Powering Up at Pietra Apartments
In a day and age when businesses are working toward being sustainable, a Phoenix apartment community is using the Arizona sun to generate power. Owners of Pietra Luxury Apartments has just completed the installation of a 47,000 watt solar array which is generating power throughout the common areas of the community, such as the leasing office, pool area and club house. The investment is expected to save approximately 75% on energy expenses.
Westplan Investors and Wood Partners, joint venture owners of the community initiated the project and made the investment to help the environment while adding value to their asset. Mark-Taylor Residential manages the community and worked closely with the installment team since the project began last month. The array will generate over 75,000 kilo watt hours annually, and owners expect to save a minimum of $20,000 per year, not including tax benefits.
“We are always striving to reduce our carbon footprint, and given the power of the Arizona sun, we saw a great opportunity to use solar energy to generate power for common areas of our building,” said Ewoud Swaak of Westplan Investors “Now, our carports keep cars cool while powering our community,” he said.
Through the collaborative efforts of Westplan Investors, Wood Partners and Mark-Taylor Residential, the project was completed in just a few short weeks.
APS helped make the solar array more affordable by providing financial rebates through the APS Renewable Energy Incentive Program. The program offers rebates to customers who add renewable energy systems to their homes or business.
“We have been told by our customers that they want more solar,” said Eran Mahrer, APS’ Director of Renewable Energy. “By adding solar, the owners of Pietra Luxury Apartments are showing that they are responsive to their tenant’s desires.”
Renewvia Energy Corp was retained to build out the project which took approximately 6 weeks.
“The panels chosen for this project are American made, which means they abide by strict manufacturing emission guidelines not required by some overseas manufactures, negating much of the clean energy benefit,” said Trey Jarrard, Renewvia’s Chief Operating Officer.
“A project like this is attractive to the owner and eventual buyer of an apartment community; the net operating income improves and the majority of the array cost is recouped within the first year and of course it’s more environmentally friendly, ” he said.
Renewvia is becoming more active in the multifamily industry, and have developed solar arrays in multiple states including Arizona.
Renewvia Northport I
IDI – Northport
1.25 MegaWatt Grid-connected PV
Located between the busy Port of Elizabeth and the Newark Airport, the facility is a high-profile, Class A new industrial distribution center. Renewvia Energy structured a program for IDI that allows multiple building tenants to take advantage of a 1.25MW rooftop mounted PV system.
Utilizing 5304 ART-245 solar panels from Suniva, GT500 inverters from Schneider/Xantrex and mounted at a 5-degree tilt on non-penetrating racking from Sunlink, Renewvia Energy is providing over 1400 MWh of electricity to the building each year. Protecting the integrity of the roof and tenants’ operations was the most important aspect of developing this project.
The project takes advantage of the New Jersey SREC (Solar Renewable Energy Certificate) program and the PSE&G Solar Loan program to bring these benefits of solar energy to IDI and its tenants. Renewvia Energy owns and operates the power plant and sells power through the use of PPAs (Power Purchase Agreements).
This project is unique because of the involvement of 3 Georgia companies. Renewvia Energy, DI and Suniva are all Atlanta, GA based companies.
Environmental Benefits
Carbon Dioxide Offset (annually): 247 tons
Carbon Dioxide Offset (25 years): 12,630 tons
• Equal to removing 98 cars / 1,175,969 miles not driven
• Equal to planting 122 acres of pine trees
NOx Emissions Offset (25 years): 18 tons
SO2 Emissions Offset (25 years): 34 tons
Casa Carranza
Summit Equity Investments – Casa Caranza Apartments
281kW Grid-connected PV
Summit Equity Investments is a Los Angeles based real estate investment entity. Summit Equities purchased the Casa Carranza Apartment complex in Mesa, AZ with the intent to add value through operational gains. The addition of this solar project adds substantial operating income to the property over
the expected operational life.
Located in Arizona, Renewvia and Summit chose to develop the system on a newly added parking canopy system. The parking canopies provide both electricity and valuable shaded parking. Renewvia Energy engineered a solution for Summit that allows all building tenants to use power from the 281kW PV system.
Utilizing 1004 solar panels from Suntech, PVP100KW and 75KW inverters from PV Powered and mounted at a 20-degree tilt on parking canopies installed by Envision Solar, the solar power system is providing over 486,000 kWh of electricity to the complex each year.
The project takes advantage of the Salt River Project’s production-based renewable energy incentive program to bring these benefits of solar energy to Summit and its tenants. Renewvia Energy developed and operates the power plant for Summit. Summit Equity Investments owns the project and benefits directly from the economics. Salt River Project owns the Environmental Benefits generated by the project for 10 years.
Environmental Benefits
Carbon Dioxide Offset (annually): 232 tons
Carbon Dioxide Offset (25 years): 5,812 tons
• Equal to removing 45 automobiles from the road or 541,092 miles not driven
• Equal to planting 56 acres of pine trees
NOx Emissions Offset (25 years): 8 tons
SO2 Emissions Offset (25 years): 6 tons
Alta Cave Creek
Alta Cave Apartments
Westplan Investments – Wood Partners
47kW Grid-connected PV
Wood Partners is one of the five largest US apartment developers and Westplan Investments is an Atlanta based real estate investment entity that owns apartments and commercial property throughout the country. Through a partnership, the two entities own the Alta Cave Apartment complex in Phoenix, AZ and intend to add value through operational gains.
The addition of the Photovoltaic solar system adds substantial operating income to the property over the expected operational life. Located in hot Arizona, the owners chose to develop their first solar system, in both their portfolios, on a newly added parking canopy system. The parking canopies provide both electricity and valuable shaded parking. Renewvia Energy engineered a solution for Alta Cave that utilizes the solar installation to power common area needs of the property.
Utilizing solar panels from Suniva, enphase microinverters and mounted at a 5-degree tilt on parking canopies, Renewvia Energy is providing over 117,000 kWh of electricity to the complex each year.
The project takes advantage of Arizona Public Services’ production-based renewable energy incentive program to bring these benefits of solar energy to Alta Cave. Renewvia Energy developed and operates the power plant for Westplan. Westplan Investments owns the project and benefits directly from the economics. Arizona Public Service owns the Environmental Benefits generated by the project for 20 years.
Environmental Benefits
Carbon Dioxide Offset (annually): 71 tons
Carbon Dioxide Offset (25 years): 1,673 tons
• Equal to removing 13 automobiles from the road or 155,766 miles not driven
• Equal to planting 16 acres of pine trees
NOx Emissions Offset (25 years): 2 tons
SO2 Emissions Offset: (25 years): 2 tons
