to determine the maximum permissible number of PV modules that can be placed on the existing framing without triggering a Code mandated seismic upgrade to the existing lateral load resisting system or creating localized over-stress conditions resulting from the added weight of the array.
For each school roof analyzed, Interactive Resources will provide a written report that will include a summary of design parameters, assumptions and analysis results including any structural deficiencies. The report will also include the maximum number of generic PV modules that the existing school roof structure is able to support, as well as structural calculations prepared as part of the structural rapid engineering analysis.
“As a school district develops its master plan for future solar projects, it’s important that the district determine if a school building can handle the additional weight of solar panels. An inexpensive structural analysis done by a professional engineer is one important aspect of determining which school buildings are ready for standard, high efficiency PV panels or which would be better suited for light-weight thin film PV,” said Tom Kelly with KyotoUSA.
Paul Westermann, SE, Structural Engineer for Interactive Resources, is project manager for the NREL Roof Structural Assessments.
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