COUNCIL FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT TRACK B REPORT. Solar Panels on Langford Building Roof 12/4/2017. Jorge Vanegas, College of Architecture 3/7/2017

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1 DIVISION OF FINANCE AND OPERATIONS OFFICE OF THE UNIVERSITY ARCHITECT Lilia Gonzales University Architect COUNCIL FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT TRACK B REPORT Project Name: Issue Date: Solar Panels on Langford Building Roof 12/4/2017 Project Requestor: Individual/College or Division/Department or Unit Date Request Received: Jorge Vanegas, College of Architecture 3/7/2017 CBE Sub-Councils Reviewed (reports attached): X DRsc X TRsc FUPsc X Msc Other Report copies provided to: CBE Co-Chairs, CBE Coordinator, CBE Sub-Council Chairs Mehdi Azizkhari, Juan-Carlos Baltazar Status: Not Approved Approved X Approved with Caveats Caveats: For full details see the attached Sub-Council Reports X DRsc X TRsc FUPsc X Msc Summary of Caveats: Design Review sub-council recommends approval - If grant funding is sufficient, display monitors will be installed on both the fourth floor and the lobby area of Langford A with the intent to maximize student and staff exposure to educational information. Technical Review sub-council recommends approval - EH&S: Safety concerns are adequately addressed except for fall protection. While the switch to the Langford C roof and limitation of student access is positive, I request that architecture contact EHS and review the roof of Langford C for fall protection issues before installation of solar panels. I believe that adequate precautions can be implemented that will remove this concern as it relates to installation and maintenance personnel. - Facilities Services: Project team should consult with a structural engineer to ensure that panel installation is compatible with the roof structure and that the panel installation complies with building codes, especially those concerning wind loads. The project team should coordinate with the holder of the roof warranty to ensure the panel installation does not void the warranty. - UES: Looks forward to working closely with the project and design team to ensure that all campus requirements are met and that the project is successful. Applicable UES Design Standards will need to be followed. Selected UES staff should be included throughout the design and installation process and be given the opportunity to review all modifications. (see attached for contact information for Chris Dieckert, Richard Hubacek, and Keith Bornmann) Maintenance sub-council recommends approval - This project will be routed through SSC for project management to ensure all TAMU rules and regulations are followed. - College of Architecture agrees to fund any future required maintenance. - College of Architecture will develop a plan for removal of all the equipment and any repairs/damage caused if the project is abandoned in the future. - Students will not access the roof. - Coordinate with SSC regarding roof warranty concerns. Comments from the University Architect: Approved to proceed with caveats as noted. Prior to installation, the project team must contact the University Architect to confirm that all caveats have been met, especially those related to technical and safety concerns. General Services Complex, Suite TAMU College Station, TX Tel lilia.gonzales@tamu.edu

2 Reusing the Roof Space: From Solar Panels to Reduced EUI Mehdi Azizkhani Dr. Juan-Carlos Baltazar College of Architecture

3 Scope of the Project Appropriate site/face selection Simulation/selection of the required materials for the 480V 3-phase electricity service for 15.7 kva PV system 48 panels with 20% efficiency will result in kwh/yr electricity production Installing roof-mounted PV panels on the top of Langford Architecture Building A through 1-2 months on-site work: solar panels controllers inverters monitoring systems Post-Installation Evaluation (12 months)

4 Goals of the Project A Response to the broader initiative of the Sustainability Master Plan for Texas A&M University Achieving 2% reduction in the building s electricity consumption by using renewable energy From EUI=138 to kbtu/ft2/yr $41,473 to $21203 savings over the life of the system with 4.8% to 2.7% IRR The vast amount of existing roof space on campus has remained idle with no functional contribution to its buildings. This project provides an example of reusing the roof space. Providing an opportunity of educational outreach for students, staff, and faculty: Energy Awareness and Engagement Sustainability (Environmental Benefit) and GHG Reduction Building Energy Efficiency Upgrades and Optimization

5 System Specifications

6 Specs

7 Specs

8 Benefits Resource Estimate Resource Estimate CO 2 conserved (tons/month) 1.56 Equivalent recycled waste (tons/month) 4.91 Electricity conserved (kw/month) 1892 Coal avoided to be burned (lbs./month) Water conserved (gal/month) Other: reduced auto miles per month 3111 Gasoline saved (gal/month) Other: trees saved/month 36

9 Data Collection/Monitoring

10 Concern: Safety and fall protection Suggestion: Installation of the System on the ground Suggestion for the installation of the system on the ground: Provides easier visibility/access but also increase the cost of installation (almost twice) The chance of any unwanted damage due to vandalism will increase. The separate electrical room for installation of the electrical equipment would be hard to find on the ground level. To address this concern: Move the location to Langford C from Langford A Restrict access to the roof for maintenance purposes Provide the educational aspects of the system through the installed monitors inside the building and a camera near the PV system on the roof.

