Affordable Housing Becomes More Lucrative with Solar Power

Four affordable housing projects in Westchester and Putnam Counties have recently had solar power systems installed by Sunrise Solar Solutions, the Briarcliff, NY based growing provider of turnkey solar energy solutions for residential and commercial customers. These new installations signal the ongoing success of the amalgamation of new and improved solar financing options, state and federal incentives and lower system costs that are making it easier and wiser for tri-state businesses and homeowners to choose solar energy.

When Wilder Balter Partners, of Elmsford, NY, decided to “go green” in 2006, they initially resolved to incorporate sustainable building products and practices in their new construction to result in healthier, more energy efficient and environmentally responsible homes. After many successful new projects, the question arose about retrofitting older multi-family projects. Vice President Gary Friedland contacted Sunrise Solar and began a conversation that developed into their first foray into solar for an affordable housing project they own on Long Island. Completed 2 years ago, the project has delivered everything that Wilder Balter had hoped for as the system pays for all the common space energy needs and even sells power back to the grid.

In planning their two newest affordable housing projects, Wilder Balter once again turned to Sunrise Solar Systems for their experience and additional positive outcomes. John Bainlardi, a Wilder Balter vice-president, was the project manager for Hillcrest at Carmel, three buildings with 75 units for 55+ renters. With only one building geographically perfect for solar, the installation was configured to lower operational costs by providing ample energy for indoor and outdoor common lighting, elevators, heating and cooling of common areas, laundry room, and each floor’s common/reading room. “One of our objectives at Hill crest was to size the system that we installed to create at least a 10% savings,” noted Bainlardi. “To date, and it is only June, it looks like we will exceed that threshold.” That 14.5 kW system will provide over 16,000 kW hours annually.”

Wilder Balter’s Project Manager Jim Wendling supervised the firm’s new construction of Roundtop Commons of Montrose, NY. This affordable project includes four buildings with a total of 91 one and two bedroom apartments. The use of solar helped meet affordable housing regulations and will eliminate energy costs for elevators, indoor lighting, common space air conditioning, laundry rooms and the reading rooms on each floor. Wendling added, “Sunrise Solar presented all the designs and specifications for us to bring to the town planning board and saved us a lot of time. Sunrise’s communication with us and the planning board was exceptional.”

Roundtop’s 36kw system was designed to produce 42,000 kWh per year. President of Sunrise Solar Solutions, Doug Hertz noted, “In laymen’s terms, this set-up will eliminate the creation of 845 tons of CO2 and the need for 908 barrels of oil over the course of its lifetime. The installation’s CO2 savings is the equivalent of not driving 1.7 million miles and if that’s not enough, it will pay for itself in 5 years and will save more than $430,000 over its lifetime.” Over 70% of the total project costs are paid for by incentives and the manufacturer provides a 25-year warranty.

Peekskill NY based Marathon Development Group is a real estate development firm specializing in the development, acquisition, restructuring, and construction/renovation of affordable multifamily properties. Marathon's sole focus is affordable housing.  All projects serve low income and mixed income populations.  Energy efficiency, life safety and security, and quality of life for our residents are of paramount importance in all Marathon Development Group projects and they know that making older properties more affordable is not that hard as long as costs are kept in line.

Late last year, Marathon found Sunrise Solar Systems on the NYSERDA web site as they looked for a local solar firm to work with them on a new acquisition that required energy upgrades and had a tight deadline. Peekskill Plaza on Main Street in downtown Peekskill is a four building affordable housing that was an energy hog. It was an all-electric development, including heat. It made financial sense to turn to solar to reduce operating expenses, especially because of the projected ROI. Marathon’s president Mark Beida met with Sunrise Solar and a few other solar providers and found “Sunrise Solar to offer the most sensible technology and the best approach for what would be our largest solar installation to date of 70kw. When Doug Hertz demonstrated their micro-inverter system and proved that they create more energy over time and with more reliability, I couldn’t understand why anyone would still use the older string inverter technology,” Beida emphasized. “I can go to my installation at Sunrise Solar’s website and monitor the daily use and see if there are any problems. I don’t though because they are doing their job and they do the monitoring regularly,” he added.

Three of the four buildings around the plaza are two-story units and the fourth is a seven-story building. Additionally, Marathon Development Group also makes the site their headquarters. The 70kw system will produce just shy of 90,000kwh of electricity on an annual basis and over the lifetime of the system (25 years), 3,331 barrels of oil will be saved and the release of 1,550 tons of CO2 will be eliminated.  The entire project will create the environmental equivalent of planting a 300-acre forest annually.

Mark Beida is looking forward to the lifetime savings of more than $600,000 that this installation will deliver. He commented, “We made the decision late in the year eyeing a potential change to the tax laws regarding accelerated depreciation that made the deal worthwhile. This created a bit of tension because of the time frame but we put it on the shoulders of Sunrise Solar because we believed in them and they delivered everything and on time. They kept me in the loop and let me know what was happening and we worked through it together. Sunrise worked with the Building Department and the Review Committee. We sailed through the presentations and the town embraced it. Peekskill Plaza is one of the larger systems in the whole city.”

Marathon also chose Sunrise Solar Systems for another affordable housing project of theirs known as Underhill Crossing in Yorktown Heights. The construction manager on the job was Sean Gann and this was his first experience with Sunrise Solar, too. Gann remembered, “With the cost of energy rising every year, it made huge sense to turn to solar power. We chose Sunrise Solar for their fair price, local experience and fine reputation. We also had a very tough year-end completion date and Sunrise Solar coordinated their work with our new roof installation without any problems and on-time.” As usual, Marathon elected to have Sunrise Solar handle all the paperwork with the town and state and all approvals went smoothly and quickly.

With energy efficiency, life safety and security, and quality of life being vital components of their housing philosophy, Marathon utilized Sunrise Solar’s expertise to install a 15kw system for common areas. Two of the four buildings were well situated for a solar installation and the installations now supply lighting for all corridors, parking lots, walkways and laundry rooms, offsetting 10% of expected NYSEG charges annually.

Sunrise Solar Systems provides practical energy management and solar energy solutions that save building owners energy, money and time. “We enjoy focusing on multifamily residential buildings, enabling them to reduce waste, improve cash flow, achieve energy law compliance and make building occupants more comfortable. We also love watching the sustainable effects it has on our area and the planet,” Hertz beamed. “One of my favorite things about solar PV systems is that there’s only one moving part – your meter moving backward!”

About Sunrise Solar Solutions

Sunrise Solar Solutions LLC is the sister company of 25 year old Sunrise Building and Remodeling of Briarcliff Manor. Sunrise Solar Solutions designs and installs solar systems for the commercial and residential market in the tri-state area. Sunrise Solar is certified by NYSERDA, NYSEIA, ISES and ASES. For more information:

http://www.sunrisesolarllc.com

914-762-7622