Solar Builder Announces Reader-Chosen Project of the Year Awards

Solar Builder magazine, the leading publication covering solar power construction in North America, has announced the winners of its first annual Project of the Year awards. Projects are awarded in two categories — ground-mount and roof-mount — and chosen by Solar Builder readers.

The Ground-Mount Project of the Year is Holston View Elementary’s outdoor classroom in Bristol, Tenn. The 50-kW solar canopy was installed by EcoLogical Energy Systems and features AC modules (from MAGE SOLAR and SolarBridge Technologies) as a safe alternative to a DC-system. The Schletter canopy system can hold all 400 elementary school students underneath and provides a unique educational experience as a functioning ‘learning lab.’

Other projects recognized in the Ground-Mount category are: Konterra Solar Microgrid in Laurel, Md. (runner-up); Beach City Ground-Mount in Beach City, Ohio (honorable mention); and Camp Sky-Y YMCA in Prescott, Ariz. (honorable mention).

The Roof-Mount Project of the Year is Stone Brewing Co.’s 360-kW system on its packaging hall in Escondido, Calif. Independent Energy Solutions installed a unique, double-sided mounting system from Everest Solar Systems that eliminates shading between rows and enabled nearly every section of the rooftop to be covered with solar panels. This is the second solar installation for the environmentally-conscience brewing company.

Other projects recognized in the Roof-Mount category are: Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn. (runner-up); Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in North Adams, Mass. (honorable mention); and the San Francisco Exploratorium in San Francisco (honorable mention).

Winners are featured in the November/December 2013 issue of Solar Builder magazine, online at solarbuildermag.com and on the free Solar Builder app in the Apple Newsstand. Nominations were accepted online from Jan. 1 to Sept. 6, 2013. Solar Builder staff narrowed the nominations down to five projects in each category based on construction application, innovation and community impact. Voting was open to Solar Builder readers and the public via solarbuildermag.com from Sept. 13 to Sept. 30, 2013. Winners and runner-ups were determined by votes, and the Solar Builder staff awarded two honorable mentions to the remaining projects.

Solar Builder will present Project of the Year awards in 2014 for projects commissioned between October 2013 and August 2014. Visit solarbuildermag.com for more information.