11 Location

12 Location and Solar Energy A C B Solar energy from January to June Solar energy from July to December

13 Yearly Cumulative

14 Location Maximum sun exposure (4.5kWh/m2 daily) Required roof area: 900 ft2 for about 48 PV panels New Alternative (Langford C) Previous Alternative (Langford A)

15 Concern: Fall Prevention/Protection No access to the raised platform for anyone other than the installers or maintenance staff for occasional access to the system (once or twice a year) Area is located at the center of the roof, there is no concern for safety issues related to any probability of falling from the roof to the ground level. There is also a small roof parapet around the raised central platform This raised area is large enough to have a 4-feet clear area on its perimeter in addition to an extra 4- feet clear area around the set of panels. Therefore, there will be always more than the required minimum 3-feet safety distance to the edge of the raised platform. The platform is only about 5 tall, which is less than half of the typical floor heights. The roof has been repaired/replaced before. Therefore, no conflict seems to exist compared with the roof replacement in Langford A scheduled for FY18.

16 Concern: Fall Prevention/Protection Ease and safety of access for maintenance

17 Concern: Electrical infrastructure should be housed in electrical rooms Existence of enough space in building C for the installation of the electrical equipment of the system in an electrical room (and not in a mechanical room)

18 Concern: consideration for isolation of solar arrays in emergencies The system is a grid-tied Surplus electricity will be provided to the grid There s a disconnection box to isolate the system whenever needed The installer team has a PE electrical engineer that will stamp the system s design before installation of the project

19 Concern: Use of ballast to secure the solar panel systems to the roof needs careful examination, despite manufacturer claims of testing.

20 Concern for using ballast system Concern for voiding roof warranty Suggestion for using mechanical fasteners on the roof The ballast system will be a no roof penetration system to avoid voiding the roof warranty Coordination between SSC, researchers, and installers to assure that system installation will not void any warranties or have any adverse effects on the existing roof membrane Precedent: Jack E. Brown Building

21 Concern: Removal/Recycling of the equipment SunPower E-series and X-series solar panels have a cradle-tocradle certification. The principles for certification include sourcing materials safe for humans and the environment, and ensuring that these materials are recycled at the end of the products life. The program is free of charge.

22 Concern: Reflectivity of the solar panels for occupants in Eller O&M Imperceptible Degree of Glare Probability (GDP) which comes from the material of the surrounding buildings and not the panels PV panels location Glare analysis results for the viewer on the roof of the O&M building on June 21 at 9 am and September 21 at 9 am shows 24% DGP (imperceptible) PV panels location Glare analysis results for the viewer on the roof of the O&M building on June 21 at 9 am and September 21 at 9 am shows 21% DGP (imperceptible) Glare analysis results for the viewer inside a room on the last floor of the O&M building on June 21 at 9 am shows 20% DGP (imperceptible glare) Glare analysis results for the viewer inside a room on the last floor of the O&M building on December 21 at 9 am shows 5% DGP (imperceptible glare)

23 Telecommunications: Type of data that will be transported from solar array Real-time electricity production of the array modules DC/AC Monthly Output (W/m2) AC System Output(kWh) DC array Output (kwh)

