Grant Proposal for Solar Panels on Young Auditorium

1. Grant Proposal for Solar Panels on Young Auditorium KalieKrahenbuhl Josh Pierce Cassie Ponzi Ashley Wille

2. Green Initiatives at UW-Whitewater • Energy sources such as fossils are diminishing and becoming more expensive • This brings up the idea to explore potential renewable energy sources • Examples of these sources are solar, hydro and wind • Photovoltaic solar panels would be a great option • Convert direct sunlight into useable energy • Lower the cost of outside energy sources • Many other benefits

3. Green Initiatives (Cont’d.) • We concluded that Irvin Young Auditorium would be best fit for solar panels • South-facing metal roof • Allows for most sunlight • Would not have to make changes to current roof • Other “Green” initiatives on campus • Solar Panels on Hyland Hall • Hyland’s other sustainable upgrades • Water bottle fillers • Recycling of cell phones and ink cartridges • High student and faculty interest to make Whitewater more eco-friendly

4. Statement of Need • Students desire a more sustainable campus • Save our campus money • Give UWW a positive reputation • Reduces our carbon footprint • Low maintenance • Energy dependent

5. Survey Results

6. This survey question approached student awareness about: • Solar energy • Solar panels as an energy source, • Benefits of these concepts • Students tend to be educated about: • Importance of solar energy • Options available to improve the energy situation

7. Survey Results

8. Survey Results

9. Interview • Interviewed: Greg Swanson, Director of Facilities and Management at UW-Whitewater • Economical • Save money in the long run • Many things to consider when installing solar panels • Realistic task • Energy and solar/renewable incentives • Educating students about renewable energy

10. Interview • Aaron Schmidt, environmental studies undergrad student • Keep in mind during installation: • Location and type of solar panels • Direct sunlight throughout the day • Avoid shade and shadow • Weather and natural factors that could damage panels or roof • University campuses and renewable energy kinds • Solar panels • Wind turbines • Converting old systems to new • Making people aware of impact on environment

11. Interview with Eric Compas • Being able to view solar panels is important. • UW-Whitewater and the Presidents’ Climate Committee. • Reducing our carbon footprint • Student involvement/student financing

12. Interview With Wesley Enterline • Sustainability Coordinator at UW-Whitewater • Also works for Facilities Planning and Management at the university • Highlights of Interview • Emphasized convenience of metal seam roof facing the south on the auditorium • Exact panels used depends on bids • Company with cheapest bid but meets requirements of the RFP • 25-30 year lifetime and 17 year cost recovery • Little maintenance involved (inverter replacement and snow removal)

13. Interview With Wesley Enterline (Cont’d) • Also discussed current energy mix at UWW • 95% coal, 9.5% natural gas, 24,2% nuclear, 1.11% hydro, .58% biomass, and .16% wind & solar • Panels on Young Auditorium would generate 13.6% of auditorium’s energy • Existing panels on Hyland generate 2.4% of Hyland’s energy • Hyland consumes in 1 month the energy Young Auditorium consumes in 1 year • Also pointed out intangible benefits • Enrollment increases, learning opportunities, etc...

14. Ariel view of Young Auditorium These are the types of solar panels that would be installed on the building. The panels are mounted so that they lay flat on the building, and are the easiest kind of solar panels to install on a metal seam roof because there would be no need to adjust the current roof structure. Illustrations

15. The solar panels would be placed here on the Young Auditorium, due to its South-facing angled, metal seam roof. Solar panels would not be installed here because of shading issues.

16. Vision Slide Solar panels on Hyland These are the types of solar panels that would be used on the Young Auditorium.

17. Budget • $141,000 for the system and installation • Eligibile for grants and incentives totaling $105,000 • 4% project cost payed to Dept. of State Facilities • 10% contingency fee to cover misc. costs • Adjusted installed cost - $55,500 • Save an estimated $1,573 yearly • Value of 1st 10 years of power production - $22,211 • Subtract roughly $5,000 for inverter replacement, which is expected in 1st 10 years, resulting in value of $17,486 for years 1-10 of power production • Assuming that value, the system will pay for itself in 20 years, 5-10 years less than its estimated lifetime, making it a feasible investment

18. Budget (Cont’d)

19. Goals of the Project • Problem, solution, and achievement of goal • Raise awareness and promote interest • Make UW-Whitewater a leader in sustainability • Enable individuals access to real-life data • Hands-on learning and research experience • Installing solar panels • Won’t just benefit a few • Positive impact on many (campus body, community, general public)

20. Implementation of the Project

21. Contractor’s Process • Execute job contract (2 weeks) • Complete shop drawings using designs provided by the university (2 weeks) • Order and fabricate mounting system for panels • Installation process (no more than 6 weeks) • Install breaker and panel and mount wire inverters (2 weeks) • Load frames and panels onto roof (1 day) • Install framing system and set and wire the panels onto mounts (10 days) • 4 days set aside to run the conduit on the roof • Couple days of inspection • System commissioned • About a week to make sure everything functions properly

22. Timetable of Project • Spring 2012—Assessment • Fall 2012—bids from solar panel companies • Fall 2012—Sustainability Council meetings • Spring 2013—surveys of student and faculty will be distributed • Summer 2013—installation of solar panels will begin

23. People involved with planning • Aimee McCann, Director of Budget Planning and Analysis • Richard Telfer, Chancellor • Greg Swanson, Director of Facilities Planning and Management • Eric Compas, Assistant Professor of Geography; Co-chair of Sustainability Council • Wesley Enterline, Sustainability Coordinator • Sustainability Council

24. Flyer that describes project

25. Meaningfulness of Goals • Raise awareness and promote interest • Increased awareness = more interest in learning how they can help • Make UW-Whitewater a leader in sustainability • UWW a well-known university • Other colleges follow suit and implement similar techniques • Enable individuals access to real-life data • Hands-on approach • Data accessible from university website

26. Initiative Flow Young Auditorium Campus-wide Impact Positive Affect on Environment

27. Impact of the project • The entire UW-Whitewater campus will benefit—campus, students and faculty, and future members of the community. • Installing solar panels on Young Auditorium is worth funding • Solar panels are very sustainable and replicable • They have a long life • They are beneficial

28. Evaluation of Project • Year 1: before implementation of solar panels • Collect data to be compared to future years • Comes from surveys, records of green initiatives, website user tracking, current UWW energy usage by source • Later years • Collect more data and compare to year 1 • Additional surveys, tracking number of users on website, gather news about other campuses, continues to track usage, production and money saved • Easily accessible chart to show money saved offsetting cost

29. Evaluation Continued • Want to see an increase in all of these throughout the years • Could come through percentage changes • If there is not an increase • Reevaluate how collect data • Could have an effect on current year • Make changes as necessary • Sending out an article in the Royal Purple with some simple information about the project and solar panels