San Diego, CA (PRWEB) August 30, 2013 -- Commercial property owners, building and sustainability managers county-wide are invited to join the San Diego Renewable Energy Society (SDRES) for a free, interactive, behind-the-scenes tour of six energy innovations whose solutions are slashing monthly energy costs, earning big tax credits and helping property owners attract and retain quality tenants during the commercial leg of the 13th San Diego Sustainability Tour.
San Diego’s 13th Sustainability Tour is part of the American Solar Energy Society’s National Solar Tour, the world’s largest grassroots solar event. With a theme of “Be Sustainably Inspired,” this year’s tour will showcase a “Sweet 16” of unique energy innovations in the residential, non-profit, multi-family and commercial space.
“Today’s property owners have a wide array of smart, affordable energy efficiency and renewable energy options to improve their properties and create more sustainable work and living environments,” noted Ted Reguly, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E’s) director of customer programs and projects. SDG&E’s Energy Innovation Center is a LEED Platinum-certified facility that will serve as the staging area for the commercial leg of this year’s Sustainability Tour.
“We’re eager to showcase not only the SDG&E Energy Innovation Center’s LEED Platinum-certified innovations, but to introduce property owners, building, sustainability and fleet managers to the workshops and certification programs we offer to keep them abreast of the latest in energy management solutions that can help them achieve their sustainability goals while improving their bottom lines,” Reguly said.
The free, guided, commercial leg of the tour is slated for Friday, September 20, from 10 am to 4:30 pm and features behind-the-scenes, boots-on-the-roof tours with local contractors and property owners whose solutions are saving them money, earning big tax credits and creating more appealing work and living spaces. The balance of the tour’s Sweet 16 will be showcased in a free, self-guided residential tour slated for Saturday, September 21, from 10 am to 2 pm at energy-savvy households from Santee to Carlsbad.
The commercial tour commences at SDG&E’s Energy Innovation Center, where tour registrants will be privy to the latest in money saving energy efficiency technology and tools (lighting, materials, intelligent HVAC and energy management), cool roof, solar and electric vehicle (EV) charging innovations like Envision Solar’s Solar Grove™.
From there, guests will board a Sun Diego biodiesel charter and be whisked to five unique locations where they’ll enjoy lively Q&A with the contractors and energy experts responsible for installing the tour’s main assets. They include:
UC San Diego, selected as SDG&E’s 2013 Energy Grand Champion, featuring a 2.8 MW Fuel Cell system, PV with Energy Storage, EV charging, an Envision Solar-designed, Kyocera-powered deck-top Solar Grove, the world premiere of Wipomo’s Energy Ecosystem™ and Engineers for a Sustainable World’s Solar Slider (La Jolla);
Home Energy Systems' 334-kW PV system on HG Fenton’s fully-leased Solterra EcoLuxury Apartments. This zero net energy marvel comes replete with solar PV, garages pre-wired for EV, in-home energy displays and more (Scripps Ranch);
SunUp Energy’s solar water heating system at CityView, whose solution will provide its owners payback in fewer than five years; after that, all solar savings lead to pure solar profit for this property owner (Downtown San Diego);
A cool roof and boots-on-the-roof installation in progress at a tenant-owned commercial office building featuring LG’s new high efficiency Mono-X modules and Enphase microinverters, narrated by PURE Solar Power’s President Jeff Konek and featuring some solar myth-busting by the East County Solar Guy (Old Town);
An Adroit Solar-led rooftop and boiler-room tour of the 110-kW PV, solar thermal and electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions at LEED Platinum-rated Kalos, an affordable housing complex in North Park;
A special presentation by US Bank, offering a property owner’s perspective on the bottom line benefits of employing sustainable solutions to attract and retain good tenants.
Valuable dialogue about free workshops, EV fleet management, efficiency incentives, AB 1103 (new legislation requiring energy benchmarking for commercial properties leased or sold) and cost-cutting strategies that improve building performance and benefit any property owner or fleet manager’s bottom line will occur.
“This tour provides a day chock full of innovative energy solutions that can help San Diego businesses create more sustainable brands while improving their bottom line. It’s a time investment that – like the solutions we’re showcasing – can bring property owners meaningful ROI from day one…and for decades to follow,” said Home Energy Systems’ President Martin Learn.
Space is limited. Property owners, building managers, corporate sustainability and fleet managers can register at sdrestour.eventbrite.com. Call 858-220-3317 for details. No vendors, please.
The 13th San Diego Sustainability Tour is a free public service produced by the non-profit San Diego Renewable Energy Society in conjunction with the County of San Diego, SDG&E, UC San Diego, PURE Solar Power, ASI Heating, Air & Solar, Home Energy Systems, Envision Solar, Adroit Solar, Photon Solar Power, Stellar Solar, Semper Solaris, SolarRain Watery, Building Owners and Managers’ Association (BOMA), the San Diego County Apartment Association (SDCAA), California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE), US Green Building Council, GRID Alternatives, the San Diego Metropolitan Credit Union, US Bank, FIGTREE Energy Financing, BKM OfficeWorks, Wipomo Energy Ecosystems, Engineers for a Sustainable World and other expert solar and energy efficiency contractors and advocates county-wide.
A slide show teasing the energy attributes of the Sweet 16 sites participating in this year’s tour will be posted on the SDRES Web site Labor Day weekend.
ABOUT THE SAN DIEGO RENEWABLE ENERGY SOCIETY (SDRES): The non-profit San Diego Renewable Energy Society (SDRES) is a membership-based organization dedicated to increasing the intelligent use of renewable and sustainable energy technologies in San Diego County through education, advocacy, networking and the presentation of special events like the San Diego Sustainability Tour. SD RES is the San Diego Chapter of the American Solar Energy Society (ASES), the nation’s first association of solar professionals and grassroots advocates. Learn more at http://www.sdres.org.
Terri Steele, San Diego Renewable Energy Society, http://www.sdres.org, (858) 220-3317, [email protected]
SOURCE San Diego Renewable Energy Society
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