Solar for Avesta Housing Meeting Place in Exeter, New Hampshire
Development Officer Brooks More of Avesta Housing, a non-profit organization that provides quality affordable apartments to lower income New England residents, says "sustainability is one of Avesta's core values, and we're trying to put solar on every new building that can support the panels as one way to achieve that goal."
ReVision Energy recently installed a 47.04-kilowatt photovoltaic array on the newest addition to Avesta's Meeting Place complex in Exeter, New Hampshire. The 39-family residence opened in July of 2015, and the affordability of the solar project was a driving motivator in Avesta's decision to install the solar modules. More says, "New Hampshire was great in that it has a rebate and incentive program that allowed us to buy the most productive system we could for the space we had."
In addition to the solar array, the Meeting Place also makes use of under slab insulation, rigid foam and spray foam insulation. Heating and cooling is accomplished through the use of mini-split heat pumps. "It's all electric," explains More. "The solar will help offset that usage." Since the system went online in September of 2015, the solar panels have produced 11.86 megawatt hours of electricity, enough clean energy to offset 24,636 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions and to power 49,137 light bulbs for a day.
For a mission driven non-profit like Avesta, utilizing solar technology is an ideal way to take the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly route. The savings realized by the company will help control operating costs while maintaining a green profile and continuing development of affordable housing. The company currently owns or manages over 80 properties throughout southern Maine and New Hampshire.
Avesta has a another solar project planned for a new Hampton Falls development in New Hampshire this fall. The developer recently completed a project in South Berwick, Maine, and is nearing completion on a project in Gorham, Maine.