24 Cost Effectiveness Publicity & Outreach Student Involvement Environmental Impact Actual Performance ** 1a. Measuring the CO2 conserved 1a tons/month 1a. Factor Objective Measure Performance Goals 1. Reducing the carbon footprint of the campus buildings 1b. Measuring the equivalent reduced auto miles 1b miles/month 1b. 1c. Measuring the equivalent water conserved 1c gal/month 1c. 1. Reducing the EUI of Langford Building from 138 to 135.5kBtu/ft2/yr 1d. Measuring the equivalent recycled waste 1d tons/month 1d. 2a. Measuring the electricity conserved by the PV system electricity generation and keep it constant through 2a kw/month 2a continuous monitoring 1. Increasing students awareness/interests on the subject of renewable energy and its design/retrofit applications 2b. Increasing the average number of arrays daily performance at above 90% capacity through double checking the system s cleanliness and achieving the right angles 3a. Increasing the number of users (the number of students participating in each tour of the system per year) 3b. Increasing the frequency of visiting the system by the number of courses and studios including projects related to this system in their syllabi 2b. 6 hours 2b. 3a. 200 people per year 3a. 3b. 7 per year 3b. 1. Increasing team members potential involvement in the project 4. Combining the project s work with student s course requirements and measuring the results as People Work hours hrs Increasing the number of students for volunteer contribution 5. Measuring and monitoring participations as people/semester and promoting the number of participants by informing the faculty and also through departmental outreach People/Semester Increasing the level of awareness of the project and 6. Measuring and promoting the level of awareness (based on survey questionnaires) 6. Score of 4.5 on a Likert Scale of 5 6. its features among students, staff, and faculty 1. Promoting the users information about the project 7a. Raising some questions through the distribution of survey questionnaires in users minds about the existence of the project and its features 7a. Increase of the users awareness in each interval of survey 7a. questionnaires by 30% increase for the correct/informative response 7b. Installation of the screen display in areas with higher frequency of space using 7b. Installation of the display on the fourth floor or in the lobby area of Langford Building 1. Increasing the sense of belonging 8a. Increasing the level of students contribution to decide and design the features of their academic environment through sustainability projects 8a. 3.5 on a Likert Scale of 5 8a. 8b. Educational impact in terms of student use of the installed system as an educational tool 8b. 4 on a Likert Scale of 5 8b. 7b. 1. Keeping the Internal Rate of Return above 2.8% 9a. Measuring the electricity savings through the monitoring system and fine-tuning the system failures/performance timely 9b. Purchasing the required materials/equipment from authorized and experienced installers at the lowest price for the highest quality 9a. IRR of 2.8% and $1841 in the first year 9b. purchasing the materials through a bid proposal among three authorized installers and possibly having SSC expertise involved in this process 9a. 9b. 9c. Measuring the environmental costs of not having the PV system installed as well as the benefits of having it based on objectives 1 and 2 10.Tracking the system electricity savings and following its conformity with the initial calculated cash flow results through time 9c. Achieving a lower cost compared to the system s benefits, when 9c. converting the carbon footprints reduction/ increase to dollars and comparing them with the initial cost of the system 10. Conformity with the calculated curve for the payback period as in 10. the middle of the life of the system over 30 years

25 COUNCIL FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT DESIGN REVIEW SUB-COUNCIL MEMORANDUM TO: Dr. Jerry Strawser Co-Chair, Council for the Built Environment Dr. Karan Watson Co-Chair, Council for the Built Environment FROM: Ms. Lilia Gonzales, AIA University Architect and Chair, Design Review Sub-Council DATE: November 9, 2017 RE: Design Review Sub-Council (DRsc) Update Report Solar Panels at Langford Building On October 16, 2017, the DRsc Chair received updated information from Mr. Mehdi Azizkhani regarding the request from the College of Architecture for installation of solar panels on the roof of Langford Building. The proposed project location has moved from Langford Building A to Langford Building C due to previous concerns noted by all sub-councils. The updated information addressed the previous concerns related to safety, roof warranty, and maintenance. Previously, DRsc members recommended approval of the installation of the solar panels with caveats. Below are the responses to those caveats: A study be conducted and presented to address DRsc concerns related to safety and structural concerns. Concerns addressed within updated TRsc Report. Confirmation and assurance should be provided that the installation of the solar panels will not void any warranties or have any adverse effects on the existing roof membrane. Coordination with SSC Service Solutions may be necessary. Concerns addressed within updated TRsc Report. A long-term maintenance plan must be addressed and presented for the solar panels. Concerns addressed within updated Msc Report. Consideration of the installation of a second monitor on the second floor of Langford Building A to maximize student and staff exposure to educational information. The monitor(s) location will be either on the fourth floor or lobby area of Langford A Building. If the project's grant is sufficient, displaying monitors will be installed in both locations. Proposed project location should be studied to make sure there will be no adverse effects to other projects / installations in the area. Concern no longer an issue with new location on the roof of Langford Building C. Based on the updated information and responses, the DRsc maintains its recommendation for approval. Please contact me with any questions. cc: Jorge Vanegas DRsc Members Bettyann Zito 1

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